Carolina Kiwis: The Reprieve

Sunday, May 24, 2009

We called the luge last night when we realized Sherry had left her wallet, but they were already closed. We crossed our fingers, hoping someone would turn it in. We called first thing in the morning, no luck. Sherry told them all the places it might have been, and they called us back within an hour...they found it in the cafe where we had eaten lunch! She must have forgotten to put it back in her purse when she paid for her chai tea at the espresso bar. She also got another reprieve late last night; the Bulls beat the Crusaders in Pretoria, so no home game for the Chiefs in the Super 14 final.

We wanted to see one of the animal parks in Rotorua as long as we had to go down there again, or even hit the luge a few more times, but it rained pretty hard all day. After swinging by to pick up the wallet, we headed for the Rotorua Museum of Art & History for a little indoor diversion. The Museum is one of the most recognizable buildings in NZ, and has gone through multiple incarnations, including a bath house, restaurant, nightclub, and now a museum and art gallery.

Ro & Sherry sheltering from the rain at the museum entrance

Ro overlooking the soggy Government Gardens

Ro finds the old bather funny-looking

An old mineral bath menu

Much of the history detailed in the museum concerned the eruption of Mount Tarawera in 1886, and we started our tour with a movie complete with motorized seats to simulate the earthquakes that preceded the eruption. The world-famous Pink and White Terraces were obliterated by the blast, and approximately 120 people died. There are several Maori legends concerning the mountain and the eruption itself, not the least of which was the supposed sighting of a ghost war canoe seen on the lake as a warning of impending disaster.

See link: http://www.rotoruamuseum.co.nz/