Queen's Birthday Monday in Rotorua / Taupo

This will be a post in pictures. I was thrilled to find out that R's final weekend in NZ coincided with a national holiday here the "Queen's Birthday Monday." (For all you biking aficionados, and those who feel this blog has turned to grrly mush, know that B plans to post soon about his recent dreamy MTBing in NZ. Stay tuned.) So we climbed into our spaceship and went to Rotorua for the weekend.

Rotorua is a geothermal area where hydrogen sulphide gas is emitted from boiling mud pools and cracks in the earth's crust. The entire region smells like rotten eggs, and yet it is one of the most popular tourist destinations on the North Island.

P is not pleased about the stinky steam, although Flat K appears unaffected.
Below a burbling, boiling mud crater at Craters of the Moon.

Black swans on Lake Rotorua. On this beach you can dig a hole in the sand and it will fill with very hot water from the nearby mineral springs.

Okere falls. People not only kayak this, but go down it in large rafts. There is also Black River rafting here, which I am eager to try.

While the boys went MTBing, we went to an animal farm. Here Flat K is trying to sneak into the wallaby enclosure.

An emu, really close up.

And this is my most favorite pig ever, the Kune Kune pig (the Red River Hogs at SD zoo are a very close second). At this animal farm you can buy food for the animals, and if you rattle the bag these pigs will actually sprint over to you! Fantastic!

For a moment I thought we were going to lose Flat K to Boris, but he merely wanted to give her a snort. (hogs - not as cute as sows.)

I'll finish with more beautiful waterfalls with clear blue water. This is Huka Falls just outside Taupo.