Tahiti and Moorea
Since June 1 we have been in the Society Islands, an archipelago
in French Polynesia which includes Tahiti, Moorea, Huahine,
Taha'a, Raiatea, Bora Bora and 5 five more tiny, remote islands.
Papeete, the main city on Tahiti, is ten times more developed
than any of the others, with an international airport, lots
of traffic, crowded streets and neighborhoods, and enough pearl
shops to intoxicate a jewel thief. All of the other islands
we have visited are of a very different nature, with a two-lane
road encircling the island, and peace and quiet. The bicycle
is considered a reasonable means of transport, even for adults,
though many have scooters, cars or trucks. Everyone goes barefoot
or wears sandals, and many wear a flower behind the ear, or
a 'hei' (a crown of flowers woven together) on their head.
All of the homes are quite modest, normally less than 1000
square feet, and there are no signs of strict building codes.
There is a strong sense of community and no apparent danger.
The children seem to play without supervision; the beach we
are now anchored by has dozens of kids laughing and screaming
to their hearts' delight every day. Often, the older children,
beginning around the age of six, will care for their younger
siblings, carrying them around and helping them learn to walk.
Around foreigners, the children are often shy, but full of smiles
and curiosity. Everyone is happy to say 'Ia Orana' to us.
French Polynesia seems to have it all. The Marquesas are beautiful
mountainous islands; the Tuamotus are each a fringe of slender
motus, small islands and reef surrounding glorious lagoons.
Combine the two and you have the Society Islands, uniquely suited
to tourism. Bora Bora is a splendid example, protected from
the ocean by the reef. In many places within, it is shallow
and sandy, and this geography creates dreamy turquoise 'property'
for over-the-water bungalows (hotel rooms). Each has a section
of the floor made of glass, and also its own steps to a private
sunning platform and a ladder into the water. Quite perfect
and quite expensive!
We spent almost three weeks there, our mission being to catch
up on varnish, laundry, refueling and reprovisioning. We rode
'le truck' into Papeete to pick up our eight-month cartes de
sejour (visas that we are very pleased to have, since most cruisers
are limited to three months), and do the routine visits to customs
and immigration and the port captain. We also rented a car for
an island tour. Favorite stops - the Pearl Museum, the yacht
chandler stores, The Market Place in Papeete, and the Tahiti
Museum with a current exhibition of several Gauguin
paintings on loan from the France.
