Sunday, February 22, 2009

Our first full day in Samoa

We took the "Cross Island Road" and traveled from Apia through the middle of the island to the other shore.  We had a blast seeing the countryside.  Before we left Apia we spend a couple of hours at the market.  It was so amazing to see all of the handicrafts.  Helen slept the whole time in the handy sling that my friend Jenny sent us.  Grandpa Jeff pushed Siri around in the stroller.  Siri was as always the recipient of many smiles.  Her blond hair and blue eyes are a rarity in this part of the world.  People seem to just like looking at her.  And, they give her stuff a lot.  One woman was so happy to see her eating fried bananas that she kept giving her more for free despite the fact that I tried to pay her multiple times.  After the market we had lunch at a great restaurant on the harbor.  The pig is pictured below.  On our drive we stopped at this waterfall.  Try saying that name three times fast.  I can't even say it one time slowly.  Siri called it a 'shower.'  I guess you could call it a shower.  
She loves to climb.  She actually calls her self a climber: "Siri Climber, Siri Climber."

Jeff and Julie are sitting across from us, but conspicuously missing from the meal was Helen.  In Samoa and American Samoa the extended families often live together so that you have many many generations in the same home, or at least as neighbors.  Villages are often comprised of one big family, or maybe two or three families.  What this means for us is that were every we go, here or there, the waitresses are flattered if we let them take our baby.  They love to hold them.  So we were able to enjoy the whole relaxing meal while Helen was whisked to the back of the restaurant to hang out and play with the waitresses.  

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