Our last supper in Christchurch was at Astro Lounge, a vintage beer garden, which was a 5-minute walk from our hotel in pouring rain. The poster (lower-right) is from one of Burt’s favorite Sci-Fi characters (Dr. Who).

It rained most of the time we were in New Zealand, even though we were starting summer. The average annual temperature is around 50 degrees Fahrenheit in South Island, but apparently we caught part of La Niña on this trip, so it was both wetter and colder than normal. Even many locals were complaining about the miserable weather.

The Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū has its own collection of art along with changing international exhibitions. One current exhibition that will end in April 2024 was  Spring Time is Heart-break: Contemporary Art in Aotearoa. The couple’s relationship mirrored the seasonal changes in the garden they tended together during a decade. Another exhibition was Perilous: Unheard Stories from the Collection about people’s stories, which Evelyn enjoyed seeing.

The Christchurch Art Gallery wows visitors as much for its architecture as for its artwork. (Right-top above and right-top below). The Gallery’s tall, wavy glass facade was inspired by Christchurch’s Avon River and the shape of the native koru fern. The Gallery showcases contemporary art, though it also has its traditional European collection. For the public, there is a “create your own art” made with gold sequins on one side and black color sequins on the other side. As you roll your fingers across it, you can create patterns. Here’s Evelyn’s creation (lower-right). There was both installation art and video art.

There is a weekly crafts show at the art center and here’s a few sculptures (middle row). There are still repairs being made after the damage from the 2011 earthquakes (Left top). You can also see trolley cars that take you around the city, plus a trail of public art that includes a collection of elephants (right bottom). Again, we wanted to thank our hostesses Faye and Ian who took us on a walking tour of the city and brought the city to life that only an insider can do (left bottom)..

After leaving Christchurch, we headed north to Blenheim, situated in the heart of wine-growing Marlborough the largest wine-producing region in New Zealand. Marlborough has 158 wineries in the district. Blenheim is internationally known for its Sauvignon Blanc. There are 290 grape growers of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Gewǔrztraminer. Blenheim is one of the sunniest towns in the country and a destination for foodies and wine lovers. Wither Hills is quite picturesque and Burt took his drone out to film the area. Later his drone was attacked by a bird nearby while videoing a herd of sheep.