Friday, June 10, 2022

Exploring Nuku Hiva

 It is always enjoyable to explore new areas, see new cultures and experience new sights, smells, tastes and sounds. Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas is where we have been exploring. (This post will help you place it on the map).


Our anchorage is a long bay, culminating in the town of Taioha'e.

Once ashore one of the things that surprised us was the number of statues and carvings all over town. The largest one is situated on a bluff above the anchorage.


Bob is shown here for purposes of scale! The figure on the left, over Bob, is the male warrior. On the right is the female.


Behind me you can see the pass through under the statue. When you walk in and look up you are greeted with a surprise.


An anatomically correct statue. Not quite sure what is growing out of it, but when a friend of mine was video taping it a gecko appeared as if it was being birthed!


This same statue is lit up every night, standing guard over the bay. It is a very impressive sight to see at night.

All around town are other statues and tikis and carvings. Some are newer and others appear to be quite old, although no dates appear on the older ones.


We pass this statue daily as it is quite close to the dinghy dock and situated in the center of the fruit and veggie market that we visit multiple times a week, usually at about 6:30 AM, and even at 6:30 we are sometimes too late for the fresh baguettes and the best of the produce.


Fortunately there is never a shortage of fruit here. This is just one of many pamplemousse trees. This one is next to the elementary school and is quite laden with fruit.

Some of the statues have a decidedly more modern flavor to them. 

I really enjoy the geometry of this one.

Many of the poles holding up placards or sheds or a variety of other items have carvings on them.



And finally, along the lines of the more modern sculptures


A great use of an old tree stump!

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