10.7.09

10.7.09

We’re currently at Le Royal Tahitian in Papeete, Tahiti Nui. It feels GREAT to be back in a city. Papeete has a population of 29,000 people so it’s not even that big, but after being on those tiny empty islands it feels downright gritty and urban. Papeete feels a bit more city-ish than an American town with the same population since it has a busy downtown district with a touch of neon.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed my time on the far flung desolate islands immensely…but when it comes down to it I’m a city girl. The middle of nowhere is a great place to visit for no more than 2 weeks but I don’t want to live there.

Late yesterday afternoon our French hotel host Olivier gave us a ride to the Raiatea airport. We had a conversation about the Bush administration. Michael tried to make it clear that only half the country voted that Neanderthal into office. It’s times like that we wish our French was better so we could explain in detail what a mess those 8 years were for our country (and how we’re suffering now because of the damage those people did) and how not all Americans are awful. Sigh.

Anyways…so Le Royal Tahitian. It was hard to find a place for us to stay in Tahiti that wasn’t either a total roach infested dump or an expensive luxurious resort. Yes, I would love to indulge in more luxury but we can’t afford it. The reviews I read of Le Royal Tahitian on Trip Advisor were mixed but it seemed like our best option so I booked it.

On our taxi drive to the hotel I had a sinking feeling- what if it was depressing as Pension Ahitea? I was already in a low mood from being trapped on Raiatea for so long. As we pulled into the drive I brightened up a little knowing that the hotel was still in an urban area. When we pulled up to our reception I breathed a sigh of relief when the jolly Tahitian front desk lady said “Welcome Haven!” and I noticed how tidy, nicely decorated, and clean everything was. Walking to our hotel buildings, I was pleased by the pretty landscaping.

Actually, I really like this place. It was originally built sometime in the ‘60’s and hasn’t been remodeled since but it’s been kept up very nicely. It definitely has a tiki theme to it. I have some friends who love the old ‘60’s tiki style and they would go crazy over this hotel. The main complaint I read in the reviews was that it looked “dated” but in my opinion the retro look is cool. I feel like I’m on a Mad Men set. I think we’re going to enjoy our next few days here.

Since I like making lists on this blog, I thought I’d keep it up. Here are some things I’m going to miss about French Polynesia:

-The profusion of fresh flowers everywhere. I’ve worn a tiare gardenia or hibiscus in my hair almost every day. They’re growing all over the place and make the air smell terrific. You just walk a few feet and pluck a bloom off a tree or the ground and stick it behind your ear. The Tahitians decorate everything with the fresh flowers. The scent of gardenias will always remind me of this beautiful island nation.

-Poisson cru. When I read about this dish of lemon juice marinated raw fish in coconut milk, it didn’t sound very good to me. But once I tried it I loved it and have eaten it quite a bit since I’ve been here. I don’t know if I’ll be able to find it back in SF, and even if I do I doubt it will be as delicious.

-The ubiquity of tropical drinks. I’m not really a drinker, but I’ve had at least one alcoholic tropical cocktail every day since I’ve been here- they are so good! They use fresh juice and decorate the glasses with flowers and fruit and I only need one to mellow out.

-The ability to plop into warm ocean water pretty much anywhere and at any time for a swim and a snorkel. Going back home to the murky cold waters of the Pacific surrounding San Francisco is going to be a disappointment. The one time I went in up to my chest at Ocean Beach, my lower extremities went numb from the cold. And did I mention how awesome the saltwater makes my hair look?

-The friendly Tahitians. They are always saying hello and good evening and smiling, even total strangers for no reason at all. San Francisco city people rarely smile, and forget about saying hello and making eye contact. Tahitian strangers even say “bon appétit!!” when walking past us when we’re eating. (Tangent: I will not miss the awkward French cheek kissing thing the French people do here. I think I freaked out more than a few French people with my stiff response to their cheek kissing thing. If I had my druthers, everyone in the world would greet one another with a Japanese style bow. Friendly and respectful, but not too invasive of my personal space and no gross hand touching like our American handshakes.)