Cows... watching and wondering... Roadside Vista en route to Waimangu Volcanic Valley near Rotorua, NZ

Stopped by the side of the road on my way to Waimangu Volcanic Valley because the cattle where RIGHT next to the fence. As soon as I approached... they scattered back 30 to 50 feet from the fence and turned to watch to see what I would do next.

Pre-European Whare (house) built by early Maori settlers at Whakarewarewa Village, Rotorua, NZ

From the Visitor Guide handed out to visitors of Whakarewarewa Thermal Village: Early Maori utilized native materials to build their homes. The first inhabitants of Whakarewarewa built directly on top of the geothermal area to take advantage of the heat to warm their homes. (more photos of this village will be posted later today on my vacation blog... still slogging away at catching up with posts)

Mitai Maori Village Warriors dance and play native instruments... Rotorua, NZ

Seem to be having a hard time getting it together to post photos from my trip "down under" ... mostly because I took SO MANY and it's hard deciding which ones to share. A visit to Rotorua, NZ isn't complete unless one attends a Maori cultural experience... this photo is representative of the performance given by the Mitai Maori Village as part of their cultural evening experience.

Typical New Zealand Countryside... and weather!

This photo was taken en route from Auckland to Rotorua, New Zealand. The weather is cloudy, rainy and sunny by turns but almost always with clouds in the sky this time of year. The lighting was not so great for the foreground but I do like this photo anyway. Enjoy... (note that I'm back from vacation and WAY behind on posts but gradually trying to catch up... my vacation blog has more photos if you care to have a look)

Black Swan in Lake Rotomahana, Waimangu Volcanic Valley, New Zealand

The first of these swans I saw was across the lake building a nest and too far away for a clear photo. I'd never seen a black swan before so wasn't sure what I was looking at but had my suspicions confirmed by another tourist who was much closer to home (from north of Auckland) than I was. Apparently these birds aren't native to New Zealand but were 'imported' from Australia some time ago. They are quite happily resident on Lake Rotomahana and we saw many, both from ashore and while on the boat ride portion of the Waimangu Volcanic Valley experience. (note that I'm back from vacation and WAY behind on posts but gradually trying to catch up... my vacation blog has more photos if you care to have a look)

The Child Who Left...

According to Maori legend, this rock sticking up from the ocean offshore of the black sand beach near Karekare (on the Tasman Sea) is the child who left. Ashore and not easily photographed due to the time of day were a much larger rock formation (the mother) and a smaller formation nearby (the child who stayed). I don't recall the rest of the story but liked this photo because it shows the sparkly nature of the black sand beaches of New Zealand. (note that I'm back from vacation and WAY behind on posts but gradually trying to catch up... my vacation blog has more photos if you care to have a look)

Rangitoto Island, NZ as seen from Devonport

Rangitoto Island, as seen from Devonport, appeared above the sea due to volcanic action a short while ago (800 years) in geologic time. It is the youngest volcanically formed area on earth and probably well worth a visit. Unfortunately, they were busily poisoning rats (a terrible predator to New Zealand's endemic wildlife) so I preferred to stay away. It just means I'll have to return some day!