A Tale of Two Cathedrals

We recently helped build a cardboard box and packing tape cathedral as part of the Christchurch Arts Festival.  Olivier Grossetete, an artist from France, designed the temporary Ephemeral City cathedral.  Cindy helped put together boxes on Friday.  Both of us helped with the actual construction on Saturday.  It was one of the most impressive and fun things we’ve done in Christchurch.  

Constructing the building units

One of Olivier's French helpers checks the design

Part of the rosette window

Olivier Grossetete

The cathedral was built from the top down.  When one section was finished, Olivier would get on the megaphone, say “one, two, three, lift” and everyone would lift the structure until another support was placed under the edges – and then the taping began again.

Almost finished...

The cathedral was scheduled to be pulled down on Sunday at 3 pm.  Mother Nature had a different schedule – about 1 pm on Sunday, strong winds came up along with rain and hail.  The cathedral twisted and collapsed on its own.  Later that afternoon, children were allowed to jump on it and then the whole thing was taken apart and recycled.  

If you search on Olivier Grossetete's name on the web, you can see many other structures that he's designed and built, including a bridge held up in the air by balloons.

For lunch, we finally got to Cheesemongers, a shop that sells cheese, breads and cheese sandwiches.  You order a sandwich, then go into the cooler to pick out the cheese you want on it.  The slices are weighed and priced and your sandwich is assembled.  Yum! 

Also on Saturday, the Anglican church governing body voted to reconstruct the stone Christchurch Cathedral which was damaged in the 2010-2011 earthquakes.  To rebuild or not has been a topic of debate for 7 years because of the high cost involved.  

Christchurch Cathedral - now to be rebuilt

We’ve both continued tramping and continue to see some great sights.  We like it that in New Zealand even though land is private, the landowners allow trails to go through their property.

Climbing over a stile on a track

Last week our lunch site had a beautiful view over the harbor, and we sat next to native grass seedlings planted by a restoration crew. 

Over the weekend we visited the Christchurch Art Gallery, rebuilt last year to replace the earthquake-damaged building.  

At the Art Gallery we saw another Len Lye exhibit of kinetic sculptures (we’d been to the Len Lye Centre in New Plymouth).

We also went to the open house at the recently re-opened Quake Museum and learned more about the 2010-2011 quakes. 

Relic from destroyed church in background

Children making lego buildings

Cindy is taking an online photography class from back in Wisconsin.  We thought you would like to see a photo taken for one of her assignments for a different look at Paul. 

Paul continues to lecture at the Uni.  Cindy made a favorite treat for afternoon tea for the staff. 

Nothing like Aunt Esther's Swedish Coffee Cake for afternoon tea...

Spring here is like spring in Wisconsin – some warm days, some rainy damp days.  The flowers bloom on.  

Magnolia tree in bloom