25 May 2011:

Dinner. Some other guests had arrived during the day. What an awesome feast! By the time I got back to the cabin, the heavy rain had turned the field into a soup of horse poop, with wild horses lounging around.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/05/2011-nz-to-sf-day-12.html

25 May 2011:

 Waiting for dinner. There wasn't much to do once the rain started. Earlier on, we took a walk up an overgrown path to a view point from a hill to see the valley. Some houses in the village had cool calabash trees in front of them.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/05/2011-nz-to-sf-day-12.html

25 May 2011:

My cabin in Tiendanite, home of Jean-Marie Tjibaou, during a rainstorm, while trying to dry my clothes. The sounds of the rain and birds make it quite cozy.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/05/2011-nz-to-sf-day-12.html

25 May 2011:

Drying my clothes during a rainstorm.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/05/2011-nz-to-sf-day-12.html

25 May 2011:

Sitting at the main guest area, with their kitchen shack to the right, and open chicken coop to the left. Chickens, dogs, and cats are free to wander around everywhere. That soursop tree to the left provided the tasty dessert one of the nights. If you look closely, you can spot at least one soursop on the tree.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/05/2011-nz-to-sf-day-12.html

25 May 2011:

For lunch, the artsy lady and I had bougna, a traditional Kanak dish of starchy roots, bananas, and meats. I was disappointed this was not prepared the traditional way, in a ground oven, but I guess the effort is only worth it when making large quantities for a special feast. It was tasty, but doesn't have that magical smoky taste that is obtained only after hours in a ground oven.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/05/2011-nz-to-sf-day-12.html

25 May 2011:

Another view of the beautiful centre of Tiendanite. This place would be heavenly if it wasn't for the layer of unavoidable horse poop, mostly from the wild horses that pass through at night.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/05/2011-nz-to-sf-day-12.html

25 May 2011:

Looks like a good amount of village life revolves around the stream running by the village.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/05/2011-nz-to-sf-day-12.html

25 May 2011:

A central grassy area in the village of Tiendanite. The main guest hut, house, and eating area are behind me to the right. I'm staying a bit down the road to the left.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/05/2011-nz-to-sf-day-12.html

25 May 2011:

Jean-Marie Tjibaou's grave. This is probably the most influential and famous person in recent New Caledonian history.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/05/2011-nz-to-sf-day-12.html

25 May 2011:

Inside the more traditional hut I wanted to stay in. The old artsy lady is the lucky one staying in this hut.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/05/2011-nz-to-sf-day-12.html

25 May 2011:

Camping under palm trees by the ocean must also be a great experience, although I'm a bit concerned about falling coconuts. Turns out the dance isn't until much later on, so we decide to head back for lunch. We're a bit disappointed about missing the dance. Apparently different tribes have different traditional dances.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/05/2011-nz-to-sf-day-12.html

25 May 2011:

Many boy scouts turned up for the event as well. Camping under these giant cool-looking trees must be cool, especially at night when the stars are out.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/05/2011-nz-to-sf-day-12.html

25 May 2011:

A cool church by the grounds where the tribal dance was to be held. Turns out the dance is to welcome the visit of the president of the French Red Cross. Taking a quick walk around the area, the kids mentioned something about tribal rivalry, and it not being super safe or something like that.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/05/2011-nz-to-sf-day-12.html

25 May 2011:

I decided to go with an artsy elderly lady to see some kind of special tribal dance event near Hienghène, along with two of the kids of the gîte. Here is a picture of one of the "bridges" leading into Tiendanite, where I am staying, a traditional tribu (tribal village).

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/05/2011-nz-to-sf-day-12.html