Poema's Odyssey: Ia rahi te Aroha

Aroha : 1) Disinterested love such as God’s for men or love humans should have for one another.

2) Compassion

I traveled the world and made my way around because of "aroha", a Love humans have in their heart and that links each of us beyond any barrier.

Another nice swell hit this week-end, I had nice morning session and decided to paddled to one of the island, off the reef to have a nap and rest for an afternoon session. I landed on the motu (a sandy little island), some women were enjoying their day at the beach under the shade cooking breadfruit for lunch. I also picked myself a shaded spot to land, left my boards on the beach and grabbed my snorkeling gear. The water was really sandy and agitated so I snorkeled on the beach, where the water hits the beach, wondering what a whale could feel like... I let myself go with the water movement and traveled thru sandy valleys, it was trippy and I loved it, relaxed me to the most...

I took a walked around the island and met a man and his children walking around looking for fire wood and coconut leave. He said hi, and we had a short courteous conversation. I went off my way looking for auteraa (little nuts shapped like almonds), I love these nuts as they remind me of my childhood. My mom used to take us to the beach and we would spend hours looking for auteraa and braking them. They are quite small but very tasty. Then I went back to my spot, pick some leafy branches on the way, laid them on the sand and took a nap there, by the water in front of the waves. I woke up and checked the waves, undecided about going back or not... I looked back and saw the man coming towards me with a big plate of food. "I felt "aroha" for you, I saw you eating auteraa, staying here all alone... I wanted to make you a plate of food... do you have water ?" I was so HAPPY ! You can't imagine ! The plate was full, some raw fish marinated in lemon, some delicious BBQ chicken (I don't eat chicken usually but this one looked too good), some rice, beautiful bananas and a huge piece of bread... I couldn't thank him enough but I think the big smile on my face said it all...

I enjoyed my lunch looking at the waves. I haven't had tahitian style BBQ chicken for ages and it was one of my favorite way to eat it. I saved the bananas for later and the bread was going to make Kitty Kat (alias Pumpkin) very happy.

This surprise lunch gave me all the energy I needed and I paddle back out. The waves got better and I had a great session with the guys laughing, sharing waves and having a good time all together.

This week, my co-worker Charles and his wife brought a fish he caugh, an ume and the best shellfish you could have on earth, called varo. They are like soft shell lobster you find in the sand, they are very expensive to buy because they are so delicate and hard to find.

We prepared a beautiful lunch we shared with their kids. I cooked the fish with some long green beans, onion and sweet potatoes in olive oil, she cooked a special polynesian bread called ipo, made with flour, coconut milk and shredded coconut, the dough is placed in leaves and steam cooked.

Under Charles supervision, I cooked the varo in some butter and garlic. It was delicious and we closed the meal with some home made banana ice cream : frozen ripe bananas, that I mashed with coconut milk. Everybody loved it !

My first ever veggie was a sweet pea... well I think I will have to grow at least 30 vigns of sweet pea if I ever want to have a plate of it :) Have you heard about the story "La princesse au petit pois" translated as "The sweet pea Princess", it's a really cute story...

It's been pretty stormy since 4 days now, today I felt like baking my first ever home made baguettes. Thomas, my "boulangier" teacher gave me his recipe and I had every ingredients I needed. I had no scale but did an "a peu pres" ("approximative") measurement. I don't have any oven neither so I used my gas BBQ and some slate tile as baking stone. I ended up with a pretty good result and my mechanic/friend Fabrice REALLY like it ! :)

If you have some time, check some of my favorites blogs/website :

Liz Clark's www.swellvoyage.com

www.jveuxetrebonne.com, a beautiful and is "everything you wish to have in your cooking blog" (french & english).

www.leisureactivistgroup.com, my friend Adrian's amazing project/dream to sail and share his love for the ocean. He is planning on doing a ocean crossing kiting+paddle boarding from Tonga to Australia...
www.wwoof.org for those who would like to travel the world learning about organic farming. We are on their list at Fetuna !

They are worth the "detour" as they say in french...

Oh ! Also take a look at this very interesting documentary project called "I'm fine, thanks", and support them (I did) . The teaser is great, the topic of the doc is universal, not only for the USA... Click here and support ---> http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cranktank/im-fine-thanks

Bisounettes cacahouettes

Poema

My assistant cook, Mihi and Marania

behind the beautiful and delicious parrot fish their dad caught

My first veggie to be ready, a sweet pea bean

Growing growing growing

Precious basil, I keep dreaming of my future fresh homemade pesto

Some of our pineapple plants I replant. It is one of the hardest fruit to harvest, especially the tahitian ones as they have thorns and it itches for days.

My outdoor shower dream to become true soon

Another sunrise in Fetuna

One of the most delicate shellfish on earth "varo"

Ready for degustation

The Raioaoa (translated as happy supreme Chief or Happy sky/heaven) Family, Charles, my co-worker, his wife Esmelissa, their daughters, Mihi and Marania, and Kitty Kat...