A trip to Suva is worth the effort for an unparalleled view of urban Pacific life. It makes Papeete look like a sedate Cleveland strip mall. The crush of humanity on the streets is downright Mumbain and we are all scared to death of the traffic whenever we cross the street.

The level of commerce is frenetic. The well organized market tables stretch for acres.

 

The range of edibles and semi-edibles is incredible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can buy a bunch of bananas for  0.5 USD

or a whole basket of urchins.

Other urchins are not for sale but contribute to the window dressing and the general market stickiness.

There are newspaper loads of octopus.

Truck loads of tuna

Flowers by the bucket full.

Trestles of  pineapple

Whole tarpaulins of reef fish.

and tables of poisonous puffers which might be eaten…

or made into a slightly less dangerous hat.

We saw shocking synergies at play in the marketplace. Like handicrafting undertakers who rent freezers and chain saws.

 

All of life’s milestones are well served in this town where window shopping could lead to a handcrafted coffin with a clear plastic window or a huge Bollywood wedding.

with groovy hats and slippers.

We are eating curry nonstop and never tire of the colors and pageantry of these people.