Rotorua: Thermal Wonderland (or Stinky City, take your pick)

Rotorua is located on top of a thermal hot spot. It has steaming vents, bubbling mud pots, geysers, and hot pools. The mineral rich waters have drawn people to soak away their aches and pains in Rotorua throughout time. (We definitely took advantage of this feature.) The steaming vents and bubbling waters release quite a bit of sulphur into the air, giving Rotorua a rather strong odor. After a few hours in the town, you do get used to the baseline smell of sulphur. When the wind blows, though, the stink can get overpowering.

We stayed in an excellent hostel called The Green Voyager. The owners were quite friendly and our room was so nice that we extended our stay an extra day. (Okay, the hot pools were also a factor in extending our visit!)

Our first evening in Rotorua was spent at the Polynesian Spa. For the first time on our trip, the inclement weather worked in our favor. There is nothing better than sitting in a hot tub on a chilly, rainy evening. The Polynesian Spa has four pools. The largest is tepid in temperature; an excellent place to cool off in after spending some time in the three shallow soaking pools. The first soaking pool is 39 degrees celsius, the second 40, and the third 41. The jump between 39 and 41 feels much warmer than the degree ratings suggest. We spent much of the evening in the 40 degree pool, looking out at Lake Rotorua, surrounded by Chinese tourists. The lake itself is not safe for humans, though the sea gulls seemed to be enjoying themselves. The pools look over the lake to the volcanic cones on the far side. It was a lovely place to spend the evening. (I did realize that I have lost much of my Chinese; I am now even more worried about our trip to China!)

The next day we cruised around Rotorua, making yet another church/cemetary stop. Although we don't write about them often, we have basically visited at least one old cemetary per town. Walking amongst the tombstones, you can get a feel for the early families. I love it; Joey is learning to at least enjoy it. We have actually found graves for people related to those buried at Symonds Street Cemetary in Auckland. I couldn't make any of those connections in Rotorua but I am sure they are there if you look close enough.


This church in Rotorua is built right at the lake's edge. All around the church are steaming vents -- very unusual but very cool. Like New Orleans, the people here are interred above ground in large cement blocks. At this church, many of the inscriptions are in Maori and English. The church itself is a fascinating architectural mix of a traditional church building with Maori decor. A large plate glass window overlooking the lake has an etched image of Jesus in a Maori cloak. Unfortunately pictures were not allowed inside the church.


After touring the church, we went to see the Buried Village. In 1886, Mount Tarawera erupted, burying nine villages in up to six meters of volcanic ash and mud. One of these villages has been partially excavated. It provides a snapshot of life in a tourist stop-off in the 1880s. The archeaologists have found unopened wine bottles, half full rum bottles, and (for you beer drinkers) bottles of Bass Ale (see the picture below). The accoutrements of daily life -- dolls, hair-brushes, china, shoes, etc -- were left behind as people escaped with their lives. I believe that twelve people perished from this village but the number was much higher in villages closer to the eruption. This eruption also destroyed the famed Pink and White Terraces, called the eighth natural wonder of the world before their demise. One of the fascinating insights of the tour was that we, as tourists, were following a similar path to tourists of the nineteenth century. Some things just don't change. Of course, their journey was more arduous -- it took quite a bit longer and they brought more clothes -- but the concept of touring was much the same.


The village was built next to a stream that cascades in a gorgeous waterfall down to Lake Tarawera below. The rainbow trout in the stream are huge! The short hike to the waterfall was well worth the view.