Christmas Trees of the South Pacific

Photos by Laurent Guiader, 2006.

These photos were taken just down our street the other day. Such is the weather here in Nouméa in December. And these fabulous red trees are in bloom at this time of year: they are everywhere! I think of them as the Christmas trees of the South Pacific - but they are called "flamboyants". I am yet to find the English-language name. I'd be grateful if anyone knows ...

And while we are at it, we'd like to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! To all our family and friends, to all our faithful readers, may this holiday season be chockful of warmth, laughter, fun and love (lots of it)! Gros bisous - Julie, Laurent, Sophie and Pablo

Paradise Is for the Birds

Spring has sprung in New Caledonia and my oh my is it something. The birds are back, for one. We have lovely, loud parakeet - type birds that are red and blue and green and travel in pairs. When swarms of them get together in one of the trees on the Baie des Citrons, foot traffic stops in its tracks as everyone stands looking and listening. You can see a picture of these birds here. Above, a photo of one of our many other birds, these found in our local wildlife park, the Parc Forestier. New Caledonia has a fair few endemic bird species - all of them beautiful. For a list, see wikipedia's entry on the topic. Now wouldn't you say New Caledonia (a.k.a. Paradise) is for the birds?

Photo by Laurent Guiader, 2005.

A New Caledonian Gem: La Rivière Bleue

Photo by Laurent Guiader, 2006.

In early January, we set off for the Parc provincial de la Rivière Bleue (Blue River) with a couple of friends. We had been told that it was beautiful and well worth seeing. About an hour outside Nouméa, we drove into the 90 sq km nature reserve, equipped with a map and more than a few bottles of water. It was a very hot day and we were happy we had started out early. By mid-day it was impossible to keep walking in the direct sun.

The soil is bright red (stripped of its nutrients by years of mining), and the stunning blue river had evaporated to almost nothing at all (it is summer in this part of the world - and we had not had much rain). But dismayed we were not, as the park was nearly empty and we had the mountains, waterfalls, hiking trails, thick forests, birds and swimming holes to ourselves. We resolved at the end of our day (about three hours of hiking, a well-deserved picnic lunch, more hiking and a dip in a mountain stream before trekking back) to definitely come back when the river had returned.

More photos and tales of la Rivière Bleue to follow ...

Nothing Like a Bouquet of Tropical Flowers

Though flowers are aplenty in New Caledonia, florists do not appear to be. I was used to a florist (and a pharmacy and a bakery) on nearly every corner in Paris and spent many a long empty moment staring at the colours and the textures of various bouquets. Here the bouquets are all the more fun to gaze at - as birds of paradise and lilies are part and parcel of the natural landscape.

Photo by Laurent Guiader, 2005.

Right, a photo of the bouquet Laurent had delivered back in November for my birthday, and a peek at our furnishings in our little villa in Nouméa (for those of you who have requested more photos of our daily surrounds!).

Birds of a Feather

Photo by Laurent Guiader, 2005.

New Caledonia has the most magnificent birds - they are almost as stunning as those I've seen in Australia. We can see them both in the wild (as well as in our front garden) and at the Parc Forestier (home of the beauty pictured above), a nature reserve nestled in the hills overlooking Nouméa. We visited the Parc Forestier in November and were taken with the many species of birds and endemic plants - they purport to have 700 animals of 125 different species, including flying foxes and kagus, New Caledonia's symbol and national bird (which is land-bound, never having learned how to fly, never having had to - perhaps because it barks like a dog).

Flowering Frangipani

Palm trees to hibiscus to frangipani to bougainvilla to birds of paradise - and as far as I know, none of these are endemic to New Caledonia - all are in full splendor at this time of year. New Caledonia is fifth in the world for its diversity of flora - and 75% of our flora is endemic.

We are lucky enough to have bougainvilla, hibiscus and frangipani in our front yard, along with a couple of palm trees. We also have a budding pineapple plant - and around the corner some banana-laden banana trees. I am yet to find a good book or site in English on the flora of New Caledonia, but I have just stumbled on this site on endemic plants and flowers in New Caledonia, if you are interested in our pines (yes - we have many a tall swaying pine on our little South Pacific island) and local flowering plants: http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/research/newcaledonia/origin.html. Click through the pages if you have a little time -- the author has clearly studied the subject thoroughly.

Alarm Clocks, Armistice and a Birthday

Meet our local friends and alarm clocks. These two, among others, live in the orange-flowered tree in our front yard. It behooves them to declare their undying love for each other (these parakeets always seem to travel in twos) every morning, starting at 4.30. At 7.00 they are usually done and go on about their day.

Happy Armistice Day, everyone ... and Happy Birthday, Melissa (the world's most amazing photographer, journal-er, organiser, reader, thinker, writer, documentalist - and friend)!

Photo by Laurent Guiader, 2005.