Suva, Figi

Our day in Suva, the capital and largest city of Fiji, got off to a rough start. However, once we finally connected with our guide it turned out to be a very good day.

good morning, Suva!

We started out early, only to discover a major mix-up with the tour company. Our guide had planned for an 11 a.m. ship arrival, while we had actually docked at 7 a.m. That meant waiting and waiting - nearly an hour in the heat. As it turns out, our guide lives 4 hours away, so the mix-up was no small inconvenience for him either. Even the port people were confused and sent us to several different locations before we were finally picked up.

While we waited, I made the most of it by taking photos across the street of local vendors selling fresh produce. The market was full of vibrant colors—piles of pineapple, taro and all kinds of fruits and vegetables laid out on the ground. Local markets are an authentic glimpse of everyday life in these places.

woman sweeping

they smelled so good!

 

 

taro - an island diet staple

wild ginger root

 

Once our guide finally arrived, things quickly improved. Since it wasn’t an Oceania-organized excursion, there were only 5 of us - a couple from Canada, a man from Connecticut and Ronnie and me, which made it very personal. The 5 of us climbed into his modern, air-conditioned van and took off.

guide Shaheed (middle)

One of the first things our guide Shaheed taught us was one of Fiji’s most important words  “Bula!” It’s a cheerful greeting that’s meant to be said with enthusiasm. He encouraged us to say it often, and he certainly did! Later as we were coming down an escalator at the mall, Ronnie gave a hearty “Bula!” to a couple of women on the up escalator. You would have thought they were old friends! Thinking they were from his ukulele class, I asked him who they were. He had no idea! 

As we drove, our guide talked a lot about kava (ava). Islanders drink it like South Americans drink mate and like Americans drink coffee. Some make their own but it takes a lot of effort to dry and pound the kava roots into powder, so many just purchase it already ground for convenience. As mentioned earlier, it numbs the tongue. We got the impression that kava is our guide's favorite drink. 

 

Our first stop was a small but interesting museum, where we saw an important piece of maritime history - the remains of the rudder from the HMS Bounty (from Mutiny on the Bounty) along with other ancient and interesting maritime artifacts.

 

From there, we drove past the President’s residence and stopped briefly to photograph the presidential guard who absolutely will not crack a smile during his 6 hour shift (reminded me of the guards at Buckingham Palace) in London. 

 

just try to make me smile

Next we made a photo stop along the bay, where a huge Celebrity ship was coming into port, framed by the recognizable “thumb mountain” in the background.

can you spot the thumb?

Being Good Friday, many people were off work today. However, we still were slowed by traffic in many areas. Fiji loves holidays! It celebrates major holidays of Christianity, Hinduism and Islam along with many other occasions.

As we continued our drive, we passed schools, universities, churches, the U.S. Embassy and a mix of neighborhoods - from traditional village houses with rain-soaked clothing hanging on lines and porches to more upscale areas near government buildings. Suva is the political and administrative heart of the country and has both a president and a prime minister, each serving under the same laws.

Most Fijian men wear skirts (called sulus), which our guide pointed out are much cooler and more comfortable than pants in the tropical climate.

 

 

We passed through lush rain forests as we drove to the city of Nausori and back. The greenery was dense and beautiful.

We finished the day at a large mall, where we had time for lunch in the food court and 30 minutes of shopping before heading back to the ship. I was fascinated by an entire floor of Indian clothing.

 

door greeter at mall

 

Indian clothing accessories - Tappoo Mall

Indian fashions - men and women

entire floor - Indian fashion only

Despite the frustrating start, the day was enjoyable and we felt like we were able to see a good portion of the island. Also, by being away we avoided a lot of the rain. Passengers who stayed in the area were coming back to the ship thoroughly soaked!