Western Samoa Roadside Images

One of my favorite things about being in Western Samoa is driving around and seeing the way of life in there and comparing it to Am Sam. Since the roads aren't hairpin curves as in American Samoa you can go faster than 20 mph. There aren't many cars out, esp outside Apia-and certainly not SUVs and giant $40,000 trucks as in American Samoa.






There are more people walking on the road than driving. Sunday is a fun day to drive, because most people stay home and go to church. Many church goers (esp Catholic) wear white to church. People seem to be healthier from all the walking.









Outside of Apia, most Western Samoans still live in the traditional open Fales. They are kept in much better condition than the open fales in Am Sam. It's fun to drive around at night and see TV's glowing inside the fales.









This man was hand carving an outrigger canoe with his grandchildren watching.

This is a bathing pool in a family's compound.













They also have many, many horses and apparently they double as low impact lawnmowers.

Black Sand Beach

I won't write a lot about Black Sand Beach as a picture is worth a thousand words. I love this beach. And this time the surf was mild so we got to snorkel.



















































































































Fresh fruit from the market in Apia!







































Shells from Coconuts-a great place for drinks and a walk on the beach.

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!

Seabreeze

We started our trip with real espresso coffee drinks and fabulous grilled wraps at Sydney Side Cafe, a wonderful (though pricey) true cafe, with fresh and non-deep fried ingredients (difficult to find in American Samoa), in downtown Apia.

We spent some time at the markets afterwards. I am convinced that the Samoan handicrafts at the produce market are of higher quality and are cheaper than the flea market.

Then we headed to our lovely lodgings at Seabreeze Resort. A "mid-sized" resort ($150 US/night for the queen ocean view) owned by a New Zealand couple on the South side of the island.

The craftsmanship of the place, the beauty and privacy of the beach and small grounds, and the fabulous cliff hugging restaurant with tasty and well-priced meals make the price worth it.

The surf was a bit rough the day we were there, but we snorkeled anyway and there were some interesting things to see. Apparently, there are nice beaches very close that you can kayak (for an hourly fee) to that have even better snorkeling.

Hellu Upolu

We took advantage of the American Samoan Flag Day holidays. Two days off work to celebrate the Americanization of Samoa.

To celebrate we went to Western Samoa. I think this speaks to how I've come to feel about the American influence on Tutuila (American Samoa)

So with Markus' recent birthday as an excuse we jumped on a plane and headed to Upolu, a mere 30 minutes away by tiny, overloaded commuter plane.

Beautiful Upolu.














A place where you can't see the end of the island, even in a plane.














A place with something like a real city.














A place with flat lands.
























A place of real beaches.














A place where every inch of habitable land isn't built upon.















Oh, Upolu! How I love you!

Really? Seriously?

PISUPO THIEF CONFESSES TO STEALING SPREE

A 20-year old man from Faleula who was sentenced to eight weeks imprisonment for stealing a can of corned beef from Ming and Hannah's Store at Fugalei voluntarily admitted in court to other acts of theft.

No written records of previous convictions were found by the prosecution however, the accused himself admitted to previous convictions.

The accused confirmed for the court that he had also stolen corned beef from a shop at Vailele and shoes and a shirt from Frankie Molesi. Judge Vaepule Vaemoa Vaai accepted his confession as a mitigating factor.

Other mitigating factors included pleading guilty at the earliest opportunity and because the corned beef he stole was returned.

For telling the truth, three weeks were struck off from the eight-week sentence handed down to the thief.

He will now serve only five weeks imprisonment.

The accused reportedly walked into Ming and Hannah in early October 2007 and grabbed a 3 lb Oxford can of corned beef.

He hid it under his shirt and left the store.

On his way out, the accused was spotted by shop workers who chased him to the nearby Fugalei Market where he was caught.

The corned beef was recovered and safely returned to the super market shelf.

(Source: Samoalive/Newsline)

This guy was willing to go to jail for this:


























Let me guess what they serve in jail?