My first glimpse was of gorgeous NZ green.
A green you don't often see in Australia |
The larger ones have gates and you can walk around inside
Often the view is a bizarre contrast between sulphurous primeval ooze and traditional English garden |
The pukekos didn't seem to mind the smell too much |
Some of the smaller areas you just peer over the fence. Each one was slightly different. It makes you look at the world differently. We tend to look out at our landscape and see stability, rocks, a view that doesn't really change from one day to the next, from one decade to the next. But Rotorua gives you a glimpse of the instability that lies just below the surface. I saw a sign that said Rotorua has an earthquake a day (but Richter 2 and so not felt by us). My taxi driver snorted at that, and said they had more like 30 a day. He was happy about that as the pressure is being released.
This pool was amazing the water was very clear like in a limestone cave It photographed like a mirror though |
Bubbling mud |
All over town steam or bubbling water would come up between rocks |
More bubbling mud |
There's a large lake in the middle of the park. That bridge was minutes away from all the wisteria opening when I saw it. A few of the flowers were out on the other side. The tulips were out all around the lake and very pretty, but there was a busload of Chinese tourists in front of, or in, every stand of tulips.
There are a couple of warm foot baths in the park too, so you can soak your feet for a while in the warm waters.
Cement horse troughs from the early twentieth century In use til the 1940s dogs drank from the lower section |
It was very eerie walking through this one the wind constantly shifting the view |
The steam was actually quite warm, and fogged up my glasses a few times |
I saw a lot of this orange ?lichen near sulphurous areas |
Saturday Snapshot is a wonderful weekly meme now hosted by WestMetroMommy
Holey moley!..lovely and fascinating..but, holey moley!
ReplyDeletethe photographs are stunning and you're right ~ what a contrast from the green grass to the desolation of the bubbling mud! What an experience that must have been to walk along the paths ~ thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous shots...I love the steamy ones, and the twisted lichen. That bridge with the mist around it (or steam?) would make a great book cover for a scary read.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
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what a great adventure, I'd have liked to soak my feet in the warm baths. Amazing, I had no idea such places existed.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos...good photographer too. :)
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
Silver's Reviews
My Saturday Snapshot
Amazing photos. I particularly like the 'steamy' ones, and yes, they do look eerie. A wonderful photographer you are. Thanks for sharing these unique views.
ReplyDeleteAmazing doesn't even begin to describe what seeing this in person must be like. I knew NZ was volcanic but had no idea the instability was bubbling up in town.
ReplyDeleteYou win best shots of the week! Gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThanks Peggy Ann.
ReplyDeleteLeslie, NZ is on an active fault line, and they do get quite a few earthquakes (most famously the terrible Christchurch earthquake a couple of years ago), but Rotorua is famous for it's geothermal nature- most of NZ isn't like this.
What an interesting place! Thanks for sharing the pictures!
ReplyDeleteRotorua truly is a strange but gorgeous place! I haven't been to this particular park but I will put it on the list! Your photos are just lovely.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous shots! That's a place I would love to visit. How nice that it is free. Thanks for sharing the lovely and varied sites.
ReplyDelete