Touchet travelers: January 22, 2024 Papeete Tahiti Day 34 of 138,

Ok it is good to see you are reading our blog. I have been asked for a picture of my new necklace, which I am wearing today. It is a black pearl, with a blue black color.

Yesterday when I was swimming with the sharks and stingrays, we also saw 2 sea turtles. Someone else got a great picture, that I have permission to share with you. This one was a beauty. Right after this picture was taken, the turtle dove under the water. We were told they could be underwater for up to 45 minutes.

We woke up still docked in Tahiti. Today we have a walking tour of the town of Papeete. When we left the ship, we were greeted by Polynesian women who welcomed us with a small Gardenia, and played music for us.

This is our guide Gerald, and Patricia who is in training.

Gerald is not a native, but has lived in Tahiti for 32 years. He speaks 4 languages including French, German, English and the local Tahitian dialect. He loves his island, and it shows.

We first went to a park. This park has two cannons from Germans who fired upon Tahiti in 1914. This was a bad decision. It united the Tahitians, and they fought back and defeated the Germans, and brought the cannons back to display. They then joined with Frances in the war. The park has a statue of Captain Bougainville. He was one of the three explorers to come to Tahiti, and when he returned to France he published a book describing Tahiti and other places. He eloquently described the beauty and the blissful innocence of the people who lived far from the corruption of civilization.

Paul Gauguin, an artist came to Tahiti, and fell into depression. He felt Tahiti was so beautiful, but he felt inadequate to paint it to his satisfaction. It wasn't until he left Tahiti and returned to France that he could document what he had seen. His painting style was not appreciated, and did not sell for an amount that provided a living. He returned to Tahiti, and never benefitted from the fruits of his labor. After his death, his paintings were discovered, and highly sought after.

This fig tree is known as the Paul Gauguin tree, as it was here when he arrived in 1890's.

These lovely picture are taken in the government grounds. There is a French government section, and a Tahitian government section. A spring is the source of water. We were told that the last Tahitian Queen would bath in the spring, and meet with her subjects. When they left they would dip their basket filled with clay bottles to take some of the waters the Queen had bathed in. The pictures above are Orchids lining the pond, the water lilies, and the beautiful setting.

There is a bridge between the French and Tahitian Governments. If there is a disagreement between the two, they open the gate and the two presidents meet on a bridge and settle the issue. This ends with a handshake.

This is the Cathedral of Papeete. It was built in 1875. The story is they laid the foundation of wood, and wanted carved doors, but wanted them carved from the island they priests had come from. They used the locals to row to the other island, had the doors carved, and returned to the Tahiti. When they arrived they found the wood foundation had been destroyed by termites. The church had to be rebuilt before the doors could be installed.

This is an open air covered market. It has fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh fish, jewelry, baskets and woven items, clothes, and souvenirs. We were introduced to many of the vendors.

We are told that Tahitians eat fresh raw fish for all three meals a day. Fresh fish is inexpensive for them to purchase. They do not eat Sushi as they don't want to eat rice, they only want the fish. One table had purses. He stated that a purse takes the families 2 days to make. I did not see the price they were asking.

The flowers were beautiful.

This is their City Hall. It was built for their 100th celebration in 1990.

We came back to the ship, hot, sweaty, and my feet hurt. After something to eat, time off my feet and dry clothes, we were ready to go back out to discover Papeete. These statues are at the entrance to the Port. I did not look at the front of the statue I am behind before I had the picture taken. Oops!