Berlin

Brandenburg Gate

We arrived in Berlin over five weeks ago so I guess it’s time to write something about our stay! 

Although we’ve been to many parts of Germany in the past, this was our first time in Berlin…long overdue.  We found it to be a fascinating City, an interesting mixture of old and new and sometimes a mixture of the two at the same time. 

The modern Dome on the Reichstag may seem odd to some but I think it works!  Out of the ashes of WWII and the years of a divided Germany, the new and modern Germany rises out of the old Reichstag building….becoming a symbol of today!  The juxtaposition of the old and new reminds me of the I.M. Pei pyramid entrance to the Louvre in Paris – disliked by some but admired by many.  Over time the Pyramid has grown on me. After all, Parisians hated the Eiffel Tower at first and the Centre Pompidou had many more detractors in the past than today.  Sometimes architecture is ahead of its time. 

Thanks to Rick Steves’ book on Berlin we learned about reserving a time to visit the Reichstag Dome.  It is very easy on-line but I recommend doing this early – I made the reservation about a month in advance.  It was very nice walking past the long lines trying to get a cancellation for that day or a ticket for the future.  Since we were in Berlin the last week of August, it was still very crowded with tourists.

  

The views of Berlin from the Dome are fabulous.  We took our time walking up the spiraling ramp to the top viewing area of the Dome because we kept seeing interesting reflections and views that begged for picture taking!   We think this is a “must see” when in Berlin. 

There is always controversy – especially on Trip Advisor – about taking a Hop-On-Hop Off bus.  But, we almost always take one on our first day in a new City.  Yes – they are full of tourists and yes – the commentary can be less than ideal…sometimes hokey.  However, these buses give us a quick overview of the main tourist areas and I can build my “mental map” of the city we’re visiting. 

I found the English commentary good, in fact, quite funny at times.  It featured two men talking – one with a British accent and the other with an American.  There were many biting comments about both the Nazi and Communist eras.  The statue of Marx and Engels is an example.  They mentioned that the two were called the Pensioners during the Communist days.  They are sitting on or standing by narrow rectangular “boxes.” The commentary mentioned that the East Berliners joked that these were actually suitcases and Marx and Engels were waiting to emigrate. 

Marx and Engels - The Pensioners waiting to emigrate from the Old East Berlin

On Trip Advisor there were many recommendations for bus 100 as a DIY hop-on-hop-off – (Rich Steves mentions it too.) We took this bus one day and ended up standing the entire time – I think everyone read the same entry on TA or bought Rick’s book!  (In 2008, we were sitting in a café in Montepulciano, Italy when I started counting how many people walked by carrying either Rick Steves’ Tuscany or Italy books!!  He must be doing well – but we do like his recommendations and his off-beat humor.)

View from the Hop-On-Hop Off Bus

Check :Point Charlie

Even though it was still the busy tourist season, we easily got good seats on the open top deck.  We also find the top to be a great place for pictures because you are “up in the air.”   We took the 1.5 hour trip around almost twice and then got off at Gendarmenmarkt, considered to be one the most beautiful squares in Europe.  The German and French (Huguenot) Churches and the Konzerthaus are on the square – but there was another very important reason for getting off here.  The most famous chocolate shop in Berlin, Fassbender and Rausch, is on the edge of the square!  Of course, we had to go. Our extensive study of hot chocolate demanded it.    We had wonderful hot chocolate and pastries in the second floor restaurant – Schokoladen-Café and we then HAD to “tour” the amazing chocolate shop on the first floor.  From here we took the U-Bahn back to our apartment.

This brings me to transportation in Berlin.  It is a well integrated system of buses, metro, and trams.  We used all during our stay.  There are various options – day passes, books of tickets, and passes for longer periods.  It was a little difficult figuring out at first but if you are used to urban transportation systems, it is not any worse than others.  We loved the trams which run, primarily, in the old East Berlin.

Tegel Airport is not far from the City but is quite old and antiquated.  The new airport for Berlin, Brandenburg, is a local joke.  It is now €5 billion over-budget and four years behind schedule as of now.  The latest we heard while in Berlin was that it may not open until 2016. This seems to be contrary to the reputation of German efficiency. 

We took a car service from Tegel to our apartment – first time we have done this.  In Germany, they have a relatively new service – My Driver– a division of the Sixt Car Rental Company.  The reason we used this is that we were getting into Berlin early in the morning and we could book this on-line and pay by credit card in advance.  Like Uber, the service includes tax, tip, luggage, and airport extras.  We took the service back to the airport because we had to leave the apartment by 5am on a Saturday and did not want to be standing on the sidewalk wondering if the taxi would show up. It was not much more than a taxi and having someone standing at the exit of customs with our name on a sign was welcome sight after a long transatlantic flight. 

Our apartment was another from Vacation Rentals by Owner.  It was a very modern, large studio with everything we needed for a short four night stay.  It was near U-Bahn and Tram service and was in the old East Berlin. The street we were on was interesting.  There were many old buildings – most were repainted and in good shape.  There were a few that looked derelict.  Sidewalks were not in good shape something we found in many parts of this section of the City – which surprised us some.  (Old City Managers always look at infrastructure – it’s an occupational hazard!)  To get to our apartment, we had to go through a wide gate that fronted on the street.  This opened onto a large inner courtyard with several mid-rise apartment buildings with very modern architecture.  It was a different world behind the old facades that fronted on the street. 

Because our first day was dedicated to jet lag recovery, we really only ended up with three days in Berlin.  We never made it to any of the world-famous museums…so there is plenty to do on a return visit!    

The Champagne Region…Not Just About Bubbly!

Verdun National Cemetery

We have visited the Champagne Region several times, stopping to tour the Champagne Vintners in Epernay, admiring the great Cathedrals in Reims and Troyes, buzzing by on the A4 on our way to the east of France, driving leisurely through the miles of vineyards.  Before this trip, my memories were mostly of Champagne caves, learning about the process of making the bubbly – from pressing to riddling to disgorging the sediment and,….of course, tasting. 

This trip we saw the more somber side of the Region – the side that is tragic – the side that is a reminder of the ravages of modern warfare – the side that requires reflecting and remembering.  WWI (1914 -18 War as it is often called in France) left its impact on the Champagne Region, an impact that is quite visible even today.  Military cemeteries are everywhere – French, German, Russian, and many in combination.  Memorials dot the area in the middle of fields, on lone hills, in villages large and small. 

Memorial of Navarin - In the Middle of a Field in the Marne Region

Not only is this the 100^th anniversary of the start of WWI in Europe but it is the 70^th anniversary of D-Day and the liberation of Paris from Nazi occupation. There have been many television programs, exhibits, and articles on these events. Throughout France there are memorials to the sons of the village who died in WWI and WWII.  Reminders of war are never far from you in France, but especially in Champagne because the front moved back and forth over the four plus years of the war – trench warfare was born in WWI and was prominent in Champagne.

We visited the Verdun Battle site.  Eight villages on the battlefield were not rebuilt after the War – several have markers to locate the streets and buildings of the destroyed villages – as memorials. The village of Fleury, for example, changed hands 16 times during the fighting. 

The battle of Verdun lasted for 300 days in an area of less than 8 square miles. 230,000 French and German soldiers died.  130,000 were not identified and are buried in a common Ossuary.  I visited the Ossuary in 1971 – it made a lasting impression and this visit reinforced those feelings. 

Ossuary - 130,000 Unknown Soldiers 

Many French Colonial Troops were Muslim

We also visited the memorial Tranchée des Baionnettes – Trench of the Bayonets, another site that will make a lasting impression.  A Company of the French 137^th Infantry Regiment had been decimated by German shelling.  The remainder of the Company had been placed in exposed trenches to fend off the attack.  Not until after the War did they discover the fate of the Company.   A trench was found completely filled in with only a row of rusting riles and bayonets protruding through the earth with a body under each.

Memorial to the Trench of the Bayonets

The Line of Bayonets 

Although casualty statistics are still in dispute, the scale of the bloodshed in WWI is not in doubt:  Russia 1.7 million combat deaths: France 1.35 million; British Empire 900,000; Germany 1.77 million.  Civilian casualties were also horrendous. Casualties for the United States were 116,000 military deaths with about 700 civilians killed (Lusitania sinking and merchant marines killed in submarine attacks).  In comparison, French civilian deaths were 40,000; Russia 410,000.   If you include disease and malnutrition, the numbers are much higher. Is it any wonder, that nearly every French family was touched?  Marie-Elisabeth is no exception.  Her great-grandfather, a civilian, was killed in Amiens and many cousins of her grandparents died in the Great War.

What was our motivation to go to Champagne?  The main reason we spent our week in Champagne was to follow Emile Duchemin’s WWI Diary to the places he and his troops served in the region. Emile is Marie-Elisabeth’s grandfather.  Our journey also coincided with the 100^th anniversary of the start of the Great War in Europe.

Grandpère Duchemin was an officer in the French Colonial Army. We researched his records at the Military Archives in Paris in 2012.  His career parallels the history of the French Colonial Empire in many respects. He and his family, including my mother-in-law, lived in Hanoi for five years in the 1920s.  From 1896 until the War, he served in China, Madagascar, Sudan, French Equatorial Africa, etc. After serving in France for the first two years of WWI, he was sent to Cameroon to administer a hospital.  Cameroon, a German Colony at the time, is one of the areas of Africa where WWI was fought – a relatively unknown part of the War.   

In Champagne, Emile led troops who brought the wounded from the battlefront to triage centers before they were sent to hospitals further behind the lines.  He was also responsible for establishing cemeteries. Marie-Elisabeth spent many hours going through his Diary to develop a timeline of where he served.  Because of the constantly moving front, this was not easy to establish. 

Our first stop was a Center for Interpretation of the 1914-18 War in the Marne area – in Suippes, France.  Not only was the museum interesting but the staff was very helpful. They used their data bases to help Marie-Elisabeth look for the cemeteries her grandfather established and for the location of the burial sites of relatives killed in the war.  We learned that the cemeteries had been moved and consolidated with others into larger memorial sites.  As with many in WWI, the relatives did not have marked graves but were in ossuaries. Very emotional information. 

We had so many amazing experiences during the week but a few stand out.  The owners of the house we were renting in Bouy, France, told us about the site of the battle of Massiges. A flight over the area revealed patterns on a hill that appeared to show remnants of trenches. Two friends bought the property and started excavating.  When we arrived at the site, there was one parked vehicle but no one was around.  We could see a massive crater that turned out to be one of the places where the military tunneled under their opponents and then set off huge explosions under the unsuspecting troops.  There were trenches that had been uncovered with interpretive signs and pictures from the time.  We started walking through the trenches. 

Due to rain the previous day, it was muddy, giving us a VERY small taste of what men went through during those long days of siege. In a few minutes, a man approached us in the trench and it turned out he was one of the men who bought the site and had done much of the excavation.  We ended up with our own private guide!  The guide, a local farmer, was very interested in Emile Duchemin’s Diary - Marie-Elisabeth will email it to him.  Grandpère had established the cemetery in the village of Massiges and he and his men had evacuated wounded and the dead from this battle. 

In the Diary, Emile mentioned a statue of the Virgin that was moved to the cemetery he established.  We were told by our farmer "guide" that the men would stop to touch it and pray on the way to battle.  When we got to the village, there was the Statue!!!  It is now called the Virgin of the Bees and is famous in the Region.  The statue was originally placed in the village in 1865 in thanks for the inhabitants being spared in a Cholera outbreak.  At the beginning of the shelling during WWI, the statue was knocked off its pedestal.  A hole was made in the side and a hive of bees took up residence!  Of course, in 1914 Emile would not have known that it would eventually be known as the Virgin of the Bees!

In front of the Statue of the Virgin was an Information Panel that included a picture of the Cemetery that Grandpère had established with the Statue plain as day!!!  We learned from the farmer that the cemetery was about 100 meters to the north of the present location of the Virgin.  The villagers had moved it back to its original location when the military cemetery was consolidated with others in the region.  

Vierge des Abeilles - Virgin of the Bees

Photograph of the Cemetery Established by Emile Duchemin
in Massiges, France with the Statute of the Virgin

On another day’s excursion we were looking for a farm that Emile mentioned where he and his men had stayed.  We drove into the village where we thought it was located.  A man was outside his barn and we stopped to ask.  No – we were in the wrong place but he knew where it was – miles away at a crossroads of two main highways.  He said the farm was now gone but there was a marker.  When we got to the crossroads, we saw nothing.  We continued down the road for a mile or two and stopped at a farm where we saw a man in the courtyard of the out-buildings.  Again, we stopped to ask.  He told us the marker was gone but that he knew about the farm.  In fact, he collected old post cards and had some pictures of the place.  Next thing we knew he invites us into the house to see the postcards.  Marie-Elisabeth was able to photograph the cards.  He was also interested in the Diary – to be emailed to him soon.  In reading the Diary in more detail later, Marie-Elisabeth realized that the name of his farm was also in the Diary!  More coincidences!

 

My last story of an amazing experience was on our last day in Champagne. We drove into a small village – population 65 – where Grandpère Duchemin wrote about staying with his troops.  He mentioned several details about the village and where there had been a triage center. We started looking for someone who might know something about the village…but no one was visible.  We drove around at least three times from street to street.  

We finally saw a woman bringing flowers from her garden to the house.  We stopped and M.E. started talking to her.  The woman, Nicole, then called the former mayor of the village who drove over to meet us.  He brought a hand drafted map that showed what the village was like during the war and where the troops had been. Next thing we knew Nicole was making copies on her scanner for us.  They both mentioned pictures in City Hall…and then….she produced a key to City Hall and took us over to see these pictures.  It turns out Nicole was a volunteer assistant to the new mayor!  (City Hall is open for an hour or two one day a week!)  They showed us the pictures and we photographed them.  The former mayor then walked with us to show us the building where Grandpere stayed and worked! 

The Triage Center in 2014 Where Emile Duchemin
 and His Troops Worked in 1914 in Courtemont, France                     

WHAT A DAY!  

WHAT A WEEK!  

WHAT EXPERIENCES!

Rangiroa, Sea Day, Nuku Hiva (Marquesas) – March 6, 7, 8, and 9

The pitching and rolling after we left our scenic cruising of the leeward side of Tahiti on March 6 was the most ship movement of the trip so far – so Marie-Elisabeth loved it!  And…I don’t have a problem so we enjoyed the rest of the day on our way to Rangiroa.  We had dinner at the Pinnacle Grill for my birthday.

When we looked out our cabin window on the morning of March 7, we were already inside the lagoon of the atoll of Rangiroa.  This atoll is one of the world’s largest.  The entire island of Tahiti would fit in the lagoon. We were lucky.  During the night the weather improved and the seas became calm.  The entrance into the lagoon is very narrow; the Statendam had cancelled the stop here in October.

 

Rangiroa is sparsely populated on a string of islands that make up the atoll.  We stayed on board until 11:30 and then walked around the tender port shopping and watching local life.  There are schools on the two main islands.  Around noon a school bus arrived and kids got off and then boarded a boat for the other island.  Other kids got off the boat and got on the bus! 

Our main activity for the day was a trip to a pearl farm.  It was interesting to see the whole process of how a cultured pearl is made.  Tahiti is known for black pearls although this is a little misleading.  Colors range from dark to light gray – some are iridescent with shades of green, pink, blue, etc.  It takes up to 9 years to complete the process.  The sail-away from Rangiroa was interesting as the harbor pilot took us out of the lagoon’s narrow passage back into the ocean. 

There was one sea day between Rangiroa and Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas.  These islands are part of French Polynesia.  Our Location Guide on the ship informed us that the islands were once American until the French took over in the 1840s.  Our port on Nuku Hiva - Taiohae - was called Madisonville when under American rule.  For the first time that we can remember, we had to change our clock by 30 minutes rather than a full hour – making Nuku Hiva 30 minutes ahead of Tahiti.  Have not found out why they do this yet?

The ship anchored in the horseshoe bay about 7am.  There were no independent tour operators on the island and we could not find a car rental agency in advance so we booked a tour from the ship – which is unusual for us. We are glad we did!  There are no buses on the island for tourists so our tour was in a four-wheel drive driven by a local resident.  There was a caravan of these vehicles with four cruisers per vehicle.  We climbed up a switch back road to a lookout of the bay, the town, and our ship.  At almost 2,000 feet it was spectacular and noticeably cooler than in the town.  From here we traveled to a village on the other coast where a small craft market awaited along with samples of tropical fruit – breadfruit chips, banana, mango, papaya, fried taro, etc. Herman Melville had lived in this village. From here we went back to the town for a stop at a reconstructed temple and then to the Catholic Cathedral for the Marquesas. The Notre Dame Cathedral was stunning!  Construction was a collective effort of all of the inhabited islands of the Marquesas.  The islands are known for wood carving – the pulpit was amazing with a variety of traditional symbols - a bull, lion, and eagle.  In another sculpture, St. Peter was depicted as a native of the islands but still held a key and a fishing net full of fish keeping with the usual symbols. The twin steeples were in a separate structure from the main sanctuary with intricate stone walls that were similar to the walls in the ancient temples. This is certainly a Cathedral to remember!

Our driver was a local government employee who was working on Sunday for the tourists.  He did not speak English so Elisabeth became our translator.  His French was fairly easy for me to understand but I still needed help!  It was more interesting to be able to ask him questions about his life on the island.  Our driver told us, “Life is good here and we just sit back and watch the rest of the world!”  He also commented, “We don’t have cyclones – we send them to Tahiti!” The island was a surprise to us – more prosperous than we expected.  There was a leader of the caravan who spoke English (somewhat) who explained sites – but Marie-Elisabeth still had to help with some of the translation.    

After a little more shopping, our last Tahitian beer, and an interesting discussion with a French Canadian and two Austrians from the ship we headed back to the Statendam after visiting our last island of the trip – and one of the most interesting of the cruise.  Now – 6 days of relaxation and sea days.  I say relaxation but they keep us very busy.  The “On Location” program continues so Marie-Elisabeth plans to take Tahitian drumming and ukulele lessons, Tahitian dancing classes, and whatever else they present.  Our wonderful Hawaiian guide is still doing classes and lectures on Hawaiian culture and they have added a new lecturer who is an astronomer – he replaces the anthropologist from the San Diego to Papeete segment.  Who knows - there may be more since I am writing this on the morning of our first day on the journey back to San Diego. 

This will be the last posting on the blog – next up is – Berlin; Champagne (our tour following Elisabeth’s grandfather’s WWI diary); Paris and the 50^th high school reunion; and Portbail for the visit of family – August 20 to October 6, 2014.   

Tahiti Nui Tahiti Iti - March 5 and Mo’orea March 6

The Island of Tahiti has two parts – Tahiti Nui and Tahiti Iti – connected by a narrow isthmus.  The shape of the island is similar to Maui.  Pape’ete the capital of French Polynesia is on the northern half – Tahiti Nui.  We arrived here on a National Holiday – Missionary Day – the Day missionaries from the London Missionary Society landed at Point Venus in 1797.  Most businesses were closed and those open in the morning were closed in the afternoon.  We again rented a car from Avis but this time our Fiat Panda was not available so we toured Tahiti with Pierre – our Peugeot! 

Our tour started with visiting Point Venus where the Missionaries landed.  The point is where Captain Cook stopped in 1769 to observe Venus during an eclipse of the sun.  Since it was a holiday, the area was busy with locals at the black sand beach. The weather was again great – sun and clouds – warm and humid.  We continued along the north and east coast along a road that hugged the coastline.  With the wind picking up, the surf was high and waves sometimes crashed over the seawall onto the road.  We stopped at a few view points as the road climbed over headlands.  Views were spectacular. 

Throughout the day we passed churches where there were festivities for the Holiday which also coincided with Ash Wednesday.  Families were seen in their yards having picnics; others were on the beaches; kids were surfing or on boogie boards. 

When we reached the isthmus we took the road on the north side of Tahiti Iti passing many beautiful beaches and waterfalls.  There were many stops for pictures of flowers.  The road does not go around this part of the island so we retraced our way back to the isthmus so we could then take the south coast road.  We returned the car to the airport just outside Pape’ete after driving up the west coast of Tahiti Nui.  Unfortunately the Paul Gauguin Museum was closed for renovations.   After dinner on board the On Location program of the Statendam presented a fabulous show of local dancers, drummers, and singers.  Made me tired just watching!  Tahitian dancing is Hawaiian Hula times 10! 

My birthday present for March 6 was the first day of bad weather – high wind and high waves.  The sea conditions caused the cancelling of our stop on Mo’orea!  BOO!  The Captain has chosen to do scenic cruising around Mo’orea and to cruise around Tahiti Iti.  Oh well – everything has been perfect so far even though the weather can cause problems when there are so many ports that require tenders.  We have heard that they often cancel stops on Fanning Island due to weather so we were lucky!

Raiatea – March 4

The Statendam left Bora Bora at 11:30pm for the very short trip to the island of Raiatea.  We got off the ship early and were met quickly by the representative of Avis who drove us to their office near the airport.  Today we had another Fiat Panda but newer and nicer than the one on Bora Bora – this one we named Guido! 

The agent at Avis made a good suggestion for our itinerary.  We traveled down the east coast of the island until we came to a pass over the mountains. Once on the south coast we reversed and headed in the opposite direction eventually completing our loop and going back over the same pass so we could continue our along the west coast of the island.

Travel is slow…because around every bend there are beautiful views of the water, palm trees, flowers, beaches, rock outcroppings, mountains covered in every shade of green, etc. – in other words, a camera stop around every bend in the road.  We stopped on a ridge to admire stunning views of the coastline.  Elisabeth called my attention to a bright red exotic flower growing in the thick, green underbrush along the side of the road.  Something did not add up. The flower moved differently than the other plants in the wind. Suddenly the flower jumped out of the brush screeching – the rooster was not pleased at being disturbed - he flew off down the hill with his cackling paramour not far behind! 

We stopped at Marae Taputapuatea considered the most important marae (temple) in French Polynesia.  The site is a large paved platform with an altar stretching down one side.  There are three smaller marae on the site.  At the parking lot we found a local farm family that had set up a stand with samples of all kinds of exotic fruit.  These were the “lost leaders” for their sale of vanilla products – beans, powder, extract – as well as breadfruit chips.  We succumbed to everything. Marie-Elisabeth had a good time talking to them.  This reminds me that she finds the French of the Polynesians easier to understand than Canadian French – Quebequois French has a very different sound that even I can detect. 

We continued along the coastal road with more beautiful land and seascapes.  Lunch was at a small restaurant in the Apooiti Marina where many luxurious yachts and catamarans were docked.  The restaurant has stunning views of both Bora Bora and Raiatea’s twin island Taha’a.  The French owner and his wife – the chef – are from the Haute Savoie (Alps) – now that’s a change of climate!  The set menu included a great mixed salad, baguette, and grilled Mahi Mahi.  We had three sauces to pick from and we were encouraged to try the vanilla sauce – after all Tahiti and especially Raiatea and Taha’a are known for vanilla.  Before you choke in disgust, I have to say that this was the most delicious sauce for fish we think we have ever tasted.  It was not sweet – of course, after thinking about it, we realized that sugar is usually added to vanilla for sweet things like baked goods and ice cream.  BUT – why not use vanilla in savory?  This really worked. 

After returning to the ship, the Captain announced that our scenic cruising of Taha’a was being extended thanks to the port pilot.  We were able to cruise entirely around the island within the reef – this brought us very close to the shore.  More incredible than the scenic cruising was the sunset over Bora Bora as well as a small twister that dropped from rain clouds toward the ocean!

Another fabulous day in French Polynesia came to an end – next - the island of Tahiti Nui/Tahiti Iti for March 5!

Bora Bora…Beautiful Beautiful

We arrived in the multi-colored lagoon of Bora Bora at 4pm on March 2 after three days at sea following our stop on Fanning Island.  During that time we had re-crossed the International Date Line gaining back the day we lost earlier and then crossed the Equator into the South Pacific.  The Cruise Director informed us that King Neptune had a previous engagement so the ceremony for crossing the Equator will be held when we cross it going north on our return to San Diego.  This will be our sixth crossing of the Equator on a ship so we are safe from King Neptune! 

During the afternoon, the Captain informed us that Bora Bora was on the horizon.  The weather was so beautiful that we could see the top of the island come into view with about 80 miles left to sail…unbelievably clear.  Sailing into Bora Bora and the lagoon is amazing – one of the top cruise arrivals I can remember.   Rio, Hong Kong, and Stockholm are my top favorites now joined by Bora Bora. 

We were on the first tender* about 5pm to go into the village of Viatape.  Even though it was a Sunday some things were open – mostly shops for the tourists but it was nice to get off, walk around, and see local life.  We also saw the French Drapeau for the first time in French Polynesia so I hummed the Marseillaise for Elisabeth!  (*One of the nice things about being a 4 Star Mariner with Holland America is not needing a tender ticket – we can just go whenever we are ready.)

Tenders ran all night so no rush this morning but we did get off fairly early for our car rental from Avis.  We saw the island with Leonardo…our Fiat Panda.  Since our daughter-in-law, Megan, named her new Fiat Giuseppe we decided our car needed a name too – Leonardo is certainly the poor cousin of Giuseppe.  Leo is only a stick and had the ride of a buckboard BUT he did have air-conditioning which was very nice on this warm day.  The island is 28 miles around so we drove it counter clock wise – and at the end – turned around a drove it clock-wise.  You do see things differently depending on the direction you drive. 

Leaving Viatape in the morning was slow since we kept seeing beautiful views of the lagoon and the mountains which REQUIRED pictures to be taken.  Our first real stop in the morning was Matira Beach – a public beach across from the Intercontinental Hotel.  It was not crowded, white sand, palm trees – with crystal clear water.  The various shades of blue in the water just melted into the blues of the sky – idyllic.  We both got in the warm water along with the small fish swimming around our feet – after we were out a sting ray glided along the beach in very shallow water. 

Lunch was at Bloody Mary’s – touristy but an experience!  At the entrance there are two large signs with the names of the famous people who have been here.  There is sand on the floor; you sit on stools made out of coconut palms; there are plants all around you; the roof is open beam with thatch; there are no doors or windows – just open to the elements; and the bathrooms have sinks that are waterfalls that start when you pull a wooden ring hanging from the ceiling.  Oh – and good cold Tahitian beer and great Mahi Mahi sandwiches! 

After lunch we continued our first circumnavigation of the island with stops in small villages and at the many spots with views of the lagoons, the off-shores islands (motus), and the many hotels built with thatch cottages on stilts in the water.  Travel is slow watching out for the dogs, slow motorbikes, and bicyclists.  On the reverse trip around the island, the most interesting detour was a group of 10-12 black piglets standing around something in the road.  We waited to go around them since they left very little room on the road, but the owner came out of a house quickly and shooed them back onto their property – what they were doing there we do not know! 

All in all – a great first day in French Polynesia! 

Fanning Island – Republic of Kiribati – a Journey Back in Time

The stop on Fanning Island has been a highlight of the cruise so far.  We stepped back in time 50 years or more. The atoll is one of many in this nation that may disappear with rising ocean levels. The Republic of Kiribati was formerly known as the Gilbert Islands and was under British rule.  Fanning is in the Line Islands group. Kiribati is one of the poorest nations in the world but it is also rich in many other ways – as our native Hawaiian guide said.  There is enough food from the lagoon and the land – people were smiling and singing. No stress, no modern life frustrations, sunshine, good air…no crime to speak of – one cop whose main job seemed to be guarding the mailbox at the outdoor post office!  We sent two postcards – one to ourselves to see how long it would take to arrive. 

The water is various beautiful shades of blue and turquoise with white sand and postcard-perfect palm trees lining the shore.  Only a few cruise ships stop on the island now that the cruise line NCL stopped their weekly visits several years ago.  Due to the Jones Act, NCL had to stop in a foreign country before completing its cruises of the Hawaiian Islands.  Supply ships come infrequently and there is no air service.  Now this is what I call remote – 2 days from Hawaii and 2 days from Tahiti – the middle of nowhere.  The first tender off the ship had the Statendam carpenters who always go first to repair the dock!!! 

After we landed about 8am, there seemed to be kids everywhere.  Many were dressed in grass skirts and woven headgear – dancing and singing with their teachers.  This is the way they earn money for their schools – which seem to all be tied in with various churches on the atoll – Catholic, Protestant, Mormon.  We brought a backpack full of school supplies and books for the school library that we had previously taken to the Front Desk on the Statendam – HAL offloaded all of the gifts to the schools.  I brought red foam clown noses that were a hit.  I did the same thing at a village on the Amazon several years ago.  I’m sure there will be anthropologists that will be confused!  Not just the Cargo Cult – but now the Red Nose Cult in the Pacific. 

There was table after table of crafts – using shells; fish teeth and vertebrae; woven grasses, etc.  If we are any example, the island did well today!  We also took a tour of the island – a 2 mile trip to the other end of this piece of the atoll in the back of a pickup truck with benches and a canopy. The ride will either cure a back ache or cause one – not sure. Our “guide” was a native of Fanning who had been a seaman and had “seen the world.”   I think I understand why he would come back here.

The areas beyond the tender dock gave us a good look at island life.  Houses had thatch roofs – many on stilts – not for floods but for air circulation – no walls but some woven mats that could be placed over the openings.  Small pigs and chickens – a few dogs and one cat were our animal sightings.  We passed the one “industry” on the atoll - seaweed collecting and drying – the finished product is sent to Europe, the U.S., and Asia.

The International Date Line was moved for Kiribati so the entire nation would be on the same side of the Line.  It was also moved because the Republic does much of its business with Australia.  As a result of the moving of the Line, we will have no February 27 – late on the 26^th we jumped to the 28^th and on March 1 we will go back to February 28! 

It was a fascinating day on a remote Pacific atoll – now French Polynesia in two days. 

Hawaii – Honolulu, Lahaina, Hilo and Kona

Arizona Memorial

We are sailing out of Kona in an hour after spending 5 days in Hawaii – two in Honolulu and one each in Lahaina, Maui; Hilo; and Kona.  We were pure tourists in Honolulu, having never been there before except at the airport on the way to and from Indonesia.  It is an interesting city – multiculturalism at work – what a mixture of people and ethnicities! Our location guide on the ship is a good example – half Hawaiian, plus the other half includes Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, and German!  Kainoa is a walking melting pot on his own.  From what we could see, the mainland could learn something from the Hawaiians.  The public transportation system –“The Bus” – worked well for us on our second day of sightseeing.  Just flash your Medicare card and pay $1 per trip – with transfer included!  Being old has “some” advantages! 

On Day One we took a tour of Pearl Harbor and other military sites associated with December 7, 1941.  The Arizona Memorial and museums were interesting and moving.  Day Two was by bus to walk along Waikiki – we put our toes in the water as we walked along – (we had to do this once).  It was a beautiful setting with Diamond Head as a backdrop but a very crowded and touristy place. The water was surprisingly cold.  Next was the bus to Chinatown – oldest in the States and then on to the historic district with the State Capitol, Iolani Palace, Kawaiahao Church, Father Damien Statue, King Kamehameha Statue, etc.

The next stop was Lahaina on Maui – we rented a car and drove to Central Maui and the Iao Valley.  Within a few short miles we were into a rainforest valley with interesting rock formations – the Iao Needle was a short walk in a State Park near the end of the road.  The valley was the site of a great battle in 1790 when King Kamehameha the Great conquered Maui.  From here we started out the Hana Highway, knowing we did not have time to go all the way.  We made it about half way – fun driving if you don’t mind one way bridges and hundreds of hairpin curves – but fabulous scenery of ferns, plants, flowers, and sea views.  To avoid using the same road on the return, we turned off early and went to Upcountry Maui along a backcountry road.  This seemed like the real Maui with no hotels or tourists.  On the road back to Lahaina we looked for the whales that come to Maui from Alaska during this time of year but none this afternoon.  On the way into Lahaina in the morning, we had seen whales breeching from our cabin window! 

Hilo followed Maui.  We again rented a car and drove about 45 minutes south to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.  We made good time and when we got to the Visitor Center the parking lot was nearly empty.  When we came out, it was almost full!  Some of the loop road is closed due to toxic gases from the active Kilauea Volcano.  From the Jagger Museum we could see the escaping steam and smoke from the crater quite well.  We also stopped at steam vents.  At noon we went to the Kilauea Lodge in Volcano Village for lunch where we met Tony and Marie Hoke who live in Volcano.  Tony was one of the two Police Captains in Larkspur when I was City Manger.  Tony was the BEST - none better in all of the rest of my career. It was great catching up!

On the way back to Hilo we took a road over to the coast to the place where it ended due to lava flows.  We got lucky and a one lane road (more of a path) through the lava opened at 3pm each day.  We took it for a short distance to a parking area.  Some people are rebuilding in the lava fields – a County worker who was there to guard the barricade said these were not the original owners – but were “crazy people” who were rebuilding!  Back on board the Statendam, we watched a “ballet de baleines” (i.e. whale ballet in English) in the area just outside the Hilo Harbor!  Nice send-off from Hilo!

This morning we arrived in Kona on the west coast of the Big Island.  We had decided to cancel our car rental since we learned it was a long way by shuttle to the Kona Airport and that traffic is always bad in this area.  We took a “rock and roll” tender to the dock and then a shuttle to Kahaluu Beach south of the city.  We were expecting a beach but it was more of a lava flow with a narrow walkway into the ocean and a protected lagoon – with many people snorkeling.  It was an interesting place where we were able to see many fish even without snorkeling – but the main attractions were baby green sea turtles who were feeding on algae very close to the shore.  There were volunteer guides watching them and keeping people away – they are an endangered species and touching them results in a “hefty” fine.  I spent a long time next to the volunteer learning about them. Then back to town – a touristy place if ever I saw one – but we did stop for Kona Coffee and the ubiquitous chocolate covered Macadamias!  Back on board now and waiting to depart for Fanning Island in the Republic of Kirabati and then to French Polynesia. 

The Crossing from San Diego to Honolulu

Five days and six nights from San Diego to Honolulu may seem like a long time with nothing to do to some people – but not to us!  Sea days are wonderful – you can do nothing, read, relax, or stay busy from morning until night.  Whatever you want!

So far, this cruise has more activities than any cruise we have been on and we have been on Holland America nearly 300 nights and on other cruise lines for about 30. 

There are several lecturers on board.  One is an anthropologist who is presenting the cultures of the South Pacific – he has also lectured on WWII.  There is a “science” professor from England who has presented flora and fauna lectures. He also spoke on the voyage of the Beagle and the life of Charles Darwin. As a follow up, he discussed the “evolution” of Evolution Theory. 

There is a cultural group on board from Hawaii and Tahiti.  Marie-Elisabeth has been to Hawaiian language classes and one on lei making.  She is also taking classes on hula and ukulele daily!  The entertainment has been good too.  Even though we saw them on the Amsterdam last April, we again enjoyed the tribute groups for the Beach Boys and Beatles.  The cast show was Bob Mackie’s Broadway. 

The fabulous location guide, Kainoa, is a native Hawaiian.  He has presented useful information on activities you can do on your own – does not “push” ship tours and shopping.  There are separate staff talks on the tours and shopping.    He also has done a lecture on Polynesian migration and Kingdom to Statehood on Hawaii.  Kainoa also told some moving family stories about the attack on Pearl Harbor as well as his own experiences as a guide to the Arizona Memorial.   

Even though we have not set foot on land yet, this is a great vacation!

Cruise to French Polynesia - February 14 to March 16, 2014

Statendam - Holland America Cruise Itinerary

We're off again on a new adventure!  Marie-Elisabeth and I have both been to about 90 of the Century Club list of countries and territories - BUT - believe it or not - we have never been to Hawaii (unless you count the airport in Honolulu on the way to Jakarta).  Guess we were saving it for our old age - I know - that time has come!  :)

This 30 day cruise seemed ideal for relaxation. We love sea days and the joy of doing nothing in particular - except reading from our "full" Kindles, going to lectures, movies, cooking demonstrations, shows, and trivia (for me). Having someone else cook, clean, make the bed twice a day, do laundry, etc. is our idea of a real vacation.  We love having our hotel move with us, packing and unpacking once, and having someone else do the driving.

We'll have two days in Honolulu and then one day in Hilo, Kona, and Lahaina.  The stop on Fanning Island in the country of Kirabati - (formerly known as the Gilbert Islands) should be very interesting. This isolated atoll is quite poor and the Cruise Critics group we are members of has organized donations of books and school supplies to the island.  A previous cruiser noted that the school only had a dozen books on the library shelves.

During the cruise, February 28 will be about 48 hours long....and February 27 will be almost non-existent....???  We cross the International Dateline on the way to Fanning Island - spend the 28th on Fanning. When we leave there, we cross the Dateline again going back to February 28!  Someone with Cruise Critics has a birthday on February 27 so he has decided he will not get a year older this year!

Our other stops will be in French Polynesia and the Marquesas.  The day we are in Papeete is a National Holiday - Missionary Day.  This  is the day when missionaries arrived from the London Missionary Society. The place where they landed is north of Papeete and is the sight of an annual reenactment.  This year Missionary Day is on March 5 which is also Ash Wednesday.  This should be interesting!

I'll be posting Blog updates when I can so stay tuned!