Today we went to Te Puia, a sort of open air museum that features hot water pools, mudpools and geisers but more importantly, it is a place where Maori culture is very present. Visiting this site is a good way to learn about how New Zealand must have been before the first settlers arrived and you get to see a Maori village, a marae, a carving workshop and the museum introduces you to Maori history. Because the Maori did not have a written language, their sculptures and carvings are very important to understand the culture.
On the same site there are plenty of mud pools, hot water springs and a geiser that we saw erupt. It is quite eerie to be walking in an area full of holes in the earth where al this bubbly stuff and steam comes squirting out. It is hard to believe that nature can produce these bright chemical colors on the rocks and soil. The different colors come from sulphur, alkaline and other minerals and chemical components that are pushed up by underground activity.
We took the bus back into town and strolled through the Government Gardens and visited the museum, housed in a beautiful colonial building, certainly worth the visit.
After a long and full day we have the perfect finale, another great dinner with our hosts.
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