Showing posts with label Suva. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Suva. Show all posts
Sunday, January 21, 2018
Monday, January 15, 2018
Monday, December 4, 2017
Sunday, September 24, 2017
Monday, August 7, 2017
Friday, August 4, 2017
Flying Fijians vs Scotland
Unfortunately, during the Fiji 7s season, they never actually play in Fiji...they always play in big tournaments around the world (this whole Rugby religion is new to us...lol), but you always know when they are playing because no matter what time the game is on locally Fijians will gather to cheer the boys on. You can be doing the most mundane activity, when you hear suddenly massive cheering from every direction outside your house (benefit of mild weather and no need for good insulation?)....I hit send on that email !!!cheers!!!, or hung up some laundry !!!cheers!!!, or rolled over in my bed at 2 am !!!cheers!!! While I'm fairly certain no one is really watching me, I can with confidence turn my TV on to ESPN and watch rest of the game with my neighbors. !!!cheers!!!
So a little more than a few weeks back, we had a chance to see a Flying Fijians Test Match game. While again, we don't know much about rugby and I don't quite understand the whole system there were two games to be played here in Suva (there aren't many big games that are played here), one against Italy and one against Scotland.....so I wanted to try and go to one of them. We had other things going on the weekend of the Italy game, I asked the rest of the family how they'd like to a rugby game....I got a lot of 'ehs' and 'whatev's. So I took that to mean YES! On the day of the game, when I got a few groans I initiated mandatory family fun!
When I got the tickets, I asked what time they recommended getting to the Arena. The game started at 2:30. They said everyone will get there at 2:00 and the gates back up big time, so getting there around 1:30 you would avoid long lines. Also, within each seating area, it was open seating. So you would have more seat options the earlier you arrived. It also gave us some time to get some drinks/snacks, we watched the teams warming up, and we got to enjoy the marching band.
The Fiji Police Marching Band has beautiful uniforms and it is always a treat when you get to see them perform.
Richard, who was a sports photographer previously in life, walked down close to the field and snapped some photos (that's also where I got those up-close and personal photos of the band!). Since we ended up with so many photos from the game (much more exciting)....I won't bombard you yet...but I really liked this team photo.
In fact, if you look close (I circled it for you....click on the image to see us larger), you can see what awesome seats we got. Close enough to have a great view of the field but we were still under the overhang in case it started to rain again (the row of seats in front of us were wet) or got super sunny we had shade.
As you saw at the end of video, some Fijians in traditional dress came out at the towards the end of the band's performance. They walked behind each band member and did something (we couldn't tell what).
They then walked off the field and made an entranceway for the teams to run through.
Scotland came out first, followed by the Flying Fijian! (I couldn't find a team name for Scotland).
Both teams lined up for the band to play their respective national anthems. Scotland's was played first. There was a large group of Scots sitting to the left of us. It appeared the marching band was playing their anthem too slowly, they were having a hard time singing it...and kept making these annoyed faces....oh Fiji.
Next up, was the Fiji National Anthem. Every Friday at assembly, the kids sing the national anthem, as well as their school song (naturally)...so they know the song very well. So when it was playing Clarissa sang along with the rest of the Fijians. Clarissa will get shy if she knows I'm recording her...so I snuck a bit of her belting out the Fijian Anthem....it's so cute! (I am well aware of the fact that if we go to a baseball game in the US I will likely demonstrate a parenting fail and she would not know the words to the Star Spangled Banner...).
The team performed the 'Bole'. Similar to the All-Blacks famous Haka, the Bole means an 'acceptance of challenge'. They form a semi-circle around the leader, using a side approaching stance, advance with their battle cry, and ending it with a jump. Pretty cool stuff!
So in all, we had just under 500 photos to weed through....so given we don't fully understand the rules of rugby, we don't know anything about the players (other than some are on the 7s team)...we had just come for fun and Richard was playing with the camera and taking lots and lots of photos. So what to do, what to do.....so naturally, I went through and have picked out the photosthat have the best stop action are just the most awkwardly funny! I'll add a little commentary here and there for funsies.
So my take on the rules of rugby are: everything you learned in Kindergarten....do the opposite.....steal the ball - don't share, hit the other team as hard as you can, run as fast as you can.
The lifting teammates in the air to grab the ball were amazing feats....and great when the other team doesn't get the ball!
Or when your team causes the other team to miss the ball! Some good facial expressions here too!
This next one is a great one for facial expressions too, the magic of stop action boys and girls.....
This next is a two part series...almost added word bubbles. The Scot in the middle is like 'I'm gonna get you'....
and sure enough in the next frame he's taking him out....
but that's the great thing about Rugby vs American football. The game keeps going. You've got a pile of players on the ground but the game keeps going as you throw the ball to teammates who keep it moving down the the field.
You just run as far as you can and hope you have a teammate who can catch the ball when you get tackled.
This is a scrum. It is done when one of the teams had a minor rule infringement (thanks google), but I don't understand much more than that. They push back and forth then the ball gets put down and someone grabs it and play starts again.
One of the best aerial stop action shots....and they don't have any pads or helmets!! (Alternatively, two players from opposing teams are now besties and playing airplane?)
The guy with the ball hasn't been hit yet but look at his face, he is totally bracing for the Flying Fijian about to take him down!
So much going on in this shot. It was well into the game before either team scored and Fiji scored first! The ref is giving a thumbs up for a successful try. The photographer's huge grin, likely that she got a great scoring shot. Of course, the best part, all the fans on the grass embankment celebrating!
The Fiji Sun was passing out signs when we were walking in. It said 'Go Fiji Go' on one side....or the same thing in Fijian on the other side. Clarissa celebrated by holding up the sign when they scored.
I like the guy trying to grab ball/block the runner.
Aahh, group hug!!!
At halftime we got some Oreo's....one was put together wrong....we had to take get a picture of the cookie.....but it ended up being a nice picture.....
So after halftime, we switched which end we were trying to score on. So now we had a great view of the Pacific Ocean every time the team was trying to score! I love this shot right after they scored again, they were congratulating each other.
This one has lots of funnies. I like the one guy in the middle who appears that he stopped in the middle of play to do a burpee. lol.
Perfect example of un-kindergartener like behavior....look at those two fighting over the ball! They belong in time out...lol.
Poor little Fijian running with the ball, with five Scots trying to determine how to attack him best!
This one is just funny faces all around. A random arm smashing into someones face. The ball is just floating with it appears no one has control over it.
I don't think the Scot kindly asking stop don't tackle me is going to work....lol.
Their faces remind me of some 1980s movie where the ball is some fragile egg about to shatter on the ground in mere moments.
We celebrated at the end of the game. Fiji won 27 to Scotland's 22. It had been predicted Scotland would win, that made it even more exciting! Clarissa went to town blowing the horn she had gotten.
At some point during the game, she had noticed her music teacher from school was sitting a few rows behind us. After the game she waved and Mr. Tim waved back and daddy got a photo of him waving at her.
After the game, both teams come together in a group huddle. It shows really good sportsmanship after they just beat each other up a bunch. Lol.
So as we were walking out, everyone said what a fun time they had and we should do it again. Yeah, don't know when there will be another game in town....but I'm glad I insisted on 'mandatory family fun'....I greatly enjoyed saying I told you so!
So a little more than a few weeks back, we had a chance to see a Flying Fijians Test Match game. While again, we don't know much about rugby and I don't quite understand the whole system there were two games to be played here in Suva (there aren't many big games that are played here), one against Italy and one against Scotland.....so I wanted to try and go to one of them. We had other things going on the weekend of the Italy game, I asked the rest of the family how they'd like to a rugby game....I got a lot of 'ehs' and 'whatev's. So I took that to mean YES! On the day of the game, when I got a few groans I initiated mandatory family fun!
When I got the tickets, I asked what time they recommended getting to the Arena. The game started at 2:30. They said everyone will get there at 2:00 and the gates back up big time, so getting there around 1:30 you would avoid long lines. Also, within each seating area, it was open seating. So you would have more seat options the earlier you arrived. It also gave us some time to get some drinks/snacks, we watched the teams warming up, and we got to enjoy the marching band.
The Fiji Police Marching Band has beautiful uniforms and it is always a treat when you get to see them perform.
Richard, who was a sports photographer previously in life, walked down close to the field and snapped some photos (that's also where I got those up-close and personal photos of the band!). Since we ended up with so many photos from the game (much more exciting)....I won't bombard you yet...but I really liked this team photo.
In fact, if you look close (I circled it for you....click on the image to see us larger), you can see what awesome seats we got. Close enough to have a great view of the field but we were still under the overhang in case it started to rain again (the row of seats in front of us were wet) or got super sunny we had shade.
As you saw at the end of video, some Fijians in traditional dress came out at the towards the end of the band's performance. They walked behind each band member and did something (we couldn't tell what).
They then walked off the field and made an entranceway for the teams to run through.
Scotland came out first, followed by the Flying Fijian! (I couldn't find a team name for Scotland).
Both teams lined up for the band to play their respective national anthems. Scotland's was played first. There was a large group of Scots sitting to the left of us. It appeared the marching band was playing their anthem too slowly, they were having a hard time singing it...and kept making these annoyed faces....oh Fiji.
Next up, was the Fiji National Anthem. Every Friday at assembly, the kids sing the national anthem, as well as their school song (naturally)...so they know the song very well. So when it was playing Clarissa sang along with the rest of the Fijians. Clarissa will get shy if she knows I'm recording her...so I snuck a bit of her belting out the Fijian Anthem....it's so cute! (I am well aware of the fact that if we go to a baseball game in the US I will likely demonstrate a parenting fail and she would not know the words to the Star Spangled Banner...).
The team performed the 'Bole'. Similar to the All-Blacks famous Haka, the Bole means an 'acceptance of challenge'. They form a semi-circle around the leader, using a side approaching stance, advance with their battle cry, and ending it with a jump. Pretty cool stuff!
So in all, we had just under 500 photos to weed through....so given we don't fully understand the rules of rugby, we don't know anything about the players (other than some are on the 7s team)...we had just come for fun and Richard was playing with the camera and taking lots and lots of photos. So what to do, what to do.....so naturally, I went through and have picked out the photos
So my take on the rules of rugby are: everything you learned in Kindergarten....do the opposite.....steal the ball - don't share, hit the other team as hard as you can, run as fast as you can.
The lifting teammates in the air to grab the ball were amazing feats....and great when the other team doesn't get the ball!
Or when your team causes the other team to miss the ball! Some good facial expressions here too!
This next one is a great one for facial expressions too, the magic of stop action boys and girls.....
and sure enough in the next frame he's taking him out....
but that's the great thing about Rugby vs American football. The game keeps going. You've got a pile of players on the ground but the game keeps going as you throw the ball to teammates who keep it moving down the the field.
You just run as far as you can and hope you have a teammate who can catch the ball when you get tackled.
This is a scrum. It is done when one of the teams had a minor rule infringement (thanks google), but I don't understand much more than that. They push back and forth then the ball gets put down and someone grabs it and play starts again.
One of the best aerial stop action shots....and they don't have any pads or helmets!! (Alternatively, two players from opposing teams are now besties and playing airplane?)
So much going on in this shot. It was well into the game before either team scored and Fiji scored first! The ref is giving a thumbs up for a successful try. The photographer's huge grin, likely that she got a great scoring shot. Of course, the best part, all the fans on the grass embankment celebrating!
The Fiji Sun was passing out signs when we were walking in. It said 'Go Fiji Go' on one side....or the same thing in Fijian on the other side. Clarissa celebrated by holding up the sign when they scored.
I like the guy trying to grab ball/block the runner.
Aahh, group hug!!!
At halftime we got some Oreo's....one was put together wrong....we had to take get a picture of the cookie.....but it ended up being a nice picture.....
So after halftime, we switched which end we were trying to score on. So now we had a great view of the Pacific Ocean every time the team was trying to score! I love this shot right after they scored again, they were congratulating each other.
This one has lots of funnies. I like the one guy in the middle who appears that he stopped in the middle of play to do a burpee. lol.
Perfect example of un-kindergartener like behavior....look at those two fighting over the ball! They belong in time out...lol.
Poor little Fijian running with the ball, with five Scots trying to determine how to attack him best!
This one is just funny faces all around. A random arm smashing into someones face. The ball is just floating with it appears no one has control over it.
I don't think the Scot kindly asking stop don't tackle me is going to work....lol.
Their faces remind me of some 1980s movie where the ball is some fragile egg about to shatter on the ground in mere moments.
We celebrated at the end of the game. Fiji won 27 to Scotland's 22. It had been predicted Scotland would win, that made it even more exciting! Clarissa went to town blowing the horn she had gotten.
At some point during the game, she had noticed her music teacher from school was sitting a few rows behind us. After the game she waved and Mr. Tim waved back and daddy got a photo of him waving at her.
After the game, both teams come together in a group huddle. It shows really good sportsmanship after they just beat each other up a bunch. Lol.
So as we were walking out, everyone said what a fun time they had and we should do it again. Yeah, don't know when there will be another game in town....but I'm glad I insisted on 'mandatory family fun'....I greatly enjoyed saying I told you so!
Sunday, July 30, 2017
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
Sailing on a Drua
So in doing research for the Fiji Staycation we were planning for the second term break, I checked out relatively new website I'd seen advertised at the airport when we'd been flying back from R&R...The Fiji Bula Bible. The site is getting there....it gives you the names of companies and activities to do, but most things are associated with the Nadi area (the tourist side). It's a good research starting point for the moment. Out of curiosity, I searched to see what there was to do in Suva....and found the Drua Experience! So I went a digging and found their website and Facebook page....lots of neat information (including a clip from a news story). I showed Richard and we were sold! There isn't much exciting stuff to do in Suva, so when you find something to do - it's a reason to celebrate. So I contacted them and got us set up for a Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately, Mason had come down with a nasty cold and opted to stay home and rest.
We were told to meet at the Suva Yacht Club, so we headed down there and wondered where we find the drua....we were a bit early....but there was no question where to go when we saw it coming in....
Prior to departing, the crew told us some history (and we took some photos).....the drua is a sacred canoe belonging only to chiefs. They were built for 6,000 years around the Pacific Islands for deep blue water sailing. Nobody really knows from which Oceania island group they originated from, but some of the timber used for the drua only grows in the Lau group of the Fijian Islands. Drua could reach up to lengths of 36 meters (~120 feet!) and hold 200 warriors. Sadly, other than the drua we were about to board, there are no others sailing today! None have been built in over a 100 years! We were told that in building the boats, wood from high up in mountains of the island would be required. Part of the process of getting the wood from there for a chief would involve human sacrifice (also, according to the wiki's the blood of 10 men was needed to ensure the vessel had safe voyages and certain villages had the privilege of providing the men that would provide said honor). When the Christian missionaries began converting Fijians....human sacrifices/cannibalism were customs that were quickly stopped. Without the sacrifices deemed necessary for drua building....sadly drua building stopped as well. There is a drua on display at the unairconditioned Fijian Museum....that drua is preserved, but deteriorating.
In 2009, a group formed to try and revive this aspect of Fijian heritage of sailing/shipbuilding/star navigation. They began doing research into the culture/history of the drua builders before all this undocumented knowledge is lost, as it a skill not being passed on to another generation. In 2014, they began building the 51-foot Fijian double hulled replica and it was launched on October 30, 2016. Now it is available for 2 hour, half day and full day cruises. We opted for the 2 hour since the weather was a bit iffy/overcast and Mason wasn't able to join us.
Clarissa needed a little convincing as well....so we sold it to her as going sailing on a boat like Moana sailed....so she dressed the part, naturally.....
Not sure what she was talking about but this is a much cuter photo (but doesn't show all her dress...I couldn't pick a fave so I'm posting both...you know for the grandparents....).
In times of peace, the Tagaga at the top of the mast is open. In times of war, it would be closed warning of attack. Luckily, this drua comes in peace! (Fun fact, the Tagaga is used all over the country of Fiji as traditional symbol...even on phone booths).
We were told the chief would stand on the platform. For our trip, we were today's "chief" & family and were told to climb up there. Here is Richard looking quite chiefly!
One thought that went through my head, as we climb to the highest point on the boat, what happens when we catch wind in the sail. I was picturing a traditional sailboat heeling over and us taking a quick swim....lol. Once we got out of the marina, the crew raised the sail and explain how it worked to us!
The shape of the sail allows the wind to be pulled upward, which then propels the boat forward....so the boat doesn't lean at all....so our little platform was quite stable and chiefly. :) A local business has a model drua on display....(yep, that was me.....I was the big nerd that waited for everyone to walk by so I could back up far enough take a photo to get the whole thing with no one it). Since being on the boat we just didn't have a super wide-angle camera to get a good shot of the whole sail....I'll show you the model photo.
Uh, so my question is....if you don't have to worry about heeling over too far and capsizing....why doesn't every sailboat look into this sail shape?!?! I think one of the coolest things about the sail on the drua is when you are ready to changes directions, you don't need to turn the boat around! In the front and back of the same hull, are identical indentions that the sail fits into. When they were ready to change directions they called "dua, rua, tolu" (which Clarissa has taught me is 1, 2, 3) and suddenly the crew lifts the posts the sail is attached to out of here in the 'front',
squeeze past the mast in the middle,
and briskly walk it back to the indention here in the 'back'. Then you are sailing 180° in the other direction (and now your 'back' is the 'front').
-->
Shells of the common egg cowrie (Ovula ovum) are also used to decorate the drua.
Clarissa quickly got comfortable and then had a hard time sitting still....if you couldn't tell....
Deb taking the uli (steering paddle)....it is harder than it looks....it had a real strong pull. You lifted up to turn one way and pushed down to turn the other way (I've already forgotten). The smallest change really shifted the boat's course too. As to be expected, I had a helper for this!
Richard took a turn at the uli as well. (note, I appeared to navigating, Richard appears to be posing!!)
We noticed (and tried to get a photo of), but I don't recall if we asked and got an answer (and if we did, I forget what it was)...but the two hulls were different lengths.....
When underway, as you tell by the breeze in Clarissa's hair and the blur of water under my toes....we were going pretty quickly! Which isn't much of a surprise, as the Drua was known for it's speed and was rather legendary among western sailors!
All in all, it turned out to be a great afternoon! We had a blast, learned some super interesting Fijian history, got in some extra cuddles, and made some new friends.
We plan to go out again on one of the longer experiences (and take out any future visitors for an afternoon or day of fun too). I have told so many of our local friends about the Drua Experience....I think it is a real treasure in Suva! (Plus a fun place to take selfies from a platform on).
We were told to meet at the Suva Yacht Club, so we headed down there and wondered where we find the drua....we were a bit early....but there was no question where to go when we saw it coming in....
Prior to departing, the crew told us some history (and we took some photos).....the drua is a sacred canoe belonging only to chiefs. They were built for 6,000 years around the Pacific Islands for deep blue water sailing. Nobody really knows from which Oceania island group they originated from, but some of the timber used for the drua only grows in the Lau group of the Fijian Islands. Drua could reach up to lengths of 36 meters (~120 feet!) and hold 200 warriors. Sadly, other than the drua we were about to board, there are no others sailing today! None have been built in over a 100 years! We were told that in building the boats, wood from high up in mountains of the island would be required. Part of the process of getting the wood from there for a chief would involve human sacrifice (also, according to the wiki's the blood of 10 men was needed to ensure the vessel had safe voyages and certain villages had the privilege of providing the men that would provide said honor). When the Christian missionaries began converting Fijians....human sacrifices/cannibalism were customs that were quickly stopped. Without the sacrifices deemed necessary for drua building....sadly drua building stopped as well. There is a drua on display at the unairconditioned Fijian Museum....that drua is preserved, but deteriorating.
In 2009, a group formed to try and revive this aspect of Fijian heritage of sailing/shipbuilding/star navigation. They began doing research into the culture/history of the drua builders before all this undocumented knowledge is lost, as it a skill not being passed on to another generation. In 2014, they began building the 51-foot Fijian double hulled replica and it was launched on October 30, 2016. Now it is available for 2 hour, half day and full day cruises. We opted for the 2 hour since the weather was a bit iffy/overcast and Mason wasn't able to join us.
Clarissa needed a little convincing as well....so we sold it to her as going sailing on a boat like Moana sailed....so she dressed the part, naturally.....
Not sure what she was talking about but this is a much cuter photo (but doesn't show all her dress...I couldn't pick a fave so I'm posting both...you know for the grandparents....).
In times of peace, the Tagaga at the top of the mast is open. In times of war, it would be closed warning of attack. Luckily, this drua comes in peace! (Fun fact, the Tagaga is used all over the country of Fiji as traditional symbol...even on phone booths).
We were told the chief would stand on the platform. For our trip, we were today's "chief" & family and were told to climb up there. Here is Richard looking quite chiefly!
One thought that went through my head, as we climb to the highest point on the boat, what happens when we catch wind in the sail. I was picturing a traditional sailboat heeling over and us taking a quick swim....lol. Once we got out of the marina, the crew raised the sail and explain how it worked to us!
The shape of the sail allows the wind to be pulled upward, which then propels the boat forward....so the boat doesn't lean at all....so our little platform was quite stable and chiefly. :) A local business has a model drua on display....(yep, that was me.....I was the big nerd that waited for everyone to walk by so I could back up far enough take a photo to get the whole thing with no one it). Since being on the boat we just didn't have a super wide-angle camera to get a good shot of the whole sail....I'll show you the model photo.
Uh, so my question is....if you don't have to worry about heeling over too far and capsizing....why doesn't every sailboat look into this sail shape?!?! I think one of the coolest things about the sail on the drua is when you are ready to changes directions, you don't need to turn the boat around! In the front and back of the same hull, are identical indentions that the sail fits into. When they were ready to change directions they called "dua, rua, tolu" (which Clarissa has taught me is 1, 2, 3) and suddenly the crew lifts the posts the sail is attached to out of here in the 'front',
squeeze past the mast in the middle,
and briskly walk it back to the indention here in the 'back'. Then you are sailing 180° in the other direction (and now your 'back' is the 'front').
-->
Sorry the indention photo is blurry....I was going for the turtle carving....the detail on the boat was phenomenal! It took about two years for the boat to built. They tried to keep as true to the traditional design as possible, with a couple exceptions. The hull has been reinforced with fiberglass to hopefully increase longevity, some modern day regulation jackets/boat fenders, and it does have a motor to move under power while in marinas once the sail has been put down. The rope/line detail of how the platform was put together....
Shells of the common egg cowrie (Ovula ovum) are also used to decorate the drua.
Clarissa quickly got comfortable and then had a hard time sitting still....if you couldn't tell....
Deb taking the uli (steering paddle)....it is harder than it looks....it had a real strong pull. You lifted up to turn one way and pushed down to turn the other way (I've already forgotten). The smallest change really shifted the boat's course too. As to be expected, I had a helper for this!
Richard took a turn at the uli as well. (note, I appeared to navigating, Richard appears to be posing!!)
We noticed (and tried to get a photo of), but I don't recall if we asked and got an answer (and if we did, I forget what it was)...but the two hulls were different lengths.....
When underway, as you tell by the breeze in Clarissa's hair and the blur of water under my toes....we were going pretty quickly! Which isn't much of a surprise, as the Drua was known for it's speed and was rather legendary among western sailors!
All in all, it turned out to be a great afternoon! We had a blast, learned some super interesting Fijian history, got in some extra cuddles, and made some new friends.
We plan to go out again on one of the longer experiences (and take out any future visitors for an afternoon or day of fun too). I have told so many of our local friends about the Drua Experience....I think it is a real treasure in Suva! (Plus a fun place to take selfies from a platform on).
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