HAPPINESS

"He was discovering happiness in the present. When he sat reading in the library, or playing Mozart in the music room, he often felt the invasion of a deep spiritual emotion, as if Shangri-LA were indeed a living essence, distilled from the magic of the ages and miraculously preserved against time..."

Lost Horizon, Milton

Monday, October 26, 2009

Thermal Wonderland of Rotorua



Al and Mo at the geothermal wonderland in Rotorua, New Zealand. It was a fun place to spend the Labour Day weekend. This area is associated with volcanic activity dating back to 160,000 years ago.


Al and Gabe at Lady Gyeser of Wai-O-Tapu, a 20 min. drive south of Rotorua. A park officer deposited a small bar of soap in the opening at the top of the geyser. Several minutes later, the gyeser blew and the we were in awe.


Gabe and I are enjoying the green bubbling pool and the associated "rotten egg smell" of sulphuric acid. We spent the morning exploring the geothermal field. As you drive into Rotorua, one sees boiling steam escaping from numerous craters, bubbling pools of mud and steaming pots that dot the countryside. The city is famous for the "rotten egg smell" of sulphuric acid.



Here we are crossing thru over the steaming river with no fish life. Later in the day, Gabe rode the SkySwing (an exciting ride at the top of the mountain) and the luge sled (with Al) down the mountain. Then, we soaked in the hot mineral springs of the Polynesian Spa. It was a relaxing way to end a fun day in New Zealand's Wai-O-Tapu (Sacred Waters).
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5 comments:

  1. AnonymousOctober 28, 2009 at 1:57 PM

    I can almost smell that, no, must be the chicken manure on my shoes! Nice pics. Too bad you won't be able to be at the Hawks best bowl game in years, I hope. Keith

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  2. Psychiatrist in IowaOctober 28, 2009 at 6:01 PM

    Hard to say whether your football Karma is good or bad; you left Iowa just as one of the best Hawkeye seasons in modern history began to unfold. On the other hand, it's all on the Internet and satellite TV; things that wouldn't have even existed had you made the trip ten years ago.

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  3. Psychiatrist in IowaOctober 28, 2009 at 6:03 PM

    what are your other kids doing? Did you say one of them was doing a semester on a cruise ship?

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  4. Al and MonaOctober 28, 2009 at 11:26 PM

    We leave the country and give up our clubseats @ Kininck. Then, the Hawkeyes go out and have a banner year. Who could complain?

    Yes, our oldest son was having the time of his life (at his dad's expense). He was on a cruise ship last semester thru U. of Virignia. Now, we are having the time of our life while he is at U of IA dental school.

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  5. UnknownOctober 30, 2009 at 12:21 PM

    Since he is in Iowa, and you are in NZ, at least he won't ask to practice root canals on either one of you!! GO HAWKEYES!!!!

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