Christchurch is the largest city on South Island and very English. It was founded as an outpost of Anglicanism and named after Christchurch College, Oxford. The road names take on English towns like Gloucester Street, Hereford Street, Oxford Terrace and Lichfield Street. And there's even the River Avon where we watched punters happily punting. We could have been back in the home country!
From Christchurch we enjoyed a very scenic drive to Akaroa. If Christchurch is English then Akaroa is New Zealand's French settlement. Many of the street names are French and there are lots of French visitors. Being here feels like a dream. It is picture-postcard perfect and attracts many artists. There's not a great deal to do except enjoy it! As we've had a heat-wave this week we haven't wanted to do much! The temperature has been in the upper 20's low 30's. Glorious but hot!
Artist at work, Akaroa
