The good, the bad

In some ways, it was tough coming back to Christchurch. The airport was filled with salvation army, red cross, and search and rescue personnel again. On the way home, we drove over broken and bumpy roads that used to be smooth, past heaps of bricks that used to be buildings. And the aftershocks keep coming. We just had a doozy a moment ago. Even though we've felt thousands of them now, they still make my heart stop.

We went for a walk and looked at all the damage in our neighbourhood. Cracked streets, a polluted river (they're dumping raw sewage into it... yuk).

There is a gorgeous old brick house on the corner of Centaurus and Aynsley Terrace. I've been told that it used to be a restaurant. It's huge and stately and has beautiful gardens. It took a hit after the first earthquake but looked repairable. Now I think we can fairly say... it's munted.

fallen roof

red stickered

This is just one old brick building in a city that had hundreds of them. Virtually all of them are damaged, it seems. It's such a shame that the earthquake has taken all the character buildings, leaving the strong boring ones.

I'm trying to always remember that the story of Christchurch's earthquake is not all death and destruction. There has definitely been some good news too. For one, Christchurch's prostitutes are experiencing a boom in business. (Best line from this story: "sex worker Candice, 24, said she has been run off her feet ...")

There's been an amazing outpouring of love and generosity. From Auckland to Chicago, people are collecting money for Cantabrians. Closer to home, Quinn's daycare has offered 4 free weeks of care to Christchurch families. This is a huge savings to us - about $800. Amazing. According to their website, they're making the offer just because "it's the right thing to do." Good on them.

The newspaper is filled with stories about volunteers - the student volunteer army, the "farmy army", and others. It seems everyone is doing something to make someone else's life a little easier. In many ways, it's a great time to be a member of this community. Even if the streets are cracked and lined with port-a-loos.