Raiatea

 

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Raiatea is certainly a beautiful Island and not quite as touristic as some of the others.

It must have impressed me as I have a lot of photos here, but we also did see and do a lot. Enjoy the album!

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Approaching the entrance passage to the harbour on the left.

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Looking north to the neighbouring island of Tahaa

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Aproaching the harbour at 'Uturoa

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Looking to Tahaa again. Lots of reef joining the two islands.

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On the wharf at 'Uturoa

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The welcoming committee.

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Native style huts for the people selling their wares.

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An entertainment area.

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Gardenias again

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Another offer of snorkelling.

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The old chief blowing his triton horn.

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Two young ladies.

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A drewing board, but he looks happy.

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Now you know the reason for the mutiny on the Bounty!

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Some more beautiful floral head dresses.

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A musical welcome

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and more Gardenias.

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These people had been ashore and already bought flowers.

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The tags state that they are tourist people in training.

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Lots of nice young people.

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This frangipani was just lying on the ground, but still looked beautiful.

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The flower market

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and the fruit and vegetable market.

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More fruit

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These are taro  plants which are one of the staple foods of the Pacific Islands.

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A fish seller on the footpath.

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This pool was in the middle of the market complex.

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Looking across part of the small boat harbour. We organised a trip down the east coast on the red and white outrigger canoe in the middle.

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First Elisabeth had to quench her thirst and had found a coolau (PNG for a fresh drinking coconut)

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Aboard the outrigger.

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Passing under the bow of the Regatta.

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The owner skipper blowing the triton horn.

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Looking towards the centre of the island.

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We came back later to snorkel on the island in the background.

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Art and Ursula enjoying themselves.

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We first visited a black pearl farm. This is a pearl oyster cut open to show the inside.

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Here he is showing a pearl developing.

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These are samples of the basic form that is inserted into the oyster to start a pearl.

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This lady is preparing the oyster for the implant.

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and here it is being inserted.

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Samples of some of the local jewellery. Prices are in CFP Francs. 1 US$ = approx 100 Franc

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Putting the seeded pearls back in the water to grow for two years.

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Entering the only navigable river on the island.

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Getting smaller

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and smaller.

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Other traffic.

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Scratching!

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Here we stopped at a local farm and the guide brought a vanilla plant to show us.

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This is the vanilla bean

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and a closer photo.

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Larger traffic in the other direction. He had to back up to make room as we were wide with the outrigger.

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Ursula and Art trying the horn

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and the headdresses.

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We stopped at this outer island for a swim on the way home.

We had also brought our snorkelling gear.

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The reef was not so interesting near the island and we did not have enough time to head further out.

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Back on board the Regatta looking towards Tahaa Island.

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In the distance we could see Bora Bora.

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We then went for a walk around town.

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Beautiful flowering trees.

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Another church.

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These trees are commonly used for shade and for erosion protection.

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Another shingle roofed building. They always looked good.

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Golden rain.

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This is called "Le Truck". A locally made bus with rather hard seats.

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This really caught my eye. The Regatta beside the Shell Tanking Station! I bet she emptied the storage tanks.

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Her is reality.

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Back at the wharf.

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Elisabeth with the head Chef Friedrich. A very important person on board. There were 66 cooks on board.

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Evening looking towards Bora Bora.

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Bora Bora in the setting sun.

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Prost!

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Here Elisabeth is with Roberto. He made the best coffee on the ship!

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Enjoying ourselves again.

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That evening we had a local dance group perfirming the Tamure on the swimming pool deck.

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One can get an idea of the movement by the waves in the grass skirt.

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The men were also dancing.

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This was the band.

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This woman was performing something like the Hula.

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Here she was demonstrating various ways to wear a sarong.

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This elderly woman asked for a volunteer to show how a man can wear the sarong.

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He was very cooperative.

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Some of the passengers joined in the festivities.

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This necklace would have smelled great.

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This is Julie the cruise director joining in the fun.

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