French Polynesia 2018: June 1, 2018-Scuba diving with Eleuthera Tahiti, pool time, Lagoonarium fish feeding, Dinner Soiree Merveileuse Polynesian buffet and Tahitian dance show

Our alarm goes off at 6:10 AM as Richard is diving today with an early pick up time of 7:45 AM. We walk to the lobby area which is a straight shot from our room on the 3rd level. Then we take the elevator down to level 1 where we can enter the place for breakfast. This is our first breakfast here and we are overwhelmed by the amount of variety in the buffet. Much more than the other 2 Intercontinental properties we stayed at. For me it's passion fruit juice, fruit, toast. I get 2 eggs over easy-done perfectly-and will attempt 1/2 cup coffee. Richard gets his same old deal of cereal and vegetables. He returns to our room to get his diving gear while I wait in the reception area. I talk to the concierge who tells me I can take the shuttle service between the hotel and the city. Operates from Monday to Saturday. Departure times: 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM. Return from the city times: 11:30 AM, 2:20 PM, 4:30 PM. Cost is 500 XPF per person one way. There's a limited number of seats (8) so reservations are needed. Do I want to go into the city by myself? At night a taxi will cost 3000 XPF one way.

Looks like it will be a nice day

Follow the signs to breakfast

Breakfast

Fruits

Grapefruit

Cantaloupe

Oranges

Pineapple

Peaches

Lemons and limes

Poisson cru Tahitian

Toaster

Yogurt

Fruit and yogurt

Brie and emmental cheese

More cheese

Tomato juice

Lots of juice choices

Tomatoes Provencale

Grilled vegetables

Scrambled eggs

Well done bacon on the left and medium bacon on the right

Porridge

Hard boiled eggs

Chicken sausages

Mushrooms

Bacon stew

Straw potatoes

Rustic potatoes

Pancakes

Rice

Eggs over easy

Fruit and toast

Passion fruit juice

Vegetables for Richard

What breakfast would cost if not included with your room

Seating inside

Seating outside by the pool

Cereals

Apple buns

Choux pastry

Pain au chocolate

Raisin roll

Muffins

Croissants

Jams, preserves.....

Richard gets picked up for his diving with Eleuthera Tahiti. Sites he is scheduled for are Source and Aquarium. www.eleutheratahiti.com Booked and paid for weeks ago. Cost for 2 tank dive 17500 XPF/$181.17. After he leaves I stop at the gift store and buy a set of temporary tattoos for 600 XPF. I return to our room to update my journal and check for any messages on my computer. There is a ringing at the door. I open the door but nobody there. Find a package attached to the door knob. It contains a gift for me-a pareo. Very nice. Now I have 2 of them. At the pool the water is cold but refreshing. Not many people here. Richard gets back around 1:00 PM. They are cleaning our room so he has to leave his dive gear bag in the shower. He'll have to rinse it later and place the gear out on the balcony to dry. I asked him about his dive. They couldn't go to Source because of the weather. He does go to Aquarium and the site Tahi Ti. Saw wrecks. The diving in Moorea, Bora Bora, and Tahiti has not been that great. Too bad.

Diving today with Eleuthera Tahiti

Dive boat

Wreck dive

Can barely make out that this is a picture of Richard

This is what the hotel uses to transport you and your luggage to your room

Pool time

Working on the roof

Our plan is to watch the fish feeding at Lagoonarium at 3:00 PM. There's only 1 other person there. The hotel staff person gives us handfuls of the fish food to toss to the fish. There are lots of fish here now. All shapes, sizes, colors. Very pretty. We return to our room. Richard rinses his dive gear and puts it on the balcony to dry. We see what appears to be a wedding taking place. We watch from our balcony. It's colorful and there's music and dancing. The couple signs some papers?? Then they are escorted down the walkway that goes in front of where our room is located. We don't know where they're going but we wish them well.

Scuba gear drying on the balcony

Think this is a wedding that we saw from our balcony

Dinner-Te Tiare. Theme night. Soiree Merveilleuse Polynesian buffet and Tahitian dance show. I made a reservation for this long ago and have requested a table with a nice view of the show. Group Hei Tahiti. Cost 10790 XPF per person, drinks not included. The buffet is from 7:00-8:30 PM and the show is from 8:30-9:30 PM. We arrive and are escorted to table #122 which is front row, center. A perfect spot. Drinks-Hinano for Richard and a cosmopolitan for me. I think I've tried lots of different cocktails and they have all been delicious! We are told to start the buffet. I can't believe my eyes. The choices are staggering! So many mouth watering things. There are tons of appetizers, salads, vegetables. The presentation is out of this world. So pretty. And the desserts.............. My first plate ends up with poisson cru Tahitian style, a roll with butter, blinis with whipped cream, a glass shooter of beetroot & tuna terrine, smoked chicken salad. It was all yummy. Richard's first plate is raw tuna salt fish style, spicy octopus salad, smoked swordfish, parrot fish wrapped in pota leaves with marinated vegetables, shrimp. He's very happy. My second plate is gnocchi gratin, roasted piglet, chicken & local spinach stew, shrimp. I'm taking small portions so I can sample all these amazing dishes. Richard's next trip to the buffet has him getting lime parrot fish, gnocchi gratin, carmelized bananas, chicken & local spinach stew, tuna & tofu. Desserts. Where do I begin. There's just so many and each one looks like a winner. I end up taking my time-marshmallow skewer which I dip into the dark chocolate fountain, fresh fruit skewer, pineapple, chocolate & coffee opera cake, brownie, passion fruit tartlet, raspberry tartlet, and lemon tartlet. Richard is not a big fan of sweets but he has a strawberry tartlet, chocolate & coffee opera cake, chocolate tartlet, strawberry cream puff, and a passion fruit tartlet on his plate! We are both so stuffed. But pleased with the quality of the food. Everything was terrific. Just wish I could have been able to sample more but there was just too much to do that.

I have the cosmopolitan

Hinano for Richard

Pretty table settings

Stage for the show

Happy with Hinano

My cosmo was good

Our table #122

Tuna salt fish style

Poisson cru Tahitian style

Beetroot and tuna terrine in shooter glass and parrot fish wrapped in pota leaves

Lots of shrimp

Duck breast & gizzards salad with red berries dressing

Spicy octopus salad

My first foray to the buffet

Richard's first plate-looking good!

Greeting people as they arrive

Roasted piglet

Papaya local pudding

Breadfruit fries

Ribeye steak

Caravao's shrimp flambeed with whiskey

Gnocchi gratin

Tuna and tofu

Mango rice

Lime parrot fish

Chicken and local spinach stew

Richard second trip to the buffet-gnocchi gratin, tuna & tofu, lime parrot fish, carmelized bananas,
chicken & local spinach stew, local vegetables

I couldn't resist the desserts-passion fruit tartlet, brownie, lemon tartlet, chicken & local spinach stew, gnocchi gratin, shrimp, mango rice, roasted piglet

Pineapple

Papaya

Watermelon

Carmelized bananas and pineapple

Waffle sticks

Milk chocolate founatin

Marshmallow skewers

Dark chocolate fountain

Fruit skewers

Macaroons

Strawberry tartlet

Chocolate and coffee opera cake

Vanilla cream puffs, almond cream tartlets, strawberry puffs, chocolate tartlet, passion fruit tartlet

These were very much a chocolate lover's dream

Wish I could have sampled one of everything!

Not only were they tasty but they were so pretty to look at too

Richard-chocolate tartlet, passion fruit tartlet, strawberry cream puff, chocolate and coffee opera cake, strawberry tartlet

Dark chocolate dipped marshmallows, fruit skewer, lemon tartlet, pineapple tartlet, mystery item, pineapple

Richard has enjoyed his dinner

Wonderful buffet

Dinner was delightful but now we are anticipating the show. There is a group of musicians/singers on the stage now. I will take lots of video and tons of pictures. The young boy who acted with the fire was fantastic. He was so good. This is a very talented group of dancers and the band was great also. My only recommendation to the hotel would be to print out a program with some information as the the different acts. What is the meaning behind the dances and the songs?? I would have loved to have been able to really follow the story if there was one. I liked that they went into the audience and got people to participate. Then there was time for anyone who wanted to take pictures. Richard took a picture of me with 2 of the dancers. Then the ending act was very poignant-the song and the dance. It was a wonderful evening and I'm so glad we decided to do this.