We are up early, as we do. Plus RotoVegas. Blerg. No reason to lounge around in the grime. But really, there's no need for negativity. After all, we are still in NEW ZEALAND!
We scope out Third Place Cafe for breakfast, located on Lake Rotorua and overlooking the Māori village, Ohinemutu.
I start the day oh so sensibly with a smoothie. Jayme goes for the huge and delicious french toast. We are learning that just about all food in NZ is going to be fresh and righteous.
Kuirau Park
After breakfast we walk around Kuirau Park to check out the odoriferous steam pools. Rotorua is part of the Taupo Volcanic Zone. Thus explaining the underlying sulfur smell. And Kuirau is a VOLCANIC park just right there in the middle of the city.While surrounded by trashy bits (really people, have some pride in your smelly hometown steam holes), the steam pools were pretty cool. Noxious, burbling pools of mud and hot water surrounding by colorful mineral deposits. Geothermal activity is pretty awesome. How can one not be awed by this: Ascending hot magmatic fluids mix with near-surface groundwater to form active geothermal systems with dramatic surface features such as hot springs, solfataras, fumaroles, mudpots, geysers, and hot acid lakes?*
It brings to light the fact that we are building our homes and living our lives on a bit of crust floating on hot magma.
Anywho. We strolled Kuirau park, but despite visitor claims, did not find a hot pool to soak our feet in. Trash lined most of the pools and the burbles did not invite toe dips -- oh and neither did the DANGER: THERMAL AREA signage. And I'm realizing that we also did not capture any pictures of Kuirau Park. Our bad. A link will have to suffice.
After strolling for half an hour or so, we are realizing that Jayme is not feeling great. Yet we press on. We are still not terribly impressed with Rotorua, or Roto Rooter, as we affectionately have named it. But the day is young and there's more to explore.
Ohinemutu
I want to see Ohinemutu, the original settlement of Rotorua and an entact Maori village. Not really sure what that entails. Some references say a "living" Māori village. Of course they are living. Dramatic. People living near one another is a city, right? Whatever, we must see it. Jayme is iffy, but obliges.We drive around. Yep, a thriving suburb of ~270 folks in houses.
We stop at St Faith's Anglican Church. It's precious. I step inside, and a delightful gentleman finds me. He is there with his wife, who I think was a chapel attendant. He gave me the history of the church, the Māori-styled Jesus window and with a proud smile reported that he and his wife were married in this very church 50 years ago. Bless he and his wife!
He was sure to point out which pew to sit in to see the window of Māori-style Jesus to the best advantage. See Him walking on the water? Pretty neat. I see why it's a thing to see. The church is perched on the northern end of a courtyard where a Māori gathering is in the works. We wander by the war memorial and avoid a gathering at the Tamatekapua meeting house, so as not to disturb. We don't like being "those" tourists.
Before we move on to the next site to check off our (my) list, I mosey over to a kind of shrine with one of the Queen Mothers' head sculpted up top. It sits over a bubbling spit of water surrounded by green grass. So interesting. No plaque, so I'm not sure what I'm looking at.
I've noticed a mixture of Māori and English decor that I find fascinating. Maori sculpture is bold and animated. The English influence is muted colors and prim. Together, it's a unique mix.
Government Gardens
Next stop are the Government Gardens in the heart of Rotorua.
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| Rotorua Museum -- closed up shop and went home due to structural integrity issues that may or may not be resolved |
The architecture of the Rotorua Museum (previously a bath house) calls us over, only to discover that it's closed indefinitely due to structural issues. Well that's a shame. But croquet. Croquet is alive and well in Rotorua. Who knew?
See what I mean about the Māori + English architectural combo:
Coolness. Māori art butts + Victorian formal.
Next, shopping! I am on the hunt for affordable jade, or greenstone, to bring back as gifts. We find a proper tourist shop and I dig in. Jayme is a trooper, though he is really not feeling great at this point.
We drive out to Lake Rotorua for a gander and few quick pics. I'm sorry Lake Rotorua, but I'm just not taken with you.
After shopping, we decide to get Jayme back to the room for some rest. Jet lag has finally taken a toll, not to mention the huge plate of french toast for breakfast. Oh, and what about that suspect butter chicken pie from last night?
Afternoon Stroll
I huff noisily around the room for a bit, because I'm really not wanting to hang out mentally noting all the grimy corners when beautiful New Zealand is out there. Here's the catch -- left-side driving with no wingman. Hmmm... avoiding a wreck on day 3 outweighs my stubbornness to take the car and explore. So I set out on foot for the main drag. It's not far -- it's an island, really, nothing is that far per Texas standards.
It's lunch and I'm hungry. Smoothie goodness has worn off. I google a restaurant with vegan options and set off.
Artisan Cafe Rotorua. Yum. Vegan Buddah Bowl + lemon slice from the cabinet. See what I mean the food is beautiful. Fresh, tasty and beautiful.
Cabinet food. I love that about NZ. I'm already loving cafes and cabinet food.
I had planned on visiting one of the Māori tourist-trap villages, but ruled that out without Jayme and on account of the touristy-ness. I couldn't imagine a thermal park more grand than Yellowstone. I decide a rest in the motel would do me some good, too. At this point, I'm really tired of the underlying smell of rotten eggs. And the day is feeling long.
Blue & Green Lakes
By 4pm-ish after a long nap, Jayme is feeling better, and he agrees to venture out. Likely because I'm driving him mad. Good man.Without a better plan, we target the creatively named Blue & Green Lakes on the outskirts of Rotorua.
We check out Blue Lake first. Blue Lake's proper name is Lake Tikitapu, and it's a collapsed volcanic crater. They say you can see the blue tint due to the pumice and rhyolite in the lake bed. I noticed it being lovely -- not necessarily more blue than Green Lake is green.
The water is cold and clear. The air is fresh and the sky blue. You can see the edge of the Redwood Forest (Whakarewarewa) edging up to the lake.Kids are toddling around and a mom and daughter are coaxing a dog out into the water. It makes us wonder how our Willow is doing. Happy with her Friends, we hope.
Oh wait. Is that a cave-like opening in the trees? Well then, according to Jayme's code of exploration, we must have a look. The path meanders along the shore of the lake within the forest. It's peaceful. Oh yes, I said that already. Still true.
It's about 5km around the perimeter of the lake and while we consider the hike, neither of us are really up for it at this point. We venture in a bit, then head back to the car to find Green Lake.
Green Lake will remain a mystery to us. It's on reservation land and sacred to the Rotorua Te Arawa Peoples. Green Lake's proper name is Lake Rotokakahi, and supposedly shines emerald green as it's more shallow than Blue Lake. Naturally, because it was off limits I really wanted to see it.
Satisfied with a photo we must be:
I feel like this is a good place for a pause to share with you a tidbit we learned about how to pronounce Māori words. "Wh" is pronounced as an "f" sound. So, give that a try with Whakarewarewa. Ha! A favorite: Whakapapa (pronounced fakapapa). Came in really handy when we were irritated. Yes, we are 10. Whakapapa is a ski area on Mount Ruapehu, as well as the Māori concept of genealogy. And, doesn't it just roll satisfactorily off the tongue.
Focus people! Back to the plot... We find an early dinner at Abracadabra Cafe. Seated on the porch, we watch folks on their way home from work and headed to happy hour on a Friday evening. An older couple with two dogs is seated next to us, and we enjoy visiting with their fur friends, as Jayme calls them. We're missing Willow, and wishing she would behave herself in public like these two guys do.
After dinner, we are in bed early. We are old and we (Jayme) needs rest. Day 4 is a long drive to Wellington, and we have some adventuring to do!
And by adventuring I mean we will be venturing into the heart of Mordor...
*Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History Global Volcanism Program
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