As we made the 90 minute bus ride to our destination we passed through kiwi fruit country and the small town of Te Puke, which the residents have dubbed has the "Kiwi fruit Capitol of the World". This small furry fruit, once known as the Chinese gooseberry, has been very successful in boosting the economy of this area.
Our first stop was at the geothermal springs. As we walked through the park we passed a number of geysers spewing water up to about 100 feet. Although they were beautiful I must admit they do not compare to Yellowstone's Old Faithful. We were so lucky to have such a beautiful sunny day to explore this area. Our timing was perfect, since the largest of the geysers started its eruption just as we arrived. We watch as the boiling water shot up in the air high above us, falling back to earth in droplets which were immediately cooled by the air. Afterwards we continued our tour past boiling mud pools and entered a special exhibit of the native Kiwi bird which is a rare sight today. Sine predators were introduced to New Zealand, the Kiwi bird has been greatly reduced in numbers, at one point to near extinction. However, the government has gone to great lengths to protect their native bird and has built nature preserves to increase their numbers. Since kiwis are nocturnal, the exhibit was very dark, with no light whatsoever, so that the birds would present themselves. All of us held tightly to the hand rails as we ran into each others backsides and tripped over feet trying to get a closer look at these rather strange looking birds.
Next, we visited the Rotorua Museum to see the old spa treatment rooms. These are NOT the sort of treatments I would be interested in receiving. There was a sunken metal bathtub in the middle of the floor. Next to it there was a machine which sent a "low voltage" current into the bath as the victim I mean patient, sat in the warm relaxing water. We wondered how many patients died as a result of this high priced, relaxing spa treatment!!!!
Our next stop was for lunch at the town's oldest established hotel. The Princess Gate Hotel was a meticulously restored, beautiful Victorian style structure filled with rich woods and marble. We had an elegant and delicious buffet lunch there. The sun was warm and we sat outside on the large patio surrounded by planters filled with colorful flowers and green hanging vines. Of course, wine was served again and by the the time we left, we were ready to slide out of our chairs and take a nap :)
We climbed aboard our bus again and made the short trip to the Rotorua Museum where we saw a great collection of wood carvings. The Maori people became quite concerned that their native language and skills, such as wood carving, were being neglected by today's youth. Consequently, the older generation is working diligently to preserve them by making their language a mandatory requirement in school and starting a school for apprentice wood carvers to learn and refine their craft while being instructed by the masters. It has been quite a successful effort and the Maori people are confident knowing their traditions will continue for many generations. Before leaving the museum we watched a slide show in seats which simulated a major earthquake experienced in 1886 causing widespread damage throughout this community. Our benches shook violently for a couple of minutes, the length of time their actual quake lasted. Although most people sitting beside us were quite distressed, Bob and I were quite calm, feeling right at home!!!
After a full day of activities we were back on the bus for our return to the ship. Tomorrow we will continue our adventures in beautiful New Zealand.
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