Here I sit at an internet cafe made from a cargo container high on a hill overlooking part of the harbor city Atuona on Hiva Oa. Just saw a sign stating they open at 8:30 am so I'll have to wait a bit for internet password. Yesterday morning I moved off the boat (until April 2nd) into a penison de familie (B&B style home) with Joseph and Simone. For $50 per day they include a bed and family shared WC, breakfast of juice, coffee, fresh fruit, cheese and bread, butter and jams. Also, they provide dinner, here's where I got lucky as Joseph is the cook at the best restaurant around, the "Pearl". Last night he cooked this pork and cabbage dish, with rice, bread and salad. (delish) A couple nights ago, at the $35 dinner sponsored by the ARC at the Pearl, Joseph remembered me as we talked awhile at the buffet line. The "Pearl" had bongo drummers and dancers. I heard from a fellow boater, that the music they were playing was very popular 500 years ago, and it still tells tales the same story. If my translation is correct, it was about the arrival of the white man, having everyone look up towards heaven, while the earth was taken from under their feet. The guys were doing a bunch of grunting, while the girls rocked their belly dancing. Great entertainment and the pawns, goat meat and poke were outstanding.

This island has some tiki's statues that are a couple hours’ drive away and smaller ones nearby, haven't decided if I'll do a half or the full tour today. I was able to move my flight to Nuka Hiva from Sunday to Thursday, so I'm hoping Nuka Hiva has more to offer. At least it's more expensive as pension will be $78 per night with breakfast, however I'm sure they won't have the chickens and goats that Simone has. I thought roosters only crowed at sunrise, these are bellowing all day and quite at night.

The village at Hiva Oa, has no traffic lights, in fact I haven't even seen a stop sign. There are there markets, all-inclusive food, clothes and hardware, a post office, tourist booth and a art gallery of the French painter Paul Gauguin, whom left Paris and lived his remaining years on Hiva Oa, in solitude. I would of believed that in solitude, until I was walking around on the grounds where his home and found this sign..."Maison du Jouir - House of Pleasure" on a small building next to his house and well.

Ok now it's 8:45 and no Sandra yet. I'll sit and enjoy the sound of waves to my back and watch the grass grow on the hill side. Wait another ARC sailboat is leaving. Most are headed south to Fuka Hiva, to "Virgin Bay". I got my days confused or I would have taken the Island Shuttle Boat their yesterday, but then I would not have had a chance to meet Joseph and Simone.
Sandra is here – I’m online once again….