9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

The cool old-school-looking room the fiafia was held in.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Enjoying a Vailima beer. There was a fire dance, which was pretty amusing as they almost caught fire to some dried grass decorations, one end of someone's torch fell off and almost landed in the grass just outside a room, and one baton was dropped in the pool. I can't tell if they did all of that on purpose of not. At the end of the show, all of them dove into the pool to cool down. I don't blame them, it looks like hard work, especially in this weather!

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

The food at the fiafia. The brown stuff was some kind of chewy papaya dish that was delicious. Of course, the palusami was also good. The sea urchin was disappointing and had way to strong of a bad fish taste to it. The oka (raw fish in coconut milk) was also not as good as similar dishes I've had before. The other items were not memorable, but enjoyable.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Picture of the dancer who I think might be Aggie Grey.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

This person seems to be someone important - perhaps someone involved with the hotel, or it may even be a relative or descendant of Aggie Grey or Aggie Grey herself? I think that may actually be Aggie Grey! She was important enough to have the main dancer lie down in front of her to have her step on - apparently a pretty common move for important women in dances here. Note the epic cartoonish yell at the beginning of the video.

Here's an interesting article on the hotel and Aggie by the New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/1982/05/09/travel/aggie-grey-s-a-fabled-inn.html

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Picture of another dance.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Another dance. The person standing seems to be the star of the show.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Picture of a women's seated dance.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

There were also quite a few seated dances in Samoa.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Picture of the men dancing.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

I found Samoa to have the best dancing overall in the places I've been to in the South Pacific. The dances the men do seem to contain a lot of slapping and yelling.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Picture of the women dancing.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

One of the dances with women as the main dancers.

http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Settling in to the show for the fiafia. Overall, Aggie Grey's was the most "professional" show-like fiafia I watched in Samoa, but I guess that's to be expected at one of the most upscale places here. I eventually realised I was taking things to seriously in Samoa, as everyone's kind of a joker here. A day or two later, once I learned not to take things seriously and at face value, I started having much more fun!

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

View of the coastline in front of Aggie Grey's.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

The harbour. The puffy oceanic clouds are always so pretty at sunset, changing colours as they slowly drift by.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Another view of the sunset over Apia. I love the colour of the light and how it playes with the silhouettes of the trees and lonely monolithic buildings jutting out.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

In font of Aggie Grey's, writing and waiting for the fiafia to start. A small vendor boy tried to sell me some items, then asked for a tala (Samoan currency) after I didn't buy anything. I tend to lean against encouraging child begging and child activities that target tourists as I see it as unsustainable, but maybe I'm wrong. I still haven't fully decided on the issue yet.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

This turned out to be the high court of Samoa. I wonder what, if anything, it says about society when the courts are much larger and well maintained than the parliament buildings.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

View of the coast west of Apia. This capital city feels surprisingly wild, surrounded by the beautiful nature so visible from town.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

There were a lot of important tombs on the peninsula in addition to the parliament and other government buildings. I liked how the light played on the rough surfaces of the tombs. In addition to these older tombs, there were also a few modern and very large mausoleums. One was many times the size and much better maintained than the parliament building.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Nice grove of coconut trees at the tip of the peninsula.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Here's what I came to see! I nearly missed them, if it wasn't for the guys I took a photo of telling me what they were. The green shack was the fale fono (fale = house, fono = meeting), or parliament house, of Samoa up until 1972. The brownish structure to the right is the current parliament house. Notice the painted rocks by the road.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Some random guy asked me to take a photo of him. Apparently Samoans love doing this. His friend stood very close behind me staring at the camera and the LCD screen. At first I was concerned they were going to pickpocket or mug me.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

There are numerous "monuments" and "memorials" around Apia. This one is dedicated to some old German fleet or ship or person of some sort. Also notice the less fancy architecture of the locals in the background.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

There appears to be some sort of shipwreck here.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

View towards central Apia and the hills pinning the capital against the ocean from Mulinu'u Peninsula.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Nice park at the base of Mulinu'u Peninsula, at the tip of which is located the parliament houses.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Buses parked at the smaller bus station in this area. Barbara decides to head back from here, while I continue my walk.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

The flea market past the fish market. Sadly, I never got a chance to visit the fish market when they were open. We bumped into someone staying at my hotel (Samoans here for a party), and we grabbed a very large ice cream together.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

The government building. I took a short walk with Barbara, after a rest and meeting her at Aggie Grey's, where she was staying. I also inquired about the fiafia they are having there tonight. Fiafia, which roughly translated to happy, or celebration, is a show not unlike the "island nights" of the Cook Islands. Fiafias without tourists are effectively village parties.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Aggie Grey's, a famous luxury resort and hotel in Samoa. Apparently their beach resort out of town is closed for filming of Survivor. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that Survivor Samoa is filmed at the top luxury resort of the country.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Walking back after snorkelling at the Palolo Deep Marine Reserve, and meeting Barbara, a fellow traveller from Germany. Apia has a nice shoreline, and the backdrop of pristine hills give a wild feel to the city.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

A very cool-looking church. I found many Samoan children have the disturbing habit of going out of their way towards me, saying "gimme money" and then immediately going away before I have a chance to react. My first encounter was here, when two kids on a bicycle came straight towards me, said "gimme money" as they skimmed past me without slowing down, before returning to the other side of the road.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

I have a habit of taking photos of United Nations offices and administration centres.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Before going to the Museum of Samoa, I asked people if the museum is big and worth visiting. They told me it was very large. I beg to differ. Notice the painted tires. A local told me that Samoans "love to paint rocks" and other things as decorations. Many roads are lined with white-painted rocks. That person, a leader in a tourism association, is trying to get more people to plant plants instead of painting rocks.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

The museum was quite small, just a few air conditioned rooms which I was very thankful for, but had a few cool artefacts.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Old German artifacts in the museum, kind of far away from town centre. Samoa was occupied by Germany in the 1800s, and the partition after the occupation is what separated Samoa (A.K.A Western Samoa) and American Samoa.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Yet another view of the clock tower. Note the red bus on the right. Typical buses in Samoa are run privately, with intricately carved, painted, and decorated wooden frames and benches. They are ridiculously cheap and I don't know how they make up their fuel costs. Also, they blast upbeat tss-tss-tss sounding Samoan pop songs at all times!

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Another view of the clock tower. Looks like there's Chinese to be found all over the world!

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Downtown Apia, with the landmark clock tower and what has to be the largest buildings in Samoa. The one on the left is the Central Bank, and the one right in front is a government building. I assume the bulge at the roof is shaped like a traditional important Samoan fale.

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html

9 June 2011 (-1 in time zone):

Going for a walk around Apia. It is surprisingly hot and humid here. This is Savalalo Market, their central market, close to my hotel and by a busy bus station. I reflected on my flights yesterday and how I crossed the International Date line twice. When I left Rarotonga, it was 7 June, and arrived in Auckland on 8 June, took off the same day and arrived in Samoa on 7 June again. It was like time travel for a day!

Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-27.html