We learned something new yesterday. We spotted a fellow passenger taking a photo of a manhole cover….something we do sometimes. Why? Because they are there and it is interesting to see where they are made. Well, we remarked that we were happy to see someone else had the same interest, and the photographer said there is a site on Facebook all about manhole covers around the world. Who knew that? Certainly not us, but we shall have to check it out just for fun.
Anyway here we are on day two in Papeete, having spent the evening docked. That gave some of the crew members a chance to go out at night and have some fun. They will often go in groups, pay for a taxi, and find a bar or lounge where there is music and dancing. One of the sweetest waitresses in the Pinnacle Grill did just that last night and had a fine time, although she was finding it difficult to wake up this morning. She showed us her dance moves, which she considered conservative compared to the local Tahitian girls.
We also heard that many of the crew visited the roulettes or food trucks in Place Vaiete last night. We have never eaten there, but we did stroll through the trucks one evening after dinner to see what it was all about. Besides French cuisine, they catered to the Filipino and Indonesian crowd with their favorites. The nice thing is that it is very close to the ship and there is no need for a taxi.
Today's weather appeared to be a little more comfortable than yesterday. Some of the humidity was gone, and early in the day, there was a nice breeze. Although it looked like rain, it never happened. Only up high in the mountains where the showers traveled across the peaks and back out to sea. We stayed onboard until 11am, then went out for a walk. Following the same path we took yesterday, we passed by the information office and picked up a local map. There used to be single page maps of the other islands, but they are gone now. The majority of folks on the inside were using the free wifi. There were about half of the souvenir stands we saw yesterday, and most all of the shops and stores were closed due to the fact it was Sunday.
Checking out the Marketplace, we discovered that only some flower vendors were out on the sidewalk beyond the closed market. Nothing was opened in this area. We had hoped to see the Cathedral during a Sunday mass, but it was closed up once again. Back out to the main street, we checked out the new Burger King. We did see a special meal for a family of four that ran about 4500 Pacific French Francs or about $45 USD. Drinks were not included. On our way out of the gate this morning, we ran into a couple that had just come from McDonald's. Due to the heat, they needed something to drink, and ducked into McDonald's for some sodas. One medium and one large soda set them back $7 USD. And they were not re-fillable. Another good reason to pack some water with you even on a short walk. The heat can be a killer in these tropical islands.
Our destination was a walk along the marina and through Paofai Park. There were a few local families here, lingering at the picnic tables under the pergolas. It is a nice place to have a Sunday picnic and watch the world go by, so to speak. There are many benches as well for cooling off in the shade. Towards the end of this park are some fast- food type restaurants, but only opened after 6pm. At the very end, there is a complex that looks like a concert stadium with a large parking lot. During the day, there is little activity there, so we turned around and walked back into the park.
We ended up at Le Moana, a nice restaurant that faces the harbor and the marina. Taking a table in the upper patio, we ordered two Hinano beers….one blonde and one ambree or dark. Both were good and nice and cold. They make very good cheeseburgers here, so we ordered one with extra fries to share. Instead of catsup, they served us a small dish of Thousand island dressing, the way our moms used to make it. It was so good, we asked for a second dish. Catching a wonderful breeze, we sat at our table for over an hour. We ended the meal with one deep plate of profiteroles which we shared of course. A resident cat paid us a few visits looking for handouts. Too late, the food was all gone. Even the doves and roaming chickens pecked at the ground looking for crumbs. If nothing else, it was entertaining. Good thing we like animals.
All aboard was 4:30pm, so we pulled ourselves away and followed the marina all the way back. They have successfully planted a coral garden here that attracts all types of fish. A wall of glass panels allows you to look over at the coral. We remember when these were first installed, and marvel at how the corals have grown. Nature sure is fascinating.
It would have been nice if we could have taken the short way to the ship, but once again, a guard was there turning the folks away. Maybe the next time we visit here, they will have developed a safe way for the cruise passengers to walk back and keep clear of the bus traffic. After walking the long way around yesterday, we happened to talk to another elderly man that had sweet- talked his way through the gate because he exaggerated his limp due to his knee replacement. Gosh, we never thought of that, but truthfully, the extra walking was better for us and only took a little longer. It was fun listening to the grumpy people that did not like being turned away. And there were many of them.
We were back on the ship by 4pm, and relaxed in our room until the ship left a bit late after 5pm. One tour group was not back yet. Captain Smit came on for his daily talk, and said we have a long way to go to Fakarava tomorrow, and would need to leave on time to get there by 7 or 8am. He planned on a speed of 18 knots and also added that it might be rough due to wind. In port tomorrow, he predicted rain…how much, he did not know. We will be sailing into the lagoon, and he hoped the winds would be less there. Time will tell.
This evening's dinner had a variety of new items. One of our favorite appetizers is chicken tenders with honey mustard sauce, and they were on the menu tonight. Very small Caesar salads were served, and now we wonder if they got their full order of lettuce yesterday. Sarif indicated that we should enjoy the salad while they have it. That says it all. Our entrees were the recommended Japanese pork katsu with curry sauce on the side. Asking Sarif exactly what it was, he said the pork was like Weiner Schnitzel. It came on a bed of rice and bok choy with carrots. They served two slices of the pork, which would have been enough for both of us. No way could we eat two slices each. Dessert was one small scoop of rocky road ice cream. There was also a Polynesian Dinner in the Lido tonight at the normal times of 5:30 to 8pm. It was mostly seafood, so we did not attend. We like lunch in there, but never dinner.
Finally, the entertainment this evening was a comedian by the name of Sid Davis with a show called Common Scents. We wonder how many folks actually make it to the 9pm show. We are usually so tired, we seldom or never attend. But that's just us. There was a movie in the Wajang called The Mountain Between Us, which we are sure we have seen. A good time to catch up on some beauty sleep. The ship was rocking and rolling pretty good since we left Papeete, so sleeping should be easy.
Bill & Mary Ann
