Papeʻete - Tahiti

This morning we arrived as scheduled in Papeʻete for our three-day stay. It is spelled Papeʻete with an ʻ because Polynesian languages pronounce all vowels. This includes two 'e's in succession. The island is very green, hot, and humid. Comparing Papeʻete to photos from 30 years ago, the city has grown enormously. It has about 27,000 inhabitants and an urban area. Today it stretches from the sea up the mountain slopes and has a lot of traffic. There are indeed mountains. The highest mountain, Mount Orohena, reaches an elevation of 2,241 m.

In the center, there is a large market that opens early in the morning and closes after lunch. Additionally, there are many shops, parks, churches, museums, and government buildings. Just this weekend, a cultural festival is taking place with many stages, bands, and performances.

The city has a noticeable French flair. The lush greenery, numerous facade paintings and installations, artworks, etc., make the city interesting. But there is also poverty. Unemployment is reportedly over 20%, and there are many visible homeless individuals. They linger in green spaces and sleep there or in commercial streets in hammocks. Also, as on all South Sea islands, there are many free-roaming dogs and chickens everywhere.

Today we took our first excursion and explored the eastern part of the island. Along the way, we visited the residence of James Normann. He was a successful American author whose books have been partially adapted into films and have won Oscars. He wrote, among other works, the trilogy about the mutiny on the Bounty. He came to Tahiti to write a few travel guides. However, there he found his wife and his home. As a result, he never moved away.

Besides waterfalls and viewpoints, we went to a beach park where locals picnic and swim. Everything is picturesque in a South Sea way. Tomorrow we will take a full-day excursion to explore the rest of the island.