After we left the Te Puia Geyser, we walked around the Government Gardens. There are several more geysers on the grounds, all of which are stinky. This one here was the site of a burial ground for warriors.
There were several bowling greens. I'm not talking about tenpin bowling. This appears to be a game for senior citizens where they have a ball that is about the size of two billiard balls. The balls are rolled onto the green toward a little yellow marker. After that, I got nothin'. No clue as to what the object of the game is.
I loved these two gnarly trees. Take the word gnarly in whatever context you want. It fits.
We didn't know if the kids could walk out onto these rocks or not. There was no sign saying they couldn't and no one yelled at them so we went with it.
This bird is called a pukeko bird. Isn't it gorgeous? There were two of them in the rushes. They also roamed around the grass a bit.
I don't know the names of these flowers but I call them stunning. I love the colors blending from orange to yellow. The one below looks like a kind of poppy.
These pink bushes are everywhere. They also come in red.
We thought this was a government building but it turned out to be a museum, dining hall, and public bath house. The bath house is really just a pool that is heated naturally by the geysers and hot springs.
Closer up, it looks like it belongs in the Netherlands. Beautiful design.
One of the several geysers in the gardens. There were several Chinese groups walking around and even though I couldn't understand what they were saying, it was clear they were having a great time. Laughter speaks volumes.
This is a converted WWII landing craft turned into a land and water tourist vehicle. I would love to go riding around in this.
Love the telephone booth.
These two statues were too abstract to pass up. After the gardens, we went to four or five souvenir shops. Wonderful items on display and it will be hard to choose what to buy. Tomorrow, we go to the Skyline Gondola, the Luge, and the Maori Village.
As you contemplate going into the Maori Village, I can't help remembering President James E. Faust, who was our dear Apostle and regular visitor along with Elder Franklin D. Richards in the 1970's when we still lived in the Lubbock, Texas Stake. It was a joy to have them for our Stake Conferences enough to say I felt I knew them, as they frequently stood out in the halls gladly visiting with us, the everyday foot soldiers of the Gospel. President Faust once spoke about his experience in calling individuals to serve the Lord, by Divine Revelation. I have written and asked about this story before, and hoped to find it in print, but never have, so I hope to get the details right:
ReplyDeletePresident Faust interviewed all the men of the Stake and sought the Lord's guidance for calling a new Bishop, but the name would not come to him. When he asked the Stake President if this was all the men, he said well, there was one other brother who did not come. He had some problems with the Word of Wisdom, he explained. President Faust insisted they go visit that brother, and as they approached his home he sat on the porch, smoking a big cigar. When President Faust explained why they had come, the brother flicked away the cigar, and paid attention, awakened to the thrill that the Lord knew his name. That brother, President Faust went on to explain, served faithfully in his calling. He said like all the Maori brethren at that time, he would recite his heritage, beginning with the oldest known ancestor, and at the end would thump his chest with his fist and say, "That's ME!" I will never forget President Faust from those days, nor the mental picture of those events. It shaped my own experiences in calling counselors as a Relief Society, Primary, and Young Women's President over the years. It helped me understand the value of every one of us in Heavenly Father's Kingdom, and to look beyond what my own eyes could see. You are so lucky to be able to walk where you can walk, and see what you can see! It is exciting to have you share those wonderful experiences with us!
Looks like I need to do some remodeling on my backyard phone booth.
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