Sleds

Apia, Samoa   87f Sunny,  pop. Approx. 36,000

I am little behind on my postings for the Polynesia Islands. 

Truth be told, I am islanded – out.  Never much of beach person to start with, a much earlier schedule change (before the cruise started) removed New Zealand from the itinerary and added 3 other island stops.  Add to that my broken foot and walking in sand or swimming is not in the cards.  We are done with the island portion and steaming full speed ahead (ok glacial speed) to Australia where I have a fun adventure planned on firm even ground!! 

I think part of my avoidance is that the islands all seem to merge together.  Some like Pitcairn or Easter Island stand out for something unique.  Most of the other islands have similar histories, and beaches, and marketplaces.  The pictures we see of exotic Fiji or Tahiti do exist – in the high-end resorts.  But just like Caribbean Islands, step off the resorts, investigate where people live, talk about their life and family and it isn’t that exotic-and in some situations isn’t even pretty.

Part of this trip is to identify areas that I might want to return to and investigate further.  Moving through the islands has met that purpose and there is always something positive in everything.  Watch me weave that into this post!

Samoa is a collection of approximately 8 islands, only 2, Upola and Savai’I are inhabited.  Apia is located on Upola, is the only city in Samoa and is the capital.  Samoa is not the same as American Samoa.  American Samoa is east of the Samoan islands and has a different history.

Samoa has some interesting points that I was able to dig up.  Samoa has the usual island history of original cultures, infighting between islands and then other countries trying to manage their business.   Germany, Britan and the US all had a hand in trying to control Samoa. 

The cyclone of 1889 put a damper on other countries involvement as it decimated naval ships of the different countries. Ships from all the countries were in Apia’s unprotected cove.  As the cyclone approached, none of the ships were willing to leave because it would made them look weak to the other countries.  7 lost or damaged ships with many lives lost was the payment for such thinking.

Samoa was last under the rule of New Zealand, obtaining independence in 1962.  For whatever reason in 2009, Samoa changed the rule of the road from driving on the right side to the left side.  Perhaps to fit in more with their Australian and New Zealand neighbors or maybe just to scare the crap out of me when I visited.  Really roundabouts going to the left is scary-trust me.

In the tribal history, Samoa is known for headhunting.  It was accepted that in tribal warfare, the victor would behead the fallen and present them to the chief as proof of their prowess. 

Robert Louis Stevenson spent the last 4 years of his life in Apia and is buried high on the mountains.  His house is now a museum. 

Approaching Samoa, you can see some of the coral reef breaks that are very common for the islands.

The coastal mountain topography is apparent.

We were met on the dock with singing and dancing as the disembarkation check was in progress.  It was already well into the 80’s and they all danced barefoot on concrete in what had to have been hot costumes.  It was a lovely way to be welcomed to their home.

Here is the link if the video isn't working https://youtu.be/tIzr8SWXiuI

The cruise ship offers tours to purchase, and many people take advantage of them.  Others prefer to get off the boat understanding that many ports will have smaller tour groups offering similar and often cheaper versions of the same tours.  And if not, taxis are available for any place you’d like to go.   In this area, the ships tours are focusing on beaches, boats and swimming so I looked elsewhere.

My plan was to let the initial rush of people waiting to get off the boat (serious case of FOMO on this boat for anything that needs a line) and wander down to the taxi line and see what was going on.  The main issues are negotiating a rate both sides can live with and trying to judge the driver’s English level.  And unable to really assess is – do they know where to go for the places you want to see.

I picked my driver, Beverly, we agreed on the price, I listed a few things that I wanted to see and then asked her to show me something on the island that she would like tourists to experience.  While this may not have been the best plan – it all worked out.

We first stopped at the huge catholic church in town.  The stained glass was quite lovely.  It was serene and cool inside as everyone I talked to in various islands all said the temperature was much hotter than usual. This is not the original catholic cathedral as that was destroyed in the 1889 cyclone.

Exiting the church, I was stopped by another taxi driver who asked if I would prefer to travel with him as he would provide a much cheaper rate.  I thanked him and declined.   I got back in my taxi and Beverly relayed how the other driver talked to her, wanting to know how long I had reserved her taxi and at what rate did she get.  She didn’t realize he was trying to snipe her customer until I gave her the rest of the story.  What intrigue but there are only 4 cruise ships a month and everyone is focused on that money stream, regardless of how you get it.

We took a quick tour around town.  As the 1889 cyclone reduced most of the town to rubble, there wasn’t too much historical to see.  There was a WWII clock tower memorial (every Samoan lost in that war is listed on the monument) in the middle of the roundabout and the Bank of Samoa. 

More interesting was the portion of – take me somewhere.  We started to drive outside the town into areas that people really lived.  The island is covered in vegetation and topical plants/trees.  The island was not flat but did not have the tall mountains that some of the other islands seen before.  This is the first time I saw a lot of stray dogs – in various levels of health.  Garbage was placed on 4 feet high tables at the end of driveways to avoid the dogs tearing it apart.

There were numerous for sale tables at the end of driveways as well.  Whatever they grew on their property was available for sale – bananas, small and large, lychees, papaya, mango, coconuts.  You would see (generally) an elder sitting in a chair snoozing next to whatever the family was offering.

The houses were usually single level and small.  There really wasn’t a bus system in the area so cars were necessary.  Windows appeared to be optional.   No AC and it was hot. Electric was available. This was a working neighborhood.

We chatted about a variety of subjects.  Coconut cream is a major export of Samoa and she explained how they make it at home.   Beverly mentioned how delicious taro leaves were as part of discussing common Samoan foods.  If you’ve seen taro leaves, there is nothing delicious looking about the long thick leaves above ground.  But she mentioned that when the taro is harvested, at the center or heart are very young leaves that have not sprouted – those are worth eating in coconut cream.  The Samoan version of ceviche is raw fish marinated in coconut cream - for breakfast!

We came upon a huge LDS complex- a combination of a school and church.  It was acres as the church was as large as the catholic church in town and the school offered primary and secondary education.   Public education is free but church based education is a charge.  If you are of the same religion, the tuition is half off.  Everyone wears a uniform, the colors were all bright.  Apia also has a university and a medical school.

Beverly finally decided to take me to Sled Rocks.  Said her family was there the past weekend and it was a series of waterfalls over smooth rocks that people could ‘ride down’ to the pool beneath.  The only problem was that once we arrived, it was obviously straight down several sets of mossy concrete steps and then some uneven paths to get to all the pools.  I guess she didn’t understand my broken foot and not willing to do steps etc.  But this was not just a tourist stop so I enjoyed the grounds surrounding the pathways, covered in ginger. 

Here is a peek over the edge of the steps down.

This was pulled from the Samoan travel site showing one of the waterfalls people can slide down

I found a placard describing the history or significance of the waterfalls.  The mythology history is that spirits would come to bath and spend time together.  People could hear the laughter and chatter but when they searched, there was no one to be found.  Interestingly, I found this information plaque about the myth while I was looking around. 

 A more postive or hopeful approach then Mr Murphy and his law.  Told you I was weaving a positive message into this post!!

At the end of the time, I was dropped off at a local market.  It was half souvenir market but the reason I agreed to take a look was that locals shopped there as well.   It was table after table of tropical fruits and produce grown locally.  Bananas were by far the most common but papaya, mango, lychee, sugar cane, coconuts, pumpkins, taro and some things I did not recognize were all for sale.  The souvenir portion was the usual T-shirt and sarongs, key chains and do dads so I didn’t look that closely.  I should have gotten a picture of the flower stalls with arrangements of orchids and ginger and palms – very beautiful and completely tropical.

After that it was time to head back to the boat and move on to Suva, Fiji

Tofa !!