Monday, March 22, 2010

Rarotonga, Cook Islands 3
















We are snorkelling at a multi-coloured, piscean picture show; unbelievable vivid creaures really make you keep your head down.















Flippering fantastic experience. We're so stunned that we have to keep each other at arms' length.















Circling the island, (all 30 kms around) proves the best way to keep cool in the sticky
40degree heat















I get disorientated in the garden of Eden.........





....but eventually find the bananas I'm looking for, suspended above their pregnant flower bud.


















Stupendous sunset from our little beach balcony..






















..where we barbecued fish several evenings - our favourite was Broadbill steaks; a type of swordfish caught locally and plentifully, sold in the tea-time markets after the boats sail in.



At the highland heritage centre, Irene croons to the conch and bongos.....












...and she gets to take one of them home after narrowly beating him in the Rarotonga all-comers shiny face competition.














Meanwhile a dusky maiden demonstrates fifty ways to stash your sarong....















plus how to wriggle out of it. The audience are all taking notes with different gender-emphases.



















The most intriguing dances portrayed the changes of dress enforced by arriving missionaries in the late 19th century. Would you believe they had to suddenly adopt long black trousers beneath the grass skirts?!








Thankfully reverting to the original au-natur costumes for the new found tourism influx from the 1970s when QE II opened the airport runway to let us all start swarming in. Liberation or what?









There's that camera-shy intruder again.



























The memorable but sweaty evening of Feb 14th.
Irene's birthday and valentine's evening spent in style ......

2 comments:

  1. Wow - that's all I can say. Well that and that i'm completely jealous. What a lovely place - we're going to have to go there soon. Mum - you look so young!

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  2. Thank you so much Sarah, I think it's a combination of sun, music, ambience (and soft focus lens!!)

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