Rotorua is a center of Mauri history and culture. The area is very close to the geographical center of the North Island, about 150 KM west of the coast where we did our bike ride. Yesterday we focused on caves and glow worms, today we spent at a museum and in a historic Mauri settlement and its adjacent church. The picture is of St Faith's Church built in 1910. Hopefully the picture is clear enough for you to see the elaborate carvings on this Tutor style building. Quite spectacular both inside and out.
Rotorua ais situated on a volcanic rift and has hundreds of underwater pools and geysers all over town. There is a sulphur smell in the air which is striking when you first arrive, but quickly becomes unnoticable. After we left the Mauri village we walked over to the museum which is in a building that served as a spa center for many years after it was built in 1908. The wealthy, sick and famous came from all over the world to be soothed or cured by the hot sulfur baths. Now there are spas all over town but this building is a museum with the shell of a bathhouse on one end and a museum of Mauri culture and history on the other side. The area has not seen a volcanic eruption since 1886, but truly it is only a matter of time before another eruption occurs. In the meantime Rotorua is a busy town of about 30 ,000 people, a Mecca for mountain bikers and tourists. We have had some excellent meals at Thai, Indian and Mauri restaurants. Claire, Mark and Pat plan to do a canopy tour tomorrow afternoon. I plan to use the time exploring what the thermal baths can do for my ailing hip and knee. In the morning we will all visit a cave and thermal park abut 50K south of town.
