EXPLORATION OF MANGAREVA
I slept very well!!!
I went to bed around 9:30pm and I woke up at 6:00am. Here I sleep very well.
After breakfast, I went for an exploration of Mangareva. I took some pictures of the village of Rikitea (main village).
I went to the CED (it’s a specialized school of engraving on mother-of-pearl) to visit it, but the headmistress was not here. I will come back this week.
About 95% of people I saw today said “Hello” and were smiling all the time!
On my way, I met a couple of retired French people who have been in Rikitea for a month and a half. They are Jehovah Witnesses. We talked a lot and they asked me if I would like them to drive me around the island next Friday at 2:00pm, because they have a car and the island is big!!! I accepted with pleasure.
Then I kept walking to explore more and more...
On my way, I met Louise, a 56-year-old charming woman.
We talked for a long time. Then I left her to continue my exploration and she asked me to go back after my walk because she would like to give me a full bag of papayas. I accepted of course with a great pleasure.
I kept walking on the main road and I decided to go to the village of Taku to see the Saint-Joseph Chapel. I didn’t realize how far it was. Actually from the Pension to Taku, there are more than 10 km! I decided nevertheless to go to Taku.
When I was almost arrived, I met Robert who was coming back from his work in a pearl farm and who lived just near the Chapel. We talked a lot on the way. He told me that he is 34-year-old and he has 6 children and he has just divorced his wife who was very mean and was bad-tempered. For that matter, this is the reason wwhy his 6 kids live with him and not with their mother.
When we arrived at the Chapel, I took some pictures.
Then I left Robert and came back to Rikitea.
Taku is a timeless village, or rather of the old days. Actually, the very few tourists who come to the Gambier, and to Mangareva in particular, stay at the main village and don’t go to Taku.
The kids of Taku pounced on me and welcomed me as if I was a queen and asked me a lot of questions.
The way back to the Pension was very long. My calves were painful and I began being stiff because I had been walking already for more than 3 hours to go to Taku (taking my time). I was very thirsty, but not hungry. It was about 1:30pm. I encouraged myself to walk to the Pension but the way back was very difficult for my little and short legs!
I came back at Louise’s as agreed. I was very happy because she gave me a full bag of papayas, mangoes and small bananas and a big bottle of cold water!
I sat close to her and we talked for a long time. After perking myself up, I left Louise and thanked her warmly and kissed her on the cheeks. I told her that I will come back to see her again this week.
I walked for 30 mn and finally I arrived at the Pension. I was shot, without any energy, completely out of order!!! It was 5:30pm. I took a rest listening to music until 7:00pm, which was the dinner time. The menu was: cabbage salad, cucumber and ham, beef with a sauce, white rice, chocolate cake and vanilla ice-cream. I went to bed at 8:15pm.