Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands

Yesterday was a full day of lectures including how to improve your memory which we went to and the theatre was full. Some good points. I needed the pointers for I already lost my keys on the first day. Had to put my alarm on in the afternoon so I could take a nap and not miss some of my classes. We even fitted in afternoon tea up in the Palm Court with all these desserts and goodies. We are dutifully getting up at 7 am to walk out on the promenade deck to wear off our calories. Had to laugh because Sue, at our table form Newport Beach, was moaning and groaning for she weighed herself and gained 7 lbs in 7 days onboard. So we were all laughing and wondering if we should go to the fitness centre and weigh ourselves too. Maybe not. Better not to know. At 7am there are many people out and about walking. I donned at weighted vest that the fitness director fitted me with. I am carrying 4 extra pounds in the vest and will later on add more weights. Hope it is all worth it.

Today, we landed at Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia or the Marquesas Islands where Survivor was filmed in 2000. At 8:15 am this morning, it was already 86 F so by noon it was very very humid and hot hot. While we were walking around the deck, the ship was maneuvering itself in the bay. The small port of Taiohae has only 2,000 inhabitants and is the main village of the island. We walked to a local museum and up the hill to a four star hotel overlooking the quiet bay. We tried talking to some school children in the school grounds but they speak French and so communication was nil. There are roosters crowing, horses neighing, tied up, and many gardens with wonderful fragrant flowers. There are also huge carvings that look similar to some on Easter Island. We walked over to the Catholic church was open and cool with all these wood cravings. It was open and airy. There were two schools, a bank, a store, one or two restaurants etc and a market place where all the locals were trying to sell us hand made jewelery, shells found in the ocean, and carvings. It was so so hot walking around. The locals had a complementary shuttle bus to take us to the museum which was very nice. A very quiet sleep village with dogs running around and children in the school grounds laughing and playing games. Good place to mellow. Came back to the ship and loved the air conditioning and now on the balcony which is facing the bay and the village and enjoying the view. On the sea tomorrow and on our way to Rangiroa. Have to be nice to Doug, set the alarm incorrectly and it rang at 3 am and we both thought we had to be up and at it to go walking. Looked at the clock and found the error. Doug was NOT a happy camper. I better not make that mistake again. Of course I fell back to sleep but Doug didn’t. Had a good laugh this morning.