March 06: Papeete, French Polynesia - Second Day of Two-Day Port Call

Chickens are everywhere - in Papeete
parks and all through the countryside.

We were up and ready to go in time for our morning tour. The sky was overcast, and it had been raining, apparently hard.

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Today's Tour: Discover Tahiti's West Coast

Begin your tour with a drive along the West Coast of the island of Tahiti, turning south to the Vaipahi Gardens. Rare species of precious wood and tropical flowers flourish here.

On the return route, enjoy a stop at the Fern Grotto Caves of Maraa. These caves were described in Captain Cook's 1769 journal and were also a popular bathing spot for painter Paul Gauguin on hot afternoons, as described in his book, Noa Noa.

Visit the Arahurahu Marae and take a short walk through this quite sacred place, which served both religious and social purposes in pre-Christian Polynesian societies.

Last but not least, explore the interesting Museum of Tahiti & Her Islands. Set in a lagoon-side coconut grove, with a picturesque view of Moorea, this museum ranks as one of the best in the South Pacific. The exhibits showcase a wide array of archaeological finds, Polynesian artwork, and costumes that tell the story of ancient Tahiti.

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Our guide, Kiki, was French. She was probably about 70. She had moved to the islands many years ago. She had a large personality, suggesting that she had led quite a life. From a few of her comments, I guessed that she was either a beach bum or a boat bum in her early days. More importantly than all that, she was well-versed on many topics related to the island and kept an informative commentary going between tour stops.

The threatened return of rain during the tour caused the order of these stops to be shuffled.

Our revised first stop was the Museum of Tahiti & Her Islands (Te Fare Iamanaha: Musée de Tahiti et des Îles).

The main hall had a clean, minimalist appearance that helped accentuate the exhibits. Building on what we had learned at the Bishop Museum in Honolulu was educational.

The islanders' navigational skills throughout Polynesia had already impressed me. Looking at some of the smaller boats, it was fascinating to see how they were assembled. Pieces of wood were cut to an exact shape and held together by some sort of twine. Presumably, as the wood swelled, it sealed the seams because the twine prevented caulking between them unless something had been pre-applied.

Outside was one of Captain Cook's anchors. It broke loose on August 16, 1773, when the ship was caught in a strong sea current. It sat on the bottom until recovered in 1978. This explained why it was still intact. You may recall from a previous post that the locals were so amazed by iron that they had taken the nails from his longboat, and when he protested, they killed him. Imagine what lengths they would have gone to recover an iron anchor.

Our second stop was the Arahurahu Marae. 

Arahurahu marae is an archaeological site that was restored in 1953. It is a site that reflects part of the Maohi culture that thrived in French Polynesia before the arrival of the first Europeans. Typical of the ancient cultural centres, there is a tahua (sacred square), a patu (surrounding wall), an ahu (altar), and a red unu dedicated to the taura (wooden sculptures dedicated to the guardian spirits). [Tahiti Tourism]

The site is maintained both as a museum and a sacred symbol of Polynesian culture.

On to Vaipahi Gardens.

...with a final stop at Fern Grotto Caves of Maraa.

Yup, it was ferns overhanging a grotto, but neither was particularly interesting. 

While the Museum of Tahiti and Her Islands was exceptional, moving it from the last stop to the first put the tour on a downward trajectory. 

Back in Papeete, we bid Kiki adieu and headed out for the open-air market. 

In addition to tourist shops, there were some pearl shops on the second floor.

produce and fish were in one wing of  the first floor

I found this odd. Both in Raiatea and here, the pharmacy did not have Ace elastic wraps. Not trusting my French to convey what I was looking for, I had brought one with me for show-and-tell. At both drug stores, the clerk shook her head and showed it to other clerks, none of whom had apparently seen one before. This led me to conclude that I had not hit on the only two drug stores in French Polynesia that did not have them. Fortunately, I only wanted to get one as a backup.

Touring and shopping done, we returned to the ship for the remainder of the day. 

We toyed with the idea of having dinner again at the food trucks, but looking over the stern of the ship saw only a few, so we decided to eat aboard. Yesterday's bank holiday was a potential explanation for so few that day, but today, being a Friday and the beginning of the weekend, we thought the place would be rocking.

It was time for some online research. According to Google AI:

The reduced number of roulottes (food trucks) at the Place Vai'ete waterfront in Papeete is primarily due to ongoing, extensive construction in the area. While some sources indicate fewer trucks have participated post-pandemic, the site currently hosts only a few, rather than the formerly larger gathering. 

• Reduced Participation: Reports suggest that fewer trucks, typically 4–6, now operate at this specific location compared to in the past.
• Alternative Dining: Many diners are exploring other options, as some locals and tourists find the area less convenient and sometimes opt for food trucks around the island or restaurant options.
• Alternative Locations: Food trucks have become more scattered, reducing the concentration at the main pier. 
• Despite the lower count, the Place Vai'ete area still operates at night with a few trucks available, offering an albeit smaller dining option.

Whatever the reason(s), it was the atmosphere and the food that made it such a special experience.