After my last post, I wasn’t sure if there would be much to write about. I did visit the local hardware store to get some superglue for my sunglasses i’d broken, then i checked into my amazing treehouse. The treehouse was comfortable but not luxurious. I’m not sure if it was worth the price I paid, but given it was the same as the Hotel in town it may just be the going rate in Tonga. There aren’t that many options.
I did have a wonderful day though checking out the historical parts of Tonga. There are quite a few tombs that are 500-700 years old, mostly large 40-50m squares of stones, with about 3-4 tiers. Like a stepped pyramid, that has barely been started! i found about 7 or so of these in the area each with a handy plaque nearby telling me who built it and who is buried in them. Many of them are still part of public cemetaries, which grab your attention as large billboards of the deceased are installed above moany of the graves!
I then discovered the Ha’amonga ‘a Maui, a three stone structure buit in 1200AD that was used to tell the shortest and longest days of the year. The structure is about 5m high and wide, quite impressive, standing in a field all by itself with another single stone upright about 100m away whose purpose is unknown although stories suggest a King used to sit on it for fear of bein assassinated. The curious thing is these sites are all amazing, but take 5-10 minutes to see them. Its amazing they exist, here in Tonga, but its one of the few highlights I found.
I had one final attempt as well to look for pigs fishing in the mud for food when the tide is out and still failed to see them. The locals assure me its real and it happens most days….. they just know i’m looking for them I guess. So now i’ve spent a week here, i can say it was too much time. I did see the other island I tried to get to for 3 days 20kms to the east off shore. Its a shame its difficult to book and plan anything here. It really is a country running on island time.
