I have been planning to return to Samoa.
The friendship of the people is one reason in itself.
But it's mainly because I didn't see real Samoan at all during my first trip.
What's the difference this time.
There is order everywhere, where there is confusion, where there is debris, where there is beauty.
This is a holiday with family.
The damage caused by Cyclone Ofa was reported last time.
That's 1992, my memory is the destroyed settlement, the twisted corrugated iron scattered in the coconut forest, the large pieces torn --
A huge ship was trapped on the head of the port of Appia, as if it had been thrown by a huge hand.
I did not see the beauty of Samoa, the color of the village, a bunch of flowers on the side of the road, a vibrant sarong hanging in the shade.
What I have in common with these two trips is that I have stayed at the Aggie Grey hotel on the beach twice.
This hotel is simply called Aggie hotel throughout the Pacific, and its fame is as important as the character of its founder.
Aggie Grey began his hotel business, and after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, rich American Marines poured into Samoa.
The Lonely Soldier, eager to taste home, showed her how to make a burger and turned the comfort of the seller into a thriving business.
A quarterly burger and a cup of coffee.
She does business in a store that used to be her father's pharmacy and is next door to the hotel today.
Next is a bar, followed by accommodation fales that extend to a rather magnificent place today.
Aggie Grey died on 1989 at the age of 90, but her granddaughter Aggie jnr still maintains the friendship of the hotel, although the hotel is famous for its newly opened sister, agigray's lagoon and beach resort and spa are much larger.
The resort is run by Fred Gray, the grandson of former Aggie gray, and is the top five in Samoa --star resort.
It is on the west end of the island, about an hour's drive from Appia, but only 10 minutes from farrero airport.
The resort has everything you want.
Located in a tropical garden of 90 hectares, it stretches two long arms along the front shore, offering all 140 rooms with views of the beach.
There are two impressive big restaurants with no walls, a better view of the sinking sun at dinner, and a lot to keep the kids busy.
Before we left New Zealand for the winter, I checked the website and sent my wife a self-check report
Satisfied email: "dolphin club for kids, you and 18-
My golf course.
"I'm a little too fast.
Dolphin Club (
Children aged 3 to 12 years free)
The golf course has not yet been completed, although it may look comparable to the best golf course on the Pacific Islands.
Surprisingly, green 18 is the wedge lens of the resort Manaia Polynesian Spa, which offers massages and hot massages to rejuvenate tired golfers
Towel treatment is called four strokes.
I collected the mud when my wife went through a process (
I was told that essential oil and Amazon rainforest mudthe 7-year-old, the 3-year-
I spent time in an open-air spa pool.
At the end of a paved passage, air fale stretches into the fruit-scented bush like a slender finger --
A tree full of bananas and papaya. Bliss.
Even the kids think so, even though their favorite place is the huge swimming pool, with the mountains, waterfalls and swimming --Pool Bar.
The spa is the territory of Fred Gray's wife Priscilla, a former Brazilian model who combines ancient Amazon Indian therapy with traditional Samoan massages and the latest beauty treatments in
The meaning of Manaia, Priscila says, is "all the good things in life," and he wants to enter the SPA like "Walk into heaven.
She then chose the right place in the jungle where she met the sand.
We met some families who came here purely to enjoy the sun and barely left the resort.
The beauty of Samoa is that you can choose a vacation experience, relax by the pool, or explore the villages and markets.
Despite centuries of European influence, Samoa retains its customs and social system.
It is called the road of Samoa ".
In addition to Appia, its capital, and the only larger town, it is a village country centered on family, church and movement.
It takes an hour to take a ferry to the larger Sawai Island, where coastal roads take you through waterfalls, spray holes, lava caves and forests, and through neat villages one after another.
In every vibrant sarong, in the afternoon breeze, the roadside is decorated with brightly colored flowers, just like Cezanne's masterpiece.
What I want to learn is the country garden.
Under the care of women, it not only shows the beauty, but also shows the pride of the community.
Game of touch rugby and Kirikiti (Samoan cricket)
On the huge Village Lawn, trimmed by people equipped with weedeaters and patient work, there is play everywhere.
The pig runs in front of the car and has full confidence in his right of way.
Simple but powerful architecture with scrolling
Let any cool breeze pass through the walls.
The most magnificent building so far is the church.
We see several new buildings under construction and we are surprised at the significance of this country with such low average income and such high unemployment rate.
When the lights fell, smoke appeared in the village of UMMS (Samoan ovens).
Dinner time is up.
When we drove back, we were confused by the elders in formal clothes. they lined up on the road as if they were waiting for some important staff.
What we see is praying that the police are working to ensure compliance with the six o'clock P. M. prayer curfew, sometimes a signal blown by the conch shell.
My highlights include snorkeling at Palolo deep sea reserve in Appia (
The variety of fish is very good, very close to town, the entrance fee is very small, you can rent snorkeling gear, it is safe for children to swim, but wear beach shoes because the coral is sharp)
Steamed dumplings or fried dumplings with salty pork stuffing (keke pua'a)
At the Appia market, you can swim by yourself in the piulla cave swimming pool, where there are a lot of tropical fish, and the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum in warima. The author of Treasure Island spent his last years here.
Stevenson was buried at the top of Mount tile, part of the vayma estate.
I regret not having had time to hike to his grave and see him engrave on it the wonderful cemetery he wrote: He lies where he desires to go;
Home is a sailor, home from the sea, Hunter home from the mountain.
From Auckland to Appia, Polynesians blue flies four times every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. One-
The price starts at $309, excluding taxes and surcharges.
Agigray Hotel, Beach Road, Appia, agigray lagoon and beach resort
The airport at the West End of Upolu island is only a few minutes' drive away.
Discover the Appia market, snorkel at the Palo Alto deep sea Reserve, have a picnic at the piulla cave swimming pool, or visit Robert Louis Stevenson Home and Museum.
Depart from Appia on a regular ferry ride to Savoy, close to AGI gray lagoon and beach resort.
There are about 20 car rental companies near Appia, including Blue Pacific car rental.
You can rent a car at least 21 years old.
For more information, please see the website of the tourism administration of Samoa below.
* Phil Taylor visited Samoa from the tourist home, polynicea airlines, and Aggie Gray.
