Today was a pretty low-key kind of day. New Caledonia is a French island located East of Australia and North of New Zealand. The island is only about 35 miles wide, yet nearly 400 miles long. Unfortunately we were only able to visit our port city of Noumea, located on a small peninsula at the southern tip of the island. It’s always frustrating for me when I can see the beautiful, lush mountains in the distance, but am not able to get out an explore them. There weren’t any huge tourist attractions in Noumea that were must-sees. Instead, it was a time of getting out and exploring the city and experiencing the culture.
We arrived about 8:00 and boarded the 9:00 a.m. city tour on Le Petite Train. This was a 90-minute introduction to Noumea on an open-air, train-like vehicle that drove us around the city. Our guide was a French lady who spoke English very well (which was not the case with many of the New Caledonians). French people seem to have the reputation of being high strung, rude, and somewhat impersonal. However, this was not the case with New Caledonians. Even though many didn’t speak English well, they were friendly, laid back, helpful, and kind. I guess somehow island life breeds a much more relaxed culture…maybe its being so close to the “no worries” lifestyle of the Australians. Or maybe it’s the young population as a third of the population is younger than 15.
Anyway, our tour took us around the coast, where we saw Noumea’s beautiful beaches. Too bad we hadn’t prepared for swimming because a dip in the ocean would have been nice. Apparently, they don’t have waves in Noumea because of large reefs that serve as breakers within a few of miles of shore. Next we went up to the highest point in the city for a bird’s eye view, which was nice. A few other things that we saw on our tour were the nickel abundantly found in the rocks and a monument honoring U.S. soldiers who served in World War II.
When our tour ended, we then got day passes for the City Explorer Bus that ran a continuous loop around the city with buses every 30 minutes, which served as our transport for the rest of the day. We spent an hour at the Botanical Gardens and Zoo. Here we saw the national bird, the Cagou, which is a flightless bird only found in New Caledonia. We then spent an hour at the Tjibaou Cultural Center learning about the Kanak people (the New Caledonia natives). Our last stop was at the town square where we walked around, looked and shopped for our last couple of hours. (Although we didn’t buy much because things were very expensive) All aboard was at 4:30 and we sailed away shortly after. It was a nice day in New Caledonia. Although, I miss Australia and the reality that our cruise is coming to an end is starting to set in as we head back across the Pacific.
Le Petite Train
My mother enjoying her tour of Noumea
Trees in bloom...yes, it's spingtime here!
One of Noumea's beaches
You see all the green in this rock...that's nickel, which is New Caledonia's top industry.
Looking out from the fortress overlooking the city
My mother with a tri-colored bougainvillea in full bloom
The harbor from behind and above the Protestant church
The Cagou bird, which is flightless and only found in New Caledonia
I found a new friend...one of the native carvings at the Cultural Center
Isn't she darling?
She danced with the her mother and other ladies as part of the on-the-dock native entertainment.
Byebye Noumea
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