12/2/21: Huahine, French Polynesia

175 kilometers northwest of Pape'ete where we'd spent the previous night on arrival in Tahiti lay lush, mountainous Huahine. It's one of the Leeward Islands which are the most visited part of French Polynesia after Tahiti and Moorea, the latter of which would be our last island in our three-week escape to the South Pacific. After the Leeward Islands were settled by Polynesians around 850, Dutch explorer Roggeveen spotted two of the Leeward Islands in 1722 but didn't make land. 

Thanks to having a Tahitian priest on board as a pilot, Captain Cook 'discovered' six other Leeward Islands in 1769. He renamed them the Society Islands as they were contiguous to each other. 19th-century American whalers seeking a respite from winters in Antarctica replenished their ships with local products such as salted pork, vegetables, and sugar on stops to the islands. The sailors' visits also aided the local economy.

As we walked into town from our studio apartment and noticed the Seventh-day Adventist Church, we would soon realize that there were far, far more of them not only in Huahine but all over French Polynesia than we'd seen anywhere else in the world!

After missionaries from the London Missionary Society arrived in 1808, the traditional religion was abolished by Pomare II once he extended his power to the Leeward Islands. The islands, however, were a British protectorate until 1887, unlike Tahiti and Moorea that were controlled by the French in 1842. French marines attacked Huahine in 1846 but were defeated in Maeva. Even though the French in 1847 assured Britain the Leeward Islands would not be annexed, they did exactly that 40 years later. 

Because local chiefs declined to sign the annexation treaty until 1895, resistance to France was only overcome by force in 1897. Even though the English missionaries who had been there for 88 years were expelled, about 80 percent of the Leewards population is still Protestant. 

Walking through the tiny town of Fare one could optimistically call it unpretentious or perhaps more realistically a little depressing with small, poky shops, little in the way of eating options, and a not insignificant homeless population. Reading in advance about Huahine being described as "immaculately tropical and effortlessly Polynesian" made it sound more appealing than we actually found it to be. On the plus side, the 'town' faced the water, and there was a tiny beach and quay just across from the only grocery store.

The most popular and also, for us, the most viable dining option in Huahine were the roulettes or food trucks in the town square as the few restaurants had very limited hours. We soon realized that the roulettes were a staple fixture in all the islands. 

Apart from the town's grocery store, this was the only shop in town that was open most of the day.

It was evident from the outset that tourism was far less developed on Huahine than it would be on the more touristed legendary Bora Bora, which would be our third island stay. Once an airstrip was built in 1973, tourism began on the island and it's become a major port of call for yachts that anchor near the island's only major town of Fare. As we discovered first hand, there were several small pensions as large hotels had a history of going broke. For those looking for peace after the hubbub of Pape'ete, Huahine might be considered an oasis of peace if you're putting an optimistic spin on things.

Even though the island's almost entirely Polynesian population numbered just 6,000, some of the greatest leaders in the struggle for Polynesian independence came from Huahine including Pouvanaa a Oopa, whose statue we saw in front of the Territorial Assembly in Pape'ete.

One of the nicest buildings we saw anywhere on Huahine was the very colorful post office!

Not only would we see countless more Seventh-day Adventist Churches in the islands but an equal number, at least, of branches of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or the LDS Church as it's formally known. The church's first foreign-language mission was founded in French Polynesia in 1843. After the French government closed the church in 1852, the missionaries left the territory. They returned and resumed the mission in 1892 after general religious tolerance was established.

On a strip of ground across from the grocery store we found a spot to leave our things and took turns swimming in the gorgeous, turquoise waters that made coming the great distance so, so worthwhile!  

Next post: Discovering all of Huahine after renting a car.

Posted on New Year's Eve, 2021, from our home in the southern Denver suburbs as thankfully snow is finally falling after the historic and dreadful fires that our northern neighbors in Boulder County faced just a day ago. As I wrote in the last post, I hope again that the new year will bring you and your loved ones peace, good health, and an escape from the pandemic to tour sites you had to put off exploring as well as the opportunity to visit family and friends living in far-flung places.

12/1/21: Pape'ete, Tahiti, French Polynesia!

Rather than continuing to post about our trip to Italy which ended about five weeks ago, I'm putting that on the back burner and will be posting about the next trip which began in just a matter of days after returning from Italy to French Polynesia. 

Steven and I had only been back from our 2.5-month-long trip to Europe for just 9 days before jetting off again for a 3-week jaunt to French Polynesia. Normally, we wouldn't have considered such a crazy timeline but last spring we noticed an OMG price of just $250 per person for a one-way flight from Tahiti to San Francisco and decided to jump on it as we had nothing else planned then. Even though we just had time to celebrate American Thanksgiving with some of our children and switch out clothes for the French Polynesia adventure, we were excited to fly off into the wild blue yonder again!

 A long flight from San Francisco brought us to Pape'ete in Tahiti, the largest of the 118 Society Islands in French Polynesia and the eastern gateway to the South Pacific. Beginning in 1842, Pape'ete was used as the headquarters for French governors who 'protected' the island. Now the city is the cultural, communications, economic, as well as political center of French Polynesia. 

Our small but very well-equipped room for our only night in Tahiti before escaping to a nearby island: 

The rooster was my companion when I had some tea on the patio well before Steven got up the next morning! I loved wandering around the property and admiring the tropical flowers.

Steven and I only had until mid-afternoon to explore Pape'ete before flying to Huahine, the first of four islands we'd tour in the next three weeks. After driving into town the night before after our 8-hour flight from San Francisco, we were immediately struck by the number of colorful murals and street art. 

Just a few minutes walk from the property was the large pink Temple de Paofai was an evangelical church that was also called Siloama. It was built on the site of the first Protestant church in 1818. Too bad that not only was it closed but we weren't there on a Sunday morning to hear the sermon in Tahitian and Polynesian singing and see women in interesting hats.

A nearby park with the temple in the background:

The Jardins de Paofai or Paofai Gardens was the main walking area along the waterfront.

Even though a busy street was adjacent to the gardens, the paths meandered past lots of palm trees and the area was still a pleasant place to stroll. 

Pape'ete means "water basket" most likely because islanders originally used calabashes enclosed in baskets to fetch water at a spring behind the current Territorial Assembly. After being founded as a mission station by Reverend William Crook in 1818, whalers frequented the port in the 1820s because it provided better shelter than Matavi Bay. When Queen Pomare settled in Pape'ete in 1827, it became the seat of government.

We spotted lots of outrigger canoes or pirougues in the harbor but unfortunately, no teams were out racing that day.

Though it all appeared so peaceful and serene, French naval facilities were constructed in the harbor area in the 1960s to enable nuclear testing.

On Pape'ete's western edge was Place To'ata, a square that was home to a large pavilion for rock concerts and traditional festivities.

The waterfront memorial celebrated Tahiti's independence in 1984.

The memorial site remembered the 193 atomic bombs that France detonated for nuclear testing. The land and people of five archipelagos faced significant upheaval as nuclear tests were imposed on them. The memorial was inaugurated in 2006 on the 40th anniversary of the first nuclear test on Moruroa Atoll. 

A block from the waterfront was the large central market that was completely rebuilt in 1987 on the site of an older market building. On the main floor were Tahitians selling local handicrafts as well as local fruits and vegetables.

Suellen: Notice the large CU banner? What a scream seeing it on the upper floor especially since there it was the only university represented!

The view over the main floor gave us a great sense of how really large the market was as it had looked deceptively small from the outside. 

Plans for the Catholic Notre Dame Cathedral began in 1856 with stone that was to be imported from Australia and a granite doorway from the Gambier Archipelago. However, money ran out shortly after construction began so the original building was scrapped in 1867 and this smaller one was completed in 1875.

We couldn't help but notice the Polynesian faces and the mix of Tahitian and Western attire on the stained-glass windows.

The PKO marker in front of the cathedral was like Milepost 0 with all distances on the island marked from there. 

More murals caught my eye.

When the three-story Hotel de Ville or City Hall was built in 1990, it was designed to resemble the former Queen Pomare IV Palace located nearby. 

After a 63-day voyage from France, Paul Gaugin landed in Pape'ete. His life on the island was told in a fictional tale by Somerset Maugham called The Moon and Sixpence.

A fairly long walk on a busy street from the center of town was the brightly colored Chinese Temple, also known as Kanti de Mamao.

No interior photos of the temple could be taken so I took this from the entrance before being shooed away.

I liked how the street signs in Pape'ete also listed some island history.

I expected grocery prices in French Polynesia would be crazy but never in my wildest dreams did it occur to me a pint of raspberries or a quart of strawberries would cost $10 each! 

We were glad that Place Valete had a gazebo as it was a perfect place to seek refuge during a downpour. Little did we realize then how many short deluges we'd experience over the next three weeks!

I was excited when we happened on a nearby square that was the location for a small handicrafts market. The prices and choices were much better than at the larger central market we'd visited earlier.

In front of the Territorial Assembly was a monument erected in 1982 to Pouvanaa a Oopa, a Tahitian WW I hero who strove his entire life to achieve independence for his country.

Nearly a third of Tahiti's adult population gathered here in 1995 to protest French nuclear testing in the region. 

We were fortunate that we were free to wander around the picturesque Assembly grounds, located on the site of the former royal palace that was demolished in 1966. The only negative was that the assembly wasn't meeting so we could have observed their proceedings. At the back of the compound was a peaceful botanical garden away from the bustle of the capital. 

The lily pond separated the gardens from those of the adjacent French High Commissioner's residence. Below the huge banyan tree used to be the royal bathing pond.

More street art that caught our attention:

Believe me, several hours were enough for us to see Pape'ete's limited sights before our flight to the nearby island of Huahine. 

Huahine Airport:

Next post: The small town of Fare on Huahine.

Posted on December 29th, 2021, from our home in the Denver suburb of Littleton. This has been a tough year for everyone and, for far too many, one of extreme suffering and sadness. Steven and I hope that the new year will bring you and your loved ones peace, good health, and a chance to travel where you want.