On the Crown: 28 Days in the S. Pacific and it Wasn't Bora Boraing

[DavyJoneses]

Travelled on the Titanic, did you.:D Not much chance of running into an iceberg in the South Pacific!

[KruzeKrazy!]

More likely an ice cube than an iceberg... :D

[SailorJack]

This church looks like it has seen its better days - at least on the outside.

 

 

 

 

But on the inside it was quite beautiful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And to show that the world is the same all over - next to the church was a bingo game - something all cruisers can identify with!:)

 

 

[SailorJack]

Enjoying the pictures. Interesting to see the "real" island outside of the glitzy resorts that one sees in the travel brochures.

 

Our guide did a good job. We had asked her to show us places that tourists normally don't go and she had the driver go on some of the back roads, so we got to see some of the country side that is normally missed on a standard island tour. Of course, we made the usual "must see" stops, but it was a good mix.

Edited March 14, 2015 by SailorJack

[SailorJack]

A close up of a Fale. Notice no furniture. People would bring mats or just sit on the floor - very informal gatherings.

 

 

 

We are heading back to the coast and pass this cricket field. You can see the pitch in the middle of the picture. No bleaches from which to watch the game, but a couple of the ever present fales.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back on the coast. Even though we were dodging showers, the weather was quite warm and the spray from the crashing waves cooled us off. As you can see, the coast on this part of the island was quite rocky and there were no really good sandy beaches here.

 

 

 

 

[SailorJack]

Travelled on the Titanic, did you.:D Not much chance of running into an iceberg in the South Pacific!

 

No icebergs in the South Pacific, but you need to watch out for cyclones. Our hearts go out to the residents of Vanuatu who just went through one that has been described as a "monster."

[SailorJack]

Another "drive by" photo showing how ornate the new buildings are.

 

 

 

 

In one of the neighborhood we drove through there were houses tucked away in colorful settings.

 

 

 

 

 

Pago Pago harbor and mountains as seen from across the driving range of the Country Club's golf course.

 

 

 

 

[SailorJack]

More likely an ice cube than an iceberg... :D

 

While not necessarily proud of it, I will admit that I did hit more than my share of ice cubes on our 30 day jaunt to the South Pacific! :D

[jagsfan]

Is fale pronounced as it is spelled, or like fail?

Now that I've toured the area with you, I need to be able to say what I saw!

[SailorJack]

These last pictures were taken by Jill with her underwater camera. Why she wanted a picture of a clothesline I cannot fathom.

 

 

 

 

This delightful lady was our tour guide. I cannot recall why she is pointing at the coconut, but I am sure it had nothing to do with me.

 

 

 

 

This is inside the Titanic. Very basic - no padding on the wooden seats. The windows were plastic and slid up and down - having a tendency to stay down when the wind was blowing rain into the bus. This was not atypical - all of the buses we saw had the same basic amenities.

 

 

 

 

Our ship was the tallest structure on the island.

 

[Nancyquilts]

About the clothesline, Jill might have enjoyed the many colors in the building, fabric, and plants.

[Nebr.cruiser]

About the clothesline, Jill might have enjoyed the many colors in the building, fabric, and plants.

 

I thought the bright clothes on the line made for an eye-catching photo, and something unique to the island.

[SailorJack]

Some more of Jill's photos. The first two were taken in a very new and upscale neighborhood which showed some modern takes on older Samoan styles.

 

 

 

 

 

Pago Pago is the official home of Starkist's Charlie the Tuna. If you are eating a tuna fish sandwich there is a good chance it came from here. It is said that 30% of the people living on the island work in the tuna canneries. Although we drove through the area fairly quickly, the aroma of tuna was pervasive!

 

 

[SailorJack]

About the clothesline, Jill might have enjoyed the many colors in the building, fabric, and plants.

 

Apparently, you understand my wife better than I do.:) After reading your post I asked Jill why she took that picture. Her answer was almost identical to yours! "It was the combination of colors and different textures that caught my eye." Oh well, lesson learned.

 

 

I thought the bright clothes on the line made for an eye-catching photo, and something unique to the island.

 

You and Nancyquilts both nailed it.:D

[KruzeKrazy!]

And I thought maybe it was the rope of the clothesline that was picture-worthy... :D

Edited March 19, 2015 by KruzeKrazy!

[SailorJack]

We are finally back in town after a memorable trip around the island.

 

 

 

 

Our last stop before boarding the ship - a bite to eat and a cold one!

 

 

 

 

A last goodbye before we board.

 

 

[SailorJack]

And I thought maybe it was the rope of the clothesline that was picture-worthy... :D

 

While there may have been times in our marriage when Jill wished she had a nice piece of rope, this, apparently, was not one of those times!:D

[SailorJack]

We are leaving Pago Pago and were once again struck with the lushness of this island. The home sites look like they were carved out of the forest. It is hard to buy a house here, but we were told the rents on a smaller house run from $300 to $650 a month - depending on size and amenities (hot water heater, A/C, etc.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DavyJoneses]

We are leaving Pago Pago and were once again struck with the lushness of this island. The home sites look like they were carved out of the forest. It is hard to buy a house here, but we were told the rents on a smaller house run from $300 to $650 a month - depending on size and amenities (hot water heater, A/C, etc.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$300 for a month in Paradise sounds like a deal! By the way, you seem to be having picture problems again.:eek:

[SailorJack]

Some last shots of Pago Pago as we leave the harbor. Next stop - Moorea!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SailorJack]

$300 for a month in Paradise sounds like a deal! By the way, you seem to be having picture problems again.:eek:

 

Even at the top of the scale ($650) it is a great deal. I have no idea why those 3 pictures disappeared:eek:!

[jagsfan]

The picture that looks black and white is outstanding. Love it!

[chamima]

The picture that looks black and white is outstanding. Love it!

 

Some last shots of Pago Pago as we leave the harbor. Next stop - Moorea!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I agree!

It's breathtaking.

How did you do that???

Edited March 21, 2015 by chamima

[SailorJack]

Here is some of the entertainment we had on the two sea days it took to reach Moorea. Could not use a flash, so the shots are a little blurry, but you can get the idea.

 

 

The ubiquitous string quartet. They were actually quite good and played in the Atrium in the evening.

 

 

 

 

One of the numbers by the Princess singers and dancers. They put on a good show and the costuming was also very good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Hawaiian couple boarded in LA and were with us for the trip. In addition to entertaining us with Hawaiian music in the Atrium, they taught Ukulele, dancing, and language. Unfortunately, I have forgotten their names, but they were also very good.

 

[Colo Cruiser]

Very nice! :)