Gondola

Mainly the latest requests have been for more photos, so we have worked on taking more of them. It has been easier with such beautiful weather lately. For me the best has been the past couple of weeks, when it has been a little to cold during the early hours, nice in short sleeves for a couple of hours in the peak of the afternoon.

Ryan knows the word gondola now. We took a trip up to the top of the Port Hills, a ridge that forms the southern boundary to greater Christchurch. We timed it perfectly on a clear evening so that we got to have dinner watching the sun set on the city and all the lights come on. The building at the top has a viewing balcony about 270 degrees around. There is also a restaurant. Fortunately for us, it closes at 8 pm, about 45 minutes before sunset. They also leave the dining areas open, since they consume a strong majority floorspace but shelter is needed, as the winds are near constant up there. They are also darn cold! Surprisingly, there were only another half-dozen people there.

So the timing and the setting were ideal. We took in the views, took some family photos, then went inside and enjoyed our picnic while the sky changed colors. It was a great time. The play area was available exclusively for the kids' use. And there were educational posters throughout the restaurant. A couple of photos of them are below, including some of the more spectacular species of birds that have passed into extinction, such as the Moa (the largest bird ever to have lived), the largest eagle ever to have lived, and the laughing owl. I recommend looking them up online if you have the chance.

There was also some information on the first European to find New Zealand. Interestingly, he never set foot on the land, and it was more than a century later before Captain Cook would be the first European to do so.

Views north into Christchurch:

The view west.

Lyttleton