Suva is the Capital and second most populated municipality of Fiji.
It is on the southeast coast of the island of Viti Levu, and we approached the port through a channel blasted in the coral reef in the harbor alongside cargo and fishing boats sheltering form the threatened cyclone due to hit in the next day or so.
Suva is Fiji's political and administrative capital and the scene of Fiji's unstable and often turbulent political machinations consisting of more coups than a pigeon coup and a government that seems to struggle from one constitutional crisis to another more haphazardly than an old lady on a walking stick across a floor of marbles.
Here, it is reported that the military controlled government formally legislates against various ethnic groups and treads over the basic human rights of others.
As you can probably guess, Fiji is not my favorite place in the world.
It’s a shame about its political system because the general populace of Fiji are a wonderful and happy people and it is unfair to comment on another countries political system without being fully informed. Fortunately most of the passengers are blissfully unaware and disinterested of Fiji’s past and are only interested in seeing some more “tropical”, on our voyage across the “tropics” to Australia and beyond.
Today, we may have been met by grey skies and the distant roll of thunder but the greeting on the dock was warmer and sunnier than the sky could ever have produced.
A huge military (of course) brass band and a back up band of electronics with dancers, very little clothing and sunny smiles. They sang and danced while the ship was tying up and two fearful warriors greeted passengers as they progressed down the gangway.
Albeit a bright and cheery welcome, Suva is not in effect the best destination for a cruise ship full of passengers generally from the northern hemisphere who had thoughts of bright sandy beaches and palm trees aka Mo’ore’a. Unfortunately this isn’t the place to see such things, the nearest beach is 50 miles away and most excursions here involved a 1 to 2 hour drive. Two years ago we stopped in Port Denerau which seemed to me to be a more apt stop. Plenty of access to beach resorts and islands, here, all you have to look forward to is a foray into a local village, a waterfall and maybe a walk around the city of Suva.
I took the later and walked along the waterfront past the government buildings, the presidential palace and through the park before the skies opened and city was awash in water. Most passengers who forwent the ships excursions spent the morning in the markets around the ship. Great and vast warehouses of fresh fruit, root vegetables, Kava and watermelon, the smell permeating the air and mixing with the hot humid smell of the steaming city.
We were once again delayed leaving port as the crew carried out another medical evac off the ship. I think we are up to four now. As the ambulance pushed its way back through the crowd of military officers playing popular hits including the village people, (slightly incongruous considering the political situation) and the Macarena, we threw off the lines and proceeded out through the reef towards Noumea and the reported gathering storm.
As soon as we cleared land, the ship was buffetted by winds of 70 miles an hour across the decks and all the outdoor areas of the ship were closed to passengers. Not that we were that concerned, there was a party night planned onboard with a terrific show in the theatre. I was really looking forward to a day of storms to follow as I went to bed amidst the pitching and rolling and squeaking and groaning of the ship. The Queen Victoria finally acting like a ship of state and not a hotel on land, but unfortunately as I wake this morning and look out to see it is again flat, blue and serene.
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