Sunday, March 4, 2007
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Fiji
Lautoka, the sugar city is on the western side of Viti Levu, the largest island in Fiji.
These 332 islands in the Koro Sea are truly a holiday destination. Everyone greets you with “Bula”. We had heard of the recent riots in Suva but that is quite away from where we landed and we found the Fijians very friendly. This is the most multicultural population in the So Pacific. We visited the Garden of the Sleeping Giant which is an orchid garden started by Raymond Burr to preserve his own collection.
The most unusual invitation we have ever had occurred at the Shangri La resort where we were invited to join 4 other couples from the ship to renew our wedding vows bedecked with leis along the ocean. The minister wrote vows very applicable to our age group. It was 3 Americans, 1Scottish and 1English couples…so you can’t say it was just those crazy Americans. What fun that was.
Unfortunately we learned as leaving that someone we all knew from the ship had died that afternoon swimming at the same resort.
We’re off to New Zealand and tonight we have dinner with the Italian Captain who is married to a Maori Kiwi and we hope he will give us some inside information on what to see on the North Island.
Lautoka, the sugar city is on the western side of Viti Levu, the largest island in Fiji.
These 332 islands in the Koro Sea are truly a holiday destination. Everyone greets you with “Bula”. We had heard of the recent riots in Suva but that is quite away from where we landed and we found the Fijians very friendly. This is the most multicultural population in the So Pacific. We visited the Garden of the Sleeping Giant which is an orchid garden started by Raymond Burr to preserve his own collection.
The most unusual invitation we have ever had occurred at the Shangri La resort where we were invited to join 4 other couples from the ship to renew our wedding vows bedecked with leis along the ocean. The minister wrote vows very applicable to our age group. It was 3 Americans, 1Scottish and 1English couples…so you can’t say it was just those crazy Americans. What fun that was.
Unfortunately we learned as leaving that someone we all knew from the ship had died that afternoon swimming at the same resort.
We’re off to New Zealand and tonight we have dinner with the Italian Captain who is married to a Maori Kiwi and we hope he will give us some inside information on what to see on the North Island.
Tonga
Our call here in Nuku’alofa was a contrast of extremes. This land which is the first to “see a new day” because of it’s location at the dateline and which is also known as the Friendly Islands completely surprised us. We walked in town in the am only to find whole blocks devastated and barren down to the concrete foundations. As we began to talk to a shopkeeper we got the whole store that on Nov 16th there had been riots and many Indian and Chinese shops had been burned down. The King died in Aug 2006 and all homes and buildings were draped in purple and black banners of mourning. We saw the lovely church and the modest Victorian home of the royal family. Yes, what we expected: the men were wearing the distinctive mats over their clothing and the women with the kiekie, a decorative waistband made of woven strips of pandanus.
Our treat was the Silversea cultural program that afternoon, not the normal tourist trap. The sister of the king attended and we were treated to a Tongan feast and the sweetest children dancing and playing their instruments.
Our call here in Nuku’alofa was a contrast of extremes. This land which is the first to “see a new day” because of it’s location at the dateline and which is also known as the Friendly Islands completely surprised us. We walked in town in the am only to find whole blocks devastated and barren down to the concrete foundations. As we began to talk to a shopkeeper we got the whole store that on Nov 16th there had been riots and many Indian and Chinese shops had been burned down. The King died in Aug 2006 and all homes and buildings were draped in purple and black banners of mourning. We saw the lovely church and the modest Victorian home of the royal family. Yes, what we expected: the men were wearing the distinctive mats over their clothing and the women with the kiekie, a decorative waistband made of woven strips of pandanus.
Our treat was the Silversea cultural program that afternoon, not the normal tourist trap. The sister of the king attended and we were treated to a Tongan feast and the sweetest children dancing and playing their instruments.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Cook Islands
Here for a day, we had a great tour of the island of Rarotongo, which is the principal island of the Cook archipelago and dominated by a 2140 ft. peak. These are 15 islands spread over 2-mil km between American Samoa and Tahiti. With its fertile slopes of red soil and aquamarine lagoons, we loved it here and saw great bungalows that would be fun to return to. We tasted the sweetest papayas and learned the 6 stages of a coconut. This island is very different as it was very full of small farms growing everything. On this modern island every native is part of a clan and the land ownership is hereditary and others can only lease land. In 1901 it was annexed to New Zealand. It was from here that the 7 canoes left for Aotearoa, who became the ancestors of the Maori people in New Zealand. There are only 14,000 living here with another 75,000 abroad in NZ and Australia. We bought some frangipani oils and ended a great day with a drink with Keith and Fiona.
Here for a day, we had a great tour of the island of Rarotongo, which is the principal island of the Cook archipelago and dominated by a 2140 ft. peak. These are 15 islands spread over 2-mil km between American Samoa and Tahiti. With its fertile slopes of red soil and aquamarine lagoons, we loved it here and saw great bungalows that would be fun to return to. We tasted the sweetest papayas and learned the 6 stages of a coconut. This island is very different as it was very full of small farms growing everything. On this modern island every native is part of a clan and the land ownership is hereditary and others can only lease land. In 1901 it was annexed to New Zealand. It was from here that the 7 canoes left for Aotearoa, who became the ancestors of the Maori people in New Zealand. There are only 14,000 living here with another 75,000 abroad in NZ and Australia. We bought some frangipani oils and ended a great day with a drink with Keith and Fiona.
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