 |
| “Oh no we can’t sell you half of
these,” the Bora Bora proprietor insisted. As a result, I bought nothing. |
One oddity common among most Polynesians – they don’t like
to bargain.
In my case, the issue is usually not about price, but
quantity. Much as I love starfruit (“carambole”
in French Polynesia), the two of us can eat only a few each a day. If it ripens faster than that – and everything
ripens quickly in this tropical climate -- it will rot. When I ask if it’s possible to buy a less
than a dozen or so at once, usually the proprietor instead slips me a few more
and asks if I can buy 5-10 papayas or mangoes, too.
 |
| Red bananas are best cooked in a fire pit, so I don’t buy them. These were for sale in Bora Bora. |
Sometimes here I feel
like Jack
Nicholson trying to order a sandwich in “Five Easy Pieces.”
When I can, I split my purchases with other cruisers,
sometimes simply give them whatever I know we can’t eat in time. Usually though, we find we’re frequently more
adventurous incorporating local fruit and veg into our diet than our fellow
cruisers.
 |
| Fresh starfruit, canned hearts of palm, chopped dry salami, kalamata olives, scallions and home-made vinaigrette. Affordable fruit, good use. |
Much as fresh and local appeals, sometimes, when “family
sized*” portions are required, I just have to walk away.
*It’s not usual for Polynesian families to number around 25
members.
For families who buy meter-long baguettes by the dozen, I
suspect my desire to purchase such meager portions seems a little crazy. But there’s just the two of us, and I hate
waste.
 |
| These bananas and mangoes ripened too quick for us to consider a repeat purchase for passage food in Maupiti. |
Location Location
Written in Maupiti, our last stop in French Polynesia
(S16.26.838 W152.14.690) and set to post while we’re underway on an 1,100+ mile
passage to Pago Pago, American Samoa. We
hope to stop for some R&R at Suwarrow in the Cook Islands along the way,
though we expect no wifi in that remote location.
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