Christchurch // Cardboard Cathedral

the Cardboard Cathedral in Christchurch is probably the most unique church in New Zealand.

it is meant to be a temporary structure, taking the place of the cathedral in the square that was demolished by the 2011 earthquake. but the cathedral has drawn a lot of attention since its opening in 2013. the award-winning architect who designed the cathedreal is known for his work in distaster recovery and eco-friendly materials. I mean, Kate and William the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge even visited during their royal tour of New Zealand last year.

maybe it's because I have a package engineering degree, but I was a sucker for this place.

the name "Cardboard Cathedral" is a little misleading. yes, large portions of the building are constructed from cardboard tubes: the support beams, even the cross above the altar. but the chairs are wood, the floor is concrete, and the roof and "stained glass" windows are some kind of plastic sheeting.

the entire structure is made from recycled and sustainable materials. "Cardboard Cathedral" is just a catchier name than "Eco-friendly and Sustainable Cathedral."

this is definitely not a traditional church, but I still thought it was beautiful. it felt pretty symbolic of the attitude we encountered - everywhere we went there was art, hope, and evidence of human resiliency. the earthquake has damaged or destroyed a lot of the structures in Christchurch, but the city is rebuilding into something new.

you can find more information or make a donation on the Cathedral website.

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Christchurch // Botanic Gardens

if you don't like pictures of pretty flowers, blue skies, and sunshine... this is not the post for you. since it's officially spring now and Taiwan is starting to show itself in full bloom [helped along by a very rainy week] sharing our trip to the Christchurch Botanic Gardens only seems appropriate.

we visited the gardens on recommendation from Dannielle, who used to live in Christchurch. we wandered for hours through the grounds and hardly covered half of the park. there were pathways and ponds, gardens with specific flowers [or regional plants] and plenty of open lawn for lounging and picnicking. oh - and it's completely FREE.

I'm not an expert on plant life. my mother is an excellent gardener [just like my grandfather before her] and could probably tell you the names of each of these beauties. but I am 98% sure that last photo is of the famous New Zealand silver fern, based on the color under the leaves. all of the plant life in New Zealand was fascinating to me - so different from Taiwan and with many unique native strains.

hydrangeas I can recognize. and of course, the roses. it helped that they were all gathered in one particular place called the "rose garden." seriously, I could have set up a tent and lived in the rose garden it smelled so amazing.

I love going to botanical gardens because they are just so photogenic. [if you couldn't tell.] all the bright colors and fragrances were just... lovely. it seemed like every city we visited in New Zealand had a botanical garden, but I think Christchurch had the largest, oldest, and most beautiful. I would definitely recommend popping in for an afternoon if you are in town.

are you a fan of botanical gardens? where is your favorite one you've visited?

linking up with Nicole.

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Christchurch // Cave Rock

sometimes, the best adventures are unplanned.

the four of us piled into the car after a long day of exploring Christchurch on foot. we wanted to go somewhere. anywhere. as long as we didn't have to walk anymore.

we used the GPS to search for nearby points of interest, expanding the search from 5 to 10 to 15 kilometers. "Cave Rock... that sounds interesting." we checked the map - it was on the coast. who's going to say no to the beach? we decided to go.

I don't really have much to say about Cave Rock other than it's aptly named: a giant rock, on the beach, with a cave in it. it's not really a big tourist spot. the beach was covered in locals enjoying a late sunday summer afternoon. our feet had recovered enough to climb under, over, around, and through - it might have had something to do with salty air and crashing waves - but mostly it's a great place to just relax.

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