Earthquake

I have been waiting until I took more photos to write something about Christchurch post earthquake.

But I have to say, we really have no picture in the US about how devastating the earthquake and aftershocks have been. After all, within a week of the devastating earthquake, Japan's earthquake and nuclear disaster happened. And New Zealanders were hesitant to ask for help from the greater world when their need was so comparatively low.

But you come to this city and you first notice that it seems like a city of chain link fences. There are chain link fences in front of empty buildings and lots full of rubble. There are chain link fences blocking off all streets in the Central Business District. These are new.

If you look at a map of Christchurch or read a guidebook, virtually interesting is blocked off or closed.

The woman who was running a science program at a suburban library today (this is how you take kids to the science museum now) told us that she's moved house three times now because of earthquake damage.

Brick chimneys all over the city have fallen down, or are cordoned off and slated for reconstruction. This is a big deal for a city that relies on stoves and space heaters for slot of their winter heating.

But people are still friendly, despite many of them living in uncertainty. They talk quite openly and make earthquake jokes.

Although much of the city is a disaster zone, the people are not disasters. I hope to see the city come out of it.

Photos to follow later.