Papeete Tahiti

Hi Guys,

Papeete Tahiti – Pacific Ocean 17 February 2011

(Longitude: 17 32’West   Longitude: 149 34’East)

(Time -10 GMT)

Sorry about the delay.

Tahiti is very remote location, but one the most beautiful islands that I have visited. Between September and April the trees are laden with all kinds of fruits, mangos, avocados, breadfruit, rambutans, papayas, and fruits I cannot even identify, Apparently, most root crops grow but the locals love Brussels sprouts which they cannot grow, however, most food store that we visited had a shelf for Brussel sprouts to compensate.

We dock and even from the ship we can see the traffic jams. At 8:30 am we are on a coach travelling counter clockwise around this volcanic island in temperatures of 86F/30C. The road is twisty, the coast is on our right. Houses are simple; many have solar heating and quite a lot with solar electric panels. It takes about an hour to reach the Gauguin museum. Somewhat of a disappointment as the grounds are lovely but the exhibition is rather tired and there are no originals. Even if they could have managed to keep the originals, they admit to not being able to pay for the insurance.

Gauguin was Peruvian, lived in France had a working relationship with Van Gogh. He married a Danish wife, had 5 children and worked as a banker. The relationship broke up and Gauguin went on long sea voyages ending up in Tahiti. We continue to the botanical gardens with a Moa temple, more of a flat structure of stones (see below with Susan) where the bones of their ancestors were placed, it did have a peaceful presence.

We return to the port of Papeete and find something to eat simple food is usually difficult to find as the locals want to sell you a belly burster of all delicious foods, crab, lobster, tuna etc. I ended up with a ham and cheese roll and Susan with a quiche and a salad, the food on board is more than adequate. A delightful place but quite expensive.

Tahitian Port Welcome

Pateete Tahiti

Roy  & Susan in the Grounds of the Gauguin Museum

Lady at Market

Susan at Sacred Burial Grounds

Papeete, the name means “water basket”. Tahiti, the largest of the 130 Windward group of Society Islands in French Polynesia is quite remote 4,100 miles from Los Angeles, 3,800 miles from Sydney and 5,900 miles from Tokyo. Tahiti comprises two almost circular islands. Tahiti Nui, the larger island is 15 mile diameter, on which Papeete is situated, and the smaller Tahiti Iti is joined by a narrow isthmus. The two islands are ringed by coral reefs and lagoons. The island reaches a maximum height of 7,352 feet. Many famous people have visited the island notably Captains Cook and Bligh, Gauguin, Somerset Maugham.

The first people moved to Tahiti in about 850 AD, probably from Asia. However, the first European visitor was Captain Samuel Wallis in 1767 in the HMS Dolphin and claimed Tahiti for George III. In 1777 Louis de Bougainville, a French explorer, landed and promptly claimed the island for France. In 1769 Captain Cook in HMS Endeavour arrived to observe the transit of Venus across the sun and better understand the dimensions of the Solar system.

HMS Bounty arrived in 1788 to collect 1076 breadfruit plants to feed the slaves in the West Indies but we all know how that voyage ended up with Captain Bligh in an open boat and the mutinous Fletcher Christian sailing off to Pitcairn Island.

At the turn of the 18^th century missionaries came to convert the easy going Tahitians. The uninhibited local ladies started to wear clothes and human sacrifice and cannibalism disappeared. Catholic missionaries arrived and in 1843 when the French took formal possession of the Island. For the last 30 years, the Tahitians have tried to get independence from France.