A community COVID case in Auckland last week spurred the country into action, with the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern declaring a Level 3 alert in the nation’s capital and an Alert Level 2 throughout the rest of the country.

All known contacts traced were checked for testing or review. I was impressed by the transparency and rapid response. All news sources provided updates on the situation, and the public was reminded about the need to be vigilant. Wearing masks on public transport became mandatory, and there was visible evidence of people scanning QR codes in public venues.

Though weary, everyone saw the importance of compliance. I compared the inconsistency of response in the States. Although many wore masks, it seemed as if there were as many who didn’t. The mask wearing is not mandatory here, but nearly everyone seems to follow instructions they are given.

Once the exposure from the family of three who were positive was under control, the country alerts were reduced to Level 2 in Auckland and Level 1 elsewhere. It was a relief, but nevertheless worrying and a topic of daily conversation. New Zealanders are aware how tenuous their situation is and how important it is to maintain their hard-earned freedom.

The government announced yesterday that the Pfizer vaccines have been received and the first vaccinations will begin with those who vaccinate. No other indication of when the general public will receive vaccinations, so we are waiting anxiously to find out.

Watching a Zoom Town Hall sponsored by Assemblyman Phil Ting was helpful to follow latest developments in San Francisco Bay Area. Professor George Rutherford compared statistics between the 1918 pandemic with the one today. In 1918, over 3000 people died in the Bay Area (of a population of 350,000). Today, there have been 342 deaths in a city over twice the size. While the numbers are still increasing, it is a testament to modern science and how it has protected the population from grief and tragedy.

Lyttelton Harbor

In the mean time, life carries on as abnormally normal as possible. Daughter Julianne, grandson Felix and I took a day trip to Lyttelton Harbor. It’s a quaint port town that, despite it being the epicenter of the second major earthquake in Christchurch in 2011 that caused extensive damage, many vestiges of a historic town remain evident.

Logging has become one of the major industries in New Zealand. Just behind sheep and cattle farming, the logs are often sent to China and other countries for processing. Lyttelton, a tiny port nestled on the coast beyond the hills of Christchurch, has preserved a lot of its original character and sense of community .

The featured image above captures a warm and colorful server at the local wood-fired pizza parlor. The owners endeavored to make the restaurant a casual and welcoming environment, similar to other establishments in the neighborhood aiming to please

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The evening shifted to a different tone. The Gatherings is a restaurant focusing on curated wines paired with delicious seafood. We were excited by a local “Salty White”, an unfiltered wine by Hermit Ram from North Canterbury. Mussels and chips, a mint salad, and whole flounder were a perfect combination from the Chef’s Selection.

Like many cities throughout the world, you can always find a good meal if you take the time to look for it. Thanks to Daughter Melissa, this one was no exception.

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Earlier in the week, frequent walks through the park and adjacent cemetery unveiled many stories to be told from lives once lived.

Sketching with local Christchurch City sketchers at Ferrymeade Heritage Park and in Central Christchurch at Tuam and Manchester yielded opportunities to see and hear the city up close and personal.

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