I thought this church with the crepuscular rays were particularly pretty. Sadly, the photo does not do it justice.
Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-28.html
Friday, June 10, 2011
Pretty blue water with the dramatic mountains around the harbour, including Rainmaker Mountain.
Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-28.html
View of the coastline of the harbour opposite the dramatic mountains.
Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-28.html
The random people were celebrating a high school graduation and gave me a strong mixed drink! Score!
American Samoans are visibly richer than Samoans. Apparently most are quite happy with their situation. The Americans provide economic support as it is part of their territory, and although they don't have full representation and are not considered citizens, they are generally left alone to their own devices.
Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-28.html
Once again, I'm stopped in my tracks and asked to take a photo of some random people.
Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-28.html
View of the harbour inlet, beyond which in the open ocean. The dramatic harbour cuts into the middle of the small island, stopping only a kilometre or two from the other side.
Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-28.html
American Samoa had the same bus system, at incredible low prices, and equally loud music. Here, they are known as aiga (family) buses.
Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-28.html
The fale fono, the government building of American Samoa. Unlike Samoa, where the head of state still carries the tribal title of O le Ao o le Malo, and is ranked above the Prime Minister, the head of state here is the American President, and governed by a Governor (Togiola Talalelei A. Tulafono at the time of my visit). If you are curious, the O le Ao o le Malo of Samoa at the time of my visit is Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Ta'isi Tufuga Tupuola Efi, and the Prime Minister is Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi. Don't forget to pronounce "g" as "ng." Man, those Samoan names are a mouthful.
Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-28.html
View up the harbour. I really love the the steep green walls rising dramatically up along the water.
Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-28.html
Classic view of Pago Pago Harbor, with Rainmaker Mountain jutting up the middle. Sadly, these beautiful waters are now quite polluted, as much debris, fuel, and other chemicals were swept into the harbour by the devastating 2009 earthquake and tsunami.
Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-28.html
First view of the Pago Pago's amazing harbour, surrounded by mountains. I love the smoke coming up from the boat across the harbour - it gives it a very frontier-like feeling to the place.
Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-28.html
The malae (Malae O Le Talu), main village green/meeting place. I suspect the word malae is the same word as marae in Maori.
After research, turns out marae = malae. It's amazing now similar but different the Polynesian languages and cultures are.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marae
Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-28.html
The area around the post office.
Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-28.html
US Post Office in Fagatogo ("fahng-a tong-o"), downtown Pago Pago. I thought it was cool to see a US Post office in such a far-flung corner of the world.
Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-28.html
What says America more than McDonalds and SUVs - seen on the way from the airport. I also saw American cartoons at playing at the airport, which made me feel strangely at home. Nick, my Couchsurfing host, who works for the USDA or some such government organization, generously picked me up at the airport during his lunch break.
Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-28.html
About to touch down at Tafuna International Airport near Pago Pago (pronounced pahng-o pahng-o). I think this takes over as the most exotic-sounding place I've flown into. Fayaoue had a very short run with this title after it took over from Ouarzazate only a few weeks ago.
Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-28.html
My first view of American Samoa after a turbulent flight! My first view of American Samoa. Too bad it was cloudy, but I guess it gave it kind of a mysterious feel to it. Tutuila is the main island, the island I'm landing on. I wanted to visit Ofu, with apparently one of the best beaches of the world, but flights were not running there while I was visiting.
Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-28.html
I decided that it was worth a quick visit to American Samoa while I am here, since a flight only cost just over $100 round-trip, while airfare from anywhere that isn't Samoa is much more expensive.
Rough notes:
http://mandarinmanmarktravelnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nz-to-sf-day-28.html
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