Memories of Christchurch from a more stable time
I'm still devastated by the damage and deaths in Christchurch caused by the aftershocks under Lyttleton at 12:43pm 22 Feb 2011. Many of the places I grew up around are now piles of rubble, and in some sad cases, tombs. In the September 4th 2010 Earthquake, the one that started this seemingly unending series of aftershocks, the slight personal damage that registered in my mind was of an old cafe that my friends and I used to hang out in while we were meant to be at school. It was in Riccarton Rd and was due for demolition in the 1980's so that earthquake just delivered an inevitable blow. The 2011 aftershock did way more that that. As a child, I prayed and sang at the Blessed Sacrament cathedral. At 12, I was rushed into the CBHS choir (before my voice broke I had a nice treble tone) to sing in the end of year mass held at the ChCh cathedral. I was in awe of the peace inside these old buildings, the calm, coolness created by the soaring ceiling and solid block, thick walls....