2016 Explorer Transpacific

Today we docked for an overnight stay in Suva, the capital of the beautiful island of Fiji.As the others weren't to keen on exploring the place, I decided to head out on my own.I took the main road out of town, in the general direction of the Fiji museum.
On the way I passed amongst other things; the Suva Olympic swimming pool, which was basically a lido that you would have found in places like New Brighton, on Wirral 30 odd years ago.
But I must admit that the place was well looked after and water looked very clean and definitely inviting considering that the outside temperature was about 80°c.
Next I came across the quite old but impressive high court building.
Just after the high court was Albert Park, I'm guessing named after Prince Albert
This is a rugby ground complete with grandstand, and can apparently hold two matches at the same time, such is the size of it, there was quite a lot of renovation going on and was fenced off by the builders doing the work, so I couldn't get a closer look at the place.
Next was Fiji Museum, this is a museum located in the capital city's botanical gardens, Thurston Gardens.
The museum houses an extensive archaeological collection dating back 3,700 years and relics of Fiji's indigenous cultural history, which included some quite gruesome ritualized cannibalism, that is graphically described, along with some photos and drawings
Also on display is the rudder of the HMS Bounty of the mutiny fame.
The museum is fairly small, but for the very reasonable $7AUD entrance fee well worth a visit.
After the museum I carried on walking up the hill and through what looked like a residential area, this is where I came across this rather quaint local police station, complete with a police officer in the traditional Fijian Sulu as part of his uniform.
The Sulu is a sort of sarong which is worn by both men and women
Anyway this officer saw me and came out to see if I was lost, and we chatted for about 5 minutes which was really nice.
I must say that all the people I spoke to, and there where quite a few, were very friendly and helpful.
As I carried on back towards town I came across a small Anglican church with a service going on, I wandered up to the open entrance to have look, and listen to the singing, when a bloke came out to invite me in, he was also dressed in a traditional Sulu.
I said I'll just stand in the entrance and listen, which he said was fine.
After a few minutes, I carried on down the hill towards the town and came across the Sacred Heart Cathedral, which to be honest didn't look much like a church.Inside the main building was not very ornate, nothing like the churches or cathedrals in Europe, but still interesting.
I noticed that on the walls where pieces of stone and small carvings that were from various cathedrals around the world, one piece of carving was from Canterbury Cathedral which was interesting in itself.
As I was walking by the alter there where about 3 or 4 people who looked like they worked in the cathedral.One of them asked me if I had a camera?
I said yes but it's in my pocket; thinking she was going to say no photos.
But she showed me a very small and winding set of stairs and said if I went up there I could get a good photo of the cathedral
.
As I said earlier, such nice friendly and helpful people.
Further on into the town I came across another park, this one is called Ratu Sukuna Park and there was a rehearsal going on for a concert later that night, the choir was backed by a sort of rock band, they were singing gospel type music and the main singer had a beautiful voice.
To be honest they where all brilliant and the sound was fantastic, there where two dancers acting out the words of the song with contemporary dancing, who were also very good, in fact I stayed there for about 15 minutes filming them.
When I got back to the port, I had a walk around the massive fruit and veg market, which is fascinating with some of the strangest looking vegetables I've ever seen.
Upstairs in the market they sell Kava which is a type of root which is ground up to make a drink with hot water.
Apparently the effects are similar to marijuana in that it relaxes you and gives you a high, but doesn't screw with your brain like marijuana does, so I'm told.
Not that I was brave enough to try any, lolRead more