Today we encountered being elevated in various ways.
At the half-way restored Christ College we visited the Great Hall ...
... and elevated our eyes and minds while taking in the huge Memorial Window depicting service of humanity by action and thought.
At the top: Virgin Mary, and at the bottom in mid section: Robert Scott (with ski pole) and James Cook. All the others are also loyal subjects of the British Empire.
To further elevate our minds in relation to creative arts we paid a free visit to the steel-and-glass construction called "Christchurch Art Gallery" or "Te Puna o Waiwhetuu" if you'd prefer Mauri.
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| Evelyn Page, 1942: Road through Arrowtown. |
We were happy to again see places we have been and landscapes we have experienced.
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| Rata Lowell Smith, 1933: Hawkins. |
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| Colin McCahon, 1951: Canterbury Plains. |
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| Eileen Mayo, 1971: Chief Post Office at Cathedral Square. |
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| Eileen Mayo, 1983: Springing Fern. |
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| Rita Angus, 1936: Cass. |
The elevated meaning behind the light-sword-pierced chairs hanging from the ceiling eluded me ...
... as did the extensive collection of heads by "headmistress" Julia Morison.
After this inning we needed an outing and fresh air.
We therefore ascended in elevation by use of a gondola ...
... and arrived at the very top of Port Hills between Christchurch and its port at Lyttleton.
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| View over Lyttleton towards Banks Peninsula. |
From the summit at 445 m above sea level the views in all directions were phenomenal, especially on a day like this.
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| View towards Christchurch and the beach at New Brighton. |
About 200 km to the north, beyond Kairoura, we could make out the snow-clad mountain of Tapuae-o-Uenuku, the highest peak in the northeast of the South Island; 2,885 metres.
Most of these destinations were beyond today's horizon.
But just as we were about to return to downtown a truck passed us carrying two MAERSK containers. – Maybe a greeting from good old Copenhagen (Maersk is a Danish-owned and -based company with HQ in Copenhagen).
. . .
Tomorrow will be our last full day among the Kiwis.
