Day 149. May 30, 2016. Anchored in Rangiroa, French Polynesia on the Polynesia Treasures

Rangiroa , is a string of coral encircling a luminous turquoise and jade-green lagoon, is one of the world's greatest dive destinations.  Rairoa 

(Meaning "huge sky") is the old Paumotu named of the Rangiroa's atoll. One of the largest atoll in French Polynesia and comes in second one in the world.  75 kilm long and 25 kilm wide..  It could contain the entire island of Tahiti in the center.  There are only 2 main villages and they are separated by a pass that we went thur this morning.  From the air they say the atoll seems to be like a giant pearl necklace laid upon the water.

   

We took the tender first out and walked 2 miles to the beach.  One side was very sandy but very rough waters .  You couldn't snorkel there at all.  Then on the lagoon side beautiful water to snorkel in but not good sandy beach.  You really have to look for a good spot.  We found one.  

We are celebrating our anniversary on June 8 and we will be in Lahaina Maui we have sent out 12 invites for some special people we have met.  Bob and I are going to renew our vows in Maui.  Then have a special dinner with friends.  

Tomorrow is a sea day..  Ahh time to rest......

Thanks for coming along with us on this amazing journey we are on.

Leslee & Bob

Cherish The Moments, Love Deeply, Dream Big

Day 148. May 29, 2016. Anchor off at Huahine, French Polynesia on the Polynesian Treasures

About thirty minutes by plane from the island of Tahiti, Huahine, with its Lush forests, untamed landscape, and quaint villages, is one of Polynesia's best-kept secrets.  The island is arguably the most picturesque in all of French Polynesia, with steep mountains descending into protected bays of azure blue and emerald green colors, the island is also one of the more geographically diverse of the Society Group.  

A deep crystal-clear lagoon surrounds the two islands while magnificent bays and white-sand beaches add drama and solitude to their virtues.  Relatively unchanged by the modern world.  Huahine offers a slower taste of old Polynesia.

Mothers were celebrating on the beach today.  Mother's Day 

So we were again first out to the tender boats.  They provided a shuttle bus and took us to a cute little village.  From there we walked to the beach.  Spent all day there it was great.

Bob bought me 2 beautiful necklace made from shells.  Pretty pretty pretty.  

Tomorrow is a another beach.  No camera for under water pictures so no since on going snorkeling.  Well how can we not snorkel.  Rangiroa best place to snorkel......thanks for coming along

P.s. As I write this blog on deck 11 waiting for the sail away we saw 2 stingrays swim by then 1 of the jumped out of the water.  This was my quick shot

Cherish The Moments, Love Deeply, Dream Big

Day 147. May 28, 2016. Part 2 of Papeete French Polynesia

We walked and saw all these neat murals on the walls.

What a great day AGAIN

Cherish The Moments, Love Deeply, Dream Big

Day 147. May 28, 2016. Docked at Papeete, French Polynesia on the Polynesian Treasures...

 

 

We are now on a new segment that is 19 days long from Tahiti to Los Angeles on June 15.  So we had maybe 100 new leg gets come on.  It will be fun watching them get turned around.....love it. This morning when we woke up at 6:00 we were already docked in Papeete.  So up to a quick breakfast of fruit and cereal, then off we go.  We walked to the local market always fun.  

These are hair wraps.  They smell amazing.  $ 25.00 that will get you one.  

Pearls Pearls Pearls.  It's all about this babies.  Look at all those different colors.

Yep you are seeing blue fish......

We then  hopped on a local bus to go to the west side of the island.  We did the east side and little Tahiti last year.  So a 2 hour bus ride we saw a lot.  

This was a very fast day.  After our tour of the west side of the island we walked the waterfront then came back to the ship and had a ice cream for lunch.  Went back out for another hour.  We stumble across all the wall art.  Will do another post part 2.....

Bora Bora is still prettier.

Cherish The Moments, Love Deeply, Dream Big

Day 146. May 27. PART 2 on our excursion in BORA BORA

 

We went out with Patrick in Bora Bora today.  He is a legendary and for a good reason.  He took 8 of us out in his out rigger canoe around the island. We stopped to pet the stingrays and not to pet the black tipped sharks.  The sharks are not generally dangerous but they are not friendly either.  The stingrays cozy right up to you.  

The are hoping to get a piece of fish.  Of coarse someone mentioned Steve Irwin but Patrick told us that he was trying to pick one up and for us not to worry an out that.   Right easy for him to say.  

Then we went to snorkel in a deeper spot.  The coral was brown in both places we have snorkeled.  Patrick said that in 2005 there was a hurricane that caused  mud to flow off the mountain and into the lagoon.  Live coral is brightly colored.  There were plenty of small colorful fishes.  Sorry no camera today.  He then took us to his family Motu which he described as a coral island.  He set up a luau.  

They had been cooking since early this morning. In the pit was chicken, pig, breadfruit.  He also had set up a barbecue grill with Maui- Maui and grilled tuna.  Both very very good.  Salads and a spinach dish with coconut milk.  There was also pineapple, tapioca root, Tahitian poi, plaint actions and other veggies and fruit.  This is such a beautiful spot, as you will see in my pictures.  This is differently one of my favorite places in the world.

The island was covered with crab holes.  The crabs are hard to catch unless you wait 3 days after the full moon.  That afternoon they skitter down to the beach to lay their eggs.  You can pick up as many as you want as they pay no attention to you at that time.

Tomorrow is Tahiti.  Thanks for joining us.  Leslee & Bob 

Cherish The Moments, Love Deeply, Dream Big

Day 146. May 27, 2016. Anchored in Bora Bora French Polynesia on the Azure Seas

According to our daily newsletter, Currents, Bora Bora is an island in the Leeward group of the Society Islands of French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France.  It is surrounded by a lagoon and a barrier reef and has the remnants of an extinct volcano rising to two peaks, Mount Pahia and Mount Otemanu. 

The major tourist attraction is its aqua centric resorts, with individual grass roofed cabins on stilts over the ocean where you can swim off your deck and observe tropical fish in the aqua colored waters.

Gonna have to do this in 2/3 parts.  This is the town and port.  Instead of cars they have boats taking you everywhere.   Lots of hotels are right IN the water.  Just a very beautiful place.  We are on another snorkel / dive and picnic on a Motu again.  What a beautiful place.

Stay tuned.......we will not have Bob underwater camera for this rest of the islands.  It is dead.  So will just have to show you the beauty from above the waters.

Cherish The Moments, Love Deeply, Dream Big

Day 145. May 26, 2016. Docked at Raiatea, French Polynesia on the Azure Seas

Our first island in French Polynesia is Raiatea...

Fun Facts...Raiatea, is the second largest of the Society Islands, after Tahiti, in French Polynesia. The island is widely regarded as the center of the eastern islands in ancient Polynesia and it is likely that the organised migrations to Hawaii, New Zealand and other parts of East Polynesia started at Ra'iatea. A traditional name for the island is believed to be Havai'i. The islands of Raiatea and Tahaa are enclosed by a single coral reef, and may once have been a single island. Raiatea is both the largest and most populated island in the Leeward Islands. The island economy is mainly agricultural with exports of vanilla, pineapple and coconut. Faaroa Valley is a large and important agricultural region with the rural economy and the cultivation of vanilla supported by a local research facility. Pearl farming is also an important industry for the island.  Raiatea meaning " faraway heaven" and "Sky with soft light".  

A very rare flower called the Tiare Apetahi a nice white flower in the shape of a half petal Corolla similar to the petals of the Tiare Tahiti.  This flower that has become the emblem of the holy island is still looking after this island, preserved from the modern bustles.  A flower so rare it can only be grown no other place on earth.

Raiatea – Our tour this morning was with Bruno. I was a little scared of this one as the internet says he can be difficult at time, but I found him charming. I found he really tried to speak English as much as possible. We left the port for our first stop and snorkel with stingrays and sharks, but no sharks were seen today. The water was calm and it was sunny today. Bob and I just loved this tour and island. We then went to the Pearl Farm…this is quite an operation very labor intensive. I can see why pearls are so expensive. Next we went to the vanilla farm where we bought the vanilla beans to make a special surprise for all when we get home. The smells were heavenly!!! Off to the Motu for lunch again, this time the food was good but not special. Snorkeled in a small bay for a while until Bruno was ready to take us all up the island to the spot to drift snorkel…it was absolutely amazing…saw plenty of fish and two moray eels…wow are they big. Both of us were taking pictures, got a lot of good ones this time. Bob kept his eye on me as he knows I will go off course and get myself in trouble, so he has to pull me back sometimes. It's a good thing he was there. 

This was are group.  Fun group.

We got back just before the ship was scheduled to leave, cleaned up quickly to get to Happy Hour and the sail away. I bought flowers for my head, a ring of beautiful and fragrant flowers. 

Tomorrow Bora Bora.....

Cherish The Moments, Love Deeply, Dream Big

Day 144 May 25, 2016. SEA DAY 2/2. En route to Raiatea, French Polynesia on the Azure Seas

Our last sea day until we are in the islands, then it's bang bang bang 6 islands in a row then on June 2 we start to head for Hilo Hawaii.

This segment Azure Seas will end in 3 days not counting today as I write this.  We have a full day ahead of us today and the most important will be BINGO it's over 2,000.  So everyone will be there today hoping to win.......

The seas are definitely getting calmer and less of a roll.  Past few days we have had a lot of motion in the ocean.  The sunset are getting quite pretty and so are the sunrises. Yesterday I wanted to get some pictures of the "Cupcake Tea Time" but never made it up to the horizon's as we sat in the sun.  Today looks like a great sun day as well some nice clouds out there to protect you.

Cooking demo with chocolatier Tim Clark and our great executive chef Farid.  He came back on a week ago....now my favorite dinner menus is back.  Miso glazed sea bass.  Have it as much as I can.  It's so so good.

Thanks for coming along with us.  Leslee & Bob

Cherish The Moments, Love Deeply, Dream Big

Day 143. May 24, 2016. SEA DAY 1/2. Enroute to Raiatea, French Polynesia on the Azure Seas

First of 2 sea days.  We are in the middle of the South Pacific, on our way to Tahiti and her islands, that make up the largest marine territory in the world, covering an area of 5.5 million square kilometers ( equivalent to the land area of Europe).  The land above the sea only represents 4,000 km spread over 118 islands and 5 archipelagos:  the Marquesas to the north, the Society Islands and the Tuamotu in the centre, the Austral Islands to the south, and the Gambier to the South East.  Each one has its own unique landscape from the green volcanic islands to the turquoise blue coral atolls.

Three words of welcome: "La Ora Na"  "Maeva" and "Manava" is how the Polynesians greet their visitors. This legendary is symbolically shown on your arrival, by songs accompanied by guitars and ukuleles, and the gift of a Tahitian flower, the emblem of Tahiti and her islands.

Our last nights entertainer.

She was very good

Today was a great relaxing day.  Golf, Bingo, sun and then wine.  What else could you want.  Maybe chocolate or.....

Couple of nights ago.  This team was amazing

Tomorrow another sea day.  Thanks for joining us.

Cherish The Moments, Love Deeply, Dream Big

Day 142 May 23. 2016. AGAIN. Docked in Pago Pago, American Samoa on the Azure Seas

Yes it's May 23 AGAIN.  We crossed the International Date Line last night.  Now we are on the same date as you are but we are 7 hours behind you.  Pago Pago is stunningly beautiful.  The town is located near the westernmost end of a L-shaped bay and is surrounded by lush, green mountains.

We docked right on time and by 8:00 we were on a local bus to see the island. 

This was our bus that we took.  Please read the back of it.  So for 5.00usd pp we saw half the island.  Until the weather changed.  The skies opened up and the liquid sunshine poured down on us.

Beautiful waves.

Just look at that beautiful color of the water

Yes we picked up more sand.  It was a great day.

We had a great day today.  Thanks for joining us.  Next 2 days we are traveling in the French Polynesia waters

Leslee & Bob

Cherish The Moments, Love Deeply, Dream Big

Day 141. May 23, 2016. Docked in Apia, Samoa on the Azure Seas

          Our greeters from Apia

 

Our description of our 4 hour tour that we are on with 22 other people.  It's a very good itinerary of the island.  Sites include the new Mulivai Cathedral with its impressive marriage of local and international architectural designs and stained glass windows; 

Samoa Cultural Village where displays of local activities are featured, including a Welcome Kava Ceremony; fire making (by rubbing of sticks together); Siapo (tapa making—a traditional art form made from a bark of the mulberry tree and natural dyes; basket weaving; and printing of traditional designs on "lavalavas" (sarongs).

Then we drive to Mulinu'u—the sacred burial grounds of  Samoan Royalty, the Independence Monument, Parliament House, Lands & Titles Court, and the German Monument where the German flag was raised during the occupation in Samoa in the late 1800s.  

A stop was made at the Fresh Produce Market with its fresh vegetables, fruits, handicrafts, souvenirs, kava, and cooked food. It is a place of interesting sights and smells.The tour continues through plantations and the University of the South Pacific Agricultural Campus with its experiments of  cross breeding of crops.

The last stop is the Robert Louis Stevenson's Museum, former home of the famous Scottish author. The settings are from the period when he was residing in Samoa. A tour is conducted by its staff.  The grounds at "Vailima" are well maintained with local plants, flora and fauna that boasts a tropical haven. Light refreshments of chilled local fruits in season, bottled water and local fruit juice are served at the Museum Patio

 

Cherish The Moments, Love Deeply, Dream