Noumea(1), Anse Vata, overseas wedding ceremony

going to the wedding ceremony on invitation

9/17(Sun)	Tokyo(Narita) 20:00-Air France(AF)274-6:15+ Nouméa(Tontouta)
Lodging	(on the plane)
Related Sites	New Caledonia
My Advice	If you have a reservation at any hotels in downtown, you may be taken to your hotel by free ransfer. Whereas if you don't any reservation, you take a taxi (8,000Fr=6,480Yen); otherwise, you should ask for a shuttle bus (2,500Fr=2,020Yen) to Arc en Ciel Voyages in advance. Moreover, I recommend you to stay at Hotel Tontoutel if you are transit passenger or arrive at night.

cycling in Nouméa

9/18(Mon)	cycling in Nouméa
Lodging	Le Pacifique / 8,000Yen (10,000Fr) per night (bookings in Japan)
Lodging	[booking sites for you / agoda.com Booking.com Hotel Club Pacific Resort.com venere]
Major expense(s)	rental bicycle (1 day): 1,560Fr=1,260Yen
Related Sites	New Caledonia
My Advice	Getting to Nouméa from Anse Vata by bicycle, you must go up a hill. If you are NOT confident in stamina, you should take a bus. I found public toilets in the Place des Cocotiers and in the building of Air Calédonie.

sightseeing in Nouméa

Loyalty Islands Tourist Office (Office du Tourisme aux Îles Loyauté)
Anse Vata	113 avenue Roger Laroque	next to Lantana Beach Hotel
Nouméa City Center	27 rue de Sébastopol - Immeuble Central 1-2ème étage	the east side of Cocotiers Square next to Le Laperouse Hotel
Tourist Office of Maré Island	Located next to the faré (Melanesian hut) of the Town Hall facing the port of Tadine.

The view from Mt. Montravel
(near The "Michel Corbasson" Zoological and Forest Park)

St. Joseph Cathedral

The place des Cocotiers

photo with local schoolgirls

Is wedding in resort islands the dream for women?

9/19(Tue)	my friend's Wedding Ceremony (11:00 at Le Meridien) go shopping in Nouméa play casino games at the Grand Casino de Nouméa
Lodging	Le Pacifique / 8,000Yen (10,000Fr) per night (bookings in Japan)
Lodging	[booking sites for you / agoda.com Booking.com Hotel Club Pacific Resort.com venere]
Major expense(s)	mini bus: 120Fr=100Yen
Related Sites	New Caledonia Wedding Abroad

My friend got married abroad at Le Meridien

Click on the icon to sound the Wedding March
(presented by Pian's MIDI Room)

According to yellow covered guide book called "Chikyu-no Arukikata," Japanese couples can get married at 4 places; Amédée Island, Coral Palms Island (ex Parkroyal Escapade Island), Le Meridien Nouméa and Nouméa Town Hall in New Caledonia.
Recently Japanese couples who get married in overseas churches are increasing in number, but they are not always Christian.
I think most of Non-Japanese seldom understand this fact because the Japanese tend to perform wedding ritual as one of the customs, not with any deep religious feeling.
In addition, most of Japanese, of course including me, are open-minded regarding religious practices and customs; for example, they hold wedding ritual in Christian style, and funeral according to Buddhist tradition.
Hence, such mix of religion poses no dilemma for them.
Therefore, it is said that their marriage on that basis is usually invalid because New Caledonia is one of the French Overseas Territories.
To the best of my knowledge, it seems to be slim to none that their marriage fulfills the required conditions under the article 63 of French civil law (Le Code civil); engaged couple's identity has been put up an official notice before their marriage.

There are 3 different locations to enjoy gambling in Nouméa: The Bingo, The Casino Royal, and The Grand Casino de Nouméa.
The Grand Casino de Nouméa is built next to the Meridien Hotel.
Those who attended my friend's wedding ceremony enjoyed some casino games there after dinner.
So I won by Black Jack games for 14,000Fr (11,340Yen) at last.
Finally, I say "I hope you will be very happy" to my friend.