Paul Gaugin lived here

 

Day 22

The tall steeple of the Notre Dame cathedral towers over the city as it greets you at the docks. 

Decked out in red Chinese lanterns, streamers and dragons to celebrate the Lunar New Year, the local market beckoned with its array of tropical fruit, oils, and vanilla. And of course, pearls. Tahitian pearls are well-known and widely coveted. The market is a short walk from the ship. 

It has a vibrant downtown, but it's not too crowded. The traffic is easy and the area teems with shops catering to tourists from cruise ships (us!) which dock close to downtown. 

What struck me most about Papeete, French Polynesia's capital city is the diversity of its people. Local Polynesians, mixed Polynesians, East Asians, French expats and other Europeans mingle like they were meant to be together. Of course, there are rumblings from the locals about the French government... like they take too much in taxes from French Polynesia (and other rumblings). 

Papeete, Tahiti's capital is the largest city in French Polynesia and Tahiti is its largest island. The High Commissioner is Marcon's representative in French Polynesia and lives in a stunning home in Papetee, a short walk from downtown. His bungalow used to be the Tahitian queen's residence with an eye-popping garden, tucked away behind the bungalow - Papeete's Central Park (per our guide, "Erik the Viking"). 

Papeete is also home to James Hall, co-author of Mutiny of the Bounty. His home is now a museum, which we visited on our last trip in 2019. I've included some pictures from that visit here, since I haven't posted them before. On this visit we stayed close to the docks with a walking tour of downtown Papeete. 

Paul Gaugin famously lived here as well. Our guide did not have a particularly favorable opinion of Gaugin the man(!). 

City Hall - It's a replica of the old palace of the Tahitian Queen Pomare IV - known as Hotel de Ville. 

View from City Hall

The local market

Notre Dame Cathedral - it has survived cyclones, a tidal wave, riots and bombardment. It is Tahiti's oldest Roman Catholic church. It's a pretty church located downtown near the market and the waterfront. While the majority of Tahitians are Christian (about 80%), many denominations live in harmony, including Mormons, Jews, Jehova's Witnesses, the Seventh Day Adventists and the Sanito

Sculpture of a Tiki (polynesian deity)

Bamboo growing in the lush gardens behind the High Commissioner's bungalow (used to be the Queen's residence)

Photos of Paeete's Central Park, a hidden gem - lush gardens and ponds, with bamboo, banyan trees, mango trees, and a host of tropical flowers. 

Orchid growing out of a Banyan tree

Replica of a double-hulled canoe on the waterfront esplanade - Polynesians used these to travel the endless waters of the Pacific

Our ship - view from the waterfront 

Views from Papeete's waterfront esplanade - built only a year ago - new since our 2019 visit

Tahitian dance - destination performance in our ship's Star Theater 

Growing coral on the waterfront (yes, really - quite fascinating to see)

At the James Hall Museum - a breadfruit tree (bringing breadfruit back from Tahiti to the West Indies was Captain Bligh's mission on the Bounty) - from 2019 visit

Inside the James Hall museum - 2019 visit 

On to Waitangi, New Zealand - coming up.