Birds, baccarat and bijin

The New Year opens with tempting prospects for New Caledonians to share at least three exciting diversions — birds, baccarat and bijtn.

For those who love shooting and French cuisine, the Diane Hunting Club operating out of La Foa last year released into the bush 1,200 pheasants, 1,100 quail and 1,500 partridge to join local deer herds.

For those who prefer their sport amid the comfort and luxury of the seaside Chateau Royal hotel, the Pacific islands first casino—Casino Royal— was scheduled to open its doors on December 26, with roulette, chemin-de fer, baccarat, not to forget 30 Australian poker machines.

The Noumea Christmas tourist season was given an early debut with the inaugural flight on November 29 of UTA’s new link, Tokyo — Noumea.

Japanese television crews and amateur photographers have thus begun to traverse a new passage into the South Pacific and are delighted with Noumea’s third attraction —what the Japanese call bijin, or beautiful girls.