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Brought to Tears by the Smiles of Polynesian Schoolchildren

David Porter — Tue, 15 May 2012 20:16:47 +0000

Ok. I’ll admit it. Mr. Roaming Boomers has a tender heart and is regularly brought to tears by the beauty we see as we travel the world.

However, little did I know that about 30 schoolchildren from the French Polynesian island of Taha’a would have me chocking back tears.

It was a stunningly beautiful Monday morning aboard the m/s Paul Gauguin and we were moored just off the coast of the island of Taha’a in French Polynesia’s Society Islands. As we finished breakfast and were headed back to our stateroom, we saw about thirty children from the island of Taha’a getting a tour of our ship and looking about in wide-eyed wonder.

And then, to our great surprise, they came prepared to share some of their beautiful Polynesian dances.

As you can see in the photograph above, the children were dressed beautifully in their traditional attire, and the moment the music started and I was able to glance into the innocent eyes of these beautiful children, I was in tears.

The music, the smiles, the innocent swaying of their little grass skirts and Carol and I were both melted.

We brought back a lot of memories from our recent cruise of the Society Islands, but this memory just may be the most precious.

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Sunset Over the Mysterious Bali Hai

David Porter — Sun, 13 May 2012 19:41:38 +0000

“I wish I could tell you about the South Pacific,” James Michener wrote in “Tales of the South Pacific.” “The way it actually was. The endless ocean. The infinite specks of coral we called islands. Coconut palms nodding gracefully toward the ocean. Reefs upon which waves broke into spray, and inner lagoons, lovely beyond description.”

And here, in our last sunset in French Polynesia’s Society Islands, we are standing upon the island of Tahiti and looking out at James Michener’s mysterious Bali Hai, on the island of Moorea.

Polynesian legend describes the panorama of volcanic ridges as the second dorsal fin of the fish that became the island of Tahiti. And according to the Tahitian Tourism Board, these very pinnacles later inspired the mythical “Bali Hai” that was based on James Michener’s book, Tales of the South Pacific.

Lovely beyond description. That really does about sum it up. We’ve had the opportunity to visit quite a few of the world’s most beautiful islands, and the islands of Bora Bora and Moorea have completely captured our hearts.

They really are lovely beyond description, and if you can, you really must give them a visit.

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Sunset Over Bora Bora

David Porter — Tue, 08 May 2012 19:09:52 +0000

James Michener wrote of Bora Bora, “Anyone who has ever been there wants to go back.”

We completely understand his sentiment. However, we might add that anyone who has ever been to Bora Bora gives serious thought to never leaving.

The turquoise-colored waters are indescribably beautiful, the French Polynesian people are as friendly as we have ever encountered, and, as you can see from the photograph we captured from the deck of the m/s Paul Gauguin, a sunset over Bora Bora’s Otemanu mountain is the stuff romantic dreams are made of.

The ancient Polynesians called this island Porapora (first born) believing that it was the first island to rise after Havai’i (Raiatea).

Tomorrow we rent a car and plan to explore the island of Bora Bora and hope to have many interesting stories to bring your way.

Stay tuned!

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Luxuriating on a Private Island in the South Pacific

David Porter — Tue, 08 May 2012 01:18:37 +0000

Today we enjoyed a day of luxuriating on Paul Gauguin Cruises‘ private islet: Motu Mahana.

Our motu was enclosed within the same barrier reef as the neighboring islands of Taha’a, and Raiatea.

The local residents live very tranquil lives fishing and raising livestock. However, the island of Taha’a is often called the “Vanilla Island” for its numerous plantations of “black gold” (vanilla beans). Taha’a is world famous for the quality of its vanilla.

As you can see in my photograph above, we spent the better part of the day laying on the white sand beach, snorkeling in the crystal clear turquoise-colored waters; enjoying Matai’s from coconuts, and a grilled chicken lunch on the beach.

In the ocean we walked amongst sea cucumbers, brain coral, sea urchins, and many colorful species of fish as we snorkeled in the beautiful waters.

All in all, a beautiful day. Don’t you think?

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Tahitian Dancer Aboard Paul Gauguin Cruise Line

David Porter — Mon, 07 May 2012 18:19:54 +0000

Today’s travel photographer is able to capture with stunning clarity photographs that photographers even a decade ago never dreamed of.

A decade ago, a photographer would have likely shot this scene with a flash which would have destroyed some of the color and thus character of the moment.

However, with today’s high speed DSLRs, you can easily capture a scene such as this, retain the true color of the moment, and remarkably, freeze the scene in very, very low light.

We are currently aboard the m/s Paul Gauguin, a luxury cruise liner positioned in the Society Islands of French Polynesia.

As is customary for a luxury cruise liner, we enjoy beautiful entertainment as a part of our cruise package with the Paul Gauguin Cruise Line.

Last night we enjoyed “Maeva Polynesia”, songs and dances from ancient Tahiti. For 45 minutes we were captivated by the color, the rhythmic drums, and of course the beautiful “Gauguins” as they expertly brought these ancient dances to life.

If you enjoyed this article, please follow us at our website, our Facebook page, and on Twitter. Original article: http://www.theroamingboomers.com/?p=11144

Sunrise in Bora Bora

David Porter — Sat, 05 May 2012 15:56:43 +0000

One of the most overlooked spectacles of travel photography is the sunrise.

I know, you’re in an exotic destination and just savored one of the most romantic nights of your life. However, it just might be worth setting the alarm to get up for a half hour and watch one of creation’s most dramatic displays.

Come on, grab a cup of coffee and get out here! You can go back to bed when the light show is over.

Look at this!

I was all alone as I was strolling the decks of the Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora’s over-water bungalows. I could hear a few people enjoying the sights from their private decks, but there was no one else stirring out in the public spaces.

It was just me, my camera, and this stunningly beautiful sunrise.

Thanks God, I’ll remember it forever!

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Want to Pick Your Airline Seatmate on Facebook?

David Porter — Sat, 05 May 2012 13:00:24 +0000

Would you want to be able to use Facebook to pick your seatmate on an airline flight?

I suppose in some ways this might be creepy. On the other hand, if you were flying to a big conference, it might be interesting to sit with folks who might be attending the same conference.

KLM launched Meet & Seat on 3 February, making it the first airline to integrate social networking in its regular flight process. Passengers with a reservation can easily see who else will be on board via their Facebook or LinkedIn accounts.

Erik Varwijk, Managing Director KLM: “The new service was developed in cooperation with our customers. Following its success during the first month, we’re seeing a demand for the service on new routes. Meet & Seat is primarily used by business travelers for networking. The ten new destinations lend themselves perfectly for this.”

Here’s How KLM’s Meet & Seat Works

If you have booked a KLM flight on one of the pilot sights:

Go to KLM.com and log in to Manage my Booking.
Go to the ‘Seating’ tab and click ‘Meet & Seat’ on the right.
Log in to your Facebook or LinkedIn account.
Select the profile details you want to share with other passengers and add your travel details.

The seat map will show you other passengers’ profile details and which seat they have chosen. You can select your seat – for example next to someone with similar interests.

What do you think? What to use Facebook to choose your airline seatmate?

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Flying Into Bora Bora

David Porter — Fri, 04 May 2012 16:50:32 +0000

We’ve had the great providence to observe a great many wonderful destinations as we approached from the air. However, neither of us was prepared for what we saw as we approached Bora Bora.

The most famous of the French Polynesia’s Leeward Islands in the heart of the South Pacific, Bora Bora was formed by a volcanic eruption many, many millennia ago.

As the volcano slowly sinks into the ocean over time, coral reefs have formed around it to create a protected oasis of turquoise-colored lagoons that have provided lucky travelers perfectly temperatured waters in which to play.

Silly me, I was unprepared for the photo-op, so I was frantically pawing in my pockets for my iPhone to capture this remarkable scene.

Although my photograph is grainy, the grandeur of French Polynesia’s Bora Bora is still a remarkable sight to behold from the sky.

Don’t you agree?

If you enjoyed this article, please follow us at our website, our Facebook page, and on Twitter. Original article: http://www.theroamingboomers.com/flying-into-bora-bora/

Saguaro Blossoms in Scottsdale, Arizona

David Porter — Thu, 03 May 2012 13:00:04 +0000

From time to time, some of the best travel photography might well be found in your own backyard.

We’ve had a dry, hot spring here in Scottsdale, Arizona. As a result, our saguaros have started their bloom early. Generally, we don’t see blossoms on the saguaro at our 2,600 foot elevation until June.

What you can’t tell from the photograph above is that these flowers are about 25 feet in the air, positioned at the very top of this mighty saguaro.

The saguaro is native to our Sonoran desert and can grow to be over 50 feet tall. The white saguaro blossoms that you see here are the State Wildflower of Arizona. Remarkably, the saguaro only grows a couple of inches each year, and can take up to 75 years before it will begin to sprout an arm.

The saguaro has an internal skeletal structure that can be found long after its death. During the summer monsoon season the saguaro will visibly swell as it stores precious rainwater, and the deep ribbing on the saguaros exterior serves to channel the 80 mph monsoonal winds up and away from the cactus to prevent it from being blown over.

The saguaro has become an iconic part of Arizona and if you are fascinated by these mammouth cacti, we recommend your visit to Arizona be made in late-spring.

If you enjoyed this article, please follow us at our website, our Facebook page, and on Twitter. Original article link: http://www.theroamingboomers.com/scottsdale-arizona-saguaro-blossoms/

Luxury Boutique Hotels in Manhattan, New York City

David Porter — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 22:31:48 +0000

As a baby boomer from the Midwest, the concept of a luxury boutique hotel was foreign to me until we started to visit large metropolitan areas and Europe.

As I’m sure you’re aware, many luxury destinations in the United States has become massive, sprawling complexes that can accommodate multiple hundreds of travelers. We don’t have anything against these destinations, in fact we’re madly in love with quite a few.

It seems the luxury boutique hotel is designed to give a more intimate experience and quite often an experience that revolves around a theme of some sort.

According to an article by Lucienne Anhar in www.hospitality.net, “travelers nowadays expect more than simply comfort and convenience. An increasing number of travelers prefer to be “surprised” — positively, needless to say. When planning trips, they seek properties that are noticeably different in look and feel from branded hotels. Although many travelers claim to seek lodging facilities that coincide with the traditional hotel concept, boutique hotels are becoming more and more of a social manipulation: those who do not stay in boutique hotels are categorized as unfashionable and un-hip”.

I don’t know about the “un-hip” part, but we’ve been pleasantly surprised in a number of luxury boutique hotels and enjoy them regularly in our travel itinerary.

In our recent visit to New York City we decided to experience a variety of luxury boutique hotels and share them with you. Interestingly, in a large city like New York City, and particularly in Manhattan where real estate prices are astronomical, these luxury boutique hotels seem to have a fairly small street-front presence (wide), but tend to be deep and many stories high.

We visited five luxury boutique hotels during our visit, and you can find them listed below in the order of our visit.

Five New York City Manhattan Luxury Boutique Hotels

The Blakely New York

Our first stop found us at The Blakely which features 118 rooms total; 57 deluxe and 54 suites on 17 floors.

Located in midtown Manhattan, The Blakely is quite popular with those who desire a reasonably priced home away from home within walking distance to destinations such as Central Park, the Museum of Modern Art, Carnegie Hall, Rockefeller Center, and shopping on 5th and Madison Avenues.

Each room features full kitchenettes with mini-fridge, microwave, coffee-makers, dishes, and free Wi-Fi. There is a complimentary breakfast served each morning in the Michelin and Zagat rated Abboccato restaurant, as well as complimentary access to an on-site fitness facility.

We enjoyed one of the junior suites which gave us a little extra stretching room with a comfy couch and a great chair with footstool; a very welcome benefit after strolling the streets of Manhattan all day!

Our bathroom was done in beautiful marble, featured a glorious rain-shower, and we greatly enjoyed the Frette Robes and Penhaligons toiletries.

We were always greeted by a cheerful doorman going in an out, found the staff to be very friendly, and loved the feeling and character of the rich paneled walls, fresh flowers, and leather furniture in the lobby.

Adding to the New York City allure was the quite-small elevator that we all used to usher us up to our rooms. When you pack six people into these small New York City elevators, it’s quite easy to make new friends.

The Blakely enjoys a chorus a praise from Travel & Leisure, Zagat, US News and World Reports, Michelin Guide, and now The Roaming Boomers. Value isn’t generally something attributed to a Manhattan hotel, but we feel that we’ve really unearthed a reasonably priced boutique hotel with a fantastic location.

We’ll be doing a separate Manhattan dining feature which will include the Abboccato restaurant located in this hotel.