We docked at Apia, Samoa this morning and almost immediately folks were getting off the ship. We had a ship’s tour booked, so after breakfast, we checked in at the Queens Room, got our tour sticker and after a short wait, moved off the ship. After a short bus ride through town, we stopped at a small beach area, it was a photo stop to take some pictures of our ship. The next stop was at the main outdoor market for some major shopping. We had about twenty minutes to help Samoa’s economy. Sandra did her part by purchasing a lovely dress.
The next stop was to the main Catholic Church on the island. It has a beautiful interior with a lot of stained glass and wood paneling. It is amazing that a small country such as Samoa could support such a large church.
The last stop of the tour was Villa Vailima, the home of the writer, Robert Louis Stevenson. He lived there for the last four years of his life. The house is furnished much as it was furnished when Stevenson was alive. His wife and mother continued living there after his death. After the tour, we were served a light snack of local fruits and coconut meat. Everything was very tasty. Stevenson is buried on Mt. Vaea, overlooking both the city and the home he built. Sandra and I found the path to the grave site, however, it is a high hill and a sign at the trail head said it takes 45 minutes to an hour. We saved this walk for another visit.
We headed back to the bus and were soon back on board the ship. By 6:00 in the evening, we were back on the high seas headed for Tonga.
 |
| Pier side during docking |
 |
| Queen Elizabeth |
 |
| The Cathedral |
 |
| Bedroom of Mrs. Stevenson |
 |
| Downstairs Music Area |
 |
| Villa Vailima |
No comments:
Post a Comment