Streets of Papeete, Tahiti

Journey to the Heart of Tahiti

Trip Day Sixteen: Sunday, October 7, 2007

Streets of Papeete

This is where the real people hang out.

We didn't see the up-scale area where the jet-set spends its time in paradise.
After the tour, on the way back to the ship, we were offered the opportunity to shop in downtown Papeete. But nobody accepted the offer. It was a Sunday, and downtown was pretty much closed. The area seemed to have seen better days, and looked rather dowdy.

Our Guide Shows Off Tattoos

These seem to be normal decorations for Tahitians. The Polynesians have been known for their tattoos throughout history. We didn't get a close enough look at those not working in the tourist industry to determine if they are part of the normal "attire" for all the Tahitians.

The picture frames and the Tahiti title text of this site are also decorated with Tahitian tattoo art. Ours would not be so painfully removed, however.

Matavai Bay

We are about 30 minutes from the port. According to our itinerary, this should be the overlook park at One Tree Hill overlooking Matavai Bay. We have read that Captain Cooked named the point One Tree Hill because of a lone atae tree at the location.
There are now many trees on the hill.

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