Tropical Paradise

[Dixie]

Coconut husking competition

28 Oct '06 6:39 am

I was standing with all the children on this side of the arena - the noise of cheering was deafening as they cheered this girl . She had finished while everyone else was still on their first coconut .
Dixie

[moosey]

28 Oct '06 7:10 am

Thank you for posting your Rarotonga pix, Dixie. There's a wonderful feel in them, I can sense the ease of living - and the warmth! In Samoa we saw many decorated graveside monuments in the gardens by the houses. It made me smile - the ancestors are always welcome. Sometimes the momnment would have its own little walls and a roof - looking like a wendy house. The colourful hedges! I hope you enjoyed your trip - and have lots of new ideas for your garden. Like me, you might have to settle for a mass of new indoor plants!

[Dixie]

lagoon cruise

30 Oct '06 8:06 am

These are taken from the glass bottom boat that took us out to the encircling reef .We anchored out there ,while many of the tourists went snorkelling .Note the coconut thatching .
Dixie

Looking back towards the island of Rarotonga from the reef.

[Dixie]

feeding the fish

30 Oct '06 8:09 am

The glass bottom of the boat -feeding the fish below us .
Dixie

[Dixie]

Arriving at 'Wedding island '

30 Oct '06 8:12 am

The two boats moored at Wedding island ,where many people (including NZers ) go to get married.
Dixie

[Dixie]

planting coconuts

30 Oct '06 8:16 am

After exchanging vows ,each couple plants a coconut together ,and places their wedding garlands over the coconut .This is only a small area of all the coconuts growing.Each represents a couple .
Dixie

[Dixie]

Wedding island barbecue

30 Oct '06 8:22 am

Waiting for the barbecue lunch -salad and fish ,being cooked under the blue tent ,wrapped in banana leaves -yummy -very tender ...Looking towards Rarotonga.
I was somewhat amused, that even though it was a traditional thing -they had a website 'www .tribal-weddings .com'
Small wedding coconuts can be seen here too.
Dixie

[moosey]

Hot Pix

30 Oct '06 9:06 am

Dixie, I'm looking at your photos, shiverng inside while the southerly winds zoom around outside. Blimey! I think the wedding island is - well - rather a cute commercial thing, and if that's what one's wedding has to be, brilliant! I love the way that plants (coconut palms) get to share the special day!

Keep posting - it's heart-and-body-warming!

[Dixie]

Winter in paradise

30 Oct '06 9:46 am

Thank you dear Moosey -I have been hoping that I haven't bored everyone .
The cheerful driver of the boat ,saying "It's our Winter here ...It's FREEZING ! " the temperature was 27 degrees !
(Where is Summer in NZ )
Dixie

Winter in paradise

[Jack Holloway]

Tropical life

31 Oct '06 1:26 am

Fascinating Dixie - for an African so much is familiar in some ways, strange in others... much reminds me of my May visit to Mozambique. Would you describe the people as living in happy poverty (the sort of Gaugain image of perfect island life) or do they appear envious of tourists 'greater sophistication'? Are there typical city slums, or is the population small enough to be quite rural?