Wednesday, March 29th, Free time in Fiji...

Claude and I came to the conclusion this stop in Fiji was to give us a break and a chance to rest before the grueling journey home. We agreed that was a good idea. So, we slept in and had a nice morning in our room. We made it to breakfast about 10:30am. It closed at 11am. This little bird joined us for breakfast at the Gogi Restaurant.

It was 88 to 90 degrees with a ton of humidity out there. We wandered back to our room to try sitting on the balcony. The amazing thing is that, if you get under something, the temperature is a lot cooler. Not cool or cold but much better than being outside than in the sun.

These are pictures of the Marriott. At least the portion we roamed in. 

Time for Claude and I to go to our Fijian Cooking Class. This was held at the Voi Voi Bar which was conveniently located behind our hotel room. There is a shelter built across from the bar with cooking stoves in it. George would be our teacher. He is one of the chefs at the Marriott. 

George taught us the proper way to open a coconut. There are 3 dark spots on the end. Line them up like they are a face looking at you. Take a hard implement and take sharply on the top with it going around the coconut. This is the softest spot on a coconut. Keep taping all the way around until it cracks. Quickly tip the coconut up and take the top off and the bottom has all the milk. Both the recipes we would make were made with coconut milk. Coconut milk is called lolo. 

Claude chopping his vegetables. 

George called this pepper a family pepper because it was hot enough to feed an entire family. Claude would only use the tip end for our meal and that was exactly enough.

Our finished meal. It was delicious and we fully intend to make it again.

Claude made two dishes. The first was more like an appetizer served with chips or a cracker.

The second was a main dish. George had us use mahi mahi as the fish. But, he said you could use any white fish. He provided steamed Bok choy or spinach for our side vegetable.

Great class and we were glad that is how we spend part of our free day.

In the evening we were booked to go to the Fijian Culture Village in Nadi. It is about an hour from the Marriott to Nadi. We had a taxi pick us up and then bring us back to the Marriott. When we arrived at the Fijian Culture Center, we received a warrior greeting.

Then we were led to the area from which we would have our dinner and watch the entertainment. We had assigned seats. I was amused at how they spelled my name. Then I remembered I made the reservation through Facebook Messenger. My name is Sandi Lawrence Christensen. The two people in the dirt area where the entertainment would be were the oldest man who was the emcee and tour guide. The other lady seemed to be second in command.

The older fellow, Mick, went outside and beat a slot drum. Then he came back and let us know that was done to alert the villagers that they had guests.

We then started our tour of the village. This is a recreated village from long ago. It would teach us how a village functioned then and how it related to how they live today.

The Temple. These were built with as tall a roof as possible to help the priest community with their gods.

The Chief and his home. He was the only one who could be in his third of the interior. There were three doors we saw, a front and two side doors. Through the front door common people could enter. There was a beam across the ceiling about 1/3 of the way inside. Commoners could go no further than that beam. Through the 2 side doors the elders of the village and other visiting dignitaries could enter. There was a second beam about 2/3 thirds of the way inside the front door. The elders could sit between that beam the one closest to the front door. We had to take our shoes off and sit on the floor.

This is a home and the kitchen built across from it. The typical home housed ALL family members. They slept and ate here. Not a lot of privacy. If you wanted to have privacy, you took to the bush. The women cooked in the kitchen. Then they took the meal to the home and the men and children ate first. If anything was left, the women ate that.

They had no matches. This was starting a fire without matches.

The pottery maker. They had no pottery wheel. All of this pottery is made by adding clay by hand as they go and using stones to make the rounded parts.

They use coconuts. They us ALL the coconut. Nothing wasted.

This building was weaving of mats.

They made cloth out of mulberry trees.

After the tour, we walked to the lovo pit to see how they cooked our meal. They uncovered it and took it to the kitchen. We would walk back to the seating area and wait while they set the meal out for us. This is where I purchased a Fanta Pineapple soda. Oh My Heavens! It was so good. I had Claude go back and get me a second one. 

After we enjoyed a nice buffet dinner, the entertainment began. They first had a Kava Ceremony. The kava ceremony focuses around the communal Kava tanoa (bowl). Guests sit in a circle around the bowl which is placed in front of the leader. The ceremony commences with the actual production of the kava. The plant is pounded and the pulp placed into a cloth sack and mixed with water. Also known as “grog” by the locals, Kava creates a relaxed feeling for the drinker and is taken on important occasions. Fijians celebrate a Kava ceremony as a way to show respect and encourage unity. Before drinking Fijians clap three times, say, “Bula” which means life, or to live, and is also used as a greeting and salutation. After drinking the entire shell, kava drinkers clap twice more. Clapping is believed to scare off any evil spirits. Our kava was prepared in a bowl in the center of the dirt performing area. Claude and I both drank our cups. However, I now know that it is like a depressant drug. I didn't feel any effects from it at all. 

Then the remainder of the entertainment began. The men danced, the ladies danced, everyone sang, there were fire dances. A lot of energy. They had some audience participation. The grandson of Mick was right out there dancing with everyone. 

It was a lovely evening and a great way to become acquainted with Fijian culture.