North Island Part two

Cormandel Peninsula
We drove down here from the far North with an over night stop in Auckland. The next day as we drove the rest of the way was the sunniest, warmest day yet. But we spent much of it in the car.

We did a few very fun interesting things on the way and when we got there. The South Island may have most of the magnificent natural wonders but the North Island sure has some interesting human creations. And its share of natural wonders. One thing we started to notice about NZ is that there are lots of understated but very unique "road side attractions" that are Kiwi inspired and created. Like....

This is one of the many beautiful and tranquil views at Rapaura Gardens.We stopped here on our drive from Auckland to Cormandel town, had a picnic and took a hike. Part of the gardens are formal and part are what they call "bush" here, what we would call wild or natural. There is a nice waterfall at the end of the main trail.

This is the view from the "Eye Full " tower.

One of several tunnels with ceramic bricks and decoration on the sides.

The two photos above are form Barry Brickle's Driving Creek Railway. Barry Brickle is a famous NZ potter. He started an art center that has thrived for over 30 years and has hosted artists from all over the world including the US and Africa. He also is into engineering, trains and conservation. He built much of this single gage railway by himself so he could dig his own clay and transport it around his property. (Our SERVAS potter friends used to dig their own clay too. They told us to go here. We learned from them about the pottery tradition in NZ which is big but has been hurt by free trade.) Along the train route are sculptures, all manner of ceramics, retaining walls made out of old bottles and amazing views. They have planted tons of native trees and are attempting to reforest the hills with natives. At the end of the train line is the "Eye Full tower" with a 360 view of the peninsula. He did not start out for this to be a tourist attraction but his banker insisted he find a way for it to make money and suggested this. A theme we are seeing around NZ, is a combo of DIY, make do with what you have, be inventive and be very low key about it all.

Water wheel/pump

Bike see saw merry go round thing. Looks like flying bikes.

I am not sure how to describe the Waterworks. Someone took a bunch of junk and recycled it into moving sculpture and things to play with. This place could be used to teach physics, or as we called it at Monarch, force and motion. Everything is inventive, interactive and fun. Especially if you like to get wet. It also has an old timey feel to it like how people used to play before law suits and over protective parents. Like Barry Brickel's place lots of recycling and home made ingenuity is at work. There are also sculptures by a local potter and words of wisdom throughout the park.

Hot Sand Beach
Okay you go to this place two hours before or after low tide. You dig a hole in the sand. Next thing you know its full of hot water. If it gets too hot, and it does, then you take a dip in the ocean. Lots of other people join you and its a diverse crowd.

From the Coromandel we headed south to Rotorua for geothermal sites and Maori culture.

Hobbiton
We hadn't really planned to go here but it was on the way to where we were going. It was surprisingly interesting. The whole "Lord of the Rings" movie thing is very big here. They just shot two more Hobbit movies so the sets were bigger than before and recently restored. The place is way out there on a sheep farm. Imagine you are a family of unsuspecting farmers and this film director comes by and says they will pay you to let them turn part of your land into Hobbiton. And they'll keep paying you if you leave it that way for years so they can come back and keep shooting. Oh and they let you set up a tourist attraction as long as you include the films director as a partner. We had to sign a paper saying we would not publish any photos in a public forum (like this blog) or talk about the super secret things we saw. So I can't say anything else.

But I think I can share these photos from the sheep shearing and raising demonstration. Holding the one week old lamb and feeding it was the highlight of Hobbiton for me I have to say. 

Who is cuter? Dave or the lamb?