New Calidonia is a part of French Polynesia. it still belongs to France. Its citizen are French nationals and all enjoy the same social benefits of the generous French wellfare sytem , just like those in the Carrebean and the country. This is the result, a true tropical paradise.

wow! a good vacation spot!

looks like Victoria Island, Nigeria. Whats so great about generous social benefits and welfare system? So you can sleep all day and do nothing. That is so anti-naira.

my brother Todd Terry, looks like Victoria Island
I do not know any area of VI that has streets and areas that are as well-developed, neat and ordered like this place in French Polynesia.
Moreover, who says that people lean back and do nothing over there? Social benefits means security: good STATE-RUN AND FREE schools and university , good FREEE AND STATE-RUN hospitals where you do not have to bribe in order to get an injection, a pension sytem that doesn´t send you to the streets for begging for money, FREE social housing; job security, is that something we all should aspire for and a country such rich like Naija ought to provide for all its citizens

moreover, give photos of VI to compare both places.

LOL, I was actually going to say the pics remind me of parts of VI, and Ikoyi in Lagos. Some of the pics could also very well pass for some areas in Abuja as well. Constantin, I wonder, ever been to Nigeria, Africa?

Todd Terry, now that we know that u know VI very well, I guess it shows that those who called u a fraud really knew what they were talking about  

Constantin, most of the visuals I have of Naija are in video format, but I'mma gonna look up my pc to see if I have pics on here to post. You can also go the the website: wheretogoinlagos.com to get an idea of what some parts of the Islands in Lagos look like.

I am a Nigerian, so I know Nigeria very well. I am currently in the UK, but I doubt that Nigeria has changed so much for the better in terms of cleanliness and structuredness from the last time I was in the country (april 2004).

Sorry, but no part of VI looks like that! It starts already with the open sewers that still dot to many parts of Ikoyi and some of VI. Security on the streets, open markets (Bar beach market etc.), too many run down hotels (like Ikoyi or Federal Palace etc.), where is a marina in VI? Tranquil and well run and tidy restaurants ar cafés to have lunch or sip your cappuchino?

I want to see photos to convince me, my brothers.

VI is no French Polynesian Island in the Pacific. Sorry, oooo

lol, constantin, take it easy. When it comes to tidiness, you are right, even VI and Ikoyi have become bad, and some roads there are just like the roads in Mushin, but when I say that some of the pics remind me of VI and Ikoyi, I was referring mostly to the architecture. For someone who lives in the US (in the NE precisely), when I see that type of tropical architecture, the first thing I remember is Nigeria, because I rarely see those where I live. Notice that I said it reminded me of parts of Lagos and didnt say it was! And besides, I think parts of Abuja could compete decently (have u been?).

Having said that, you do need to visit some parts of the Island, seriously. When I was there last year, some of the structures I saw springing up gave me the wows! Funny thing with Lag is, while some areas are continuing to deteorate, others are springing up, and I am not just talking individual housing, I am talking European/ American style apartment complexes and neighborhods.

The main problem I still have with the Islands are some of the roads, and some of the sewers.

You heard of the New Mall at VI? You should be able to see pics of it on the website I sent u.

Anyhow here are some of my pics, they are not the best because like I said most of the visuals I have are in video form, and besides, I took many of these in the car while in motion, so the shots don't always capture much:

more,

and,

more of galleria

Sometimes the skies are also blue in Naija,

palms shopping mall VI

Inside the palms

Constantin,

As for "Tranquil and well run and tidy restaurants ar cafés to have lunch or sip your cappuchino"? Dem plenty boku, go to the website I told you about to get a birds eye view. If u are looking for a beach to go to in Lagos, it is definitely not Barbeach. Try Eleko. There are other beaches that are just if not better than eleko, but I don't really remember their names now.

Also go to this website to see some of the luxury style apartment buildings available: http://www.nigertowers.com/

make sure u click on overview and take the interactive tour.

Quite pricey, but nonetheless just one of the many new structures I was talking about.

Brother, I am impressed. Have you got more pics to post on the net? I am dying to see them, You should create a website where you post some of the pics to show to the outside world that Lagos (at least in parts) has improved.
When I wrote about Lagos, it was just out of desperation and a certain degree of helplessness and it was not a personal attack against you. I DO HOPE THAT THINGS KEEP IMPROVING,OOOO!!!!
I want Nigeria to improve and to shrug off its old and ghastly image of a dirty tropical backwater . We Nigerians are also clever and good people to compete with other places in the world.

I've been there (and stayed in the hotel in the picture) and while it's a nice enough place for a holiday I wouldn't want to live there. It's not anywhere near as clean as those pictures make out, there is literally garbage everywhere. Everything is really expensive and getting around is difficult.

Brother, I am impressed. Have you got more pics to post on the net? I am dying to see them, You should create a website where you post some of the pics to show to the outside world that Lagos (at least in parts) has improved.

Thanks Constantin for letting me share those pics, I'm glad u liked them. There are several urban renewal projects going on in Lagos as we speak. And the Govt. is soon to launch a standard BRT (bus rapid transit) mass transportation system. Two problematic markets: Mile 12 (or 2), and Alaba are being moved/ restructured off the roadways. Just last week or so, the federal govt approved a huge amount for the replaning and renewal of Lagos, and waste management will be a part of that massive project. When I was there last year, they were working on the Lagos Business District (Broad street/ Marina area). They know lagos is one of the burgeoning MEGA cities in the world, and that soon enough it will be attracting so many from so many parts of the world that they will have no choice but to clean it up. However, as with all things Naija, let us keep our fingers crossed and hope they follow through with the plans.

I don't have a website yet, but when I go next year, I want to do a proper photo shoot and edit some of my videos, and then maybe I can put up a website.

Hunter, LOL, I don't recall sharing any pics of hotels, maybe you are mixing up the Sheraton in Ikeja(mainland) with pics of the MUSON center that I posted (in Onikan: near the Island). Just goes to show how big lagos is, and how little of it you might really know. I am glad however, that you enjoyed being there, at least a little.

You are right when it comes to garbage and transportation. I didn't post the pics as some kind of defence for Naija, or to avert the reality of what most parts of Lagos are like. Like we have already agreed, we need to fix our roads, close our sewers and clean up our trash. I believe, the BRT program that will be launched by Lagos state in september/october will do a bit in terms of transportation. Already, the local danfo's and molue's are not allowed in Ikoyi/ VI anymore.

The roads are really bad in places, even in VI. I spose a govt that wants to introduce a world class standard transportation system will have to think about making good roads at some point. However, let me add, that the places you see in the pics I sent are just the way they look in the pics. Hard as it is too believe, some roads and neighborhoods in Lagos are half decent.

Most of the problems of Lagos are the problems of big cities anywhere, especially where there has been little planning in the past and govt. has been unstable. If you knew Lagos in the 60s you would know it had once been very nice. It has taken this long for urban renewal to begin again in Lagos but it has surely begun, and the way things are going, Lagos will be great again in the not too far future. At least this is what we hope.

Alarinjo, Thank for your kind words. I do hope that Lagos renewal projects don´t turn out to be pipedreams and things really get built. I AM YEARNING FOR IT! Lagos in order to compete with cities in Asia or South America (I am not talking about Europe or US) must brush aside its "dirty image". Reference cities for us should be the new emerging economies (where I want our country to be among them, too). Lagos needs new flyovers, more hostels (has federal Palace not changed or ikoyi hotel?), more malls (take a look at Indian cities!), more amsuement cente (bowiling alley, ice-skating, an ice-rink has recently opened in Nairobi Kenya, by the way, more nice cafés etc.) more decent open air markets, more good hospitals and schools and a good public transport system (or at least more multi-lane highways that criss-croos the city such as in Asia or South Africa).
Alarinjo, please TAKE MORE PHOTOS AND POST THEM OR WHEN YOU FIND SOME MORE LINKS TO PROJECTS JUST POST THEM. Nigeria needs positive marketing, desperately. You have my full support!!!

Iice, no I have never been to French polynesia. Only oversea French department I have been to is Martinique (Antilles) (in connection with a trip to Barbados) in the Caribbean. it was really very nice, maybe I will create a thread some time here to show it.

I was refering to one of the original pictures of new cal not yours of Lagos.

Hunter

sorry about that, my bad, didnt realize ur were refering to New Cal, didnt mean to get up all in ur face like that. Well, I kinda suspected that too. Touristy pics will always be selective: it's all about marketing the product after all

Plus there is another bad thing about it,



They speak french (which incidently was the reason I went, school trip)