Gorgeous island! We took a guided tour yesterday and visited 2 archaeological sites, the first one was a gathering place for festivities and also…cutting the heads of prisoners before eating their bodies (ancient Polynesians were indeed cannibals); the second one was a religious one not less cruel as they were offering human lives to the Gods, including children. However, the huge amount of big stones they brought up from the sea level and then piled up to those remote places high up the hill and deep in the jungle is a remarkable achievement. We then drove to the other side of the island, saw many tikis – little stone face carvings -; beautiful landscapes, luxurious vegetation, fruit trees everywhere (mangos, bananas, pineapple, pamplemousses, avocadoes, etc). We had lunch in a little hut in the middle of no where. Raw fish in coconut milk and lime and shrimps in coconut sauce and rice. We bought a big bag of pamplemousses, big, juicy and sweet, and limes.

Photos below which I will send in several blogs. The file is too big to send in one go!

Today is just horrible. It started badly at 3:30hrs in the morning when the boat next to us drifted a bit too close to us. We had to keep an eye on him for 2 hours before the owner woke up and act on it. Then later in the morning we went aground at low tide (we have been anchored here for 4 days and it is the first time that we touched ground but that is because the swell was bigger today) so we had to re-anchor, all that in the pouring rain. Then we had to walk the 4km to the village to check-in at the gendarmerie, they REALLY are very cool about the formalities as we are EU residents on a EU registered boat, unlimited stay for us and 2 years stay for the boat. Apart from our passports, we didn’t have to show any other documents, not the boat registration document nor the check out form from Galapagos! Then we went to the post office to buy the stamp to put on the form that we had to post. Long queue and very slow. One friendly lady at the counter with flowers around her neck and head but chatting endlessly to everyone. And finally mad rush to do the grocery shopping. Everything shuts either at 11:30 or 12. It rained all night and hasn’t stopped since (it is 17:00 now)! According to the weather forecast we will have rain for another week. Great! We intended to leave tomorrow to visit another island but will decide in the morning.

Having a drink onboard PULSION tonight. We will have deserved it after a day like this!

Maybe I will write more when I am in a better mood!  :-0)

Love

Mike and Catherine