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Numea, New Caledonia
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Donna and I had been to Numea two years ago. During
our stay then, we had gone on a tour of the Numea Cultural Center.It
was not a fun experience. Our guide at the cultural center could not
get access to many of the buildings and the he and the staff didn't
seem to care much about the fact that we were interested in their culture.
That experience was so bad that we actually said we would not get off
the ship this time. Donna however, was told the shopping was good (a
rumor spread by the local bank) and so we ventured off the ship. Although
the shopping was fun, there was something about the place that was unpleasant
and I could not put my finger on it. When we got back to the ship, we
had lunch with a fellow named Peter who told us that he had spent about
an hour ashore and felt he had never been to a place where the people
were so unfriendly. He said that on his excursion not one person looked
at him directly or said hello. I think he hit it right on the head.
It is simply unfriendly and so different from the other French islands
we have visited (Tahiti, Morea and Bora Bora). That was Polonesia and
this was now Melonesia, different cultures and traditions. The next
time here we will not go ashore for sure.
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| Here is the second officer
David with his lovely girlfriend Paola who works in the tour office. He
is French and she is Mexican. The kids will be absolutely gorgeous. |
Our approach to Numea in the morning
light. After two days of rain the haze, heat and humidity were, at least
initially, a relief. |
The local welcoming party on the
dock. |
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| Our official welcome.
Actually we wanted to take a picture in front of this sign because we
have one from a trip two years ago and we wanted to have a set. This life
preserver is the property of the photographers on board, and normally
they will not allow others to take a photograph of it. It was so dam hot
they abandoned their post and like a well oiled commando team we struck.
Wow, what a rush!!! I felt like a Navy Seal. (The sign says Numea, New
Caladonia 2003). |
The island's version of the Beach
Boys |
Here the French influences are ever
present. |
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| It was a lazy Monday
morning in a place with a real "island mentality". |
The local parks were
not very crowded. It was about 1000 degrees and 210% humidity. Just approximately. |
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| The place was very tropical
as were the trees. That's because it is damn hot here. |
Guess who? |
The center of town at the center
of the largest park. |
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| Donna being a good
soldier is checking out all the sales first then on to the real shopping
at the expensive french boutiques. I, however, am still in the store searching
the racks for sales. In a way it's just like New York. |
Our harbor-mate was the "Deutschland". The
rumor on deck was "it was a very well-run ship".
We heard there was rarely anyone willing to complain about anything.
There was mention that the complaint department was in a secure soundproof
area below the water line.
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To keep the ship looking pristine
after each docking or at the next port, the side of the ship which had
been adjacent to the dock was repainted. |
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