Hamilton and Taupo

Alison Gutsche
(sorry this took so long! If you'd rather the word document, I attached that as well.

Hamilton:
Hamilton is a city located on the North Island of New Zealand and is part of the Waikato region. The University of Waikato is located in Hamilton and the city is known for its student population and its affect on the city. Hamilton is also home to the Waikato Museum (http://www.waikatomuseum.co.nz/page/pageid/2145842684/Home), which is known for its science exhibits and its exhibits on Maori culture. A major tourist attraction is the Hamilton Gardens (http://www.hamiltongardens.co.nz/). It has numerous different collections, which are then split into different garden types. Also slightly outside of the city is the Hamilton Zoo. Hamilton is also home to the Waikato Stadium, where many rugby matches are played. It is not home to the most famous rugby team of New Zealand, the All Blacks, though. Seddon Park (http://hamilton.co.nz/images/701.jpg), also located in Hamilton, is the main arena for many cricket matches. Hamilton is one of the largest urban areas in New Zealand and has a plethora of different places to visit within the city.

Taupo:
Taupo is a town located in the center of the Northern Island and is in the southern part of the Waikato region. The town lies on New Zealand's largest lake, Lake Taupo (http://feodyssey.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/lake-taupo-28761-lge.jpg). The lake was formed after a very large volcanic explosion thousands of years ago. The volcano has not erupted in a very long time and is considered dormant. The Huka Falls also are formed from the draining of Lake Taupo into the Waikato River. From the town, you can also see the Tongariro National Park across the lake. The town is well known for skydiving, bungee jumping, and different water sports. Many different interesting sporting events take place in Taupo including Ironman New Zealand (http://www.ironman.co.nz/) and the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge, which involves a bicycle race around the entire lake.