Tahiti Day 2 (31 March 2018)

First of all, Le Meridien Tahiti is one of the nicest hotels I’ve ever experienced. They have earned every one of their four stars!  

Here’s a peek at the inside of my room, from the bathroom and the view from the balcony:

That being said, roosters are definitely reliable alarm clocks. There were three or four of them sharing that the sun had opened it’s eyes.  I just had a conversation with a student about the sounds animals make in French. I wish I would’ve known then that it was a precursor to having multiple HeiHei’s running around this morning.  How can you be upset when they wake you up early in paradise? 😏

We had breakfast at the hotel and it really was delicious. The spread on the buffet included both traditional Tahitian and French food items. I had sashimi for the first time! (It is raw fish, but since it was so Fresh, it didn’t taste like anything but the sauce I ate with it). The juices I chose were apple and passion fruit. It seemed like they just pressed apples and served it. Needless to say, it was all delicious!

We then walked around the property. Holy smokes, this place is beautiful!  I think it’s every bit as beautiful as I imagined it would be, which was a pleasant surprise!  

I decided I needed some money, since I didn’t bring any US dollars to exchange. We went to a small shopping plaza a few minutes from the hotel. Although there were two ATMs, they wouldn’t accept our cards. I googled where they have ATMs that accept cards with the plus system. Banque de Tahiti is the only one in the area where we are staying that allows you to access cash, so we headed back in to

Papeete.

After the bank, we headed over to the market. It was filled with all kinds of goods you could

Buy, including eating establishments. The colors are vibrant everywhere, and the people are amazingly friendly.  I bought some Manoi oil, which the lady said you can also use in your hair as well as your body, and a small fan to counteract the humidity. 😊. The market was a lovey place!  It is always fascinating to learn how every culture is varied from my own. When I handed them my money (it is a cash-only market), the person took off running. It took a minute to realize they were going to get change from someone else. 😅. However, the market is worth the trip. Flowers, fruits and vegetables,  fish, and a wide variety of goods are there. 

We bought some sandwiches (I had a croque monsieur), and headed back to the hotel. After eating our lunch, we went out for a dip in the pool and snorkeling in the ocean. What a delightful time we had!  The pool has a sand bottom, which was different, but fun. We tested out our full face snorkel masks and then borrowed some fins from the hotel. 

I’d like to report for the first time ever, I didn’t drink

any water while snorkeling!  The water is clear, and the fish are aplenty! We snorkeled long enough for me to remember how much of a workout it is, after appreciating the fish. 😊. We stayed primarily around the out-of-use over water bungalows. There were a few fish that thought I belonged in their group. While others, who kept looking at me with their large eyes asking questions like, ‘who are you and why are you here?’  It was so much fun!

After a quick shower, I found some information on Taharuu, a beautiful black sand beach. The drive down had gorgeous views of the ocean, the mountains, and an overall jungle feel. Tahiti really does have stunning beauty!  

The beach looked like it sparkled if the light hit it just right. I don’t remember ever being on a black sand beach, and what a way to start the introductions!  The sand was a lot warmer than the white sand beaches, but it was beautiful!

Here are a few pictures of the drive too!  If you know about my love for both sunsets and cemeteries, we found a hidden gem on a back road. 




We headed back for home, but not before deciding we were going to stop at a Roulette for dinner. They’re basically food trucks, but they have built on to some of them.  The food was delicious and the people were friendly. I’m loving speaking French ALL THE TIME. Alex is liking it. Mom is a little frustrated that she doesn’t understand every word, but she’s trying, and Dad is enjoying having a translator. 😁 

Here was were we ate at the Roulette. It was called ‘Chez Janita.’  The portions were more geared to Americans than the French, so none of us could finish our plates. Though we sure did try!  The food was full of good flavors with the right textures and sauces you wanted to try and drink when no one was watching. 

It is easy to think that I could live here. Mom is trying to convince Dad they need to winter in Tahiti in the future. Alex and I keep coming up with some options on how to make moving here work.   I love this place! 💕