The Oreo Cookie Cow

Marokopa Falls

Rocky Outcropping

Patriotic Kiwi

The Oreo Cookie Cow

Raglan, New Zealand

Raglan, New Zealand

Bridal Veil Falls

Bridal Veil Falls Trail

Hamilton Gardens Indian Char Bagh Garden

Hamilton Gardens Italian Renaissance Garden

Where’s the Mother of Dragons?

Hamilton Gardens

Herman and I have had a lovely four days exploring Hamilton and the region around it after lying comatose almost 24 hours upon arrival in New Zealand. Although the weather has been exceptionally warm (oh, let’s face it, it’s hot!), we walked around Hamilton, visiting the Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato, where there is the most incredibly well-preserved Maori canoe plus other carvings. Next door is an art gallery that was so well thought out that, if I were that wealthy, I would have bought almost everything inside, and that’s a rare impulse on my part. Fortunately for our pocket book, we moved on. On day 2, we visited the Hamilton Gardens, another must-see if you’re ever in this area. For more of Herman’s photos from Hamilton and Hamilton Gardens, visit http://www.hermanator.net/NEW-ZEALAND-2018/MARCH-8-2018-HAMILTON/ and http://www.hermanator.net/NEW-ZEALAND-2018/MARCH-9-2018-HAMILTON-Gardens/.

Herman and I have a great fondness for waterfalls. Perhaps we see it as a way to give praise to the water gods in the hope of warding off the poltergeists, though a fat lot of good that’s done us. Day 3 led us to Raglan, which is along the coast, and to the Bridal Veil waterfall. Beautiful! And for this time of year (end of summer), incredibly robust with water. For more of Herman’s photos from Raglan and the Bridal Veil Falls, visit http://www.hermanator.net/NEW-ZEALAND-2018/MARCH-10-2918-RAGLAN-COASTAL-DRIVE/.

Today, we visited the Marokopa Falls near the Waitomo Glowworm Caves. We had planned on visiting the caves, but considering the cost of the tickets (NZ$50 for two) and the negative reviews, we decided to pass. On our last visit to New Zealand, we stumbled on a small cluster of shrubs formed into a cave, which contained the elusive creatures. The ideal environment for a glowworm is a dark, quiet environment with a lot of moisture. Now, you would think any creature with the word “worm” in its name would not be that impressive. You’d be wrong! As we stood in this dark cocoon surrounded by low-hanging plants dripping with dew and holding our breath, we watched as one tiny light after another began to glow until the place lit up like a string of Christmas lights.

On the way back from the falls, we passed through scenery that reminded me of “Lord of the Rings,” particularly a spot with a lot of rocky outcrops. Perhaps those of you who have seen the movie might remember the rocky spot where a wraith stabs Frodo in the shoulder. If it wasn’t a filming location, I feel quite sure Jackson and his crew must have filmed nearby.

Today’s trip also gave us the chance to sample Big Azz ice cream. Yum! Herman had a lot of opportunities to stretch his photography muscles, including photos of giant Kiwi birds and an Oreo cookie cow. Please note we went to great death-defying feats to capture a picture of this cow. We’ve never seen anything like it before. You might note that I have replaced the top photo of the blog with one by Herman. I would have preferred one that didn’t have me in it, but the peaceful aura surrounding that spot is not to be denied, so just try to ignore the “model.”  For more of Herman’s photos of the Marokopa Falls, rocky outcrops and Oreo cookie cows, visit http://www.hermanator.net/NEW-ZEALAND-2018/MARCH-11-MAROKOPA-FALLS/.

Oh, one last thought for the day, if you ever think that you might be able to boil an egg by placing it in a ceramic cup, pouring boiling water over it, and letting it steep for five minutes, don’t bother. Life without a pot and a stovetop is hard! Tomorrow, on to Rotorua!