Apia

Apia town. The Big City. The Bright Lights.

The Harbor.














The home store of Samoan handmade coco oil and soap products, Mailelani.























We did a wee-bit of shopping for the wedding at the market and apparently sent a rush on fans. We could only get good prices (you should only pay 5 tala (2 US) for a fan, not 8 ($3)-ridiculous!) from urchins on the street. We sought those buggers out high and low-they were happy to see the palagis with arms full of fans and fists full of tala!

We mostly just go to Western Samoa to eat I think.

The aftermath of another fine meal at The Curry House on the Cross-Island Road.
Something I've learned since living here: Fiji has a high Indian population with generations of Indian immigrants. Fiji is well known for it's Indian food and if a South Pacific Island is lucky enough to get an Indian immigrant from Fiji to open a restaurant, the locals are happier for it. There is a business opportunity in American Samoa if there are any Fijian chefs out there reading this.














Real European Espresso?
























One lump or two?
























Giordano's Pizza two nights in a row-completely without shame or remorse.














When the Moon Hits Your Eye Like a Big Pizza-Pie! I love the Italianesque decor with the Samoan Fale Roof.
























Tasty Beer (lager, of course, but apparently dark beers aren't allowed below the equator).









All Dressed Up and Actually Some Place To Go!
Full Priced First Run Movie for Two? 12 Tala ($4.93 US)














Outside Apia in the hills is the famous Sliding Rock.
A series of pools and slick rocks that you can sit on and slide. I thought I'd be freewheeling down those puppies but once we got there, fantasies of brain injuries and a solid knowledge of the health care system in small tropical islands kept me in the pools. It was wonderful to swim in freshwater.




























British Royal Intrigue Discovered on Our Walk Along the Harbor.
Could there be Samoan British Royals?
Is Queen Victoria's Secret Husband Buried in Samoa?
Inquiring Minds Want to Know!

Go West Young Men! Go West!

Because it is damn beautiful. I might have said this in my other brief post about Western Samoa, but Upolo is a beautiful island. It's my big 35 in November and Markus gave me a trip to Western Samoa for my early birthday present on our three day weekend. From one world traveler to another, "Thanks, Columbus" (or as they are now calling it "Discoverers Day")!

We got up really early in the morning, leaving Pago airport at 8 am and getting in at 8:30 am. We had a long ride from the airport in our very cute Swift red car, and yes it was, Swift; to our hotel in Apia. The car rental guy was ever so adorable.







This was Markus’ first trip off-island since he arrived seven months ago, well except our trip to Manua (which is like going to a neighboring county from Tutuilla (our island)). He was a little overwhelmed with the "bright lights, big city" by which I mean stop lights, traffic and a semi-urban air.











I had my Western Samoa driver’s license (12 tala@$4us) in two shakes and we were off to The Sydney Café-the first wonderful food experience in what was going to be a series! Markus enjoyed (despite this look on his face) a mocha , I enjoyed slavering in front of the deli display.














We checked into our lovely room with a great view of the harbor in the way cool Aggie Grey Hotel in Apia. A quaint place with lots of Samoa kitsch. Some of the rooms are little fales in the courtyard. Very cute on the outside, a little bland on the inside and not a lot of privacy.







They had a nice, simple pool, but we didn’t partake-I’m just not a big pool person. Our room had A.C., a view and a T.V., and quite a few less cockroaches than my last hotel in Apia- all my prerequisites for our stay.
After checking in we hit the markets in a big way.














The amazing fish market. The fish so big. The fly situation (thus the palm leaf fans) a little unappetizing.

































The best 'aiga bus yet on the way to the produce market.












































The produce market. I was envious. We rarely get pineapple in A.S. or the variety of local produce that was on display. And the prices! Oka!Oka! (oh my goodness)






































Then the flea market. No pictures of the actual market, because my hands were full with goods. Conch shells, my beautiful turtle bowl, feather fan and a gift or two.















Then we went on an unhappy search for the famous Curry House. Oh, the chance to have Indian food, and highly recommended, cheap, with a view Indian food. After driving up and down the road in front of the restaurant a couple of times, we finally arrived—to be told they had no water (oh, Western Samoa! Not you, too!) and would only open for dinner. We had an unsuccessful series of lunch attempts to which I was willing at the end willing to eat at McDonalds because of my catastrophically low blood sugar (we are talking Jekyl and Hyde situation here). Luckily, Markus talked me out of my folly and we ate at The 1 Dollar Restaurant-a floating restaurant on a boat with the best fish and chips we have ever had. Unfortunately, nothing was a dollar-we are assuming that was the price paid for the boat.






The rainy afternoon was spent watching ½ of about 3 movies. The T.V. is very strange there. It seems like they just run DVDs on the stations and they all start on the hour, and they run them over and over again. So if you don’t catch the first half of a movie you just watch it and then catch the next half after it’s done. The whole time we were there they played the same four or five movies.

We had a drink in the lounge and Markus got propelled with the Slingshot. Wow. One strong drink!




















Then we got dressed up to eat pizza! Oh hallelujah, pizza! Giordanos pizza is renowned for it’s fabulous pizza-in the heart of Samoa is a little pizzeria with outside seating that makes you feel like you are in Italy. I think it was even better than most pizza I’ve had in the states. It was that good.

Now that’s what I call a good day.

Stay tuned for Day Two!