Pape'ete,Tahiti: French Polynesia

Tahiti: “The Queen of the Pacific”

Chances are that you have conjured up images of hibiscus, fragrant frangipani, lissome bronze bodied dancers, blue lagoons, balmy sea breezes, scenic mountains, a laid back life in a tropical climate, etc. It's all there.

A skip and a step

Sure enough, when we disembark in Papeʻete ( each vowel to be pronounced separately), the capital of French Polynesia, we are greeted by dancers, adorned with flowers and modestly clad with coconut shells. Holding our umbrellas we dance to the tune of monsoon rains, around puddles formed by it. The dancers sway their hips. We skip! Fittingly Papeʻete means “water from a basket”.

Never in limbo

We have no definite plans such as taking a tour to the further reaches of the island to absorb the beauty of the mountains, forests, waterfalls and lagoons. We are not even thinking of tours to the surrounding islands.

So, we walk towards the public market very close to the port. In no time at all, we are inside the huge, lively and colorful market brimming with basketry, pandanus hats, mats, bags, accessories, clothes, fish, fruits, vegetables etc. It's fun to watch fellow cruisers alight upon likely souvenirs.

I keep being drawn towards the admirable handicraft, especially artisan wood sculptures, as we make our way out of the market and onto the waterfront.  Now we are on a picturesque boardwalk, the Quay, that runs along the shoreline leading us to the opulent Marina. Views of majestic mountains in the distance are not obstructed by the rain.

History and mystery 

Continuing along we see the OPT (the post office) building. History has it that in the early 1900s the old post office was literally trundled off to a new location. I still have not found out where.

Momentous history

Just next to the OPT is the verdant and tranquil Parc Bougainville named after the first French explorer to circumnavigate the globe.  The park had previously been named Albert Park (after a Belgian King and WWI hero). 

Nearby are stylised tiki idols. Stone tikis appear almost everywhere for they are greatly revered as guardians in Polynesian culture.  Placed outside a house they protect people and ward off bad energies. 

A memorial site draws our attention away from the scenic views to reveal something even more interesting. This site commemorates the nuclear tests conducted by the French on the Mururoa and Fangataufa atolls over 30 years (1966 - 1996).  Imagine the fallout and lives affected by radiation akin to that experienced in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Classified information was revealed only pretty recently.

Investigation leads to an accidental treat 

A  little more chastened we follow a stream into a complex of small buildings . It is still drizzling. There is no signboard nearby as to what these buildings are for. There are fences blocking parts of the garden.We happen to find a gap.  There is not a single soul in sight to ask. The simple map from the ship does not tell us much. Are we trespassing? No idea. The plants draw us further into the gardens to reveal even more beauty.  At the end of the gardens there is a natural spring filling a pool with koi and lilies.  

We are actually at the administrative buildings, the Territorial Assembly building ( we do see a sign board in French and Tahitian), the high commissioners building, once a popular guest house of Paul Gaugin, a French artist. By the stream had been the ancient royal house and therefore the Polynesians believed that the waters here are pure. The Queen bathed here. Memorial statues abound in the manicured gardens. Most plants are labelled just as in botanical gardens. There are even herb patches along the stream.

The royal gardens were renamed the gardens of Tarahoi i Vaiete when they were redesigned in 2013. It is now a vast park of over 1200 m2. There is a small freshwater pool where Queen Pomare IV used to bathe and a botanic trail to follow. The gardens are free but not often visited by tourists because they are behind the Assembly building.

Going back to the promenade takes us to yet another garden 

Paofai Gardens

Between the promenade and the arterial Boulevard are the Paofai Gardens with fountains, walking trails and  playgrounds etc. Best of all, we have a great view of the island of Moorea, the "magical island", for honeymooners!

The shops

The streets of Papeete are narrow, but  sidewalks are safe. We come the Robert Wan shop. We are interested mainly because  of the Chinese name. There's nothing to disappoint, since it is also a well curated museum.  Black pearls seem to be their speciality. But there are also umpteen other hues I wouldn't have associated with pearls. The expensive jewellery is impressive as well. Renowned figures in the likes of queen's and first ladies are among its visitors.

Localised churches 

Cathedral of Notre Dame of Papeʻetē, a bright yellow building, catches the eye both outside and inside. The Stations of the Cross are in a style that clearly reflects that of Paul Gauguin. The statue of Mary holding Jesus has Polynesian facial features. Figures carry fruits of the bread tree.

We skip The Papeʻetē Tahiti Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Our ship leaves late at night so there is time to visit the very busy Roulottes. It is filled with food trucks and swings with night life

Gaffe

You may have noticed me and the receptionist wearing flowers on the ear. She is wearing it on her right ear and so am I. Months later I discover that im wearing it on the wrong ear. Im married and hence not available. I should be wearing it on my left (closer to the heart) to indicate that status . Well, being a wet day, people were so busy watching their steps they had no time to flirt with me! 

The same goes for men!

Trivia

Papeʻetē is a setting in Mutiny on the Bounty