World Cup: Christchurch welcomes the world

CHRISTCHURCH: The traffic stopped all around the city and everyone on the streets looked up at the night sky which was bathed in a riot of colours.

As fireworks lit the skyline, the Kiwi leg of the 2015 World Cup was officially thrown open and this southern city of New Zealand, which has turned a disaster into an opportunity, embraced it with open arms.

The opening ceremony wasn’t about grandeur or glamour quotient, it was purely about bringing the cricket world together in a city which is still trying to come to terms with the earthquake which ripped it apart four years back.

The beautiful Hagley Park was thrown open to the public for a party and how well they responded! The twilight sky , the chilly breeze, the aroma of delicious fried lamb and the flowing beer – the setting couldn’t have been more exciting and enchanting.

There was a crowd of close to 20,000 but there was no jostling for space, no frisking of the police, no long queues – the opening ceremony was all about welcoming the world home.

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Source:Timesofindia