I spent the first part of the morning running back and forth to the room for money, vouchers, sunscreen and the like. I was that guy holding up the entire tour.
Finally we started. Our first stop was Magic Mountain. It is a beautiful scenic vista overlooking Moorea and our resort. The name was supposedly given to it by a tourist from California who felt the road up was similar to riding on the Magic Mountain roller coaster. The road was bumpy. We almost shot Grace into the vinyl cover in the back of the truck. The view when you get there is phenomenal.
Back this way is the Intercontinental. The deep blue channels are created by the rivers exciting Moorea. The coral cannot grow in the fresh water. The current cuts the through to the ocean creating these channels for the boats to sail in. None of this channeling was man made. According to Pierre the constant cycling of ocean and fresh water keep this reef system teaming with fish.
Looking back towards the lagoon.
The girls on top of Magic Mountain.
The family on top of Magic Mountain.
From Magic Mountain we headed to a botanical garden. It was secluded little spot of the beaten path. The kind of place I love to find on vacation. Our guide called the little old lady who was there Mami, which in Polynesian would loosely translate for Grandma.
Giant Passion Fruit.
This is a bunch of Tahitian Vanilla plants. The coconut husk keep in the moisture. The matting above limits the sun exposure. Pierre referred to this as Tahitian black gold. 3 ounces of pure Tahitian vanilla extract sells for like $300.
Little know fact. The dirt in Mexico where vanilla is also grown let’s the vanilla give off a certain pheromone that attracts the bees to pollinate the blossoms. That chemical does not exist in the Tahitian dirt so all of the vanilla plants here are pollinated by hand. From pollination to full seed development is around 9 months.
Here is a google image. Take a little stick get the pollen of uncurl the labellum and get the pollen to the ovules. Imagine doing that job all day.
At the botanical gardens we tried some jams
From left to right below:
Guava——vanilla pineapple——-breadfruit with lime.
The pineapple vanilla is amazing .
More fruit.
My view from the botanical gardens.
From the botanical gardens we traveled to the highest point you can drive in Moorea 700 ft about sea level. It has a beautiful view of 2 bays and the volcanic mountain rising between.
Belvedere point is the start fro many hiking trails. From here you have a view of Opunohu (Stone fish) and Cooks bays.
The girls at Belvedere Point
Opunoho bay to the left Cooks bay to the right
This point wa the setting for the movie “Return of the Bounty”
Family at Belvedere point.
From Belvedere point we travelled to the largest Marae. These were temples for the Polynesians. Sacred place where they would gather to discuss war, harvest, fishing and exploration. Sacrifices of pigs and sea turtle were made here. It is unlikely that human sacrifice were made but maybe. When English missionaries arrive they destroyed the temples and force the Polynesian to wear long sleeved clothes and to stop their practice of tattooing. Way to go organized religion (SB). The French eventually came an extricate the other settlers from the area.
The marae base still remains.
The Marae has in B&W. Artsy!!!!
Kari, Katie and Ashley at the Maraepraying from Gracie’s immortal soul.
The sign at the marae.
From these ancient ruins we visited a beautiful pineapple plantation in the old caldera of the volcano.
Pineapple. Havested by hand when they turn yellow. Long pants, boots, long sleeved shirts or soccer socks on your arms to keep from getting cut up. 10 months for the pineapples to ripen for harvest. After 4 years or so the field needs to be turned over and replanted.
Katie and Ashley in the pineapple fields. Not pictured Grace who is running with ✂️.
Pineapple fields in the valley.
These pineapples need to ripen a little more. In Moorea the pineapple once yellow are harvested and can be eaten the center is soft and can be eaten as well.
From the pineapple plantation to the beach. We headed to a secluded beach. The beach is as by the airport and th golf course. A faintly marked trail of coconuts and coral led us to a beautiful and quiet beach for lunch. You could swim in the ocean or relax on the beach. Pierre brought guava, pineapple with lime, rum punch and beer. On the beach he made the traditional Polynesian tuna, lime, coconut milk meal. It was amazing. Halving a pineapple then sectioning it and squeezing some lime juice on it was a revelation. 🙏🏻
Guava, pineapple with lime juice and grapefruit.
Fresh coconut milk going in.
Grandma’s secret is a little raw coconut mixed in at the end.
This was the best version of this dish I have had. I think a little extra lime and the fresh coconut milk and shaving make all the difference.
Katie and I on the beach. A swim shirt to protect my sunburn shoulders. #stoptherationingofsunscreenKari 😋
The beach and the surf break.
Some fish swimming around the coral.
More fish.
From the beach we loaded back up. To this point our ride had been pretty comfortable an the bench seats bolted to the box of our guide’s Ford ranger truck. The last road to the waterfall was a little bumpy but worth the ride.
All smiles on the bumpy road.
On the trail to the waterfall.
On the way to the main event.
A Tahitian waterfall!!!!
Are you to getting along?!!!!!!
Ashley enjoying a refreshing shower.
Katie thinks this hike is all right.
Prince once suggests that we purify our selves in the waters of lake Minnetonka. I like this one just as much.
At the base of the waterfall.
Thanks Pierre for showing us around this beautiful island.
Another sunset in paradise
We headed back to the Intercontinental after the waterfall. We ate dinner at the Holy Steakhouse and settled in to bed. Tomorrow we are hiking an it starts early.
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