After a few days in Wellington, the forecast was on our side so we did some exploring around the southern peninsula of the North Island. Naturally, when we saw signs pointing toward Rivendell (aka Kaitoke Regional Park) we had to stop...

...and take a few campy photos doing our best Legolas impressions...

Dominic is standing among the roots where Orlando Bloom stood for his official promo shots, and I'm posing amid a miniaturized version of the Gates of Rivendell. With few exceptions, all of the sets from LOTR have been dismantled, but the gates were added as a friendly nod to this area's cinematic history. I was surprised by the lack of waterfalls so memorable from the scenes of Rivendell; apparently the film crew layered shots of waterfalls from New Zealand's fiordlands on top of images from this regional park to create the Eden that is Rivendell in the film.

The area was the kind of gorgeous we have come to expect—rivers, cathedrals of trees, sun dappled paths, swinging bridges, and we feel right at home amid the broods of California quail.