Four days at home proved to be enough to unpack, do laundry and repack in order to head north to cooler weather in Park City, Utah.  Having lived there for almost 20 years, there are spots that call us back every year and many friends that are our reason for returning year after year.  The Campbell’s – our prior next door neighbors – are some of those friends.  Every year there are new experiences with them and this year it happened to be a celebration of Jimmy Buffett’s life in Salt Lake City;-)  What a happy afternoon/evening – –

An evening of Jimmy Buffett music, with our friend Jane, on the 2nd anniversary of his passing.

A favorite adventure that takes one to the BEST smothered chicken burrito ever is to take the lift(s) up to Bearclaw Summit at Sundance Resort.  Not only does one experience this great lunch but does it with a 360-degree view of the Wasatch Range.  Again, luck gives us great friends to do this with.

High atop Sundance Resort enjoying wonderful burritos with Judi and Don with a view of Utah Lake and Provo, Utah in the background.

Of course there is incredible golf in Park City and the surrounding area in the summer.  This year provided a really new experience in Morgan, Utah – of all places.  Morgan’s Round Valley Golf Course is a great little course with fantastic views and a one-of-a-kind restaurant – Taggerts – nearby.  All introduced to us with more great friends, Tina and John.

Fun with Tina & John at a new (to us) golf course in Morgan, Utah.

Just so happened that another great cause occurred while in Park City – the walk for Alzheimer’s.  We encourage our fellow residents in our senior community to support this walk in Phoenix and thought it would be nice to do the same in Park City.  So – off to a beautiful, meaningful walk on a Saturday morning.  Even the little sprinkle was fun;-)

Participating in the Alzheimer’s Walk in Park City in memory of our mom’s.

There is always a trip up into the Uinta’s!  Favorite hikes are located there as is Mirror Lake.  Today was a wonderful, drizzly day.  So much different from the dry, arid Arizona.  BUT, the breeze and rain meant the ‘mirror’ part of the lake wasn’t there.  No matter, it provided a cool day for the walk around the lake;-)

A rainy day drive to Mirror Lake.

The weather is a true gift of the Park City area – and this year provided lots of much needed rain.  But, the real love of the area is all the animal sightings.  Sad to report there were no moose visits this year.  Instead the regular old deer had to suffice.  There were also great glimpses of our favorite – the Sand Hill Cranes.

Young buck sneaking a peek.

A Sand hill crane couple along our Alzheimer’s walk.

There was a brief interlude while in Park City!!  It had been a month since leaving a cruise ship and another fix of the ocean was needed.   The Journey of Jazz Cruise from Vancouver to LA was the cure.  If one hasn’t spent much time in Vancouver, it is a great, metropolitan city on the water.  Stay close to the harbor at any one of many hotels there.  And just walk!  The port area is fabulous with a plethora of eating and drinking establishments, harbor cruises, float plane adventures, Fly Over Iceland or Canada, museums and FREE bus transportation to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park and other activities!  If one is a shopper – a Rodeo type street is also close by.  Way too much to do in a couple of days.

Exploring the fantastically fun Vancouver harbor before our Jazz cruise.

Reflections in the convention center windows.

Just north of the city is the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.  Yes, it contains the world famous Capilano Suspension Bridge that spans the Capilano River at a height of 230 feet and a span of 450 feet.  The Park also contains a Treetop Adventure and a thrilling Cliffwalk along with Raptor talks and viewings and of course food and beverage;-)  One can arrive on that free shuttle from the port and stay as long as you like with a return shuttle when ready.

G trying to get up the nerve to cross this swaying Capilano bridge.

You can text from anywhere these days.  Tree toppers completing repair work from prior storms.

Lots of elevated pathways out here.

And GIANT squirrels enjoying the visitors.

Time to end all the fun in Vancouver and board the Celebrity Summit – the venue for all the upcoming Jazz.  The Jazz was fantastic (the ship not so much)!

Our Jazz cruise awaits.

There was music, presentations and interviews by/and about the artists from morning to late night. Diana Krall was among the headliners and left a lot to be desired.  Thankfully she only performed one night and left the real incredible Jazz to the dozens of other artists on the ship;-)

Diana Krall was a disappointment. The musicians backing her were marvelous and saved her.

Many Grammy winners and nominees entertained for a week.  These included DeeDee Bridgewater, Marcus Miller, Gregory Porter, John Clayton, Cecile McLorin Salvant, the Brubeck Brothers, Ravi Coltrane, Emmet Cohen, Sullivan Fortner, Niki Haris, Warren Wolfe and many, many more.  What a blast!!!!

Singer Dee Dee Bridgewater during an on ship interview session.

The guitarist and drummer are the Brubeck Brothers. G’s first live concert in 1963 was to see their dad, Dave Brubeck, performing at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.

Gregory Porter and Dee Dee Bridgewater perform from the Great American Songbook.

In addition to all the performances on the ship two concerts were performed in iconic venues in Victoria (a very old venue) and San Francisco (a brand new very contemporary Jazz Collective Auditorium).

The San Francisco Jazz Collective with Warren Wolfe performing at the their Miner Auditorium in San Francisco.

The Miner Auditorium.

A side excursion on the cruise was an adventure to Muir Woods – a National Monument.  This is an escape to an ancient forest of coast redwoods that were protected by William and Elizabeth Kent from loggers in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.  In 1908 they donated this small old-growth redwood forest to the public and named it after John Muir.  Thankfully President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed the area a national monument so that we can all still enjoy its beauty, splendor and tranquillity;-)

The Muir Woods near Sausalito, CA.

Beautiful redwood forests.

These guys are BIG.

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A healthy walk through the redwoods can be rewarded by a lunch in beautiful Sausalito with fabulous and interesting views back to the city – –

Clouded view of downtown San Francisco from our lunch spot in Sausalito.

The fog cleared for a bit.

Farewell “City by the Bay”.

The music on the cruise was fantastic!  But – all good things come to an end.  This was true of not just the cruise, but our time in Park City.  Autumn leaves were falling and the Harvest Moon was out.

The Harvest Moon welcomed us home.

Scottsdale here we are.  A wonderful summer filled with so many new places to see in the world and the very familiar spots in Park City.  Our blessings are many with all the old and new friends that fill our lives.

E & G – Grateful for our lives and those in it💕💕

So – everyone reading this knows Hawaii pretty well, I’m sure.  It’s a lot of volcanoes sitting in the ‘Ring of Fire’ that have exploded creating mountains and spewed lava which flowed and added to the islands created.  Over time that lava – and coral – have eroded and created beautiful beaches.  All of this activity can currently been seen at the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Mauna Kea caldera with steam vents visible.

Lots of steam activity down below.

Remnants of lava flows.  Surf’s up!

Millions of years of pounding by the surf to create beautiful palm tree lined beaches.

Colorful plants everywhere growing out of the fertile soil.

Thus ends 72 days at sea.

Some of the locales visited along the way.

It has been a wonderful time with lots of memories;-)

E & G at the end of a wonderful experience with no more history or geography lessons!!!

What will one do with 4 days at sea???  The answer is another question – how can we do all there is to do in 24 hours?

A typical day might begin around 7AM with breakfast in the cabin served by a fantastic Butler like Aakash – –

Great way to start the day.

One needs to be in the gym by 8AM in order to stake out their favorite place for the Pilates class.  While waiting for class to begin a few weight exercises can be done.  If you are not a “class” type of person, the treadmill and/or bike is a good alternative.

Hit the fitness center for some exercise.

Fitness class is barely over before putting and shuffleboard begin on the top deck.  It is either incredibly beautiful up there or blowing a gale, in which case everything gets moved indoors;-(

A great day – so putting is on the upper deck.

It has now been a while since breakfast and a lot of activity has taken place, so a break for hot chocolate and a muffin or chocolate croissant is probably needed!  On Oceania that means you head to the 10th deck and Horizons –

Hot chocolate and a snack with a view.

Eat, drink and move quickly as it is time for an OLife Enrichment Speaker in the Regatta Lounge on the 5th deck.  This cruise has had some of the most fascinating speakers – especially Dr. Ron Orenstein, who knew everything about every animal or fish in all the areas we were cruising in.  Also, Dr. Linda Bradley who educated us on every culture encountered.

Speakers morning and afternoon with lots of information about upcoming destinations.

Boy – time passes quickly!  It is already lunch time.  A favorite spot to enjoy the noon hour might be the Terrace Cafe, where you can sit on the rear deck, enjoy the fresh air and watch the world go by – –

More food and relaxation;-)

Don’t lollygag too long though, because there is more putting and bean bag toss on the 10th deck in Horizons at 2PM.  (These games are all VERY important, as you can win BIG O points to redeem at the end of the cruise for luggage tags, hats, tee shirts, etc!  They are all FREE with points.  OH BOY!!!!!)

Afternoon putting and baggo contests.

There is now a free hour which can be effectively used to get in the three miles walked almost every day.  When at sea, there are no excursions to accomplish this feat (no pun intended), so walking the halls satisfies the requirement.  It just so happens that five times around deck 7 on the Oceania Regatta is one mile.

Yes – that hall is .1 of a mile;-)

This also takes exactly an hour, so you can be finished right on time for Afternoon Tea back on the 10th deck in Horizons at 4PM.  There are the nicest servers there that now know chocolate is all this cruiser wants;-)

Late afternoon tea is always a treat.  These guys are the best!

You don’t even have to move, once finished with tea, to enjoy Lu & Sebastian at happy hour beginning at 5;-). The biggest decision one has to make each afternoon is – do you get ready for dinner before tea so you can go right thru tea and Happy hour to dinner OR take a break somewhere between tea, happy hour and dinner to change for dinner?!?  Decisions – decisions.

Happy hour with 2 for 1 drinks and great live music.

Well – sandwiches and sweets from tea and snacks from happy hour have now settled, so it must be dinner time.  Every once in a while Chef scores something incredible in port.  In Nuku Hiva he managed to acquire 400 pounds of fresh tuna and prepared it in all kinds of special ways the next three days.  He even set up a cooking station out on the Terraces deck and cooked up an incredible fresh tuna dinner.

Fresh tuna specially prepared out on the deck.  What a treat!

Sometimes surprises also come in the form of desserts.  Something chocolate was asked for one night – and a cheeseburger was served;-).

This cheeseburger desert is made from cake, chocolate mousse and jellied apricots.

The food is so delicious, one wants to linger and savor.  This is fine as long as it’s not too long as the evening entertainment comes on at 9:30.  The ship’s entertainment team is extremely talented and became family over the 70 days on the ship as they also do all the daily activities (like putting, baggo, etc).  But, there is also a lot of talent that is brought on like pianists, vocalists, etc – –

Live music in the lounge.

When the crew really wants to get the passengers moving and shaking, they create extra competition days pitting passengers against crew.  Strange how the crew always won!

A day of games passengers vs. crew.

Or, the crew creates teams of passengers to ‘build’ sea worthy vessels from plastic bottles.  These creations must float from one end of the pool to the other and then actually carry ‘freight’.  If the vessels proved worthy, they were voted on to determine the favorite.  What an event this turned into, especially since the seas were really rolling so the pool was sloshing big time!

Team boat building competition.

Which boat can stay afloat in the turbulent pool.

And then maybe a really special day is when the entire executive chef team decides to prepare a brunch of all brunches!  They truly outdid themselves this day – –

Exquisite at sea brunch.

If none of the above tickles your fancy, there is also the casino, poker, mah jongg, table tennis, shuffleboard, bridge, bingo, trivia, name that tune, needlepoint and jewelry making.

By the end of a sea day, the sunset and the thought of sleep is a welcome sight.  And out here the sunsets are always beautiful – –

The obligatory gorgeous sunset.

It’s not what will we do all day while at sea – it’s how will we have time to do it all?!?!

E & G – Ready to be in port to rest up;-)

The Marquesas Islands are yet another group of volcanic islands in French Polynesia.  The largest island of this group is Nuku Hiva and its capital is the charming Taiohae.  This cruise is lucky to be on a smaller ship, as many of the recent small island ports can not be visited by the larger ships.  This is one of those, as the Regatta anchored with just a quick 10 minute tender to shore.

The visual coming in to the beautiful bay is stunning.  Once again, the mountains created by the volcanos come straight down to the water and are covered with very lush greenery.  The tender takes one right into town with the warm island welcome.

Good morning Huku Niva.

😉

The youngster on the left was very vigorous with her welcoming chant.

Watching over the bay is a massive female tiki – Tiki Tuhiva – with a warrior by her side.  They are a quick 10-15 minute walk up the hill from the tender dock.  Worth the time for the view of the bay.

Tiki Tuhiva – –

– – and her warrior checking us out!

Another 1/2 mile walk up the Main Street will take one to the Notre Dame Cathedral.  Another charming sight with exquisite wood carvings inside instead of the usual stained glass windows.

Striking church buildings…

…with beautiful wood ceiling…

…and extensive carvings like these…

…instead of stained glass windows.

Back to the Main Street and another short distance is Temehea Tohua, a ceremonial site filled with tiki statues – and quite peaceful.

If you are hungry – or need a place to stay – there is a Relais and Chateau property on up the road, Le Nuku Hiva by Pearl Resort.  It will provide not only good food and drink, but an excellent view to go with it;-)

Nice walk to a hillside resort for lunch…

…with good food and great views.

With the visit to this quaint little island it is time to say goodbye to French Polynesia and the Islands of the South Pacific.  It has been very eye opening to see the number of tiny little islands out here, with very small populations, that have very exclusive, expensive resorts to escape to.  And, the number of relatively small sailboats that are anchored off shore.  In talking with many of the sailing folks, they are living on their boats for many months (in some cases years) and often with small children!  What a life and what an education!!!!

In a day and a half, this cruise will once again cross the equator and will return to the North Pacific on the way to the Hawaiian Islands.  Then it will only be a short week before it all ends and these passengers will return to the ‘real world’;-(  But – that is another week.  So ‘til then – keep enjoying.

E & G – Amazed and Awed

Today is a visit to Tahiti’s little sister Raiatea, the second largest of the Society Islands.  The very friendly, musical welcome was waiting –  –

Always a treat.

An incredible tour can be had here with Tara.  She is absolutely fabulous and a great wealth of information about the island and its culture.  She is a local, but took advantage of the French education benefits obtaining her degrees in French and Italian at a university in France.  She also speaks perfect English and many dialects of the Polynesian language.  Her story telling keeps one attentive and engaged throughout the four hour tour.  What a gem;-)

Tara claims everyone on the island is a relative!  So – the first stop on her tour was at her uncle’s pearl production operation.  No matter how large or small the island – in these South Pacific isles, pearls are the name of the game.  They are everywhere and the buying opportunities are a plenty.

Transportation for the day.  Tara called it the “Barbie Bus” – driven by her cousin!

Tara’s uncle’s black pearl production center. A small but inviting and informative stop.

A beautiful visit – and an educational one if Tara is your guide – is the botanical gardens, Jardin Botanique de Faaroa.  As is true in most of the islands, every plant and tree has some health or nutritional benefit or use.  Tara knew them all – even if it was a particular leaf that could be used as both a plate and then TP;-)

Our guide, Tara, was excellent. The best in our 60 + days.

Well known Bird of Paradise.

The clerodendrum quadriloculare…also known locally as the “q tip” flower (look close).

This island is no different than most in this area – it is the result of a volcano and the lush green mountainous terrain runs right down to the ocean.  Here in Raiatea, Mount Temehani is its jewel.  It is the Polynesian Mount Olympus and just like Olympus, it creates its own weather so the top is rarely seen;-(

The tallest mountain on the island is almost always in the clouds.

Raiatea is widely regarded as the center of the eastern islands in ancient Polynesia. It is likely that migrations to Hawaii, New Zealand and other parts of East Polynesia began here – looking like the arms, or tentacles, of an octopus as the people and cultures spread.  In fact, the traditional name of this island is Havai’i!

Situated on the south east coast of the island is the historical Taputapuatea Marae, which was established by 1000AD.  It is considered the center of the “Polynesian Triangle” and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.  The remains of this marae form an ancient religious, cultural and political grouping that played a vital role in the history of the Ma’ohi people.  The site contains many marae utilized for different functions and rites.  As said in a prior post, think of the wonderful Kivas of the ancient Puebloans and this is the Polynesian version.

The Taputapuatea site is considered the ‘center’ of the cultural and religious octopus.  It was originally Havai’i.

The great Marae Taputapuatea, the most deified element of the site.  Recent offerings are next to the alter.

The Marae Hauviri – the investiture temple of the paramount chiefs.

A fascinating island that brought home the origination and meaning of the marae.  It also introduced us to Tara who was a true Polynesian gem;-)  But, as always, time came to move on.

Leaving Raiatea..heading for Rangiroa

Still in French Polynesia – visit Rangiroa.  The island is unlike all its sister islands in that it is pancake flat and does not have a volcano at its center.  In fact, this is not one island, but a string of coral encircling a beautiful turquoise and jade-green lagoon.  It is the largest atoll of French Polynesia and the second largest in the world!  It has been called “God’s aquarium” and classified by Captain Cousteau as one of the most beautiful sites in the world.  It is included in “1000 Places to See Before You Die” but it is nothing like the island of Bora Bora.  It does have its expensive resort – but the real sight to see is under water.  A short time from end to end on the island is all one needs before heading for the lagoon – –

Another musical welcome.

Docked in the middle of the atoll.

Main Street?

More main Street. Not much in this “village”

The warm water and sunshine can make one very happy!!

A black tip reef shark, one of many spotted.

A poor shot of one of five dolphins followed for a while. The wave action on the small boat made it near impossible to get good shots;-(

This area is know to divers and snorkelers worldwide as The Aquarium.  The water’s colors were beautiful.

Very enjoyable day in this little slice of heaven.

Another ho hum sunset.

As this trip was started, there was no thought that a little tiny island/atoll in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean could provide such an incredible day.  Words on a page can provide ideas – but there is nothing like seeing for oneself!  What a great few days.

E & G with smiles

Way out there in the South Pacific is French Polynesia, made up of a group of islands called the Society Islands – the largest of which is the ever popular Tahiti.  Here resides the bustling city of Papeete, the capital of all of French Polynesia, which is (as the name implies) a French protectorate.  With a population of just shy of 30,000 people, Papeete is truly the BIG city. It also has the only international airport of the area, so all visitors to any of the other islands enter and exit through Papeete.  A cruise, however, will bring you directly into the center of the downtown area of the city.  AND – if you cruise in early morning or late night, the sight is quite beautiful – –

Early morning arrival in Papeete.

Of course throughout these islands the water and sea life are the attraction.  But, there is a rich culture that grew here.  The ancient Ma’ohi civilization settled the area as much as 1,000 years ago.  Their ‘temple’ or place of worship was a Marae.  The Marae included a sacred square, an altar, a surrounding low wall that could be seen over to experience the ceremony by the ‘congregation’ and wooden sculptures of ancestors.  (If one thinks of the ancient Puebloans in the western US, the Marae is much like the Kiva!)  There were also often Tikis leading the way to the Marae.

Large Tiki near entrance to Marae Arahurahu.

Colorful gates to the grounds.

A favorite – a turtle in the ‘gate’.

The sacred square with the wall to the heavens and altar in the rear.

More beautiful scenery can be found at Vaipahi Botanical Gardens – and cooling waterfalls – –

Refreshing…

…and colorful flowers.

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On another lighter note, a visit to the Grotte De Mara’a is quite cool and refreshing on a hot, humid day.  This site is composed of three natural caves, thought to have been created by lava tubes.  There is a permanent trickle of water which has formed pools of cool water and the ceilings of the caves are covered with ferns and moss.  But, beware – the surrounding mud can be quite slippery and send one into the brown mirk, as was seen on a recent  trip;-)

Fern draped grottos…

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After exploring the coasts of Tahiti, a walk through town will take you to the Robert Wan Pearl Museum.  This museum provides a complete guide to the history and legends of pearls including the historical figures who used them to adorn themselves.  It also provides in depth information on the intricacies of pearl farming and choosing the perfect pearl.  It is really quite an interesting place to visit.

Just a few historical examples of pearl usage.

Almost all of the coast on both sides of the city are garden areas along the ocean.  A stroll will take one by many nice places for an afternoon snack and beverage with fantastic views – –

Tiki bar in the waterfront park – come have a seat and relax;-)

Colorful, cooling beverage.

Another day comes to an end and Bora Bora is calling.  So – it’s goodby to Papeete.

Farewell.

Bora Bora!!!  Not enough can be said about this island.  It is for the rich and famous – the who’s who – and E&G;-)

It is one of the many islands of the Society Islands of French Polynesia and is located about 140 miles northwest of Papeete.  The island is surrounded by a lagoon and a barrier reef with an extinct volcano rising to two peaks in the center.  As is true of all the islands, the lush, green vegetation grows right down to the waters edge.

Beautiful Bora Bora.

Vaitape is the big city on this island – and that is a stretch.  The main street has lovely, but not inexpensive, shops with many places to buy those ever present South Pacific Pearls.  A stroll up and down will not take long.  But a place to relax for a bite is always welcome.

The welcomng committee.

Nice lunch spot in Vaitape.

Beautiful display of ukulele’s in a tee shirt shop on main street.  Who would have thought?!?!?

Bora Bora has become a major international tourist destination with its many resorts touting ‘over the water’ bungalows.  These, too, are not cheap.  Think Four Seasons, Intercontinental, St. Regis and Westin $$$$. But – you only live once – right?  AND – it’s in “A Thousand Places to See Before You Die” – so why not check it out for a night.  What an experience.

View across the lagoon towards the main island of Bora Bora.

Lunch views from the bar at the Four Seasons Bora Bora.

Relaxing off the bungalow deck in the infinity pool.

Little chapel with a big view – on the grounds of the resort.

Our bungalow was one of those in the background.

Time to head back to reality and reboard our ship.

Many experiences are truly once in a lifetime and not to be repeated.  This is one of those.

As always, time marches on and ships sail away.

Another beautiful sunset. Bye bye Bora Bora.

It is impossible not to like these islands.  The next is just as beautiful as the last.  It was a map at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix that made this trip a ‘bucket list’ item.  So glad to get to see this part of the world with its many exquisite views, distinctive cultures and fabulous music.

E & G – awed by this South Pacific beauty

When one crosses the International Date Line going east, there is the opportunity to correct on day two all the things you didn’t like on day one!  So – here we go.

Sunday, July 13 – day one in Samoa.  Oceania has gotten very little wrong, but the planning of the two ports for the current two days was not the best.  The Samoans are deeply religious people (and very tolerant of all religions), which means that VERY little is open on Sunday.  Except all the churches.

The Independent State of Samoa, previously known as Western Samoa, is another island country in Polynesia in the South Pacific.  (There are really a LOT of islands out here!!!).  Apia, its capital, is located on one of the two main islands making up the country.  The country’s population is a mere 200,000 – although this changes regularly as the younger people leave the country for opportunities elsewhere, mainly New Zealand.

A quick walk along the waterfront will take you to their iconic clock tower adjacent to the breakwater for the harbor.

The old clock tower.

The primary sight to see on this small island is the home of Robert Louis Stevenson, which is now a museum.  He took to Samoa and spent his final years there.  Other sights to see are the many churches on the island.  Since it was Sunday when this visit took place they WERE open for all to see.  Especially beautiful is the Catholic church which sits right on the waterfront street.  It was severely damaged, rebuilt and reopened in 2014.  The exterior stands out from the more basic buildings surrounding it and the interior is stunning!  The mahogany woodwork was completed by local labor while the stained glass was imported.  Thank goodness it was open.

The Immaculate Conception Cathedral – a true rose among thorns.

Incredible woodwork and magnificent stained glass!

Pipe organ and rear of cathedral.

Beautiful murals.

Carved wood ceilings.

A walk around town will provide color, interesting sights and memories for two old accountants;-)

Local wall art.

Novel use of old tires.

Antique cash register at Sadie’s Hotel.

Now – there is this “line” located halfway around the world from the prime meridian (0 degrees longitude) that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole and marks the Western and Eastern Hemisphere divide.  It is known as the International Date Line (IDL) and is at 180 degrees longitude.  If you cross this line traveling east you lose a day – or repeat the same day over again.  Groundhog day!!

Crossing the international dateline.

So – Sunday, July 13 AGAIN – day two in American Samoa;-). Remembering that the Samoans (in the Independent State or American) are very religious people this means nothing is open today;-(

The Samoan Islands were once one politically.  In the late 1800’s, the countries of Germany, UK and US struggled for political control.  This ultimately ended with Germany (subsequently NZ a German colony) having control of Western Samoa and the US having control of the Eastern half of the island complex.  The Western half ultimately won its independence but the Eastern portion of Samoa still remains a US territory – the only such territory south of the equator almost 5,000 miles from Los Angeles.

American Samoa’s culture goes back 2,900 years, it served a vital role during WWII and today holds firm to many of its ancient cultural ideals.  Its capital is Pago Pago and Starkist is its largest employer employing 80% of its population.  It is a very friendly, colorful, welcoming territory.

Pronounced Pongo Pongo

Greeted by Miss American Samoa.

Colorful tour buses.  Walking is a good option.

The southern most US National Park resides in American Samoa in this beautiful, lush land.

Like everything else on the island, closed on Sunday.

Lush …

..Green…

and colorful.

Also neat and clean.

Wyland mural at the Tauese PF Sunia Ocean Center.

It is unfortunate that these two days in this very pleasant area were Sundays and activities were limited.  But, the people encountered were happy to see visitors and incredibly warm, friendly and helpful.

Goodbye Samoa.

Having a second day to get things right didn’t help a whole lot.  But, the days were enjoyed with beautiful scenery and warm, friendly hosts.

E & G – On to Bora Bora

Fiji – another country in the South Pacific made up of many scattered islands.  Over 300 in fact.  But only a third of them are populated.  The largest of its islands – Viti Levu – contains the two largest and most productive cities of the country, including its capital – Suva.

On the northwest side of Viti Levu resides Lautoka – first recorded in the maps of Captain Bligh of HMS Bounty in 1789.  Today it is described as the sugar city since sugar cane has been the major industry of Fiji and Lautoka is the base with the largest sugar mill, loading facilities and a large wharf for its shipping.  This activity dominates the town and area not leaving the impression one might have of Fiji.

The downtown area of Lautoka is small and almost reminds one of small towns throughout the US where there are many vacant properties or those in disrepair.  The municipal market is something to see at approximately 200,000 square feet!  You can get any fruit or vegetable that you might want here.

Downtown Luatoka – not an interesting stop;-(

The Central Market – on the other hand – was something to see!!

Artistically prepared pineapples.

The sights in Lautoka were as diverse as the neighborhoods of Fiji.  From ocean views to sugar cane plants and nice to very basic.  BUT – always colorful – –

Home sweet home.  Typical neighborhood sights.

Ocean view from our lunch spot. (Very disappointing chicken curry.)

Leave Lautoka behind and venture to the southeast coast of Viti Levu to Fiji’s capital city of Suva.  This is a much more attractive city, since it lacks the overwhelming industrial sugar cane plants.  The tropical rainforests seem to come right down into the city making it quite green.  Therefore, one doesn’t need to go far to enjoy very pleasing sights.

But – venture the hour out of Suva to Raiwaqa Village for a traditional Kava ceremony followed by a longboat ride to the Magic Waterfall.  Villagers dress in traditional garb to perform the Kava ceremony, which is a welcoming ceremony.  It includes the preparation of the kava drink for sharing with guests followed by traditional dances and entertainment by the men and women of the village.  The older members of the village feel this welcoming of tourists allows them to teach the younger members of the village the rituals of their culture and provides the opportunity for the younger members to ‘practice’ daily.  The traditions of the past are being lost by so many cultures, it is wonderful to see how these people have found a way to keep theirs alive.  Join us for a day in Raiwaqa Village – –

Gather with villagers for a cultural presentation – their kava ceremony…

..the preparation of Kava, a Fijian drink with “unique properties”, and their sharing with our ‘chiefs’…

…our turn to sample the Kava …

…enjoy their traditional male dance…

…women’s dance…

…and music.  G is also trying out a sarong!

Now that they have won you over, climb into a longboat and let them take you on a 40 minute ride up the Navua River.  The scenery is stunning as the sides of the river grow around you with the greenest, lushest vegetation you have ever seen.  Just be sure to hang on as the boat bounds over the rapids!

All aboard.

Beautiful view along the way,

Hang on – here we go!

Entering a fairly deep, lush green gorge.  BEAUTIFUL!

Suddenly the boats pull over and you are helped out to finish your trip walking up a tricky path through more luxuriant vegetation to the Magic Waterfall – –

Watch your step.

It is so beautiful one forgets to watch where they are going!

Worth the trip!

Everyone in.

Thank goodness – the crew waited to return us to the village.

What an educational, enriching and adventurous day!  The community of Raiwaqa Village was so warm and welcoming and so eager to share their customs with gracious hospitality.  Don’t miss this experience when visiting Suva, Fiji.

E & G – Quite grateful to the Raiwaqa villagers

Mystery Island – one of about 80 islands that make up Vanuatu – is a tiny island at the southern tip of the Republic of Vanuatu.  Vanuatu was previously ‘administered’ jointly by the French and the British (and known as New Hebrides) but became its own Republic in 1980 changing its name to Vanuatu – meaning “Our Land Forever”.  Its capital and economic center, Port Vila, sits on the island of Efate.  Unfortunately, Port Vila was hit by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in December of 2024 severely damaging the city.  So – if you are cruising and Port Vila is a port of call, it is likely this stop will not be made as they are still recovering and rebuilding.  But, perhaps you will be lucky enough to make a stop at Mystery Island;-)

This tiny island is less than a mile long and a little more than a couple of hundred yards wide.  It can easily be walked around in less than an hour.  But, on that walk you will see some of the bluest water you have ever seen in an ocean or sea!

Yep – that is tiny Mystery Island!

Welcome to the island.

So – what’s the mystery?!?  Well, During WWII the US troops built a runway on the island to be used as a landing strip for their air force when the war in the South Pacific was going strong.  The air strip was impossible to see from the sea and the Japanese could not figure out where the planes were coming from.  Thus – it was a mystery!  This landing strip is still there, but since Mystery Island has no residents it is used for the nearby islands.  It basically runs the full length of the island!

Not sure what customs checks for here?!?

Prepare to take off.

After walking the runway one can visit the beach and admire the blue water, snorkel, visit with the locals from the adjacent islands who set up ‘shops’ for the tourists – or just plain relax – –

It takes about an hour to stroll around the island.

Beautiful, lush scenery.

Many trees like this one are decorated with local art.

Facilities are very basic.

E can’t resist climbing trees – –

– – and G just wants to Chill!

The cloud burst waited for us to get back to the ship.

A beautiful farewell sky.

This tiny island in the South Pacific can provide a wonderful, relaxing day.  Don’t pass it by the next time you are in the neighborhood!

E & G – relaxed and moving on.

The northeast coast of Queensland is truly magnificent with natural wonders like the Great Barrier Reef and UNESCO rainforests and quaint little beach towns that calm the soul.

Cairns is a quiet little town, with a population of a mere 170,000, that beckons those who want to visit the Great Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  The Reef stretches for over 1,400 miles off the northeast Queensland coast and is purported to be the only living organism on earth visible from space.  The “Reef” is actually made up of approximately 2,900 separate reefs with 300 sand isles in the reef and is 6,000-8,000 years old.  It is also home to more than 350 species of hard coral and 1,500 varieties of fish!  Unfortunately, it is significantly affected by not only man’s stupidity but also by natural occurrences like the cyclones common in this part of the world.  As recently as 2023 cyclone Jasper blew through and did a great deal of damage to the reef.  The good news is that the coral can regenerate quickly but some of the damage was still visible.

It may be surprising to learn that the reef is 10 to 50 miles off the coast.  So, one does not just walk out and view this wonder.  But, as you might guess, there is a plethora of adventure providers waiting to whisk you out to the reef.   So – pick one and head out.  Today’s transportation was provided by Reef Magic (imagine that – Magic!) to an incredible floating platform where one could don wetsuits or obtain snorkel equipment, ride in glass bottom boats or partial submersibles, observe from an underwater observation deck, learn about the native peoples of the land and how they used every part of the reef in their lives, have lunch and enjoy the beauty!  What an incredible day – –

Today’s transport to the Great Barrier Reef.

‘Magic’ docked with one of many platforms installed above the reef for diving and viewing.

On a glass bottom boat with fellow travelers Jeff and Randy.

A hand carved device used by aboriginal spear fishers to extend the throwing range of their spears.

Semi-submersible used to provide a little bit better view of the reef than the glass bottom boat.

Several views of the reef and fish – –

Good view of ‘spaghetti’ coral.

Just a little further down the coast one comes upon Townsville – a quaint little town of approximately 200,000 people.  This entire coast was explored by Captain Cook in the late 1700’s and much of it was named by him.  Townsville, however, received its name from a British Merchant who contributed the money to build the port around 1866 – Robert Towns.  This area grows a huge amount of sugar cane allowing it to export 30-35 million tons per year!  There are also very large fields of pineapple.  All these fields set at the foot of rainforests and beautiful National Park areas.  When one tires of exploring the Great Barrier Reef – head inland and up into the mountains for another kind of exquisite beauty.  One choice is Girringun National Park and the Wallaman Falls – the highest, single-drop waterfall in Australia.  This is all located in the UNESCO Wet Tropics World Heritage Area housing some of the oldest rainforests on earth.  Try to do this on a nice day as the scenery is beautiful!!

Now, on to the rainforest.

The 882 foot high Wallaman Falls.

Hiking through the rainforest spotting a huge bird’s nest at the center top of the photo.

The dark brown tree beneath the whiter colored growth will eventually be strangled and replaced by the tree growing around it – which grows from the top down!

Pineapple fields forever.

There is plenty of bird and animal life to be seen.  Fortunately, not much was seen in the rainforest as almost everything inhabiting that area will kill you!  If you are lucky a sighting of a Wallaby might occur.  And if you are really lucky, you might get to see a mum and her little joey – –

Wallaby mother with a joey in the pouch.

This cruise provided glimpses of wonderful Australian ports and – for many – that Bucket List item of the Great Barrier Reef.  So much different than the first 30 days although all experiences have had their purpose.  For now, it is goodbye to Australia heading east to the South Pacific islands.

Farewell Australia. We’ll be back.

Wonderful exposure to Australia!  In fact, so wonderful another trip has already been booked!!

E & G – From the sea to the mountains and back to the sea;-)