RAROTONGA, COOK ISLANDS, ISLAND PART 2

Not our photo, but a good aerial view of the eastern half of the island taken from the south

Touring the Highland Paradise Cultural Center prior to the dinner show depicting Cook Island dance, history and culture.

We adventured into  the "Cross-Island Walk", which is more like a strenuous steep hike through thick foliage.

The Needle at 1,355 feet above sea level, not very high by Montana standards, but hiking to it felt like it was much higher

Local watering hole at one end of the Cross-Island Walk

This being their low season (summer), we were fortunate to get upgraded to a Beach Villa for 3 nights, and this huge Executive Villa for 2 nights

Emerging coconut industry at a local home. Coconut meat is partially dried slowly by a fire fueled by the husks of the coconuts. The product is then pressed to make coconut oils, plain and flavored, for cooking. Other products include coconut skin and hair care products. All of the coconut is utilized and none is wasted. Shells and husks are also used for mulch, and the meat after being pressed is fed to the pigs and chickens.

Not much of a vanilla industry compared to French Polynesia, but it is still in its infancy

Road crew

Matutu Brewing Company, the one and only local craft brewery.

Missionaries came to the Cooks beginning in 1823, Christianizing the entire population. The tribal wars and cannibalism ended as many churches were built during the years to follow.

Public bus service is reasonably reliable and mostly on schedule. One bus goes clockwise, and the other anti-clockwise (counterclockwise) around the almost perfect 20 mile circumference of the island.

Everyone, locals and tourists alike, come out for the Saturday morning market. Local produce, fish, flowers, crafts, and black pearls are some of the most well represented vendors. The Cooks only bring in about 120,000 tourists a year, mostly from New Zealand and Australia, which is minuscule compared to several million tourists visiting the Hawaiian Islands

I close the Cook Island blog series with another photo of my island girl. We hope to return to this island paradise next year, and perhaps also visit New Zealand during our journey back to the South Pacific. JIR