Fresh from the blender

More than a whiff of prehistory hangs in the jungle air of New Caledonia. Unlike most of the other islands in the Pacific, New Caledonia is neither volcanic nor coral. Some 85 million years ago, a section of the continent of Gondwana broke away from Australia (and later from New Zealand) to form what is recognised today as the Territory of New Caledonia.

The territory embraces the Isle of Pines, the Loyalty Islands of Mare, Lifou, Tiga and Ouvea, the Belep Archipelago, as well as a sprinkling of even smaller islands and islets. Most of it is lush wilderness with astonishing biodiversity, including the world's largest gecko, Rhacodactylus leachianus.

Most of the territory is reminiscent of a lost world though years of French colonisation have turned New Caledonia's capital, Noumea, into a sophisticated slice of French heaven in the South Pacific. This is where I find myself on Saturday morning, when the market is in full swing.

I wander among rows of stalls browsing the assortment of local crafts and feeling the textures of the colourful fabrics. At the fresh produce stalls, the pawpaws and pineapples are plump and juicy while the fresh greens look as if they are straight from the farms. The seafood stalls bustle with activity as locals haggle over the price of mussels and prawns caught fresh that morning. I follow the aroma of freshly brewed coffee that leads me to the local gathering place, a bakery where mouth-watering French pastries are displayed in glass cases.

The Kanaks are New Caledonia's indigenous Melanesian people, who originated in South East Asia and are believed to have settled the islands about 1500 BC. They integrated with the Polynesians that populated the islands about 1000 AD.

James Cook discovered New Caledonia in 1774; it became a French penal colony under Napoleon III. Over time, thousands of French people were drawn to the warm weather and relaxed island living.

Opposite the market, there is an impressive marina where rows of luxury yachts bob up and down with their proud French flags waving in the breeze. When I inquire who these boats belong to, I receive a rather arrogant response from one French woman: "Of course, everyone who lives here owns a yacht!"

In recent times, Vietnamese and Indonesian migrants have added to the rich cultural diversity of New Caledonia. This vibrant multicultural mix can be seen everywhere. At Place des Cocotiers, a group of Melanesian, Vietnamese and Indonesian youths are dancing beneath a bandstand near an ornate European-style fountain. Their actions are fluid and eye-catching as they execute back-flips, handstands, one-armed handstands and cartwheels with a level of skill that obviously requires hours of practice. Another group of younger boys are practising some basic movements; they grin and wave as I point my camera in their direction.

It's evident that it's the simple pleasures that bring the people of Noumea together, no matter what stage in life. In another part of the square, a group of men are so engaged in serious game of giant chess that not even a camera-toting tourist can distract them. Further along, under the shade of swaying palm trees, five elderly men are absorbed in a game of boules, the French version of lawn bowls. This snippet of life in New Caledonia's capital, Noumea, is simple and refreshing.

A few blocks away, men and women in bright clothes sashay along the streets next to gleaming European luxury cars. I stop a woman in a bright blue dress for directions. "Where can I get a cappuccino?" I ask. She throws me a baffled look before letting forth in French, while pointing and gesticulating.