La Baie de Nuarei Moorea- Divine- Club Med Moorea Desolate

I really love Tahiti. We spent quite a lot of time there in the 80’s. The weather is superb I love the ‘Frenchness’ of it. It is so beautiful
These days though it has become a really expensive destination for most people…but if you do it the way we just did, it becomes an obtainable holiday. We had facilities for cooking and refrigerator space in both of the places that we were booked into. What more could holiday makers need really!
So we arrived in Moorea.

Our first couple of days were spent at Tamara’s Beautiful Bungalows in La Baie de Nuarei.
Looking out over Tahiti in the distance La Baie de Nuarei is on the most gorgeous lagoon you will see anywhere. Those colours.

We were introduced to Tamara our host and shown to our bungalow
Tamara is the progeny of a Tahitian Mother and a Greek father

What an excellent mix of cultures. She has lived all over the world and the Greek influence is obvious in her beautiful Bungalows.

Our gorgeous bungalow

looking out from our bedroom
Michael and Sheryl were in the larger bungalow

This is part of their delightful bedroom

A sample of another bungalow
So stylish.
Of course on our arrival we had a bottle of Moet and took off for lunch.
It was quite breezy on our side of the island so Tamara suggested lunch at Restaurant Vaimoana just down the road from the old Club Med and old haunt of ours.
Unfortunately it was closed in 2001. The story went out it was because of 9/11, but really it had got quite run down and there was a lot of local politics going on. Club Med can be very decisive and if it doesn’t go their way they just close places down. This was apparent in Iles de Pins, New Caledonia in the 70’s. But that is another story.
Here is the old tennis court. Apparently some of the families who are part of the ownership live there now.

I think the closure did quite a lot of damage to the island’s economy but as the French say “C’est la vie.”
Michael and I had Cheeseburgers in Paradise and Dale and Sheryl tried the local fish. Nice food - Desserts a bit lack-luster but ambience 10/10. Right on the beach
A couple of dusky maidens!!!
There are some very enterprising entrepreneurs on the island when it comes to Take-Aways.

There is the Ma Poulette Van complete with rotisserie chickens.

Put in your order and come back for it in a couple of hours. The aroma is fab. He also sells pate and lasagne.

Then there is a lady with a caravan serving Poisson Cru, Tuna Tartare all freshly made and divine.
We dined on that our first night soaking up the juice with some baguettes.
Along with pre-dinners Vodka and Butterscotch Schnapps and Champagne.
Not too bad for the first day I think.

Next day dawned and we were out in the sun early. Still blowing but we were pretty well sheltered in our little garden.
The water just laps up at the gate. So clear.

We found it necessary to wear beach shoes for swimming, our little city feet can’t take the coral at the edge, but once in, just fabulous. The water temperature was perfect.
Michael and I went shopping. Once again the French influence made the Supermarché exciting. Not too good on fresh vegetables…most of those are imported and not that fresh…good pineapple though - BUT le fromage, les saucisses, foie gras, the bread - excellent. We found nice French rosé wine. Reasonably priced around $NZ22-$NZ35 a bottle.
Great shopping.
Home for lunch. Pre-lunch Pastis. Of course a nap was needed as we had to prepare for our evening. Our hosts Tamara and Michel had invited us over for dinner at their Bungalow. They used to run a restaurant in their resort but it was very hard work.
Michel had already started heating his pizza oven for our dinner. How exciting!

Michel comes from Nice and his Food was very Nicoise influenced...naturellement!
First we had little toasts with olives, tomatoes and cheese
Then the classic Provencal Pissaladiere from his home town.
They kept coming… then Michel made the Pissa Strasboug
This is a Pizza Bianco, a great favourite on the island.
He put Crème fraiche on the base, then lardons of bacon, onions and cheese
Lovely, quite rich though.
He also popped some prawns seasoned with Moroccan spices into the oven – finger licking good.
We were getting really full but the piece de resistance was the dessert.
He smeared pureed apple over the base, apple slices, brown sugar and lots of knobs of butter.
My word it was superb.
We were lucky enough to meet Tamara and Michel’s dear friend Hatara.
All 3 delightful people.
Hatara had brought her ukulele.
It was sing-along time
"Raindrops are falling on my head" Michael's interpretation
The lovely Tamara did her Tina Turner impersonation.
Sensational
We rolled back to Michael and Sheryl’s bungalow and watched "Nouvelle Star"
France’s answer to American Idol.
The winner sang Queen’s “Find Me Someone to Love”
If she was the winner what were the others like?
She looked the part though…très chic.

If you are going to Moorea…this is my highest recommendation

Look at that lagoon. Breathtaking.

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