December
5, Wednesday
The market area: These taro leaves contained a concoction of taro, I tasted it but found that it was really doughy with no taste to it at all.
Lots of fresh fruits. The hotel served pineapple, bananas and watermelon every morning, but strangely enough, no mangoes, though they were available at the market. I bought some and at them for desert that night.
Lots of vegetables as well. Sharon said that most Fijians don't eat many veggies. Don't know why since they are so plentiful.
The long things at the back are taro roots. Coconuts and tomatoes in front
and outside on the sidewalk you could buy fresh clams
Downtown Suva
Lots of flowers everywhere
There isn’t much to visit in Suva, even though it is the Capital of Fiji and its largest city, population 86,000. The islands were found by the Dutch (which explains the name Zealand) but colonized by the British. It only gained its independence in 1970. Couldn’t find a map of Suva, no tourist information office. Could not locate its Parliament Buildings either or Government House. I guess they aren’t used to getting tourists here; people probably automatically go to resorts on one of the other islands.
Near the water front
Walking along the waterfront
The drive back to the hotel
Most of the houses are on short short posts
Most of the houses near the city are quite modern. Along the highway, there were shacks built with whatever the people could get their hands on, mostly corrugated steel walls and roofs; no windows or doors. The squatters build these on government land along the main road around the island. They pay no rent and the government doesn't bother them unless they need to widen the road.
At 9 am I had eaten breakfast (much earlier than usual)
met up with Sharon and we were taking the hotel’s shuttle into Suva. Hotel Shuttle? When I had asked the staff early on during my
stay about going in to Suva, they had not mentioned a shuttle; they said I
would have to take a taxi. No mention of
the regular local buses that drove the route either. ANYWAY…..
It was only about a 20 minute drive to the city, such as it is.
Lots of fresh fruits. The hotel served pineapple, bananas and watermelon every morning, but strangely enough, no mangoes, though they were available at the market. I bought some and at them for desert that night.
Lots of vegetables as well. Sharon said that most Fijians don't eat many veggies. Don't know why since they are so plentiful.
The long things at the back are taro roots. Coconuts and tomatoes in front
and outside on the sidewalk you could buy fresh clams
Sharon showed me the market area then we walked around a
bit while she did her errands. There was
sunshine and rain off and on while we were there and it was hot and humid. We walked through a few modern malls while
she ran her errands, which allowed me to get my bearings for a return trip by
myself.
Lots of flowers everywhere
There isn’t much to visit in Suva, even though it is the Capital of Fiji and its largest city, population 86,000. The islands were found by the Dutch (which explains the name Zealand) but colonized by the British. It only gained its independence in 1970. Couldn’t find a map of Suva, no tourist information office. Could not locate its Parliament Buildings either or Government House. I guess they aren’t used to getting tourists here; people probably automatically go to resorts on one of the other islands.
Near the water front
Walking along the waterfront
By early afternoon we were both tired and decided to head back to the hotel by taxi, rather than waiting for the Hotel Shuttle at 4:30 or any of the other later ones.
The drive back to the hotel
Most of the houses are on short short posts
Most of the houses near the city are quite modern. Along the highway, there were shacks built with whatever the people could get their hands on, mostly corrugated steel walls and roofs; no windows or doors. The squatters build these on government land along the main road around the island. They pay no rent and the government doesn't bother them unless they need to widen the road.
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