Whakarewarewa

Day 3 was off to an early start.

Breakfast...nope.

Ice Cream...yes!

Please just try to imagine the best ice cream you've ever ever ever tasted. 

Now multiply it by a gagillion.  That is NZ ice cream.

This special little shop is where all the General Authorities go to try the best NZ has to offer, at the best price too.

11 scoops?  I'd like to see that one in real life.

Hokey Pokey, mint cookie, passion fruit, boysenberry...you name it! 

Oh Pokeno...I miss you!

Then it was off to the next destination...Temple View.

This is where Phil went to the MTC.  That's the whole MTC behind us.

Yes, I said whole.

One house..their dorms were separate.

Look famililar?

The sign is gone (there is a new MTC closer to Auckland now) but here's Phil in his 19yr old glory!

He told me all that's changed is now he's able to choose his companion.

Pick me! :)

Temple View is so pretty.  

It's where the old church college used to be so there's a little community there.  

Onto our next stop for the day....Rotorua!

It was a rainy & foggy day so we had to get creative.  Luckily we were able to visit a māori village where villagers still live.

The bottom sign is the name of their village in māori.  

Try to say that, and then when you're done, try to say the eaiser version up top.

(Fakarewarewa)

The village was built on hot pots which the villagers use for heating their homes and for cooking and bathing.  We got to see their 'earth ovens' where they cook all their food, right in the ground with no fire, just the natural steam.  It sure smelled yummy!

And we also got to see a show including traditional māori music and language.  

They use their tonuges and eyes to generate fear in their enemies.

It worked...I was definitely freaked out!

Phil's demonstrating his tongue of fear here.

Scared?

We enjoyed Whakarewarewa and learned heaps about the māori culture of old.

Phew... enough for now.

Gotta go practice my tongue of fear.

Hei konā rā

xoxo