Thursday, January 17, 2013

Day 5 - Lovo dinner and Meke dancing

 We swam a little more in the afternoon and then the kids decided they wanted to go to Kid's Club and go shell collecting!  Grace had been waiting ALL WEEK for this!  She LOVES collecting shells!!  Josh and I took the Hobie sailboat out while the kids were doing that.  It was a beautiful and relaxing afternoon.  The kids had also collected hermit crabs and were excited to show us.
 Relaxing in the hammock with my kids before showering for dinner.
our beautiful view

 Showing off their hermit crabs - Lance was trying to blow on his so it would come out of its shell???

It was such a beautiful afternoon that I had to take pictures.

 The kids having their dinner with kids club before heading off to get ready for their Meke dancing performance for us!  Can't wait!!
 Enjoying a cocktail before heading to dinner.  Bula and Vinaka!!  (Hello and Thank You!)

 The sunset was AMAZING that evening!  It was seriously paradise!


 Ready for our Lovo dinner!!  Just one of the many items on the buffet - this whole fish was HUGE!
 More seafood
 My plate - I had pretty much one of everything.  I think they had just about every kind of meat you could think of!  Josh was in heaven!  So fun to eat after watching them prepare it that day.
 Traditional dinner, hence the traditional drink - Kava.  I'm not sure exactly what it is, but it tastes like muddy water - NOT my thing, but I can say I tried it! :)
 The most adorable thing EVER!  Grace even made her own grass skirt earlier that week!  They all came out and performed some traditional Meke dancing that they had been practicing that week.  It was so adorable - WE LOVED IT!
 The performance
 Then we got to see all the staff perform traditional Meke dancing.  Very cool!  It was a wonderful and fun day!


Day 5 - The Lovo Pit

Today was a really great day!  We got to see (and eat) a traditional Fijian feast!  Everyone got to eat the Fijian food that was prepared all day for us, and it was fun to watch them cook it, too!  However, we started our day with a quick little hike after breakfast to the top of Jonas Lookout!  Our kids especially liked that name (they have a cousin named Jonas!)  It was a beautiful lookout and we got to see the Liku Liku Resort that was next to ours (adults only!!!) ;)
Liku Liku

 Jonas Lookout!

 I liked this sign - name of our resort
 Fijian preparing the "Lovo Pit".  It's basically their homemade grill!  While Josh and the kids were swimming, I came over to take some pictures and learn a little about our dinner that night!


 Later once it burned down to coals, they placed the meat and some vegetables on top and then covered it with palm leaves.  They let it cook the rest of the day. 


 These two girls were from New Zealand and Grace made friends with them.  Here they're all having lunch by the pool!

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Day 4 - coconut trees

Later that afternoon, the kids wanted to go back to kids club to get their faces painted.  We were walking along the path to get them and noticed some workers were cutting down an old coconut tree that had gotten too tall and they were worried it might fall.  What caught my eye, was that the guy at the very top (and it was tall!) had climbed up there (and quickly, mind you) using only some spikes on his boots!!  WHAAATT?!!  I was quite impressed had never seen this before!  They are all so nice and he quickly waved when he saw I was taking pictures - HA!  He then came down, gave Josh and I each a fresh coconut to try and talked to us about how it all worked.  So nice and it was fun to learn about!
 At the top of the tree
 waving!!
 trying our fresh coconut milk!  I've had coconut milk before, just not this fresh!  Not really my thing, though...

 explaining everything to us with the machete still in his hand - Ha!
 opening up one of the coconuts
 this is actually a mango tree - I had no idea they looked like that!
 Lance the gladiator!
 Grace the butterfly!


 It was a fun, relaxing, and enjoyable day outdoors.  The kids had a little down time watching a video while we showered and got ready for dinner.
 I just added in a few fun shots.  This is me standing in the ocean and a shot of our "house".
 The worker is replacing the old palm leaves with fresh ones on top of the little huts
 A unique flower outside our door
 Josh and I ate at the restaurant Treetops while the kids practiced their dancing....