Papeete

Wednesday, October 24th
South Pacific
Day 25
ms Westerdam
Papeete, French Polynesia
Tahiti
Society Islands
Arriving:  7:30 AM
Sunny - 82 Degrees

Slight winds, calm seas, sunny skies, and a pilot boat escort guided us gently into port this morning, a stark contrast to the 13 degrees of drift keeping Westerdam out to sea the night before.

Not just the gateway to paradise, but a working port with a view.

Out on the bow to capture arrival, we also caught a sneak peek into the Officers' Lounge, the only crew bar above decks and directly below the bridge.  A party in white with stripes.

We have finally arrived, the Southernmost point in our journey, and the end of "...the downhill run to Papeete."  We are alongside in the capital of French Polynesia on the island of Tahiti.  This is as nice a port and pier as we have visited, leading directly into the Jardins de Paofai.

Tahiti is no plain vanilla destination, but it does boast the very best vanilla in the world.  We went shopping and got the goods at the Marché de Papeete.  This is the real deal, lush pods, black as night, sticky with sweetness, and bursting with seeds.  Everybody gets some when we get home.

After a visit to Papeete's other bon marché, the Vaima Center, a light lunch and a respite from the sun at L'Oasis de Vaima:

Hinano Tahiti Beer
Plats du Jour
Veal
Fish
Fries, Rice, Pasta
Rum Rasin Ice Cream

Dinner was a more formal affair, haute cuisine in the South Pacific, 7:30 PM reservations at L'O a la Bouche.

Mai Tais
Taro Chips & Hummus
Red Tuna Carpaccio
                with Tomato-Caper Pesto, Mushrooms, Sprouts and Herbs
Scallop & Apple Brochette and Salad
                with Warm Bacon Dressing
Spice-Crusted Seared Duck Breast in Honey Sauce
Gratin Dauphinois
Ratatouille
Steamed Vegetables
Profiteroles

Tres and Ted snuck off the ship for a midnight snack at the Place Vaiete Roulottes, Papeete's pier-side night market of caravans.  Overconfident with a French phrase for a name, Tres ordered in French, but realized when it came time to pay that he didn't know what came after un, deux, trois.  Très gênant.  Fortunately, the numbers look the same when you write them down, and the fusion feast was on.

Shrimp Fried Rice
Nutella Crepe

Thursday, October 25th
South Pacific
Day 26
ms Westerdam
Papeete, French Polynesia
Tahiti
Society Islands
Departing:  3:00 PM
Partly Cloudy - 78 Degrees

Papeete, Part Deux, began with a stroll into the Jardins de Paofai, really just a waterfront promenade and boat launch, at once pretty and gritty.

At the end of the Jardins, we found Place To'ata, Papeete's festival grounds, today hosting the Home Show.  We didn't buy a house, but we did have a snack of churros & ice cream to fortify for one more destination, the Parc Bouganville.

The lovely streetside cafe Patachoux offered a late lunch before our return to the ship for afternoon sailaway.

Ham & Cheese Baguette
Ham & Cheese Quiche
Duck Confit Sandwich
Claufuti de Poire
Chocolate Fondant

Next Stop:  Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia