A Canadian couple who were among the 1,252 passengers and crew of 586 who arrived in Samoa on MS Volendam berthed on the Matautu Port on Sunday morning were impressed with the "peaceful and beautiful" environment in Samoa. 

Marie and Scott Gray, who are on a cruise across the South Pacific as one of the things on their bucket list described Samoa as a very calm and peaceful place. 

They told this newspaper that they did not do any research on Samoa before the trip. However, there was a presentation on where Samoa is and what to expect on their way to Samoa. 

"The presentation on the ship was quite impressive and it was very helpful," Mr. and Mrs. Gray said. 

"It explained what to expect, what we can wear and the places we can visit while on island, the currency and so forth. 

"Taking this trip was something we wanted to tick off our bucket list. Everyone talks about cruising the South Pacific Islands and we are happy that we decided to do this because we have had an amazing time so far."

The couple were shocked that when they arrived in Apia, there were barely any cars on the road and all the shops and buildings in town were closed. 

"We were in Pago Pago (American Samoa) before we came here and we left on Saturday morning and we were surprised to arrive here on a Sunday. 

"One of the things we noticed was that all the shops were closed. But it's very peaceful and beautiful.

"I like the fact that Samoa treats Sunday as a day of rest," said Mrs. Gray. "Other countries around the world never stop; it's always hectic and busy 24/7. 

"It's not like where we're from because stores close early but Vancouver is crazy. 

"In Vancouver, nothing ever stops, the stores are always open, it never seems to appear that people have family time. 

"We went to McDonalds just for fun just to see what's on the menu and the prices because it's universal and there was a family dressed in beautiful attires after church and they were enjoying each other's company and having lunch together as a family. It was beautiful to see.

"We've been approached by taxi drivers if we wanted to go to different places but we just wanted to roam around town and enjoy the view while also exercising. 

"We saw that the main church in town was packed in the morning and there was no parking spot available. It's laid back and just peaceful and calm. 

"We don't come from a hectic place, we come from a very small town and we enjoy a peaceful and quiet environment. But we get a lot of snow throughout the year so this is a nice change for us."

Mr. and Mrs. Gray said the respect Samoans have for Sunday is immense and impressive.

"Look, we did not have any expectations when coming to Samoa. 

"We don't expect people to do anything different than what they normally do on a Sunday. We respect what they do on a Sunday. Maybe some people have high expectations but for us, it's nice to see. You can walk up to the middle of the street and take photos as there are no cars on a Sunday. 

"We heard about the beautiful stories of this place on our way here and for us that was amazing. 

"It's nice and beautiful here and the people are so nice and friendly. And for us, it's nice to see that people respect the day of resting and they go to church and get to spend time with their families in their own homes. 

"We can definitely say this trip has been amazing so far. 

"It is a beautiful island and we want to thank you for having us. Sometimes you wonder whether the people here are happy to have a lot of people visiting your country and walking around town. But it's nice to see that people are so welcoming and are always smiling. 

"We also had a conversation with a fisherman who told us he made his own canoe and goes fishing to provide for his family and it's very inspiring."