Welcome back! Now on with the show…
“Mata” in Malay means “eyes”…and if I’m not mistaken “mata-mata” refers to the police and that is why in Hokkien, we call a policeman, “Mata” as well. But in New Zealand, Matamata is the name of a town which became famous overnight as this was where The Hobbit – An Unexpected Journey was filmed on location at a site not far from the town proper. You can click the link and watch the video about this…or you can wait a while as I would be blogging about this in a later post.
Because of this connection, I think the town now refers to itself as Hobbiton…
It is a nice, small town, not unlike any others around the country…
…and is not very busy, as you can see in the photographs…
We walked around the place a bit, looking at some of the shops and then, we saw it! The ring!!!…
Fans of the LOTR (Lord of the Rings) Trilogy movies would know instantly what ring that was. This shop specialises in LOTR memorabilia…
…and this quaint building that looks like something from the movie as well is the Matamata Information Centre…
…where you can buy your tickets for the Hobbiton movie set tour…
…or collect them, if you have booked them online…
They’re not cheap though – NZ$75 per person…and I really must thank my friend and her family for taking us to Matamata, arranging for the tour for us and paying for everything – we truly appreciate their kindness and generosity and thank them so very much from the bottom of our hearts for making it all possible.
The coach will pick you up here and take you to the exact location of the movie set and you will board another bus there to go on a tour of the place – more on this coming soon!
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
Eh??? I’m the first? Where is the rest? A bit late, I know, but happy new year, Cikgu. It’s been really hectic in my world, especially after anak started schooling again. Hope you’re keeping well. And hey… how much was the LOTR’s ring?
Hey! Welcome back! Ya, you’re first…like old times! π Happy New Year to you too…and hope you’re keeping well there. The ring? Not expensive, if you do not convert – around NZ$2-300, if you can zoom in and look at the price tag…and even after conversion, that is pretty cheap. Gold-plated perhaps… You would not be able to get a ring, pure gold, with that kind of money these days…
Haha… yes, I’m keeping well, I suppose, but come Monday, will be bombarded with plenty of ‘homeworks’. *PENGSAN* You have no idea how much homework they give kids these days. Very kesian the kids, and I bet my boy will hardly have much time to fool around anymore. Poor thing! My times homework was not as bad, especially during standard two.
Yea, rings, especially gold rings are expensive these days. Naik harga sudah. LOL!
I never gave homework…except maybe when they could not finish in class, they had to complete at home. They’d just come to school early and copy from the others anyway. No point, defeats the purpose…and couldn’t blame as they had too much homework to do, not much time…with tuition and all – Maths especially. π¦ Ya…expensive to get married these days – may just have to use the aluminium can rings… LOL!!!
my precioussssss .. hehe, i do envy you, for you get to travel to faraway land, land of fairy tales and movie making.. π
Thanks so much for dropping by my blog still, even though I’ve slowed down considerably recently.. β€ lots of love for you
Me, like RTM mah…Teman Setia Anda!!! LOL!!! Don’t envy…you’ll get your chance someday, I’m sure…
oh, a small little town made popular by the fans of movies..
So lucky to be discovered…
oooh, i just watched (and enjoyed) the hobbit on wednesday, so i’d like to come here someday, heh π
You must – a great place for a great holiday! Loved every minute there!
I’ll like to visit this place when we visit NZ. Kinda pricey for the visit but I reckon its worth the experience.
It most certainly is. Once in a lifetime – definitely will not be going again, so too good to miss…especially when we’re already there – in the country.
Nice, beautiful and clean place. Specially love that unique tree in the 2nd pix. Somehow the branches seem to grow downwards and resembles an umbrella.
It is very nice, most of these little towns there have an attraction of their own – so pleasant, so relaxing…nice to even hang around and do nothing.
im not a lord of the rings fan but i watched a bit of it
and that house were exactly like what i saw on the movies
I never watched any – in fact, I never watch any movie…but my daughter did and she read the book too!
those items were really cool i would want to have a ring like that
You will! You will! When it’s time for you to get married. Hehehehehehe!!!! π
Enjoy yr write-up. Brought me back to the time when I visited the place. I did not see the souvenir shop. Love the pendant tat Liv Tyler wore on LOTR. Looking forward to more pictures
The shop was to the right from the clock tower in the middle of the town. Thanks for your compliment. Stick around, more to come.
Matamata may be a small town but it is definately one of the richer ones as their main industry is race horse breeding! Tourism is just loose change to them. According to Justyn, the Hobbit’s ring is NZ$800 lah and not $200-300.
Yakah…I zoomed in, not so clear…saw 2-something and the pendant 3-something.
Oh what an interesting name.. Matamata… π Really Arthur, your NZ friends are indeed really Wonderful… again and again, I say… you have GREAT friends!
Yes, they certainly are and I am so glad they’re my friends. You too, I’m sure – if I go Ipoh, sure you would go out of your way to do the same, won’t you? Wink! Wink! LOL!!!
Wow, the ring costs NZ$800?! Real gold, not gold plated, rite?
Matamata certainly looks like a quiet, quaint town…very interesting tour indeed π
No idea. Did not intend to buy so did not bother to find out.
What a pretty building that Info center! Lovely pictures and as I was looking through them, I couldn’t help thinking that Melissa sure does have a lot of great memories of this trip later on when she looks at the photos. Memories are made of these and more.. including a doting dad and mom, of course. Thanks for the tour. π
She was happiest of all to have had the chance! π