Tourists in Tahiti...

Open market in Papeete

July 18
The Market (marche municipal) in downtown Papeete is awesome! Looks a lot like the open markets in Mexico with a multiple of vendors selling fresh fish, fruits, vegetables and tourist souvenirs. And the flowers! Wow! Everyday fresh flowers arrive from the hills to be made into arrangements or head wreaths as little old ladies string flowers together all day long… beautiful.

You can buy anything at this market; fruits, veggies, fish and souvenirs!

Fish, fish, fish!

This is the place to buy all things Tahitian. Poreas, ( Polynesian printed fabrics used as wraps) black pearls, coconut oils and shells. Mostly it is a tourist place. We see many locals,too shopping and visiting. The food But we enjoyed the scene. We are glad we bought our pearls in Tuamotus, but I am tempted to buy more. There are so many choices and prices!

Black pearls galore!

We’ve spent several days renting a car and driving around getting repair parts for  Wizard. Also, since our electrician we chose was too busy to get to our jobs, John was successful in the wiring  the depth sounder and the new windless! He was pretty proud of himself. We saved a lot of money and he learned a lot!
Since, we had repairs at the time our Visas expired( July 19th) we had to meet with the High Commissioner as ask for an extension. We gathered the necessary papers, receipts for the parts and letter from the electrician proving we really DID have repairs to the boat. The French are very strict about illegal immigrants staying over in their county. Anyway, we were granted an extra 10 days to get repairs completed and then off we must go…exit French Polynesia!

Stir-fried chicken with veggies is my choice!

Les Roulottes (truck dining) in Papeete

Roasted meat at the Roulottes

Last night, we stayed in town to visit Les Roulottes, the open dining trucks that appear magically at 6:00pm to feed the throngs of people wondering the waterfront. It was like a movie out of Thailand, with many vendors offering, French, Chinese and Polynesian cuisine in varying forms. We strolled the rows looking at menus offered while smelling the hot smoke and oils cooking duck, chow mien and crepes! How to choose? We decide on an a Chinese station with good looking pictures on the menu,…how else to know ..the food turned out to be great! Sabina chose a gallette (a crepe filled with vegetables, goat cheese and walnuts) from another roulette truck, while I ordered stir-fried chicken with veggies; John had sweet and sour chicken and Per had duck.  All were good choices.

But, I mustn't forget the stop at our first micro-brewery in French Polynesia...Les 3 Brasseurs (the 3 brothers)...the amber was awesome!

Now, that's a BIG BEER!

It's not the Kenwood Press, but ...

Bottoms up!