Thursday 18 October The delights of Noumea

Kanak village display in front of museum

traditional house

Noumea town square

Fiji was great for the friendliness of it's people and excellent fresh fruit and veg but it is a rural experience, not a wealthy country. It might be what makes it so friendly. New Caledonia has all the trappings that come from being a French comptoir (overseas colony) flush with money from the nickel mining. The upside are supermarkets with all the first world produce Europeans miss from home, sophisticated shopping, restaurants and museums. The downside is the impact of ripping out the rocks on the environment.

Also consider on one hand there is the mining scars on the landscape, mountains denuded of their natural coverage and on the other the waters of lagoon surrounding Grand Terre are a UNESCO world heritage site, noted for the beauty of the desert islands and the sea life.
The third contrast we have noticed is between the local kanak people and the French colonists, most of whom derive employment either directly or indirectly from the mining industry. One group hang around the streets. The other group drive the latest cars, live in nice houses and wear designer clothes. As we haven't had a chance to talk to any Kanak people, or to visit true villages, this might be a warped impression, a sweeping, and inaccurate view of New Cal. I hope on this visit we have the opportunity to meet and talk to local kanak people.
Please disregard this last paragraph if it's too much like a page from a thesis. We are on holiday after all.
We'd been to the Geant hypermarket and were waiting at the bus stop with our bags of goodies when a very nice lady in a very nice Audi pulled over to ask where we were going and if we'd like a lift. How lovely! How kind and because we suspected buses didn't turn up every 15 minutes, we thanked her and hopped in. Wasn't that lovely of her? She dropped us off at the marina and a lovely chat on the way. The entente cordiale is alive and well.

To finish off our good day we left the Baie de Moselle anchorage and it's industrial wharfage and ferries and headed the short 3 miles out to the (free) mooring balls at Ilot Maitre. Far nicer to have dinner watching the rose pink sunset, turtles swimming around the boat and free internet picked up from the 5* hotel in front of us. The pate, cheese and glass of red wine went down very nicely.