Aradonna - 2611 Jun 2014

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Aradonna - 2611 Jun 2014

June 26, 2014 - 19:46
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On Saturday we visited the tiny island of Lape with friends Pieter and Sarah. There are 26 people living here from 5 families and the school has 8 children. We were invited to see the school and were amazed to see everything so well laid out and organised. Going to school here would be a special experience! The whole island is very tidy and clean, in fact it is the only one we have seen where the pigs are kept in a pen rather than running through the gardens and digging up the ground. We were treated to a traditional Tongan feast on Lape and especially enjoyed the fish dishes, one raw (marinated in coconut milk) and one sweet and sour. The four of us went to a very large church in Neiafu on Sunday. It was packed full, with people sitting on the floor at the back. Everyone was wearing beautiful brightly coloured clothes and the throng of singing voices was amazing. No instrumental back up required, the Tongans sung in perfect harmony and good heart. A wonderful experience. Lat er we visited the island of Tapana where a floating art gallery sits. This is a tiny house boat and is known as the Ark Gallery, featuring art inspired by local scenes. After a week of swimming snorkeling and exploring we had a farewell dinner on Tuesday night at Mango Cafe, to say goodbye to Pieter and Sarah and have an early Birthday celebration for Sarah. Today we visited the village of Toula at the far end of Neiafu harbour to get our LPG bottle filled. After walking for a while with our empty bottle a gas company truck came along and told us to get in the back. So we had a ride to the gas filling station on the back of a flat bed truck amongst the rows of gas bottles! Another new experience and good fun. The village of Toula is the first one we have seen with rubbish bins and recycling bins along the street. This initiative seems to be working as the streets are relatively free of rubbish and the whole place looks cared for. Other villages, including the main town of Ne iafu, seem to be drowning in empty soft drink cans and plastic wrappers from chips and noodle packets. The rubbish in most villages really spoils the scenery, but Toula looks and feels like paradise with clean streets and pretty gardens overlooking the harbour.

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