Grant and Rae's NZ Trip

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A schizophrenic blog - part Kiwi,part Californian!

Went for a brief wander around Christchurch this morning. And then we arrived in San Fran this morning too - very weird! (we're having 2 Sundays for the first time in our lives because we came across the international dateline en route).

Went to mass in Christchurch,at St. Mary's - Pro-Cathedral,which means that it is acting as the Cathedral Diocese because of the damge in Cathedral Square where,obviously,the "real" cathedral is. Bumped into the prist on the way in and said we were visitors,to which he replied "I'm new here,too having just arrived inChristchurch last Monday!" World-reknowned choir,having been invited to perform in many different countries. Then headed for the airport to fly to Auckland to get our connection to the States.

Good flight,slept a bit more than on the previous over-nighter.....and arrived in San Fran at 10.30 this morning (exactly the same time as we'd gone to mass in Christchurch!). We headed to Fisheermans Wharf on one of the famous San Francisco cable cars (trams).............up and down over the famous San Francisco hills. There was lot going on at the Wharf: live music,classic cars rocking (literally because,they had very independent suspension) all over the road,outdoor dining. Caught our first sight of the Golden Gate bridge. Pleasant weather.......not as warm as I thought it was going to be: felt a bit under-dressed in my shorts and flip-flops!

Sightseeing and Alcatraz tomorrow (factoid: alcatraz is Spanish for pelican!).

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Photos

Christchurch - undamaged...
......the Canterbury Museum.

New Zealand.......
........as we will remeber it!

San Francisco.....
........our first tram.

Golden Gate Bridge.......
......in the background (think Rae got too close on this one - my face look has more crevasses than a New Zealand glacier!

Fisherman's Wharf.....
.......Dave Earl who sound a very-accomplished jazz/R&B musician/singer.