I'm on my way, Christchurch!
Travelling tradition had to be observed as usual:
Got to Christchurch with no dramas and Caroline was there to welcome me. We went back to her place to drop my bag off and then hopped back in the car to go for a trip down memory lane. We went for a stroll around Canterbury Uni and I found myself using phrases like "remember when we used to..." at an alarming frequency. Yikes!
Maybe I'm biased but Auckland Uni has nothing on Canty. So pretty!
We came across a random art installation thing while walking around campus.
So true!!
Not sure what a chair and a dainty tea cup have anything to do with our inner child but anyway.....
Central Library where I spent a lot of time hanging out with Olly... ahem *cough* I mean studying studiously like a nerd.
Central lecture theatres where I spent a lot of time.... can you predict where I'm going with this yet?
Commerce building where I ..... gotcha!... na didn't spend that much time here actually. Although, Olly did approach me for the first time here... okie no one cares? Fine, then.
Head straight ahead if you want to read Law. Isn't it weird that they say read Law and not study Law? Ah those lawyers are a kooky bunch.
Anyhoo, after reminiscing about our misspent youth, we headed to a cafe for breakfast. The start of a slippery slope which I'd like to call "Stop Asking Me What I Want for My Next Meal, Caroline!!!".
Cool ambience:
Trim flat white with a side of Jaffa (not the usual yucky marshmallow, this is definitely my kind of cafe) and a fresh out of the oven piping hot raspberry and chocolate muffin.
We then headed to the Arts Centre where I used to go whenever I needed a bit of cultural injection. Christchurch has trams running within the city, much like the other city I'm so fond of - Melbourne.
Heading towards Arts Centre and the markets surrounding it.
There was a lane with rows of different nationalities' food for sale in mobile stalls. How awesome is that??
Cutest little waffle hut:
The always tempting Fudge Cottage.
There were little shoppes within the the building itself - mostly handicraft stalls like wood stuff, knitted stuff, bead jewellery, etc. All I bought was a wheat bag for Fiona.
We then went to Caroline's office for a looksie. She has her own practice in town, specialising in Asian clientele. Look her up if you are looking for a lawyer there. This is free advertising by the way. Well, apart from all those meals she fed me when I was there.
Guess what we did after that? It was lunchtime apparently, according to Caroline!! So we headed off to Cookai, an inner city Japanese restaurant.
Mine! Miso soup, steamed egg and a main.
The steamed egg was so smooth.
I had sashimi and roe on rice for my main. Can you see my empty antihistamine blister pack right next to the cover? Stupid allergies. The food was pretty good but the cold seafood with warm rice was a bit of a weird combo for me.
Caroline had asian-style poached egg and assorted nigiri on rice.
After lunch, we went home because I wasn't feeling too flash. Hey I'm not a spring chicken anymore, ok? Even if I still look it. Getting up at 5 am takes a lot out of my system. Oh wipe that smirk off your face, will ya?
So I spent the rest of the day on the couch watching the Asian tv channel and dozing. Then we went off to the chinese supermarket to get some dinner stuff. We ended up having Taiwanese bubble tea, Taiwanese beef noodles and pickled veges for dinner as I couldn't be stuffed going out.
Caroline's cutesy kitchen with the 3 bowls lined up for Papa Bear, Mama Bear and Baby Bear's (ME!) dinner.
Bon appetit:
I spent the rest of night on the couch again - watching tv. I know, I lead a crazy glamorous life. I should think about slowing down before I burn out.
Caroline already planned and booked our breakfast for the next day so we went off to Drexels in Riccarton. It's an American-style breakfast joint as you can read from the window sign.
It was really really really popular. Good call on booking, Caroline!!
The most ingenious part about the place? The serving sizes!! You can choose whether you want one/two/three pieces of pancake/waffles/french toast. How clever is that??? So good for dainty eaters like myself. I said SHUDDUP!
Caroline had crepes with eggs and hash brown.
I knew she would be feeding me every 2 hours so I craftily chose one egg with sausages and hash brown. YUM!
We walked around Riccarton Mall for a bit where a shopkeeper admired my hair and told me I'm very trendy and skinny and amazing and awesome. Ok I may or may not have embellished a little bit. Anyway she told us we should go check out High Street in town as it's the place to go for all fashionistas. So that's what we did.
Such an awesome day and THAT is my dream apartment. Sigh!!
Cute bronze sheep on the sidewalk... with one of them lagging behind the other two....
because of an ice cream cone... Ah, my kind of girl.
Walked around the city malls a bit....
I swear this was not photoshopped at all and was taken at around midday. Very happening place as you can see.
Cathedral Square
There was some sort of a charity variety show happening when we walked past and there were a lot of funny cars parked there. I'm pretty sure I saw Ewen Gilmour walked past me. No, Mel not Ewan McGregor. Totally different so calm down.
Some futuristic looking truck from Air NZ:
Penny farthing
Cupcake mini!!!
Winnie the Pooh volkswagon:
Cadbury car with a Cadbury man on top!
People playing the giant chess pieces amid all the hoopla going on around them:
Anyway, the whole point of going into town is to go have Osaka for lunch. This was THE place to go for me when I was a student here. Ah Mr Osaka, how i've missed you.
This is Mr Osaka's philosophy:
*waves* Hello, Mr Osaka. I *heart* you.
The food are still pretty cheap at $8 with bottomless miso soup (Jealous, Ah Here) and a new addition - bottomless salad. By salad, I really mean finely grated cabbage.
I HAD to have my usual - spicy fried chicken on rice.
So happy!!!!!!!!
Water and miso soup stands. At only $8 a pop, it's very much a help yourselves and take your dirty dishes back to the kitchen type operation.
*waves* Hello, Mr Osaka. I *heart* you.
The food are still pretty cheap at $8 with bottomless miso soup (Jealous, Ah Here) and a new addition - bottomless salad. By salad, I really mean finely grated cabbage.
I HAD to have my usual - spicy fried chicken on rice.
So happy!!!!!!!!
Water and miso soup stands. At only $8 a pop, it's very much a help yourselves and take your dirty dishes back to the kitchen type operation.
I'm happy to report that the miso soup is *still* the best I've ever tasted. So good.
Sadly, the fried chicken didn't quite measure up. Darn it, why couldn't I just leave it alone!!! Some memories are better left untouched. Sigh.. but maybe it was because I was still so crazy full from breakfast, I consoled myself. Maybe.
After we waddled out of there, we walked around a bit more and had a wander around SoL Square - the latest inner city development in Christchurch.
It was a bit dead but maybe that was because we were there at 2 pm instead of 2 am.
Some cute looking french cafe. Can you spot the oversized champagne bottle?
Then it was home to pack. Caroline's flatmate took photos of us and she also took 360 degree photos of my hairstyle. Hmm I get compliments from girls and gay guys all the time for my hair but never from straight men!!! Maybe it's time for a hairstyle update.
Thanks Caroline for an awesome weekend. I felt so at home the minute I landed at the airport and clapped my eyes on the Port Hills. Sigh, time sure went by fast.
While I was waiting for my flight, I thought about how you always hear stories about travellers buying a lotto ticket and winning at the airport. So I thought hey, that could be me!! So I bought 3 scratchies. No, Mother, I don't do this all the time. I don't have a problem.
Sadly, the fried chicken didn't quite measure up. Darn it, why couldn't I just leave it alone!!! Some memories are better left untouched. Sigh.. but maybe it was because I was still so crazy full from breakfast, I consoled myself. Maybe.
After we waddled out of there, we walked around a bit more and had a wander around SoL Square - the latest inner city development in Christchurch.
It was a bit dead but maybe that was because we were there at 2 pm instead of 2 am.
Some cute looking french cafe. Can you spot the oversized champagne bottle?
Then it was home to pack. Caroline's flatmate took photos of us and she also took 360 degree photos of my hairstyle. Hmm I get compliments from girls and gay guys all the time for my hair but never from straight men!!! Maybe it's time for a hairstyle update.
Thanks Caroline for an awesome weekend. I felt so at home the minute I landed at the airport and clapped my eyes on the Port Hills. Sigh, time sure went by fast.
While I was waiting for my flight, I thought about how you always hear stories about travellers buying a lotto ticket and winning at the airport. So I thought hey, that could be me!! So I bought 3 scratchies. No, Mother, I don't do this all the time. I don't have a problem.
