French Polynesia 2018: May 26, 2018-Outrigger canoe race at Matira Beach, kayaking, pool time, snorkeling around our bungalow, dinner at Villa Mahana

Up early enough to catch a bit of sunrise. Breakfast is vegetables and rice for Richard; bacon, tomato and cheese omelet, 1/2 slice French toast, chocolate pastry, and fruit for me.

Sunrise

Yummy vegetables make for a good breakfast

Crispy bacon and omelet

Pain au chocolate, French toast, fruit

Laurence told us yesterday about the hotels competing against each other in a canoe outrigger race and we decide to go. A short walk to Matira Beach at 8:00 AM. Stands are set up representing the different hotels participating. Music playing. Hotels represented-St. Regis, IC Thalasso, IC Le Moana, Sofitel, Conrad, Four Seasons, Le Meridien, Pearl. Most teams have T shirts and caps advertising their hotel. We watch teams gathering in a circle holding hands, putting their canoes in the water. There are bouys set up to mark the course. Lots of locals cheering on their favorite team. The canoes line up for the start. There is an announcer over the loudspeaker giving what I think is a blessing and when finished he gives the "start". Intense paddling. Coming to where the crowds are all watching. As each canoe come in the team falls out and 2nd team takes their places. So there is 2 laps around the course. The Conrad team does not continue with the 2nd lap as they were too far behind I guess. There are referees? out in places along the course. Coming in to finish first is St. Regis, then IC Le Moana. I'm so excited for our resort. Teams gather in front of their canoes for pictures. There is food and drink and the celebrating was still going on when we leave at 10:30 AM. It was a nice time. I took lots of pictures and video.

Matira Beach

IC Thalasso team

Conrad team

IC Thalasso team

Putting the canoes in the water

IC Le Moana team

BB Pearl Beach team

IC Le Moana

Lining up for the start

And they're off

Finishing 1st lap

1st team out while the 2nd team jumps in for the 2nd lap

GO! Go!

In the lead

IC Le Moana is not far behind the leader

St. Regis takes 1st place

IC Le Moana is 2nd

Posing for pictures

IC Le Moana did great!

Back at our resort we spend the rest of the day in the pool and at the beach, trying to kayak (we did tip over!), floating on my float I brought from home, snorkeling around the bungalows close to ours (there's a coral nursery right by our bungalow), having a drink laying out on the loungers on our deck. Just a lazy day. The weather is just awesome-sunny, warm-perfect.

Enjoying the infinity pool

Waterfall in the pool

Some have brought floats to use in the water

End of the pontoon

Sofitel Private Island??

Another end of the pontoon

Mount Otemanu view from end of the pontoon

Relaxing on our deck

Picture I took while kayaking

Richard is not happy that our kayak tipped over

I was trying to take a picture when the kayak tipped!

Snorkeling around our bungalow

Float that I brought with us

Nice way to enjoy the water

Dinner-Villa Mahana. I had made this reservation months ago. Dress code: smart casual. We are supposed to be picked up at 7:00 PM but when we arrive early at 6:35 PM to reception the taxi car is already there. We were told they had been told 6:30 PM pick up. It's very dark so hard to take pictures of the building. We are seated at table #3 and can hardly read the menu even though there is a menu light attached to the menu. Our server had to bring a 2nd set of menu lights as almost impossible to see the menu. Tip: bring a small flashlight. We left ours behind in our bungalow and it would have been helpful. This is a very small restaurant. One seating for dinner of 6 or 7 tables. There is 1 table on the upper level occupied. Then a second table mid level occupied. On the ground floor level there are 4 more tables. Our table and 1 other table occupied. Later 2 other tables become occupied. The menu features 2 complete dinners. Menu Exotic island flavors features seared ahi tuna with vanilla oil, potatoes and lime, mixed green salad; mahi mahi with curry and banana mango sauce, sweet mashed potatoes; roasted beef tenderloin with red wine vanilla sauce, creamy gnocchi and old parmesan cheese; finished with sorbet, banana flambé with old rum and Tahitian vanilla ice cream. Menu Epicurian honeymoon favorite features seafood salad and caviar, seared duck liver with sweet spices; king rock lobster and black tiger prawns risotto with champagne sauce; roasted beef tenderloin with red wine vanilla sauce, creamy gnocchi; warm and creamy chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. Sounds like so much food and way more than I can handle. Our server says the portions are small but still......... There's also a la carte items which is the way we decide to go. Note: no prices on the menu that I could see. We start off by ordering water, 2 mixed green salads which have a black truffle oil dressing and old parmesan cheese. They come to our table in huge bowls! Also on the table is local Tahitian bread wrapped in a banana leaf and regular crusty bread. The Tahitian bread is very dense and not my favorite. Richard makes a great choice with the lagoon fish with lime juice, tomatoes, garden vegetables/asparagus, and pesto. He said the fish was perfect. I got the roasted beef tenderloin and that piece of meat took up the whole plate! So much beef, but so tender and moist. Cooked medium as I had requested. I do believe that piece was at least 10 ozs. if not more. Delicious but poor Richard had to eat half. It was that big a portion. The gnocchi came in a pot. Way too much and way too filling-potatoes and cheese inside the pasta. I was bummed because I had no room for dessert. Maybe I should have ordered the tasting menu. I would have picked Menu Exotic. Cost was written in XPF, euros, and USD. Credit cards accepted. Final bill without tip 21000 XPF/$206.51. This is without any drinks and no dessert so our cost was not bad. We did get to go into the kitchen which is much smaller than I expected for someone to be able to whip up all these food items. The owner/chef Damien does everything himself. He has no help in the kitchen. Amazing. We pose for a picture with Damien and tell him how much we enjoyed our dinner. It is the truth. It's just that my choice was more than I could handle! Back to our bungalow and bed.