Rotorua, New Zealand

After a great stay in Auckland we took a 3 hour bus trip south to Rotorua which is an inland town on the shores of Lake Rotorua. Along the way there were lots of green views of farms and cattle ranches...

We stayed in a wonderful AirBNB about 20 minutes walk from the center of town...

It was like a 5 star hotel...

Rotorua is known for its’ Geo thermal activity as the lake is very active with steam coming out all over town...

Here is a pool in one of the parks...

Don soaking his feet in another pool...

One day we decided to spend a few hours at the Polynesian Spa which has 28 natural springs being fed by the lake...

The pools in our area went from 38C to 41C with a cold plunge pool at the end...

Our skin felt like new by the time we left...

It was interesting to learn the lake was formed from the crater of a large volcano in the Taupo Volcanic Zone. It’s last major eruption was about 240,000 years ago. After the eruption the magma chamber underneath the volcano collapsed and the circular depression left behind is the Rotorua Cauldron which is the site of the lake. So volcanic activity under the lake causes the geo thermal activity  and also unfortunately the strong smell of sulphur. Don said it reminded him of the smell from the mill at home. There is so much underground hot water that many buildings and homes in the Center of town use it as a source of heat. 

There are also several areas around Rotorua where geysers erupt on a regular basis...

Rotorua itself is a lovely town to stroll around, it has wide covered sidewalk with lots of restaurants and cafes...

Once a derelict part of town is now turned into Eat Streat, a place to eat and drink...

One evening there was a street market with lots of great food and people enjoying the nice weather...

Don’t these look delicious...

Ribs anyone...

My choice, fried dumplings...

The center of town is very pedestrian friendly with bean bags to lie around on while listening to live music...

Great street art...

Columns with Maori art...



Colorful Murals...

On Sunday we strolled down to the Government Gardens which were lovely as well...

There was a lively Country Music concert going on...

I love sculpture so thought I would share a couple of pictures...

And we wandered further down to the lake to see and smell it for ourselves..

The sides of the lake are very calcified with minerals...

Though there is a large bird sanctuary on the shores, a sign saying that they like the warm water but go elsewhere to feed as the lake cannot sustain them...

Rotorua is the Heartland of Maori culture and the spirit and heritage of local Maori enriches the region as surely as the geothermal activity enlivens it. Ngati Whakaue, the name of the local tribe, arrived in Aoteroa New Zealand, aboard the waka (canoe), Te Arawa. The people are often called Te Arawa, for the name of the mighty waka that brought Tamatekapua, the leader of the tribe, and his people to Ohinemutu on the bank of Lake Rotorua.

Given this rich history one of most popular things to do here is to visit a Maori village to learn more about their culture and traditions. Here is the welcoming ceremony which was very serious...

The chief welcoming us...

The warriors doing the same, they are vicious looking...

We walked around the village in groups as the performers talked to us about different traditions...

They play games with short and long sticks that taught the children how to handle their spears...

Teaching the men how to do the Haka, a traditional Maori ceremonial dance...

Showing us the Poi dance which is performed using balls attached to flax strings, it is very rhythmic.

We were then shown into the Long House where we were treated to a performance of Poi and Haka...

The Haka is a ceremonial dance done before battle and is quite loud and frightening so I can see how the enemies might be scared! The performers explained all the movements and their meanings as the warriors build up their courage to fight. I took videos but for some reason can’t get them to play on my blog, so only some photos which really don’t do justice to the performance. If you are interested google Maori Haka to get the full effect...

We were also very interested in the face markings as we had seen quite a few people, both men and women in town with them. 

The tattoos are called ta Moko and are considered a treasure by the Maori people. Each moko contains ancestral tribal messages specific to the wearer. These messages tell the story of the wearer's family and tribal affiliations, and their place in these social structures.

A moko’s message also portrays the wearer’s genealogy, knowledge and social standing.

Ta moko declined as an art form during the 20th century, however in recent decades there has been a revival and many Māori now wear ta moko as an expression of cultural pride and integrity.

Here are some examples...

The women mostly have markings on their chin...

Our final treat of the evening was a great meal with some of the vegetables and meat cooked in a Hangi style.

Hangi food or ‘kai’ was traditionally wrapped in leaves, but a modern hangi is more likely to substitute with aluminium foil and wire baskets.

The baskets are placed on hot stones at the bottom of the hole. The food is covered with wet cloth and a mound of earth that traps the heat around the food.

The food is in the ground for about three to four hours, depending on the quantity being cooked.

The result of this long process is tender, off-the-bone meat and delicious vegetables, all infused with a smoky, earthy fragrance. The lamb and kumara, a white sweet potato, that came out of that hole was delicious.

Overall, we enjoyed our few days in this area as it was relaxing and educational...now to the next stop.