#8 Polynesia: How I stood between Picasso and Paul Gauguin in Tahiti...

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Logbuch Podcast is back with episode 8: travel journalist Kiki Baron takes us far afield, this time casting her net of thoughts over Tahiti and French Polynesia. In other words, the nation in the South Pacific, which stretches over 4 million square kilometers with its 130 islands and atolls, but only has 4000 square kilometers of land mass. She talks about the fascinating culture in which music and dance are the lifeblood of the islanders. She talks about the history of tattoos and the feat of the ancient Polynesians as seafarers. Kiki follows in the footsteps of Paul Gauguin and is amazed by original works by the artist in the capital Papeete. On one of Hollywood legend Marlon Brando's achievements, she not only experiences an eco-luxury resort, but also the method of eradicating mosquitoes without pesticides.

As a captain's daughter, Kiki Baron was born with wanderlust and a love of travel. Even as a young girl, she devoured books by famous seafarers and explorers, especially James Cook and Thor Heyerdahl. Thanks to these historical expeditions, the dream of the South Seas took root in her mind. She realized it for the first time at the beginning of the 80s. Thanks to various reportage assignments, she visited French Polynesia several times over the following decades and got to know the country and its people intensively.

How did the dream of the South Seas take root (01:40). How can the islands be classified geographically (04:00). Kiki's first wonderful experiences on the Society Islands and atolls (06:30). Origin of the overwater bungalows (13:15). Market, people, music during the last visit in 2018 (15:29). The importance of music and dance in Polynesian culture (18:00). Tearful experience at the biggest festival called Heiva (20:15). History and renaissance of tattoos in Polynesia (26:45). Colonization of the South Pacific islands in ancient times (39:45). Thor Heyerdahl's South Pacific expedition with Kon Tiki (43:25). The era of ancient European navigators and "explorers" (46:17). What does Heyerdahl's companion, anthropologist Bengt Danielsson, have to do with Paul Gauguin (49:20)? What brought Paul Gauguin to French Polynesia and how does the story go with his molars (53:14)? Surprise: Kiki stands in front of Gauguin's original works along with countless other paintings by world-famous artists in the capital Papeete (01:01:40). Last experience: Marlon Brando and Tetiaroa Atoll, eco-luxury resort The Brando and mosquito sex without consequences (01:13:00).



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