New Caledonia Day 2

Monday 5th July 2010
The bed was very hard. The shower head required some expertise that we were not acquainted with and Duncan drenched his pyjamas.
The manager was very agreeable and took us to the airport where we got the shuttle to Noumea (XPF6000 or about $96). It took about 45mins.
We were picked up by the Arc en Ciel (Rainbow travel agent) people and left our luggage with them and set off for the New Caledonia Museum.
The museum was very well set out, with a preponderance of penis shaped objects, and a very jolly collection of fine woven penis sheaths. There is also an exhibition of intricately carved bamboo and photos of colonials – rarely smiling. A school class was being taught local dances to drumming with very enthusiastic responses.
We found an internet café and sent an angry email to Elliot Travel, followed by a visit to the Post Office to buy some stamps for my postcards.
We walked to the large park – Place des Cocotiers (Place of the Coconut Palms), then down to the wharves, hunting for a nice place to have lunch. We ended up at a not so nice place – their idea of a panini is to toast the French stick.

After lunch we went walking to the Bir Hakiem where there was a war memorial. Then up a hill to St Joseph’s Cathedral which is a huge, serene wooden building with the odd Kanak (Native New Caledonian) asleep on the pews.

We went back down into town, and stopped for a beer, then back to the Place des Cocotiers where Duncan read the Listener while I did a bit of shopping – being Monday in a French Territory must shops were shut.
We walked back along the docks – the water was teeming with tropical fish. A few big spots of rain, so we retreated to McDonald’s for a tea/coffee which was very difficult to procure owing to some problems with a machine. At least the loos are clean. The Arc en Ciel people organised us a taxi to the Magenta Domestic Airport where we catch the plane to Ile des Pins. The “all on, find your own seat” works well and means a fast getaway. We are soon settled at the resort and enjoying our evening meal which begins with snails.