Our last day in Rotura was a day of rest. It was a beautiful Sunday here and several of us chose to visit the living geothermal Maori village of
Whakarewarewa. There we received a history lesson on the Maori culture of the past and the present. The village consisted of twenty-five families who rely on the geothermal activity of the village for their livelihood. We learned the hotter pools were used for cooking, and the overflow was cooled and used for communal bathing. We had an opportunity to sample corn cooked in a geothermal pool. It was the best ear of corn ever! We also witnessed the eruption of two geysers: the Pohutu and the Prince of Wales.
We took a stroll in the afternoon and found that the geothermal pools exist all over town including neighborhoods and the lake area. The smell of sulfur permeates every inch of the town and can be overwhelming at times.
We had a few people who spent a relaxing afternoon at the Polynesian Spa enjoying mud wraps and the geothermal pools. Others toured the town of Rotorua by helicopter.
Tomorrow we head to Middle Earth in search of Hobbits....
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