Thanks for these pictures Alex, they are excellent. I often have trouble remembering what was on which street corner. Though I lived in Chch nearly 20 years ago, so have forgotten most of what was where anyway

Thanks for your pics Adrienne, and those in the comments are wonderful too. I interviewed Jane Bowron about her book for the Dominion Post, and she said people really struggled to put into words what the 'red zone' is like. She called it a hurt howling core. I haven't been in there, only sifted around the barriers trying to orient myself. I don't have words for it, but I think the picture of the mannequins behind a wire fence and the one of the sign reading central city next to an empty lot, are as close as I can get. Perhaps 'haunted' without its connotations of cheap Sunday horrors.

Thank you for this. It's beautiful and thoughtful and everything we need right now.

This reminds me of some performance art I saw a few weeks ago. Outstanding.