Moorea
Salamander
Tue 17 Aug 2010 03:59
 Our first on board customs inspection - we bought
some duty free wine before leaving Tahiti and now cannot touch it until we leave
French Polynesia in *aaargh* 2 weeks *aaargh*! The three armed Douanes who
boarded were asking about shells, coral, booze and fags.
Anyway, stunning, large anchorage, which we are
sharing with three other boats. Impossible to get bored of looking at the
view.
 We are in Opunohu Bay (left in the pic above),
which is where Captain Cook first anchored. This bay would still be recognisable
by him. The other is named after him - Cook's Bay.
Every island has its surprises and Moorea's is jam
(yes, jam!).
After our jam tasting session at the agricultural
college (!) we purchased a jar of grapefuit, pineapple and vanilla mixed jam -
absolutely delicious and totally addictive.
This island is considered by many to be the most
beautiful island in the world and we believe we are in the most beautiful
anchorage. Our Swedish friend Goran visited for the day and we drove around the
island in typical tourist fashion. A treat of a round trip finishing a day of
spectacular views with one of the best meals of our lives. Caroline refused to
share her Mahi Mahi mousse (an island favourite), at Restaurant Te Honu
Iti overlooking Cook's Bay. (Recommended in '1000 Places to See Before
You Die' our guidebook for the world: not just the restaurant, but the actual
dish).
At 8 o'clock the sharks and rays gather a foot away
from your table to eat tuna from the restaurant, but they ate for
free!
From an awed James Michener: "To describe it is
impossible. It is a monument to the prodigal beauty of nature."
 This is the view enjoyed by us and, the next day,
Sarah Jessica Parker and a CNN reporter (can't remember his name!).
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