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After a long trip from Houston to LA to Tahiti (around 12 hours) we
were greeted at the FAA airport in Tahiti by Polynesian singers and
flowers. It was hot and humid but quickly we went through
customs and found a cab to our hotel, the Sheraton Hotel Tahiti in
Papeete. The hotel was very nice with an "endless
pool" which we swam in the first night. During the day you
can see Moorea ("Bali
Hai") in the distance.
The very next morning we got up early and were lucky to see our ship, the R3,
pulling into the Papeete harbor past our hotel. We later had nice breakfast in
the Sheraton "overwater" restaurant overlooking beautiful Moorea in the
distance.
Papeete is the largest city in
French Polynesia and also is the capital of Tahiti and her
Islands. Laid out around the waterfront, Papeete has many
small shops stretching from the business end of town, past the
Market and to the center of town. "Le Vaima", opposite the
wharf is the largest commercial complex in the country, having 3
levels, 85 small boutiques and specialized shops, restaurants, bars,
travel agencies, book stores, banks, movie theaters and more.
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