As a few people have told me that they enjoyed my summing up of America, I thought I would do another little piece highlighting my impressions of Mexico and French Polynesia.
Mexico, colourful, friendly, exciting wear it like a shirt Mexico. It is what it is and does not pretend to be anything it isn't. Looking at the US built wall between the two countries, I wonder who are the lucky ones, it seems to me that with its simple way of life and lack of expectations it could well be Mexico, you only have to look at the way one enters each country – to get into the US you queue for hours, have your fingerprints and your photograph taken, provide a detailed description of where you have come from and where you intend to stay in the US, grudgingly get your passport stamped for a 90 day visit..........in Mexico you just walk into the country through a turnstile and are welcomed by a smiling street vendor or a restaurateur offering you a three course Mexican feast for five bucks a head....sure there are frustrating elements to living in Mexico but for the most part they are just that – slightly frustrating. I would love to see more of the place, and take away nothing but good memories (oh and three blankets, some pottery, a few tee shirts, some silver jewellery etc).
French Polynesia........where do I begin. Firstly, it's very expensive for anything other than basic stuff like bread, milk, eggs and so on. BUT....don't let that put you off. The Marqueses – arriving there it looked like Jurassic Park, rising up from the sea in the middle of nowhere – after 24 days at sea it was a welcome sight. Lush and green, with black coral beaches it was indeed a very photogenic place. The people there were not the friendliest we came across with the exception of our immigration agent, Regina, who was delightful. But generally, no one really smiled or waved and even the kids shied away from us. Just the way it is, I guess. On to the Tuamotus or the Tomatoes as my spell checker insists. Rangiroa to be exact. Rangiroa is an atoll, the second largest in the world, so I'm told. What I can tell you is that it is an amazing place with lots of much more friendly people, we loved it. We anchored in the lagoon after coming into it through a really hair raising pass with breakers over coral reef on either side, being spat out the other side of it like a champagne cork. People there live a simple life alongside the beach mostly in shacks with a roof and walls but no windows – just colourful fabric hung up in lieu, obviously the climate is conducive to such.
One thing we did notice everywhere we went in French Polynesia was that there seemed to be a lot of men dressed as women.....some of them were not terribly convincing, others most definitely were. We were told that if a family or village has too many male children, mothers are given the option of bringing up their sons as girls. These children grow up, some are homosexual but just as many are heterosexual, they just dress and behave like women. Can you imagine that happening in our society?? Years ago there was a classic bit of grafitti seen everywhere which stated “My Mother made me a homosexual” to which some wit had added underneath “If I send her the wool, will she make me one too?”.
Onto Tahiti, ah, my lovely Tahiti. Crumbling, decaying, vibrant, musical and colourful, a lot in common with Mexico in as much as people in Tahiti seem so content and enjoy living – in the city center of Papeete there is always a big gathering of polynesians playing guitars and drums, singing traditional songs not just for the passing tourists, just as much for themselves and the joy of doing it, it seemed. Papeete is somewhere I could definitely live happily I think.
Next, Moorea. Another high island, stunning scenery but not much character to be honest, then Raitaia, pretty much like everywhere else. Tahaa came next – what a wonderful place, mainly because we happened to meet, quite by chance, an amazing man called Tama who showed us so much hospitality and friendship we shall never forget. Open, trusting and with no expectation or agenda, he was the highlight of Polynesia for us.
Oh dear, Bora Bora. OK, yes, it's pretty in a cutesy postcardy way. From a distance. Of course, I love the idea of over water bungalows in a beautiful shallow bay with azure water lapping at the steps and fish swimming all around – who wouldn't? The trouble is, they've completely over done it with every hotel having row upon row of rooms on sticks – no privacy at all and frankly an eyesore. Thousand dollar a night ghettos, I call them. I really wish I had visited here twenty years ago before it became so over baked. They did indeed pave paradise and put up a parking lot.
And so, on the eve of leaving French Polynesia for Samoa, I can report that there is much to marvel at here – just venture off the beaten tracks a little, befriend the locals and learn a little history – it's worth it. Mauruuru and parahi oe!
