Today we went to "Quake City", an installation in the Re:Start mall that is like a museum exhibit about the earthquakes here. Really well-done.
The best part is a looping movie (a bit over an hour long) of interviews of folks telling their earthquake stories- kids, older people, construction workers, etc. Each interview is just a few minutes, so you can sit and watch as many as you want.
There were also videos along the way with footage of the earthquake- one was from a security camera focused on a street, and you see the quake start, and people reacting to it- some people crossing the street, another coming out of a building and sheltering in a doorway. The footage shows the shaking, and parts of buildings falling down and dust; it shows well how quickly it comes on (and lasts a long time- 40 seconds I think).
There were also several displays about liquefaction.
Many photos post-earthquakes.
Parts of the damaged cathedral and a model for the replacement cardboard cathedral.
All in all, a great exhibit/experience- definitely heart-breaking, but helps to grasp the scope of the devastation and the amazing stories in the immediate aftermath and months of rebuilding.
There is a nice article encouraging folks from Seattle to visit Christchurch (thanks for the link, Mom!):
http://www.seattleglobalist.
I'll work on back-filling my blog with recent adventures.
-EDF
