Today was another travel day. We left Maunganui about 10:30 and headed for Matamata, the site where they shot the scenes of the “Shire” in Lord of the Rings. It rained off and on along the way, but the countryside was magnificent. The movie has turned Matamata into quite a mecca for tourists and half the town has some Hobbit memorabilia on it, in it or around it. The actual site for “Hobbiton” is a working farm way off in the hinterland and there is little left of the set. We didn’t take the bus tour as it was two hours that we didn’t want to spend, but we did take several photos of the surrounding area which, as you can see, resembles the movie scene (except for the props). We had a wonderful lunch at the cafe located at the entrance to the farm, and after an hour or so, we left for our next stop, Rotorua (for which I use the mnemonic Roto Rooter in order to remember it).

Rotorua is also a big tourist mecca as it is located near the base of an active volcano, Mt. Tarawera. There are numerous hot springs around it that were used to attract tourists and people seeking “the cure” in the hot sulfer baths. The only problem is that the smell of the hot sulfur springs resembles rotten eggs and permeates the entire town. In 1896 the volcano erupted and destroyed the hotel and killed about 130 people. It has since recovered and now attracts numerous tourists. To the best of my knowledge, however, no one actually comes here for the “cure” any longer.

Rotorua has a magnificent historical museum that was built in 1908 and used as a spa for hot sulfur baths. (A photo of a private bath is shown in the New Zealand photo album.) During WW I, it was used for rehabilitating wounded soldiers returning from the war. That combined with the following depression and WW II pretty much ended its life as a spa and it was subsequently turned into a nightclub and finally a museum. In addition to the history of the spa, it includes a wonderful history of the Maori people and their culture.

We finished the day with a delightful dinner at a local bistro, then returned to our pad. While I am writing up the day’s activities, Peggy is planning our outing for tomorrow which will probably take us south to Tongariro National Park. So, until tomorrow,
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Cheers,
Wayne & Peggy

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