New Zealand part 2: around town

About five minutes from our hotel in Rotorua is a California redwood forest. The redwoods were planted in 1901 to replace the forest having been cut down for timber. It is beautiful!




It was as if we entered the forest and became the only people in the world, it was so hauntingly quiet, and so beautiful! We were, however, reminded that we weren't alone when the occasional runner would dash by. Wow, to make that a regular exercise route? I could get used to that!




We found a small pond or marsh whose water was the absolute clearest I'd ever seen. The bottom was covered with a silver sort of algae. It was unearthly!




Further along the trail the forest became more lush, filled with ferns and other native New Zealand plants. We had to keep a sharp eye out for dinosaurs. They probably saw Isaac's Hakka face and decided not to mess with us.




Back in town we visited the grounds of the Rotorua Bath House. It was built in 1908 to attract wealthy Europeans to come to New Zealand for hot spring spa treatments, but is now a museum. (Don't worry, there is a newer spa built down the road for those seeking rejuvenation)




Here is one of the hot springs. It's basically a steaming rocky pool that reeks of sulfur. Ulch, they don't tell you that in the brochure!




The Bath House is surrounded by lovely government gardens, where we saw these neat long legged Pukeko birds!




And a cool phone booth!




We stopped inside the Bath House briefly and I wish I'd taken more pictures of the architecture! But here is a beautiful marble statue of Zephyr teaching Cupid to fly.




It was a great day full of beautiful things!