Postcards from Around the World

Okay so this isn't a post about one of my holidays, but it is a post about other people's holidays and my postcard collection.  As some of you may remember I collect postcards, to keep and to send to my friends.  Luckily some of my friends send postcards back to me and that is always exciting.  The other week I opened my fabulous parcel from my friends at Gregoropolis in the USA.  You about it on our other blog here:  Wonderful Gift Box.  Today I finally got round to putting the postcards I received in that parcel into my postcard album, along with a fabulous card I got from my friend Maisy in Ireland yesterday.  Apparently she has lived there for two years now! That was a real surprise. Please, please Maisy, can you message me and send me your address so I can write back to you.  Thank you :)

Anyway look at these great postcards:

This one is from Minnesota's largest candy store.  It must have been fun visiting there.

Next is a great postcard from Cincinnati Zoo.

Gosh wish I could have gone there.

Pete Dakota sent me this card, he knows how much I like animals.  Sounds like it was a really fun day.  Wish I could have gone with them!

Cincinnati, hey I have been there.  I went there for my first USA Sasha Festival.  It was such amazing fun.  I was so sorry I had to miss out on going again this year.  But how wonderful that my friends thought of me and sent these great cards.

This one is from BR.

I'm so glad you enjoyed yourself at the Festival and had such a good time.  It was such fun that you also got me a Cincinnati Reds baseball helmet. I will think of you and Pete when wearing it!

This postcard came through the letterbox yesterday so was a real surprise.  Who do we know in Ireland?

It is from our friend Maisy.  Wow it says she now lives there.  It asks how many postcards I have from Ireland?  This is the first!  Thank you Maisy it was such fun to receive this. 

 Please let me know your address so I can write to you.  

I've put my postcards in my album.  I love looking through it.  Such great memories and also ideas of places I'd like to visit someday from those cards sent by my dear friends.

Thank you Pete Dakota, BR from Gregoropolis and from Maisy in Ireland!

Orakei Korako

Our last day down in Rotorua involved a visit to Orakei Korako, so arm yourself with a cuppa and a cake (or two!) and come on a journey with me round this beautiful 'Hidden Valley' which is one of Mum's most favourite geothermal places to visit. 

Orakei Korako means 'The place of adjoining' when translated into English and has remained largely unchanged for thousands of years (apart from the changes caused by geothermal activity and unfortunately an earthquake a couple of years ago (more on that later).

You can see in the distance where we will be travelling to....we have to go over by boat.

Our destination...

Watching through the window on the boat, I am so excited.

Almost there, the first sight is this wonderful terrace.

There are safe walkways that protect the environment and also help us get up close to the fabulous sights.

Just look at this.

To keep costs down and to also protect the environment from those who are tempted to just discard rubbish, they don't give out a guide/brochure, but instead have information boards around the site.

To get this close to such an amazing creation by the earth, is just incredible.

The colours are amazing, but don't really show through in these photographs.

Steam rising everywhere.

My person!  She loves it here as you can tell by her big smile.

Taking a walk through the bush and the natural beauty is a real treat. 

Just look at this!

Apparently scenes from the BBC Natuarl History Series 'Walking with Dinosaurs' were filmed here, and you can well believe it.

It really does look like an Elephant's head!

We pretty much had the place to ourselves, and what a treat that was.  Thankfully it hasn't been spoiled by the 'over tourism' that some of the other places have.  Its isolation from the outside world has helped preserve it.

You used to be able to go down inside this cave, and the water would clean any jewellery you had on.  Sadly due to an earthquake a couple of years ago, it is not what it used to be and is no longer safe to do so, so they have had to close it off.

Looking down into a hole that was bubbling...

Plopping and boiling, bubbling mud.

So peaceful and just simply stunning.

We could have spent all day here, but sadly it was time to go...

Travelling back over the water.

Saying goodbye Orakei Korako.

Our boat driver was a real good sort and proudly posed with me...although I seem to be looking skyward for some reason!

Thank you for being such a good sport!

Just a few panoramic views to end this journey.  I hope you enjoyed taking it with me.