Wow! This place is a geologist’s heaven, and for those interested in seeing first hand, the forces of plate tectonics.
Forest stand
Flowers thriving near the hot pools
Rotorua is geographically approximately in the middle of the north island. There is a central highway running from north to south, and it navigates around active tree farms, lakes and volcanos. Economically, tourism is the primary industry and forestry a strong second. Culturally the community of about 70,ooo is a mix of Maori (about 40%) and others (European and Asian). The Maori language is spoken here and the community reflects the strong cultural ties to it’s heritage.
The city has a strong 1970’s vibe with the exception of people carrying cell phones and listening to music with headphones. There are some “box” stores here, but the majority are small proprieties with the personal services that come with such retailers. Of course the fresh baked goods and meals will remind one of their grandmother’s kitchen.
A barren riparian area due to the heat of the water on the edge of town.
The real beauty of Rotorua is it’s geography. An active volcano that last erupted in 1870 is mere miles away. The thermal pools are everywhere, and there is an active geyser which is second largest in the world, behind Yellowstone Park. It is worth a view. Just be prepared that there are inconsiderate folks who will move in to take pictures of themselves in front of the geyser to the frustration of the other viewers. (My pet peeve of the day!). The mud pools are fascinating to watch. They just bubble and plop, sending steam and stinky gas into the air. Still fun and kind of makes one want to go play in it. Not recommended as the mud is at temperatures of over 100 degrees C.
For the biologists, the area is an interesting ecosystem. Hot thermal activities influenced by temperate weather conditions. Worth a visit no doubt.
Second largest geyser in the world.
Mud pool
A lake of many colours
And for the artist, the area leaves one breathless with the spectrum of colour that randomly shows up. The wildlife, plants, water and landscape somehow are different from ones expectation. Many of the local artists capture this beauty in their work. As a travelling artist, this area has given me a wonderful example of how colour is applied outside of my spectrum of artistic expectations. A good thing indeed.
Lime green lake
Enjoy the brief sampling of pictures. Sunyata.