Chemtrails not working in Raratonga

Day 5

<-----One of the Locals - just hanging about! :) 

The day started well enough.  We went to breakfast as usual and - I could possibly have it let slip to the staff - totally accidental of course -  that a certain female bear has her Birthday today! 'Wink wink nudge nudge'.  So it was a surprise to her that a public announcement was made and all the guests and staff sung yet another rendition of "Happy Birthday"!  Mamabear then informs me that this is enough (of a 'remembering' and 46 hours of celebrations) to wipe "that incident" from Paris from the collective memory of the Muller tribe!  Time to let it go! 

From there we decided to hire a car after all.  Eventually got that picked up at lunchtime (Island time again) and we headed straight away to the "Public Gardens".   The "Gardens" as such are still on private land - as is all land in a local Cook Islander hands (and it can never be sold to an "outsider".)  They certainly have done a lot of plantings since they had the land. The other attraction of course was that they also had a cafe (who doesn't there at the moment?!) and so we had lunch first before strolling through the plantings.  A new fruit was on my salad plate and we had a taste - it was very bitter.  We asked what it was and surprise surprise - it was the baby-coconut-palm-tree!  The fruit - once it falls to the ground does re-seed it self and as such "eats itself" for the new growth and taking root.  Ha - that was a first - eating a baby-fruit!
The Gardens itself are an interesting set-up - or should that be lay-out?!  They had a folder on the table that showed all the flowers via pics they have taken over the years.  Still - we are there at what is essentially winter time so very little of the flowers showed!  We did however see lots of different palm trees!













A couple of ponds with various fish in it and of course some Lilies!!  Had to snap a pic and show a friend of mine!!!

From there it was on towards the "Te Ara Cook Islands Museum of Cultural Enterprise".  Very informative and the Missionaries certainly have a lot of explaining to do!  Interesting that the national flag changed colors 4 times at least - this sample being the previous one! New Zealand could learn from that!!  Anyway - just saying - the place was a ton of information and mamabear learnt that the early sailors could tell where an Island 'might be' in the Pacific by dipping their hands in the ocean and working out the changes in current (that the land mass would create ) - a knowledge that was very specific to only one person (and could not be passed on as such) - with very sensitive skin on his hands!! 

So no GPS and they still can sail around 3000km (in 800BC no less) and find the land they are looking for - no mean feat!! The other thing we learned was (thanks to Mr Google and the staff who did not know either but wanted to find out ) what the "FOTS2" meant on the local map we were carrying.  Seems it is - drumm roll please - 'ratatatatatata'  Fibre-Optic-Transmission-Service - with the number indication its location - they had 9 in total.  Presumably it is a little cabinet from which the locals get their (internet) fiber service. 

From there - on towards the main town!  We can now claim to have been once around the whole island.  We stopped for groceries and some other "liquid" supplies and  then drove back home for a home cooked meal. Very nice pasta dish!! yummm!   Before that, we caught up with the young couple next door and eventually after some friendly chat, we all ended up on beach for nice sunset and celebratory drinks. (We had to explain our 'tradition' to them! )  They probably think we are nuts - so what - who cares?!?!?!?!   Post dinner we sat outside chatting and slurping till late ! Very relaxing!!

Mamabear bringing to an end her 46 Hours of Birthday celebrations with a nice hug!  :) 

 Have fun!