Dear Family and Friends, What does it really mean to be "friendly"? Today we went ashore in our dinghy to see what lay behind the palm trees lining the beach backed by a tall lava cliff sweeping skyward in sharpest relief against the sky. As we neared the concrete quay we noticed a young man standing alone as though waiting for us. He waved and smiled and pointed to where we should tie up and willingly holding our bow line gave us a hand up the tall step to get shoreside. We chatted in French while I put on my Tevas and he asked if we wanted to see the petroglyphs or perhaps the artisans living in town. We were delighted to have a guide. He proceeded to show us around town and introduce us to artists who sculpt in bone, Marlin spike and Rosewood. We bought a few things but mostly we talked about what the art means to the artists themselves. The pieces were amazing especially the sea animals captured in movement with just the right light hearted swish of a tail or sweep of soft octopus. I wished we had brought more money to buy a really special piece but there are no banks here and we had little cash. The artists mostly sell their work in Tahiti. The artists all work in their homes so we also were privileged to meet their beautiful smiling children and wives and dogs. One artist gave us a large pumpkin-like squash and on seeing our joy at receiving such a gift he gave us another and then another. I asked how they prepare the squash and he explained they fry it until it is soft and mix it with a little sugar. Then beat in fresh homemade coconut milk. Delicious! I can imagine and I will try to make it. The day grew warm as it approached noon and we were ready for a swim so we set a time to come back to see the petroglyphs in the afternoon. We asked about buying some fruit but he answered that it was not possible to buy fruit here. Everything was free. He smiled but then added that also it was just past the fruit season and nothing was ripe. We took our amazing pumpkins and headed back to the boat. While we walked he explained he was nineteen and a half years old and he would leave in June to join the army and go fight in Afghanistan. I imagined how different that would be from this tranquil paradise. Apres midi we returned to find him waiting again on the concrete quay with a friend and a car. He had to pack into the very back of the car since we had one person too many. He had no windows and no breeze and it was warm but he smiled all the way. He took us to see the petroglyphs carved into a big rock in the wooded area. The road was rugged and dirt and twisted up the mountain testing the car every inch of the way. The last part we walked and the well kept path to the rock was marked with hibiscus flowers carefully strewn along the way. After this he took us to see the cross that marks the center of the bay. It is a shrine standing high up on a rocky prominence with two flagpoles in front -or so say the guide books but actually they are not flagpoles but torches which are lit during Easter week. We turned to look toward the sea and our friend now explained that this center prominence of rock was the center to the heart with a lobe of bay on either side. Indeed we realized it was a perfect top of a heart with the inferior aspect left open to the sea. There the sun was nearing the horizon. Behind us stood the sheer cliff of lava sweeping to the sky and the shrine. He then went on to explain that during each month of the year the sun rises at a different notch along the cliff and we could see that of course this too would be true. Next he told us that in the land of the Marquesans the Sun rises and the wind follows. The wind sweeps the clouds along with it so that everything follows the Sun. His beautiful descriptions lovingly encompassed all that we beheld around us. On our way back down the mountain we stopped to see the pig pen full of impressive mother pigs and he caught a little squealer for us to pet. Then we stopped to rescue a goat entangled in his tether which was conveniently near a tree loaded with beautiful big juicy limes which he invited us to gather. Just prior to ending our outing and returning to the dinghy our guide disappeared claiming he was going home to wash the pig smell from his hands. He promised he would intercept us at the concrete quay. Upon our arrival he was waiting with a pitcher of water for hand washing and icy cold coconuts which he quickly opened with a machete offering us each one to drink. Of course we were at this point very grateful for his time and the good car which took us about and the fuel and the refreshments and above all the friendship he had so freely given and we asked what we owed him. With a generous smile he refused even money to cover the gas for his friend's car. I suppose "friendly" actually means "in a manner which is like a friend". In this he surpassed all previous experience and he achieved it as easily and comfortably as to make us feel like old, old friends. I am struck by what a gift it is to spend heartfelt time with another human being and especially to take the risk of it with someone whose language you barely speak and who only a few moments ago you did not know. What a beautiful day! With a renewed sense of much love to you all, Pat and John and Rebekah and Sushi aboard S/V The Rose in Tefau Bay, Tahuata, The Marquesas May 2nd. 2012 Position: 10 degrees 28 minutes South, 138 degrees 40 minutes West.