Another day we went for a half day tour around Nadi.
Sri Siva Subramaniya Hindu Temple
In Fiji, the Indian diaspora is large due to agriculture. It seems that when businessmen decided to grow sugar cane on the islands, the local people proved unable to work in plantations and thus migrant workers who would be able and willing to do the job were sought. These happened to be Indians.
That’s why a Hindu temple far in the Pacific Ocean (claimed to be the largest in this region).
There is still construction going on, but still visitors have to leave their shoes at the entrance to the compound (though construction workers wear shoes). Also once the shoes are off, so are the hats – even under the midday sun.
Viseisei, the legendary landing site of the first Fijians ages ago.
A village with about 900 inhabitants, all Methodist Christians, Viseisei is a simple but very well maintained place: the houses are picturesque, grass is cut, no garbage or mess in sight. Their dress code is strict and visitors have to remember that ladies must wear a skirt (not necessarily long, but shorts and pants are not allowed) as well as no hats are worn on site (meaning even in a hot day, even kids don’t wear a cap).
Fijians, like many other islanders (as they say themselves that their predecessors arrived to the Pacific islands from Africa) have strong voices and sing good. When we entered to their church, our guide sung a few passages to present the acoustics and it sounded very nice. He said: now you hear one person singing, imagine hundreds of people singing together.
This is a memorial to commemorate the end of cannibalism in Fiji. Became Christian – don’t eat humans!
The villagers have a Chief, who rules their daily life, sits in a designated spot at church and visits those who missed the church service for three consecutive Sundays – for a quiet conversation.
Chief’s house:
Garden of the Sleeping Giant
This is a park with manicured pathways and wild stairs through jungle. Initially created by an American actor for his private use, it now became one of the landmarks in Viti Levu.
Mud pool and hot spring
They say that this mud is rejuvenating. I don’t know ;-). Anton was excited to jump in a muddy puddle as Peppa Pig, but once he saw the buckets with mud and the pool where this mud is being washed off, he decided that swimming in a hot spring with siblings is a better option 😉
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