WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13 - MOOREA

DAY 26 Today we explore Moorea! This is another tender port and we want off early so we head down to catch a ride as soon as we see the tenders start to run. We have a run-in with the Cruise Director, Elizabeth, over our priority tender privileges but we get off and will settle that score when we get back on the ship.
Before reaching the Avis lady, set up under an umbrella right at the end of the dock, Carolyn finds a vendor selling very nice, hand done bone knives. We acquire one for our collection of this sort of stuff and then get our car and head out to drive around the island in a counter clockwise direction.

The interior mountains are heavy with cloud and it begins to rain as we pull out of the parking lot but, by now, we are used to this weather. We want to drive up to Mt. Belvedere to see the view of Cook’s Bay and Opunohu Bay but decide to try that later in hopes of some clearing. We complete the circuit, about 60km with very few stops, and continue on out to take a shot at the view from Mt. Belvedere.

We are in luck as the clouds have lifted and the rain has stopped. The view of the two bays is spectacular and one of the 1,001 things to do before you die. We can check this one off. Heading down the mountain, we stop at yet more Maraes; one with an archery range attached for ritual competitions. We also see a large pinnapple farm. We stop there later before going back to the ship and buy some pinnapple liquor.  At the bottom of the hill, we stop at a snack stand and buy two sandwiches, a coke and a piece of banana cake. Bananas are everywhere in these islands!

Now, we drive around the island counter clockwise. We make a couple of stops at the little shops we saw earlier picking up a couple of gifts and we stop at a public beach to just wade in the water since we didn’t wear our swim suits today. We fill the gas tank and return the car about 3:30PM. Carolyn makes one last purchase at the crafts market by the dock, a hand dyed caftan. All the Tahitian islands have had craft markets set up at the piers, but this one has the nicest things and the best prices. Mostly the others were shell jewelry and wraps.

                                            Looking into the water at tender dock...clear!

We have a drink in the Crow’s Nest and watch sail away then go back to the room and order a room service dinner, watch another movie and call it a night.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12, TAHITI

DAY 25 This morning we awake in the harbor of Papeete, Tahiti. The clouds are lowering over the peaks behind the town but the cruise director says there is no rain in the forecast. Yeah, right! By the time we get off onto the dock, it is misting and we are looking for the car from Top-Dive that is supposed to pick us up at 9:30AM for our single tank dive. We look and we look!

Carolyn gets the lady at the Tourist Bureau to call and they tell us the car is on the way. One finally shows up after 10:00AM but he knows nothing about us and is looking for five people to go whale watching. He offers to take us but there is no way he is going to fit seven passengers and himself in his small jeep. Furthermore, we have a car reserved for 1:00PM and we want to be back for that so we cancel the dive, dump our gear back in our room and walk up past the Town Hall

to the car rental center to check on the car. We are told it is available now so we pick it up and head out for our tour around Tahiti.

Traffic is horrible! We head east out of Papeete, clockwise around the largest part of the island. Our first stop is at Point Venus, on the edge of the bay where The Bounty anchored. There is a tower here and a monument to The Bounty as well as a small mall with people selling shell crafts. We buy a carving of a turtle to add to our collection.

Before getting back on the highway, we stop at a market and buy some bread, cheese, wine and other essentials. By now it is raining fairly steadily and we must be very careful driving the twisting, coast road. At times, it rains quite hard. At other times it is just rains. We see the turn off to Tahiti Iti, the smaller of the two parts of Tahiti but it is raining and the guide book has nothing to recommend down there.

We do stop at Mara’a Grottos but all but Teanataetae Grotto

are mostly closed off by men using chainsaws to cut back trees and vegetation around the grottos. It looks to us like they are messing up an area that is quite pretty. Next we stop at Mare Aruhurahu and walk up to and around it in an increasingly heavy rain. It is nicely restored and you can get a sense of the religious.

It is getting on toward 4:00PM by now and we want to return the car so we head into downtown Papeete; what a mess! One way streets, heavy traffic, no left turns, etc. make for an interesting time as we work our way to the car rental agency.

Leaving the car agency, we walk down to the Marche’, the big city market.

It is closing down, but there are still flower and food stands open on the first floor. When we walked by on the way to Avis it was a hopping place. Next we walk around several blocks looking for the Tahiti Pearl Market. Finding it on the second floor of a building near the market, we (Carolyn) examines hundreds of baroque Tahitian pearls. After much looking, she buys several loose pearls as potential gifts and to add to her personal collection.

It has been a long day and we return to the ship damp and tired. As the evening wears on, the rain comes down heavily

 and we are glad to be in our nice room with a good meal under our belts. The ship sails for Moorea early tomorrow morning.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 11 - BORA BORA

DAY 24

We moved to Bora Bora last evening. We have a car reserved with Avis and catch an early tender so we do not have to fight the tour groups going off. We walk up to the Avis office at 7:45AM, just as the lady is opening the doors. We secure our car and are heading out for a drive around the island by 8:00AM. Car rentals in these islands are very expensive. We pay over $100 for a four hour rental and buy gas for another $13.25. It works out to roughly $2.25 per kilometer!

 

The famous "Bloody Mary’s Bar" is not open at 8:30AM but it is open air and we peek in to see it. Out front is a painted sign with the names of famous people who had patronized the bar, including Bill and Melinda Gates.

At Matira Beach Gallery, Carolyn buys some pearl jewelry. The shop is unique, to us, in that it is very up scale but, in keeping with the island, has a thatch roof and a white sand floor. The proprietress says she used to rake the floor like a Japanese garden but had to quite when customers were reluctant to step onto the patterns in the sand.

Leaving the shop, we head on counter clockwise around the island, noting several places to which we want to return. We complete our drive around the island and start around again looking for one or two specific spots or shops. We stop at Matira Pearls and buy a pearl drop that is in their reduced for sale display. The man in the shop claims to be 43 but it has been a very hard 43 years. He is very nice and patient with our looking.

The car is due back by noon and we turn it in a little early and return to the ship for lunch and to gather our dive gear. We are to meet a car from Top-Dive on the pier at 1:45PM and, after some problems getting off the ship (taking a tender out of service and then realizing as we are getting off that we don’t have the dive cards), we meet up with him about 2:00PM.

He drives us to the Top-Dive shop, north of the dock area, and we check in and show our C-Cards and change into our dive gear. We are on a boat with three Frenchmen. One is a new diver with a full, heavy beard and the other two are experienced divers. The boat takes us to the break in the reef through which we entered last night and we tie off to a floating buoy. The water is beautiful with 100 ft. visibility. We drop to the bottom at about 50 feet and then swim out into the channel area to a cliff where we see several small lion fish. We see lots of see life including a moray eel and numerous colorful fish that are new to us. We then head toward shore and see several black-tip shark some tuna and one, very large (12 ft. plus) lemon shark. He pays us no mind and sails away into the blue.

Getting close to the reef, we fight the current through a channel cut in the sea bed and into a depression where we are looking up at the underside of waves breaking on the reef. We are only 15 feet deep and both of us have trouble with our buoyancy. This part of the dive was interesting but not fun. We return to the surface with less than 500 lbs. of air, a lot less than we would like, and climb aboard the boat. It is getting late and the dive master drops us right at the tender dock where we board and return to the ship.
We get cleaned up and adjourn to the Crow’s Nest for a drink and to watch the sail away.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10 - RAIATEA

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2010 - DAY 23, RAIATEA

Today, we enjoy our stop at Raiatea, Society Islands, French Polynesia. We have a ship’s tour this morning and meet our tour on the dock in the port of Uturoa. Part of our trip includes snorkeling so we have that gear with us. Along with about 26 other people, we board an out-rigger canoe, a big one with a 125hp motor, and head across the lagoon to the island of Tahaa.

It is a 15 minute ride across beautiful water of varying shades of turquoise that vary with the depth of the water. Upon arrival at the small dock in Apu Bay, we climb in the back of multiple pickup trucks with bench seats for 8 persons and a colorful canopy cover. In our truck, we are joined by a lady named Magda who is our tour guide as we head out. The road is twisty with sharp curves and several times we get the feeling that the little truck is being pushed too hard with too heavy a load in the back. Magda does not seem to mind and chats away about the island, her family, her Protestant (pronounced protest unt) church, indigenous foods, the price of land (12,000 - 15,000 Polynesian French Francs (XPF) or $145 - $180) per square meter. Most families have owned their land for generations and will never sell. The custom is to bury your dead in the yards of the houses, so what would you do with GrandMa if you sold?

We arrive at a vanilla bean farm and have an explanation of how the plants are grown and how the beans are dried and prepared for market.

We purchase a bundle of beans weighing about a kilo for 5,000 XPF or $60. We are assured that with proper storage, in a glass jar with a little pure grain alcohol in bottom, they will last for 5-7 years. Still we have a lot of vanilla to use over the next few years.

Leaving the vanilla farm, we backtrack to the land site of a family pearl farm where we are shown the details of how cultured pearls are grown. Then, of course, there is a very brief opportunity to buy Tahitian Pearls. Since we are not interested in making a purchase here, we take photos of bay in front of the house and of the boats passing. After a short time, we board the out-rigger canoe that brought us over from Raiatea and head out to a motu (island) in the barrier reef for a chance to snorkel.

The snorkeling is not particularly good with so many people in the water but we do see a big, brown Moray eel and some colorful, small reef fish. After about an hour, we head back across the bay to Uturoa and the dock.

We have a car reserved and pick it up and head southeast along the coast past Raiatea Village and Faaroa Bay to Marae Taputapuatea, an ancient religious site. After stopping for a look, we drive on for another 10k or so and then head back to Uturoa to turn in the car and board the ship for its 5:00PM sailing. We need to be on board by 4:30PM.

Dick drops Carolyn off at the dock area about 3:15PM to do a little shopping and then heads out to the car drop near the airport. The stalls are pretty much closed so Carolyn heads to the shipand learns all aboard is in two minutes! Meanwhile the shuttle driver drops Dick at the dock about 3:35PM where he sees Carolyn frantically waving for him to hurry. It seems that we misunderstood the sailing time and we were to be back on board by 3:30PM, not 4:30PM.

Oh, well, there is a cruise tour not yet back and there is no harm done.
We get cleaned up and go up to the Crow’s Nest lounge in the front of the ship on Deck 9 to watch our departure and transit across the way to Bora Bora. It is a tricky channel out of the Raiatea Lagoon and we watch the distinctive outline of Bora Bora grow larger and then begin to disappear into the gloom as night falls. We finally anchor in the lagoon of Bora Bora well after dark
.
It is Sunday evening and there is nothing going on but tenders start running about 8:30PM so we catch one and head ashore to determine exactly where we are to go to get our rent car tomorrow morning. We find the Avis office and it opens at 7:30AM. We plan to be there when they open. Three other suite couples are on the tender and we get off at the dock to a seemingly dead town. There is a soccer game going on next to the dock, but out on the main street it is deserted. We see the Avis office and check out the opening time then walk a little ways with the group. Near the soccer field there are several "tamale trucks" cooking something that smells wonderful with families sitting at picnic tables eating, but that is it. We meet another group on the street that tell us there is open bar about a 15 minute-walk away. Two people in our little group go off to find the bar. The rest of us head back to the dock in time to catch the same tender back to the ship.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9 - AT SEA

DAY 22
We awake to partly cloudy skies and a fairly calm sea. We hit thge most southerly point in our trip yesterday and are now on a northeasterly course to the first of the Polynesian Islands, Raiatea and then it is five straight days of touring and water activities, so we plan for calm, quiet day. It is a celebration of cruising day on the Rotterdam today and most all the activities this morning are geared to promote taking another cruise.

Ship's Art Work

Carolyn reads and works on the pictures most of the day, has a room service lunch. Dick listens to his Ipod book, plays on the computer and snacks on the buffet spread in the Neptune lounge. We go to the lecture on

Tahiti, Gauguin and World War II and things to do and see: Pateepe and Moorea in the afternoon. Wedon’t want to wait until eight to go to the main dinning room so we order dinner from room service. They canget the dinning room and food to us as hot as it comes to our table. We enjoy dinner and a movie in our room.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8 - AVARUA, RAROTONGA

DAY 21 We wake to a stormy morning, but the winds are not high enough to cancel the tendering to Avarua on Rarotonga. We get to the King’s Room for breakfast just before 9. Since it is windy and rainy, we decide to postpone the snorkel trip until the afternoon in hopes the weather will clear. About 10 we go down to deck "A" and get in line with tender group "53" for the next tender. The perk of priority tendering for suite guests is well worth it on this tender port intensive itinerary!

On shore we walk along the sea wall to the main part of the village about a mile from the ship, ducking into a number of little shops along the way.

 Rain showers are passing through at regular intervals so we stay damp. We check out all the little pearl shops, dress shops and food shops along the way. Carolyn picks up a T-shirt and a couple of little gifts and drools over the beautiful pearls, both the Tahitian black pearls, which we will see more of at the next stops, and the South Seas Golden and White Pearls from the waters around Australia and New Zealand. The golden South Seas pearls are considered the most rare of all the pearls. Last year in Australia, Carolyn bought beautiful large South Seas Golden Pearl and had it mounted into a pendant in Bangkok. Now she would love to find a strand of the golden pearls to wear it on. She sees several very nice strands and after coming to the conclusion that we may not be back this way any time soon, she buys a very nice baroque strand.

About noon we head back to the pier

and find a taxi driver giving island tours for $10 pp if he can get 6 people for his van. The skies have lifted a bit, so with two other couples, we enjoy the drive. As it turns out, the driver stops at the beach we were planning visit and we get a chance at a little beach combing. It is still very cloudy, windy and the water is cool and really choppy, not at all favorable for snorkeling.

Rarotonga is a very clean island with a mountainous center which is in the clouds today. The people live right on the shore line and the yards are filled with beautiful flowers and the graves of the ancestors!

It has started raining when we get back to the pier in Avarua at 2:30. There is a tender waiting so we make a dash for it.

On board we clean up, put on dry clothes and order room service. The rest of the afternoon is spent reading and watching a movie in the room. As we are going to dinner the Captain announces that we should be careful moving around the ship as it is going to be a little rough. The winds are blowing at 50mph with high seas. Barf bags have been placed at all the elevators...always a bad sign. By the time dinner is over the ship is moving quite a bit and making us very sleepy! After checking out the promenade and top deck for sea spray and wind, of which there is plenty, we are off to bed.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7 - AT SEA

DAY 20
The day is a bit grey today. The seas are calmer but still rolling. We have our usual breakfast. Carolyn spends some time on the blog in the lounge while Dick listens to one of his books on his iPod. Today is the third Mariner Lunch and it is our turn for an invitation. There are about a thousand Mariners on this cruise so they have done the luncheon three times. We will say Holland America has next to the poorest return cruiser program. The only one I know of that is worse is Carnival!

After lunch, where we sat with some new friends, Dick goes to another lecture and Carolyn works on the blog and the pictures.

Tonight at 6 we go to the Sommelier Dinner in the Pinnacle Grill. This is a wonderful six course, 3 ½ hour meal! We have courses of lobster salad, garlic soup, halibut, veal medallions, steak and giant prawns and dark and white chocolate mouse for desert. Each course is pair with very nice wines. By the time the evening is over everyone is chatting with their neighbors and the Pinnacle Grill is filled with happy content couples. We have eaten and drank way too much to go straight to bed so we go to the show "Dinner Bells" with the female singers and dancers plus Benny. All and All a very nice evening!

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6 - AT SEA AGAIN

DAY 19 OK, OK! We know that we have used October 6 twice but we crossed the International Date Line back to US side so Wednesday, October 6, 2010 occurs twice on the MV Rotterdam.
 The seas are still up but are quieting down. We both attend the Cook-Off in the Culinary Arts Center where Benny and the two lead singers produce their own versions of Qusesadillas. It is fun to watch as all three are a hoot! Carolyn says the end products are not bad. One has an Italian flare with pesto and spinach leaves, one has a honey-mustard dipping sauce and the last one is a more traditional Mexican variety.
Carolyn goes to lunch but Dick passes after a big breakfast and goes to the on-board speaker’s presentation about WWII in the Pacific. He is a good presenter and has some photos and data he has not seen before. The afternoon is very pleasant outside so Carolyn adjourns to the veranda to read and nap...heavy on the nap.

Tonight we share our table with the Rodriguez’s. They both came to the US with their families from Cuba in the 1960's. They both have very interesting stories. We have a very pleasant evening and plan to share a table again soon. The movie tonight is Hawaii. It is almost three hours so we both go for the first part before going to dinner, but Dick isn’t enjoying it that much so doesn’t go back after dinner. Carolyn does and then takes a stroll on the promade deck about midnight. The ship is always so peaceful at this time.

Crows Nest Art

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6 - AT SEA

DAY 18 Another day at sea. It is windy, 30MPH, with white caps and strong swells. The ship is moving quite a bit but we find it rather pleasant and it made for good sleeping last night.

Carolyn goes to the Things to See and Do: Rarotonga, Raiatea & Rabgiroa talk and gets a few pointers for our visit. After lunch we go to the King Neptune ceremony to watch the Rotterdam crew members who are crossing the equator for the first time go from Pollywags to Shellbacks, an old seafarers tradition.

We find we are using the Neptune Lounge a lot. The wifi connection is better there than in the room. The Lounge is really a nice concept and is well used by the suite passengers both for light meals at breakfast and lunch, computer time and to just sit and visit with each other. Most people are well traveled and interesting, fun to talk with. Carolyn works on the photos and reads. It is really sultry outside this afternoon. Sometime today we cross the International Dateline, so tonight our clocks will be set back 24 hours and we will be back on the same day as home.

We go to the main dining room for dinner and agree with the couple at the next table to share a table tomorrow night and get to know each other. They are named and are from Miami, FL.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5 - AT SEA

DAY 17 As we are eating breakfast, we begin to see Christmas Island out our table-side window. Kirimati or Christmas Island is the largest coral atoll in the world with more than 100 lakes or ponds dotting the interior and supporting a huge number of birds. A large bay on the east coast is known as the Bay of Wrecks because so many ships have foundered there. Extensive coconut plantations support a copra industry and fish farms have been established in some of the lakes. Captain James Cook discovered and named it on December 24, 1777. We sail by a small village that seems to be port, but other than that we see little signs of habitation.

We leave the island in time to make Carolyn’s cooking class and Dick’ lecture. Chef Thomas is fixing Pawn Bruchetta which is very tasty. The lecture is on the HMAV Bounty. Today we try the Lido for lunch, but are not impressed...we just don’t like to have to stand in line when there is another option. The afternoon is filled another lecture and Triva for Dick and a cooking class on making smoothies and reading for Carolyn.

It is another formal night tonight, but we pass. It is just too soon after the last formal night two nights ago. We order off the dinning room menu for room service and get a movie for the room "Inglorious Bastards".

The Crows Nest