Tongatapu

As we docked in Tonga we were greeted by the local band and dancers. The Viking crew bid us farewell as we depart for our day of adventure. What a beautiful place with even more beautiful people! The coral reef with crystal clear water is right beside our ship. Our tour of the Kingdom of Tonga was lovely in its simplicity. You have to love a country that is proud of the simple and beautiful things in life like the 3 headed coconut tree and the blow holes in the coral near the shore. The people are so gracious and friendly. Tonga is the first place in the world to welcome each new day. After touring the island we were treated to a Tongan feast and music and dancing by locals. Much of the music is old Southern Gospel tunes. The people hang quilts at graves to honor loved ones. There were riots in 2006 to protest the Chinese influence here. Over 80% of all businesses are owned by Chinese. We preferred to spend our time in the local craft markets. A local resort here prepared a lovely feast for us, complete with suckling pig. One can see the influence of the Protestant missionaries here in the nineteenth century. Before the meal, a community leader offered a very gracious prayer of thanksgiving. As we left, he offered an elegant prayer for our safety and enrichment during the rest of our cruise. There is a Methodist orphanage here that has a special ministry. Children born to couples of different religions are usually rejected by the families of both father and mother. The orphanage takes such children and places them in loving homes, usually in New Zealand or Australia.Lue lisää