Breakfast in Papeete
Ground Zero Site New York
Times Square on the wettest day New York has known for 106 years
Lunch is served
Wednesday 18 April 2007
Home
Arrived home to-day at about 2.30pm to this lovely Spring weather. Julie kindly met us off the coach and is cooking dinner for us this evening. Lovely also to see Charlotte waiting for us who is blooming.
New York
We arrived in New York Saturday evening at about 10.00pm very tired after flights from Papeete via Los Angeles ( 16Hour journey) and went straight to bed.
Sunday saw the heaviest days rainfall in New York for 106 years ...and very cold with it...we looked out of the window and went back to bed. But at 3.00pm we were booked to see the musical 'Wicked' so at 2.00pm we took our brollies and legged it to the theatre which was really quite close to the hotel.
The show was excellent....worth getting wet....the stage effects stunning. Richard didn't quite get the story line since he hasn't seen the Wizard of Oz but that didn't matter.
We chose to stay at The London NYC Hotel because Gordon Ramsey has just opened his new restaurant in New York at this hotel and we managed to get a table by booking last November!
very expensive but well worth the treat.
Jane....tell Sharon that we were invited to tour the kitchen where we met the Chef who hales from New Zealand....it was very hectic and well organised...Jeannette was very impressed.
The weather began to improve after Sunday so we were able to fit in some sight-seeing....Times Square, Broadway, Central Park, Empire State Building and Ground Zero site....the latter being quite an emotional experience.
New York is very exciting, noisy and different with plenty of shops but we both feel that we have done it and would not particularly want to rush back.
Sunday saw the heaviest days rainfall in New York for 106 years ...and very cold with it...we looked out of the window and went back to bed. But at 3.00pm we were booked to see the musical 'Wicked' so at 2.00pm we took our brollies and legged it to the theatre which was really quite close to the hotel.
The show was excellent....worth getting wet....the stage effects stunning. Richard didn't quite get the story line since he hasn't seen the Wizard of Oz but that didn't matter.
We chose to stay at The London NYC Hotel because Gordon Ramsey has just opened his new restaurant in New York at this hotel and we managed to get a table by booking last November!
very expensive but well worth the treat.
Jane....tell Sharon that we were invited to tour the kitchen where we met the Chef who hales from New Zealand....it was very hectic and well organised...Jeannette was very impressed.
The weather began to improve after Sunday so we were able to fit in some sight-seeing....Times Square, Broadway, Central Park, Empire State Building and Ground Zero site....the latter being quite an emotional experience.
New York is very exciting, noisy and different with plenty of shops but we both feel that we have done it and would not particularly want to rush back.
Friday 13 April 2007
Fish
French Polynesia is teeming with fish.......they all seem to be eatable and the locals particularly in the more rural parts live on fish with some chicken. Red meat is available but imported from New Zealand and expensive.
They eat raw fish, seared fish, marinated fish and cooked fish.
On the Haumana I think the owners relied on fish caught by the crew to keep costs down. Most days we had fish or shellfish caught by the crew prepared in all the above ways.
We did however make friends with the chef who was a frenchman and had worked in England and spoke english. He was very kind and slipped us a meat starter instaed of the raw fish.
But fresh fish straight onto an open fire barbecue is delicious.
They eat raw fish, seared fish, marinated fish and cooked fish.
On the Haumana I think the owners relied on fish caught by the crew to keep costs down. Most days we had fish or shellfish caught by the crew prepared in all the above ways.
We did however make friends with the chef who was a frenchman and had worked in England and spoke english. He was very kind and slipped us a meat starter instaed of the raw fish.
But fresh fish straight onto an open fire barbecue is delicious.
Pearls
Tahiti is famous for the production of pearls.These days they are grown on Pearl Farms.
A bead is inserted somewhere quite uncomfortable in the oyster which dutifully covers it with the paerl material. After four years you have a sizable pearl. Hundreds must be harvested each day and graded but the value occurs because only a small percentage are perfectly formed and coloured and large enough.
As you may think therefore Papeete has dozens and dozens of shops selling pearls.....we have visited all of them.....twice!
Richard
A bead is inserted somewhere quite uncomfortable in the oyster which dutifully covers it with the paerl material. After four years you have a sizable pearl. Hundreds must be harvested each day and graded but the value occurs because only a small percentage are perfectly formed and coloured and large enough.
As you may think therefore Papeete has dozens and dozens of shops selling pearls.....we have visited all of them.....twice!
Richard
Last Day in Tahiti
Last three days have been relaxing.
Wednesday we went to the capital 'Papeete' and shopped for pearls for a 40th anniversary present for Jeannette. and in the evening we were picked up from the hotel by Xavier who we had met with his wife Ann-Laurent on the Hamana and who took us to his home for dinner with other of their friends.....a very nice evening ....everyone tried to speak english so we were'nt left out at all . There house was high in the hills overlooking the sea and the neighbouring island of Moorea.
Thursday we hired a car and explored Tahiti......didn't take long ....we were back at the hotel by 3.00pm. ....but it poured with rain most of the day....so stayed in the car most of the time. We saw that it is a very lush tropical island.
Today we are sitting out in the sun but it doesn't really want to come out and the sky is overcast.
We fly at 10.00pm this evening 13th April (9.00 am british time on Saturday) 14th) for the 7 hour flight to Los Angeles and then after a break there of three hours we fly on to New York which will take a further 5 hours arriving at about 9.00 in the evening N Y time.
We will be really sorry to leave these islands ....the people are lovely and kind and I am sure one day we will return.
Wednesday we went to the capital 'Papeete' and shopped for pearls for a 40th anniversary present for Jeannette. and in the evening we were picked up from the hotel by Xavier who we had met with his wife Ann-Laurent on the Hamana and who took us to his home for dinner with other of their friends.....a very nice evening ....everyone tried to speak english so we were'nt left out at all . There house was high in the hills overlooking the sea and the neighbouring island of Moorea.
Thursday we hired a car and explored Tahiti......didn't take long ....we were back at the hotel by 3.00pm. ....but it poured with rain most of the day....so stayed in the car most of the time. We saw that it is a very lush tropical island.
Today we are sitting out in the sun but it doesn't really want to come out and the sky is overcast.
We fly at 10.00pm this evening 13th April (9.00 am british time on Saturday) 14th) for the 7 hour flight to Los Angeles and then after a break there of three hours we fly on to New York which will take a further 5 hours arriving at about 9.00 in the evening N Y time.
We will be really sorry to leave these islands ....the people are lovely and kind and I am sure one day we will return.
Tuesday 10 April 2007
Haumana Cruise
Arrived back in Tahiti this lunch time after our seven day cruise in the lagoon of the Rangiroa Atoll.
After booking the cruise on the internet andpaying over money to an unknown there must always be some risk and a bit of unease that no-one will meet you but we were met and the Haumana was a gem. Not hugely luxurious but staffed by local polynesians ......and the interaction with them was remarkable.
Everyday was a new experience with offboard activities....deep sea fishing, snorkeling ( not Richard) with the sharks, sea kayaking(not Richard)....and generally exploring the beatiful islands that form the reef. Many photographs and many tales to tell.
Fellow passengers were all french speaking but all made a great effort to speak english.....we even have an invite to dinner on tahiti tomorrow evening with a french couple who live here.
The first four days of the cruise was really exclusive....only four guests served by a crew of 18. It was just like being on our own ship.
All in all a remarkable experience
After booking the cruise on the internet andpaying over money to an unknown there must always be some risk and a bit of unease that no-one will meet you but we were met and the Haumana was a gem. Not hugely luxurious but staffed by local polynesians ......and the interaction with them was remarkable.
Everyday was a new experience with offboard activities....deep sea fishing, snorkeling ( not Richard) with the sharks, sea kayaking(not Richard)....and generally exploring the beatiful islands that form the reef. Many photographs and many tales to tell.
Fellow passengers were all french speaking but all made a great effort to speak english.....we even have an invite to dinner on tahiti tomorrow evening with a french couple who live here.
The first four days of the cruise was really exclusive....only four guests served by a crew of 18. It was just like being on our own ship.
All in all a remarkable experience
Monday 2 April 2007
1st April
Thanks for all your cards and messages. We opened the cards over breakfast on our decking along with the first bottle of champagne of the day followed by a relaxing day in bed....well almost.
In the evening the hotel put on a fabulous dinner for us....the table set up on the beach with the lagoon lapping a few feet away and surrounded by flaming torches.Cool or what ! We then had champagne again with scallop starter, lobster dish, followed by fillet steak and gateuu....wonderful.
Oh and the stars and moon shone.
We are just settling into the Bora Bora lifestyle but must leave tomorrow when we fly to Rangiroa to join our cruise ship. So probably won't be able to blog again until we arrive back in Tahiti in a weeks time.
So....happy birthday Callum ....... just in case.
In the evening the hotel put on a fabulous dinner for us....the table set up on the beach with the lagoon lapping a few feet away and surrounded by flaming torches.Cool or what ! We then had champagne again with scallop starter, lobster dish, followed by fillet steak and gateuu....wonderful.
Oh and the stars and moon shone.
We are just settling into the Bora Bora lifestyle but must leave tomorrow when we fly to Rangiroa to join our cruise ship. So probably won't be able to blog again until we arrive back in Tahiti in a weeks time.
So....happy birthday Callum ....... just in case.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)