We finally got off in Tahiti, and as usual, it was very hot and humid. We went to the major market – and of course, visited Carter’s favorite part – the fish market. The smell was overwhelming! Carter may not shop for “things”, but he shops for good photos. Either one is rather trying for me. While he was focusing on a basket, we saw something run under a table. We both looked at each other and asked, “Was that a mouse or a rat?” It was small like a mouse, but had that huge tail of a rat. I am just thankful that it didn’t run over my foot.
My overwhelming impression of Papeete was that it is a large city, French in its language and construction, very expensive (one shirt was $85!), and many of the young people smoke. It was quite distracting. The gorgeous beaches are not near the city.
Yesterday we were on one of the islands just 9 miles from Tahiti. It is called Moorea and was a favorite hangout for Robert Louis Stevenson, Melville, etc. It was beautiful, but I can’t figure out why these writers liked writing in the heat and humidity. I would think their hands and arms would stick to the paper. It is a very rocky island, volcanic and covered with vegetation. The only habitable and flat spot was on the one road that circles the island along the outer edge. The rest of the island seemed to be straight up the mountain.
There were several young people doing something like wind surfing, out along the reef. They tied a huge kite to their bodies and then rode the waves on a surf board. We watched them for ages. Carter was laughing as they would speed along on the waves, and sometimes even be lifted into the air when a big gust came along. He would have loved it.
Today we are in Bora Bora and for those who saw the original South Pacific movie, this was the setting. That huge rocky mountain that was always used in the movie is right in front of our ship.
posted by Hills @ 12:20 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home