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  The
approach to Papeete was striking - as you can see by the photo to the left, a
cloud hovered over the main island of Tahiti. We stayed on Tahiti for the first
few days of our trip.
 Our
tour arrangements included a stay at the Hotel Tepuna Bel Air, located just
south of the main town of Papeete, and a short taxi ride from the airport.
Modest accommodation, but clean and comfortable, located on a so-so beach. I met several people who were
on the same unescorted tour as
me, so we ended up becoming fast friends, sharing car rentals, meals, etc.
The first thing we did was to explore Papeete. Public markets are
always fun, and this one was very colourful and interesting. The shops in
Papeete were expensive, and I don't expect that will have changed over the
years. France continues to keep French Polynesia as a colony, and this
means many supplies are imported from France, rather than geographically closer
suppliers. Service can be surly in the shops and restaurants in Papeete,
especially if the tourist doesn't speak any French.
Dancers & Singers
Having observed some of the various residents who have Polynesian roots
across the Pacific, it struck me that the mixture of French blood into the
French Polynesian line has produced some of the most strikingly beautiful women
and handsome men you will find anywhere in the South Pacific. The women in
French Polynesia tend to be tall and slender, whereas in the rest of the Pacific
(and even in the more remote French Polynesian islands), the women are usually
plump. Same goes for the men - strikingly handsome and well built here,
but elsewhere the men tend to be chunkier.
Another observation: do you
notice than none of the Polynesians wear glasses, whereas the Chinese and
European residents have the usual number of people needing sight
correction? Perhaps the mainly fish diet of the Polynesians has something
to do with it, or perhaps it is genetics?
Flowers & Scenics
Giant Pink Hibiscus |
Oranges |
Deep red Hibiscus |
Bird of Paradise |
Tiare Tahiti - used to make flower tiaras |
Flamboyant tree |
Lily pond |
Bamboo |
Harvested bamboo |
Lily pond |
Verdant garden |
Verdant garden |
Fish for sale beside the road |
Bat cave |
Bat cave - closeup |
Surf from open ocean, where the reef does not protect the island on
the west side of Tahiti |
Blowhole at Arahoho |
Vegetation and view from the road |
Le Belvedere
Part of our arrangements included a dinner at Le Belvedere,
located atop one of the hills behind Papeete. The sunset and the view were
spectacular...too bad the food wasn't the same.
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Le Belevedere |
The road up the mountain to Le Belvedere
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Sunset from the deck of Le Belvedere
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Papeete from atop Le Belvedere
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Point Venus
Point Venus is where Captain Cook landed in French Polynesia.
On June 3rd, 1769, he observed the transit of Venus - thus the name. Point
Venus is the northern-most point on the island of Tahiti.
Paul Gauguin
There is a memorial to Paul Gauguin, who single-handedly must
be the greatest ambassador for French Polynesia. This memorial is located on the
south side of Tahiti, near the town of Papeari. He is buried 1,500 km north of
Tahiti in the Marquesas.
Collage depicting Paul Gauguin |
One of Paul Gauguin's paintings
(I assume this is a copy!) |
Paul Gauguin's memorial |
Our Last Day
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