Friday, December 17, 2010

some photos...



1

On the first day of our trip to Beautiful Samoa,

we saw this …



just like a postcard…

but of course, better!

2

On the second day,
we lounged around the hotel pool,
a pool I swam in as a child,
which used to have a real live palm tree on an island in its middle
but
doesn't any more.

Where'd my tree go?


The kids
were served smoothies …
and felt like royalty.



We went to the markets,
where women sat mostly on chairs
(not on woven mats like my memory)
and we didn't buy mangos
(like we used to)

but we did buy bananas and taro and starfruit and avocado and

everyone we spoke to smiled.



3

On the third day, we went with an old family friend
to the cave pool I loved

and swam in its clean, clear water
to the back of the cave
where the water
still lit up
with light
when you jumped in.


Then we crossed the mountain pass to
the other side
of the island




where the children of our friend's family's village
took us to
their beach,


where we all swam
and
played
and watched the fish
together.





4

On the fourth day,

we went to Lefaga
(pronounced LefaNGa),

a stunning beach I swam at
often as a child.



And my most favourite rockpool was still there—

amazing how it hadn't moved or disappeared,

even though thirty whole years had passed!

(Because solid rock has a tendency to disappear,
don't you know; it just likes to mess with you that way)



As kids,
my sister and I
would grip onto the rocks at the narrowest end
of this pool
and, when the waves came tumbling in,
we'd be sent
shrieking and laughing into the pool beyond.

My sister and I did it again,

this time
with my son between us.

Our laughter mingled with the echo of my laughter from long
ago…

and it was beautiful.



Stay tuned… more photos and memories coming soon!

4 comments:

  1. Beautiful photos. I can't believe how lovely everything looks! I am so happy that you had a great trip and can't wait to see more pictures.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Gorgeous pictures! The pool with the cave looks awesome! My kids would LOVE that.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Stunning. I have been to several islands in the Caribbean, but this is much more.....
    Thank you for sharing. You must have come home so relaxed!

    ReplyDelete

I love hearing from you! Thank you for your heartfelt, thoughtful responses—they lift me, and give me light.