Afternoon Shadows

In the afternoon's deepening shadows, the Autonomy Day Parade drew to a close with the passing of the Princess.
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Seeing Over The Crowd

If you can't see over the crowd, why, just stand on the fence!
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Parade Oranges

This farmer brought produce to the parade.
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Parade Red

With a flash of color, a wave of a sword, and an exotic swivel of hips, these villagers acted out events from their past.
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Polynesian Warriors

Polynesian history is not just beautiful maidens doing the Tahitian dance; there is a warrior culture too, as these men demonstrate in the Autonomy Day Parade
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Parade Yellow

Polynesian's from many islands came to Tahiti to march in the Autonomy Day Parade.
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Flags and Banners

To help celebrate Fete, we hoisted every flag and banner we had on board. All fluttering in the SE Trades, and with those of our neighbors, it was a glorious sight.
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Le Truck

To beat Tahiti's expensive restraunt prices, we often ate at Le Truck's, a waterfront gathering place with a great selection of trucks converted into meals on wheels. Each evening they would arrive and set up shop. Meals were tasty and cheap by Papeete standards.
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Neon Tahiti

Tahiti has a seedy side, and here the night life is in full swing, with drinking and music, but crime is more prevalent here too. Bashings, muggings, and other scary stuff occured while were were in this town, and we ventured here only rarely.
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Canoe Racing

The start! In Papeete Harbor the racers are off, paddling for the first prize and glory for thier village, island or racing club.
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Behind The Scenes

Behind the scenes, canoe racing competitors and spectators waited for their heats to begin.
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Canoes on Beach

Part of the Fete was a major canoe racing regatta. Dozens of beautifully crafted, but definately high tech, carbon fiber and titanium, racing canoes were on racks on the beach waiting for the racing to begin.
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Pacific Island Produce

First stop was the Papeete Market, and we found a basket full of south seas fruits and vegitables.
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Papeete Quay

Each year 200-400 cruising yachts cross the Pacific, and most of them stop in Papeete, so the quay can get crowded, but we found a spot, right in the middle, surrounded by the pedestrians and traffic noise typical of a city.
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Papeete

Papeete, Tahiti. Quite a change from the remote and undeveloped Marquesas Islands and Tuomotus, we were so awe struck at finding a city in the Pacific, we almost ran aground just looking at it during our approach.
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Tahitian Girl, Autonomy Day Parade-1998

Tahitian girl in the Autonomy Day parade, part of Fete, July 15, 1998
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