Suva, Fiji: Vibrantly multi-ethnic

Bula Melaya: A Polynesian welcome at the capital city of Suva.

Our cruise liner is welcomed by a local band. I'm sentimentally captivated by the song because I recognise the word Melaya, the country in which I was born and raised. To this day I do not know if the word really refers to the country. Another troupe gives us a send-off performance on the pier later that evening.

What an array! Suva Municipal Market

The local market is usually a good representation of the social and cultural make up of a country.  Entering the market more than confirms what little we knew about Fiji, especially that it is multi ethnic and has a large Indian population (⅖ of the total). The ground floor with vendors selling almost every household good imaginable is manned by Polynesians, Chinese, Indians and Fijians speaking the various dialects. 

Vibrant colours and flavours titillate. There's bundles and bundles of taro root, Indian spices, shellfish, mountains of pineapple, etc. To cap it all, some stalls closer to the bus station sell Indian deserts. It is even more evocative for us since it is close to Deepavali, a festival of lights celebrated by Hindus all over the world.

We skip the Curio & Handicraft Centre and the more modern Flea Market which would have been interesting had we not wanted to spend more time exploring the rest of Suva.

The Royal walk: Presidential Palace

We walk by the Presidential Palace (Government House)which is guarded at the gates by a fierce looking Fijian soldier attired in a starched white sulu(a buckled wrap around)  and a red tunic. Apparently, the changing of the guards happens only once a month. Not our day.

A vivified tree 

We are now walking near a tree towards Thurston Park ( Suva Botanical Gardens). About 200 meters from where the sentry stands we are stopped in our tracks by a strange odor, a chatter and a flapping. Lo and behold, we are right under a large colony of flying foxes(fruit bats) roosting upside down! What could be more apt than wild life in the natural gardens! The walk along the park’s trails and manicured lawns brings us very close to the natural beauty of the island’s native flora, including tropical trees, palms, ferns, colorful gingers and water lilies. There is also a pavilion and a clock tower, a historic landmark of the Victorian era.

One of the amenities of the gardens, the drinking fountain, had been  presented by Henry Marks for the use of the public visiting these gardens 1914.

Unmistakably British: Administration and recreation

Parliament House and other government buildings are fronted by Albert Park, named after Queen Victoria's consort. The land on which these stand has a very interesting history. It was a swamp dotted with shacks well known for prostitution. It has been transformed into a general recreational park with a cricket ground and tennis courts.

Incredible but true: insane but safe.

Albert Park is most renowned for a 1928 dare devil landing by Charles Kingsford Smith (the first to fly across the Pacific). He took off from Hawaii with the necessary personnel for radio contact and navigation in his plane, the Southern Cross. He had not an inkling about the area in Suva where he proposed to land. It was precisely where stood a row of sturdy trees right in the  middle of Albert Park.  

If not for the radio station manager who persisted, in spite of the opposing authorities, that the governor allow the felling of the said trees and level the land with rocks and sand to create a safe landing strip, the landing would have been disastrous. Even telephone poles had to be lowered and more trees cut to ensure a safe landing of the Southern Cross. Incredibly the plane had no breaks. It was almost at the end of the hastily made strip. It had to be turned around at a right angle to bring it to a stop.

A refuge

One of the coolest places to be on a hot day is definitely a cathedral.

The Sacred Heart Cathedral aka the Cathedral of Suva, is Fiji’s most prominent  Roman Catholic building. It took 40 years to build. The grand neo-Gothic design incorporates Australian sandstone blocks, concrete staircases and balustrades, and two towers. On the central stained-glass window above the altar is an image of a bilo (coconut shell cup used in local rituals) beneath the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  

The spires of a Hindu temple beckon

As we walk the streets we spy a Hindu temple with its domes and spires peeking above the foliage on a hill. It seems to be just outside of town. We walk in the general direction of the temple to explore but we find our way blocked in every direction.  But on one of the inner roads we come across a print shop run by Indians. We have a lovely chat with them. They tell us the temple is not easily approachable by foot. We abandon the idea

Getting local

We decide to see more of the town by taking a town bus. This takes through some of the arterial roads and quieter ones.

We pass by the government to buildings and the various parks. Most of the land along the coast had been reclaimed. But some buildings like Carnegie Library were built in 1909 on an existing waterfront site. As the name says it, Andrew Carnegie's philanthropy made the public library possible. The building is now called Suva City Carnegie Library.

We also drive by the old Town Hall, distinguished by its balconies and ornate ironwork which exemplifies colonial architecture. Most of the private homes and commercial buildings also exhibit the same traditional architectural style, specifically a traditional-style with a two-story veranda and arches that befits a warm tropical climate. Some older commercial buildings in the city also  feature covered walkways and upper-level verandas.

Victoria Parade

We are back at the esplanade along Victoria Parade most of it on reclaimed land retained by a sea wall. Originally an unpaved street with only a row of raintrees between it and the shore. As the sea receded more and more land was reclaimed. 

We meet an ethnic  taxi driver taking a break from work. We exchange a few pleasantries and then enjoy the breeze. 

An urban environment with modern and older buildings

As the sun begins to set we walk back to the city centre. We find ourselves at Terry Walk in a canal area. On one side the building's veranda space has a whole series of arcs and pillars that make it look like the verandahs surrounding a middle eastern Palace. It  is a pedestrian walkway alongside a canal, next to the TappooCity shopping complex. The walk features tropical landscaping, including various flowering plants and palm trees. The malls and commercial centres have taken on a festive atmosphere with music and decorations looking forward to the Festival of Lights.

Suva may have become a modern city, but its uniqueness in the old coexisting with the new, the amount of land reclaimed and its seemingly comfortable cosmopolitanism has us endeared to it.