Where is Tonga?
Another beautiful day in the South Pacific. Our agenda today was to explore a bit of the culture of Tonga. We boarded the bus and started our journey.
As you can see, we are surrounded by a lot of small islands and plenty of ocean.
Our first stop was a blowhole. Now we saw them in Hawaii so we thought ok. We got there and WOW!. This was a blowhole. We were mesmerized by the spouts of water shooting into the air.
Along the way, Nate, our guide confessed this was her very first tour. She told us that she worked several jobs, including helping her mother with a sewing business. Her goal is to become a journalist. She went to public school but was quick to point out the many private schools that were available
Tourism is a major source of the economy but agriculture accounts for approximately 30% of their GDP. Primarily vanilla beans, coconuts, and squash. The pandemic hit the economy of the island. It is struggling to recover.
Farms are handed down from father to son so it stays in the family. In the last few years, a daughter can inherit if they are designated by their father to inherit the rights to the land.
Another interesting fact is their prison system. For most infractions, when a person is convicted and sent to jail, they work the land. Each prison has a farmers’ market where they sell their produce.
Oholei Beach & Hina Cave
Oholei Beach Resort was founded by Papa Osika Kami. It is still run by the Kami family. Upon arrival at the beach, we learned the facility was just completed last month. It was destroyed by a tsunami. The facility was built on a hill overlooking a beautiful beach. The road to the beach was still impassable leaving access only by a steep set of steps and a rickety railing. We were informed they would need help from the government to get the road rebuilt. Having said all that, the food was fantastic. The first thing we did was go out to the barbecue pits and taste the pork fresh from the spit. What a flavor! Inside they did the traditional blessing before a meal. The dishes on the buffet never seemed to be empty.
The Legend of the Hina Cave
After the meal, several people went down to the beach to either go into the water or venture into the cave. There was a guide in the cave to explain how the traditional ceremony would be performed to honor Hina, a beautiful young woman who married Sinilau the love of her life. As the legend goes, they were very happy until one-day Sinilau did not come back from fishing. Eventually, Hina went into the cave and died of a broken heart. It is said she can still be seen there waiting for Sinilau to return.
We can see the ship
After the tour, we still had some time before we had to be aboard the ship. Early in the day, Nate had pointed out a local coffee shop she proclaimed to be the best one in town. We set out to find it and happily, it was only a few blocks from the ship. We knew we could run if we had to be back before the deadline. After ordering our drinks, we looked around at the quaint wooden structure and just enjoyed the view and the breeze that flowed through the open doors.
Two seniors traveling the world 
Thanks for sharing. Steve should look happier when he’s enjoying his drink in the Tongas coffee shop 🤣
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So much fun, love all you are learning and sharing!
Sharon Russell
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