Papeete, on the island of Tahiti, is the capital of French Polynesia, a group of 121 islands and atolls spread over an immense area of the South Pacific. Technically, French Polynesia is an overseas collectivity of the French Republic – whatever that means. French Polynesia is associated with the European Union as an overseas country and territory despite being over 16,000 km from mainland Europe – what that means is that the locals here are EU citizens, can vote in EU elections and have freedom of movement across the EU.
Papeete marked the end of the first leg of this voyage. Around two thirds of the guests left the ship this morning. They will be replaced by a similar number this evening. Meanwhile, those of us staying on board were getting in the way so they shepherded us into coaches and sent us on various trips around the island. Our first stop was a small museum dedicated to the American author, James Norman Hall. He co-wrote a trilogy of historical novels about the Mutiny on the Bounty. I imagine that our popular view of the mutiny comes from these stories and the subsequent three films. For me, the museum was remarkably boring. I found I had little interest in the eighty-year-old desk of an author I had never heard of before. Outside was a breadfruit tree. We were assured that it was directly related to those that Bligh was carrying on the Bounty. For me, it was interesting to see exactly what a breadfruit looks like.
Next stop were some black sands where part of the 1962 Mutiny on the Bounty film was made with Marlon Brando. Then we went for lunch. Lunch was served at nice restaurant that was literally on the other side of the island. An hour and a half drive in a coach. The drive was moderately interesting. Our guide managed to talk continuously throughout the entire trip. Sorry to say, I fell asleep.
After lunch, a salad, we set off back around the south side of the island. This was just as exciting as the north side but before I had properly settled down, we stopped at the Vaipahi water gardens. Small but pretty. Nice little waterfall and a collection of exotic tropical plants. I did not recognise any of them but I did take a few photographs. There were a few chickens running around which I photographed as well.
Last stop was a very modern museum just outside Papeete. Most of the exhibits are wood. Canoes, drums, statues and pieces of unrecognisable driftwood. All lovingly displayed and labelled. The display room was nicely air conditioned and comfortable. It amused me to see some very serious and intellectual people standing around a lump of driftwood. Even better was an early carving of Groot. However, my favourite piece was a large iron container that looked to be the perfect comic book representation of a cannibal’s cooking pot.
Two cannibals eating a clown. One says to the other “Does this taste funny to you”
We got dropped off just before the cruise terminal so that I could go a buy a camera. There was just 30 minutes for this mission. If we dallied, we would miss the ship. Fortunately, I had researched the camera and the shop. There was only one left because they were in great demand that week. At least, that is what the shop keeper explained as he overcharged me for it. No time to argue or even discuss the extras he wanted to sell me. We made the ship with ten minutes to spare and now I had an underwater camera to play with.
Back on the ship, we had a lot of new people to deal with. As the ship prepared to leave, there was a little party on the back deck. Drinks and some live music. We stood around for a while and completely failed to talk to anyone, never mind the newcomers. The sun set so went for dinner.
