And I got some free time to myself to explore Apia...
Walking along the Beach Road, I am heading to pick up some gifts for family...
Traditional Samoan shirt...
The Samoans appear quite relaxed and probably that's what makes them the "Happy People"...
That's heavy traffic, by Samoan standards...
A government office building...
Three landmarks of Apia in one frame - the Apia Town Clock, the Central Bank of Samoa and the Samoa Government Building...
Artisanal foods on sale...
And they say that over half the Samoan population is obese. This isn’t solely caused by genetic disposition or the availability of processed foods, but also due a historical belief that obesity is a symbol of health, wealth and happiness. Traditionally, village chiefs (matai) were fed the most in terms of quantity and quality and thus obesity came to be seen as a symbol of status...
The Apia Town Clock again...
There is a certain old world feel, an indescribable colonial charm in Apia...
Passing by ANZ Bank - Samoans in their bright colourful shirts withdrawing money from the ATM. ANZ is special for me - India used to have an ANZ operation called ANZ Grindlays where my parents opened my first bank account for me!
And Bluesky is a major telecom service provider - services are quite costly here as connectivity is provided through satellite and there are talks of an undersea cable as well...
A traditional Samoan bus - Samoans say you can see the best of human nature if you travel on these buses...
The Immaculate Conception Cathedral again...
Another colourful bus...
A closer view of the Cathedral...
The origins of the church date back to 1852, when Bishop Bataillon a plot of land here in the Mulivai area of Apia. Work was interrupted by epidemics, and a hurricane in 1854, which destroyed eight ships and caused great damage to the plantations, resulted in problems in the food supply. So that only in 1857, the original church was completed. Again in 2009. the church was badly damaged in the earthquake of 2009. A reconstruction followed, giving it the shape we see today...
Another colourful bus...
You are never far from a pizza...
...or a Vailima Beer, in Apia!
The Samoan national flag, featuring the Southern Cross in the blue canton...
The police headquarters...
A lovely tree...
Look at that!
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