It is a long way to Rotorua from my corner in Maryland, but my love for different cultures drew me to this place.
My friends in Hamilton, New Zealand being the fabulous people they are, took time off to take us to this bucket list place!
Rotorua is situated on a volcanic plateau in the north-central part of the North Island of New Zealand.
It is a geothermal paradise featuring, active geysers that spout off once a day at least, boiling mud pools, and sulfur springs.
Tongue Twister
Our guide helped us pronounce the complicated name. Click on the video to hear us.
As we walked into the village, this is what we saw – steam coming out from the center of the earth. Fabulous and ominous at the same time.
Hangi Prep: Earth Loving Cooking
We followed our guide to the cooking spot, where she demonstrated how they prepare the items for the hangi meals.
Open Air Bathing
We then walked over to the bathing area. One of the areas close to it had collapsed 40 years ago. As we peeked over the cordoned-off area, I wondered if other places in this village would collapse in time.
And here is the bathroom that is used today.
In this video, you can see the water (which is quite hot!) running through the channels into the bathtub.
The Geysers are Amazing!
A little past the bathing area is a lookout point to see the geysers. These geysers erupt every 45 minutes or so. There is also a pool called the Blueys which holds the runoff from the geysers.
The Haka is My Favorite
We ended our tour of the village in the little auditorium in the center.
With much excitement, we waited for the Maori dancers to emerge in full costume!
What a delight to see them and to watch them perform the traditional Haka.
Watch the video till the end to see the dance get more energetic towards the end.
Each movement and facial expression conveys a special meaning. There are Haka for almost every occasion.
We Left Our Mark
At the end of the tour, we visited the little gift store and signed our names on a whiteboard to express our appreciation.
I will never forget this walk through the Maori Living Village. If it is possible you should go there as well.
For more details click here.
Tell me what you think about this experience in the comments below.
