Category: Travel

I woke up refreshed after my easy holiday Monday and was ready to go – but where? I checked on a museum exhibit that interested me, the Boticelli exhibit at the beautiful Jacquemart-André museum, once a home, but tickets were sold out until mid- month. The Jeu de Paume museum at the Tuileries Gardens had an exhibit of photography from New York’s Museum of Modern Art, so I thought it would be a nice walk. I also wanted to find French onion soup! I remembered a place where I enjoyed it in the Odéon section on the Left Bank. I also wanted to visit the Medici fountain at the Luxembourg Gardens. The weather was nice so I thought it would be a good day to stroll the Seine.

Starting at the Place de la Madeleine, I would go to the Tuileries to see the exhibit, then walk along the Seine, cross over to the Left Bank, find Saint-Germain des Prés, then go east to the Odéon section for the restaurant. After the restaurant it’s a straight shot to the Luxembourg Gardens. Easy.

But then I’ll have to return. I’ll figure that out as I go.

Step one: go to the Jeu de Paume. The exhibit was small and not overwhelming. I enjoyed it. It didn’t take long.

Step two : Now I walk the gardens on my way to the river.

Step three: I walk the river. It’s nice to see that some of the bouquinistes are open. These booksellers have their treasures in locked boxes attached to the river, a long tradition.

As you can plainly see, the tour boats are packed on this sunny day.

I cross the river at the Pont Neuf. The “ new bridge” is actually the oldest bridge in Paris, then retraced my steps a bit to pass by the Institut de France, a section with narrow winding streets filled with small artisan shops and galleries. There was not a café to be found! I was getting tired. I needed to stop and rest.

I spotted one and got a seat in between two sets of people. Relief!

Here I am, squished in between the German fellow and significant other on my right and the French lady with her family on my left. Neither lit up until after I sat down. I had some second-hand smoke along with my Coke Zero. I do think that California and Hawaii have the fewest smokers in the US. Just can’t get used to it here. Of course, after I stood up and walked a short block, the street opened up and I was in the center of St-Germain-des-Prés, literally surrounded by cafes. Go figure! I just got to step four.

This quarter is well known for being the center of the Existential philosophical movement in the 40s and 50s, with Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir being its main proponents. It’s also home to a great deal of academia: the School of Fine Arts – Ecole des Beaux-Arts – as well as various sections of the University of Paris are here.

Its center is flanked by the church, formerly an abbey. It’s a very busy and lively scene. The café culture there is also well known as the place to see and be seen. Les Deux Magots, Brasserie Lipp, Café de Flore and le Procope are among the places where those in the know flock.

Unfortunately, my hair is in great need of refreshing. I got it done today. Oh, well..chatted with nice folks from Mexico and we took each other’s photos.

Step five: I arrive at the Place de l’ Odéon, looking for my restaurant.
Good news: it’s there, but renovated. The charm is gone. So is the French onion soup. I preservere. I’m starving. There must be something on the menu for me.

There was and it was delicious. I also had a little window area, nicely socially distanced, so I could see all the street action as I ate.

Step six: I go to the Medici fountain at the Luxembourg Garden. It’s an easy stroll, I know, and I also pass my friend Marty’s favorite hotel where he and his wife Sandy spent many happy hours.

Step seven: I visit the Medici fountain. Marie de Medici was the wife of Henry IV and later his widow and regent of King Louis XIII. It was built around 1630 and was moved here in 1864-66. Whenever I visit it, the landscapers change it for the season and I try to see it when I’m here because it’s so delightful.

I retrace my steps and try to decide how to get back. Bus? Metro? Walk? You’ve got to be kidding. I spy a row of taxis.

I jump in a taxi and head back, but not all the way back. I stop at La Durée for dessert: a decaf coffee and a coffee macaron. What better way to end the day in Paris than with one of my favorite pastries?

It was a short walk back to the apartment.
How many steps? 17,412. Of course it took all day. I was home before 7:00 pm. My fancy new iPhone 11 won’t tell me how many miles it is. Can someone help me?

Hope you enjoyed coming along with me for the day!

As you may have noticed, I’ve been walking quite a bit and on the November 1 holiday for All Saint’s Day I decided to take a holiday myself and veg out a bit. I spent the morning organizing my days that I’ll be spending with my friend, Ann, who’s coming from England Thursday the 4 th for a few days here.

Christiane also had lots of walking on her tour so we rested most of the morning and part of the afternoon. She made a delicious quiche with roasted vegetables, so we were vegging out literally as well as figuratively.

In the late afternoon I decided to take the #42 bus to the Eiffel Tower. It stops just a few blocks from the apartment. It was sunny in the morning but the skies clouded up as I waited in the soft rain. It’s much easier on the old body to take the bus, avoid the stairs of the metro, and watch the world go by.

Fortunately the bus wasn’t crowded.

i got off at the quai and walked to the tower. The rain had stopped but it was still messy.

Built for the Universal Exposition of 1889, the tower was built to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the republic and was meant to be temporary. As it turned out, its height lead to the discovery that it could be used as a radio antenna and so it stayed, in spite of the protests of leading citizens, including the writer Guy de Maupassant, who considered it a public eyesore. Monsieur Eiffel even had an apartment built on the tower so he could supervise its construction.

I made my way back and only waited a few minutes for the bus to arrive. The bus stop has the number of minutes the passenger must wait, which is very helpful. The bus stops are also sheltered from the rain.
I managed to get some cool shots coming back , with the rain on the window offering an interesting dimension to the image.

When I got off, I decided to check out the view from the Printemps department store. See the people on the top?

So up I went to the 7th floor terrace, just as the sun was about to set, at 5:15 pm.

Now it’s up to the top floor for more shots and another panoramic view.

I had to stop for a little treat on my way home, of course: crème brûlée from the corner café.

We watched Death in Venice before going to bed. It’s been remastered to recapture its true beauty. What a gorgeous film.

There were many beautiful sights today. I only logged in 2.1 miles but I managed to get some nice images. You can see why Paris is called the City of Light.

My next post will take you further afield, with more walking. I get to the Left Bank!

October 31 is Halloween at home but the festival isn’t celebrated much in France. It was also a Sunday. I knew that the Bastille maeket was open, and I wanted to go visit, since my friend Allan and I used to shop there, and it’s a lively spot. Didn’t know how it would be in the rain, though.

i also wanted to shop at the Bazar de l’Hotel de Ville, commonly known as BHV, which is a real, down-to-earth department store, reminiscent of the San Francisco Emporium of my youth . I love to pick up pretty kitchen towels there and I wanted to check out their hardware department in the basement do-it yourself center, called “ le bricolage”, to replace a handle that had fallen off the WC yesterday.

I left by following the same route to the Concorde metro, line 1. On my way, once again, I noticed that many people are masked outside and on the metro EVERYONE is masked. There are signs everywhere to remind people to mask up. The French take the rules very seriously. Restaurants and museums ask to see the health pass before you’re allowed to enter. There are hand sanitizing stations at the bus stops. It’s a busy time with the two-week school vacations and the metro can be as crowded as ever, yet I feel safe. It may also because I’m actually triple vaxxed with the extra Moderna shot. People distance themselves.

I got off the subway at the Hotel de Ville stop and saw that the Olympic rings are much in evidence in front of City Hall, in anticipation of the Olympics to be held in the summer of 2024.

Next stop was to the papeterie, the paper section with all kinds of stationery, pens, note cards, greeting cards and Even the beginning of the Christmas decor!

i headed up to the kitchen department, where I found some nice kitchen towels. I was given a big bag, which wasn’t yet full but I had an idea that it would be if I continued to find more treasures.

I also enjoy wandering the aisles, looking at unique kitchen appliances.

Back on the metro I went to visit the Bastille market. I didn’t want to load myself down too much, so I just enjoyed the scene and took pictures. I was getting tired so I stopped by a café for a cappucino.

After I had some time relaxing, I did a bit more walking and discovered the Franpris where the Monoprix used to be. I found instant decaf coffee (hard to find) and treated myself to a dark chocolate bar.

Hunger set in once again. I’d remembered that there was a Léon de Bruxelles nearby. It’s a chain that does mussles – moules à la marinière – very well. Just as I was thinking about it, I turned the corner and there it was, right next to the metro. Was this destiny, or what?

Before I was allowed to enter, I was asked for my health pass, as usual. I’ve discovered that it’s easier to show the paper copy, since the phone copy is too tiny for their machine to scan the QR code. I noticed that this was one of the few places decirated for Halloween.

I started off with a Kir Royale, champagne with crème de cassis – as I was waiting for my moules. It was refreshing and delicious, and I admit to feeling jist a little tipsy after drinking it on an empty stomach. At least I don’t have to drive . The metro will take me home.

The metro is a marvel but there are tons of steps, with lots of to-and-froing and going up and down. No wonder the French are so fit! No wonder this out of shape American is so exhausted! The bag added a few extra pounds of weight as well.

I rested at a couple of bus stops at the about-to-be-renovated Madeleine with my big bag as I contemplated the traffic and the changing colors of the skies.

I came back and checked my mileage: I went 6.1 miles. How did that happen? I thought today would be an easy day.

Tomorrow I’ll take the bus, but I’ll make sure it’s the right bus. The #42 goes around the city and the stop I’m searching for will be a scenic trip away. What’s more iconic than the Eiffel Tower?

It sounds like a plan. We’ll see what happens.

Yes, that’s what the lady told me, the result of an accidental bus mishap. I’m too embarassed to explain the details – and they’re not that interesting – but I was on avenue President Wilson, just not the one in Paris. I was in the suburb of Levallois. And it didn’t seem that far!

My plan to visit the Saturday market there wasn’t that difficult. After all, I’d been there before and taken some great photos. This time I opted for the bus over the metro. I know the metro but I’m not familiar with the bus system.

I decided to check out the village anyway, since I was there. Guess what! There was a market, just not the one with a view of the Eiffel Tower.

People laughed at me when I asked, and that’s when I was told the name of the village. My friends know that I make mistakes all the time, and even though I’ve been to Paris many times, it is very possible to lose one’s direction or go one street over where you should go. With age comes wisdom, but loss of memory kicks in too.

At least it wasn’t raining at the moment.

The village and the market were lovely and the people were very friendly. the window displays were charming and the produce was exquisitely displayed, as usual.

I asked directions for my return and got different answers so I decided to do the easiest: retrace my steps on the other side of the street and return, but where? I no longer felt the urge to go to the Trocadero. I got to a fairly large bus stop amd examined the options. I decided to go to the area near the Grand Palais and the Alexander III bridge. Touristy? Yes, but after all, I am a tourist. I was also curious about an exhibit at the Petit Palais across the street, but expected it to be crowded during the long weekend. With the changing skies, I hoped to get some unusual shots of iconic places and spaces. You can be the judge.

I sat on a bench for a bit, enjoying the interplay with young couples and school kids seeing this bridge for the first time, and getting some time to plan my next move.

it came to me in a flash: food.

I wasn’t that far from my home away from home, so I set off, going down the Champs-Elysees to the entrance to the Place to the Concorde, and turned left on rue Royale. I didn’t see any places that appealed to me until I saw the red glow of an awning with happy people eating. It was then that I realized that I was on the corner of my street.

The gourmand reared its ugly head once I plunked myself down and saw the menu. Escargots! Steak! French fries! Oh, yes. Remember, I’m on vacation.

This isn’t my normal eating; at home I eat lots of salads and salmon and chicken. On vacation I get nostalgic toward French comfort food and I crave traditional French fare such as French onion soup, mussels, and snails! Not for everyone, I know! I’ll also need to get some macarons while I’m here.

But not before I get my cappucino!

Dinner is over. Time to head back. However, there’s a bakery down the street…hmmm.

To be continued. Tomorrow is another day.

I’m sure most people know the song “I love Paris” and the singer is telling the listeners that he loves the city any time, even ”in the winter when it drizzles, in the summer when it sizzles..”. We’re now in the fall and it’s drizzling, and out and out raining for parts of the day.

But it’s okay. It’s still Paris and the changing light and clouds make for beautiful photography. I was ready for possibly inclement weather with newly waterproofed puffy coat , waterproof shoes and umbrella.

Friday was also the beginning of a three-day weekend and people are cramming into metro stations with carry on bags, ready to flee for a short holiday. There are lots of European travelers here. Monday November 1 is a national holiday and although some stores will open, many will be closed.

Armed with my brand new Navigo easy card, I hit the streets. Down to the metro!

I decided to go to Fondation Cartier to see fhe Damien Hirst exhibit.

This museum specializes in contemporary art. In its present incarnation, it was designed by French architect Jean Nouvel and completed in 1994, moving from the outskirts near Versailles. It is made of glass and has a garden, which brings the outside in. The building appears to be a work of art in and of itself. I’ve been there before. My friend Allan was a big fan of Jean Nouvel and we visited the structure on our last visit.

The original building was built in 1984 at the bequest of Alain Dominique Perrin, then president of the French jewelry and watch manufacturer Cartier international, to highlight established artists, encourage the young just starting out and raise public awareness about the importance and impact of modern art.

The Damien Hirst exhibit called The Cherry Blossoms is his first in France. The entire museum was taken over for his 26 giant sized paintings, which show the juxtaposition between the reality of nature with abstraction. At first glance I found these paintings unimpressive until I really started looking at the depth and detail. Then I was fascinated. I found impressionism, pointillism, humor and depth in each work.

After seeing both floors of paintings and checking out the well-stocked bookstore, I made my way to the wet garden. Fortunately it was not raining.

After having my fill of art, hunger took over and I scurried to find a local place in the neighborhood for a late lunch. I ended up at a cozy place on the boulevard Raspail, where I had a tasty lemon pasta with veggies and a glass of wine. I would have dessert halfway through my walk home.

It’s quite a long walk, but in theory, I figured I’d just walk up boulevard Raspail until it hits the Seine, or perhaps turn when I see a sign for the Orsay museum, walk through the Tuileries by the Louvre and head back via the Place de la Concorde. Easy.

And it was. However, the wind and rain also came. I survived. I also saw some cool stuff. Love the cafés and window decor.

As I was wandering through streets leading up to the Orsay and heading to the Tuileries, I saw more people. I was getting back into civilization!

I saw the rue de Rivoli. I saw cafés. I saw people. Time for a dessert and a rest!

Yes, coffee ice cream is my favorite, any time. This is called Café liégeois. I
also found some good people-watching. It was interesting that no one asked for my passe sanitaire in either restaurant but I did need it to get into the museum.

I was rested and ready to take the last trek, skirting the Place de la Concorde and heading up to the Madeleine.

Corporate sponsorship is helping to spruce up the city! Merci, Oréal!

Finally home. Time for rest and kitty care. I walked 13,179 steps!

The trip from San Francisco to Paris is over ten hours, and I’ve been told that it takes one day per hour change to get over jet lag. I’m at day four. Six to go.

GOOD NEWS: I slept six hours straight last night, from 4:00 am to almost 10:00 am. Of course that means that I was up for much of the night before the Sleep Fairy did her job.

Settling in means doing a little bit every day.

When I arrived on Wednesday, I got to my destination at about 1:00 pm. I literally ran into my hostess as she was coming back from the boulangerie and presented me with my first croissant as well as some wonderful bread and jam. It really hit the spot! You saw the photo in my last posting.

After putting some of my stuff away, my hostess and I did a short walk to run some errands in the neighborhood: go to Monoprix ( the French version of Target) and learn a bit about the options available for food and drink nearby. Later on in the day we stopped at a local café and enjoyed catching up with the past several years and doing some people watching.

We’re in the 8th arrondissement, or district, close to the Church of the Madeleine and walking distance to many highlights such as the Place de la Concorde , the Champs- Elysees, the Garnier Opera house and the big department stores. Metro and bus access is excellent for all of the city.

it was an early night. Sleep came for a few hours and then I was up for the rest of the night.

We went further afield day two, taking the local bus to see the new Samaritaine department store. I used to go there because of the beauty of the architecture, the reasonable costs of its retail offerings and the view from the right bank over the Seine from its cafeteria terrace. It closed in 2008 because the structure didn’t meet building codes and reopened again, but this time with a five store hotel attached to the property.

We began by taking the bus and zipped through the area near the Louvre; however, when the bus driver went to the Left Bank we knew there’d been a mistake. Passengers were confused. We got off as soon as we could and retraced our way back to the Seine and the Right Bank. We thought of it as an extra walking tour. When you get lemons, make lemonade and all that.

One of us was taken by the artist’s paintings of the river and took the occasion to pick up some art work. It was a glorious fall day and the light was exceptional.

Hunger overtook us so we stopped for a delicious lunch in the scenic Place Dauphine before heading on to the department store. It was a wise choice.

We examined menus around the square and picked a spot. The food was delicious but the wait was long, which was cutting into our sightseeing time.

Back on the road, it was just a short trek to the department store where many others were also checking out the grand opening. It’s European school vacation time so it’s busy in central Paris. The renovation of this former art nouveau/deco masterpiece is a sight to see!

We were limited on time, as my friend had a 4:00 appointment, so we taxied back. She went to her appointment and I wandered the neighborhood, stopping at the Madeleine church. The facade is being renovated but the lovely inside remains intact, with a slew of visitors.

Our lunch was huge so dinner was very light. We had to get ready for a new tomorrow. My friend left for the weekend; Diego and I will be waiting for her.

When I started my day, I knew I would have plenty of time to get to the airport. The airline asked the passengers to arrive four hours in advance, but that seemed excessive to me. I figured three would still be more than enough time. To get to the airport, I usually take a bus to the BART (local train) station and an hour later I arrive at the airport. Since I had a medium sized suitcase and a carry on, I decided to tske a taxi to the station..

The taxi arrived on time but as we were driving down the main street, I couldn’t remember whether or not I’d turned out a certain light, and I knew that the thought of that light burning would bother me, so the driver took me back, and I ran through the house. No lights on! Whew!

i was afraid that I wouldn’t make the train, but I did, with about five seconds to spare. The reluctant elevator from the concourse to the station didn’t take forever, and I was grateful. An hour later, I was at the airport

The international terminal was empty, or nearly so. It seemed very strange. No crowds of people waiting in lines. I marched up to the lonely customer servoce representative and got checked in. I’d already downloaded my bording pass but we decided that I woukd be more comfortable in a different seat, since the flight was not filled. He examined my vaccination card. I was all set.

I have TSA PreCheck so security hasn’t been much of a problem and with an empty airport, the whole procedure took about five minutes.

As I wandered around the terminal, I discovered that the only people I saw were coming from arriving planes.

I enjoyed checking out the local merchandise involving landmarks and sports teams and actually bought a better iPhone case to replace my flimsy one. Having a medicinal alcoholic beverage also is one of my pre-flight traditions.

It was boarding time. Normally it takes a while to board the plane, but by the time I made it from the bar to the gate, most of the people had already boarded. I got to my economy plus section, with seating for about forty. There were seven people. I decided to sit in the middle section, all by myself.

Service was wonderful. I read my book. I watched the onboard entertainment.
I checked to see when we would arrive. The flight was smooth. One thing I didn’t do: sleep. Jet lag will be a constant companion for several days. It happens on every trip.

We landed early. Passport control was a breeze. Got luggage in a half hour. The trip into town took longer than expected because of traffic. I took pictures in the taxi.

When we got to our destination, my friend had just arrived from the bakery so I could enjoy my first fresh croissant!

Welcome to Paris!

The weather gods continued to cooperate as we sailed into the picturesque city of Tauranga by Dawn’s early light. Again, we opted to take a tour to learn about the history of the area and its agricultural products.

The first part of our tour today concentrated in the beginning of the settlement with a visit to the Elms/ Te Papa, one of New Zealand’s oldest heritage sites. You will see the mission house, which brought the Anglican Church and its clergy to the new town in 1838 by the Reverend Alfred Brown. . It’s still a fully functional gathering site today and can be hired out for special events, such as weddings.

For more information, go to theelms.org.nz.

The guides were all dressed in period costume, and our guide was very informative and perky. She showed us the house the family lived in, gave us a history of the family, and we saw the downstairs rooms of their living quarters, which remains today as it was in those early days.

The gardens developed over the years and were beautifully kept, as there were many outdoor receptions and gatherings among the early settlers. Once in the chapel, our guide explained the role that the first spiritual family played In the cultural and spiritual life of the early settlers.

As the settlement grew, several outbuildings were added, such as the kitchen and the sheds. The plants in the gardens were also used for medicinal purposes to safeguard the health of the early inhabitants.

My favorite little house on the property was the library, where we could see the writing desk and area where the minister prepared his sermons. The room even housed his old books. He could stay warm with the coal fire.

After leaving this interesting place, we drove over to other parts of the city where we went to a community center with an area for tea and kiwi fruit scones, then we were offered an opportunity to taste and purchase products made from kiwi fruit, from kiwi fruit chocolates to liqueur to remedies for constipation. The golden kiwi, not yet exported to the US, was very tasty and we were told we can expect to find it in our local supermarkets in a few years.

We stopped in another factory to learn about the bees of New Zealand and their production of manufacturing honey, and, again were offered a buying opportunity for products from skin cream to wound care and cough medicines.

The most interesting part of this tour of the kiwi was the visit to the kiwi orchard, where, under the fruit canopies, the owner explained how the kiwi fruit is formed and cultivated with the help of the honey bees.

As always, our time was limited and we were not able to stroll around the area near the ship after the tour, so we were unable to see the nearby seaside resorts, which were beautiful and extensive. We visited some rural areas so I was surprised to see that this is also a very prosperous area, with multimillion dollar homes fronting the sea and an extensive area for tourism.

The sailaway was quite lovely.

Our evening hours were spent packing, eating dinner, going to the main show, packing, visiting our favorite two groups, Lincoln Center and the billboard boys, packing, and setting out luggage before the witching hour of midnight. We finished out the evening at Billboard on board, where Anderson and Justin took requests. They’ll be on board for seven more weeks. If you take this cruise in the not-too- distant future, go see them!

We have brown luggage tags,which means we can leave the ship at 9:00-9:30. All we have to do is throw in our clothes and grab some food in the Lido and we are off to Aukland, our final destination.

It’s Friday morning and I have some free time before our excursion at noon. Yesterday we spent the morning in the charming, lovely seaside town of Napier, in the Hawkes Valley wine area, where a catastrophe lead to renewal.

The catastrophe was the earthquake in February of 1931 that was instrumental in wiping out a good portion of the city. The renewal was the choices that the city fathers made when they were forced to start over again: build the town in one unified style, Art Deco.

The inspiration for this style was the work of the architects in New York and other parts of America: Frank Lloyd Wright, Tiffany, Louis Sullivan and others who were influential during this period. Louis Hay was a prominent New Zealand architect who designed many of the buildings in Napier post-earthquake. Not only is the city center unified in this period of style, but the outlyng neighborhoods all have similar housing styles as well. Napier has the largest collection of Art Deco buildings outside Miami.

We left the ship and were on the bus at 8:15, where we were given a one-hour driving tour of the region, then we returned to the city center, and we went to the Art Deco Center, where we watched a film about the earthquake, saw the devastation and ultimate renewal. We spent some time in the fully equipped Art Deco shop – of course – then, with one of the volunteers, did a one-hour walking tour of the city center.

Here are some examples of the buildings we saw on our fun-filled, perfect-weather morning:

This building is not located downtown, but in the nearly Port of Ahuriri . The owner of the building, Gerhard Husheer, a German tobacco tycoon, saw his business destroyed in the earthquake. Fortunately, he still had funds and spared no expense; he hired Louis Hay to design the building for him, which is a combination of Art Deco geometry and art nouveau ornamentation. Between 1956 and 2001 the building was purchased by the Rothmans and is subsequently known as the Rothman building. .

Back in town, we saw the movie, spent a bit of time in the gift shop, and strolled downtown with our guide:

Art Deco Weekend is a major event in Napier , with more than 4,000 participants, celebrating the movement by dressing up in period clothes, bringing their vintage cars, dancing, dining and stepping back in time to the 1930s for three days. Doesn’t that sound like fun?!

All good things must come to an end, and, as our time was limited, we reluctantly headed back to the ship. As we sailed away, we watched “Rocket Man” on our TV – our second rock star biopic, since we saw ‘Bohemian Rhapsody” a few days ago. Since it was our first warm day, we also spent time at the pool where one of us went for her one hour swim and the other of us vegged out in the hot tub.

Sometimes my posts may sound a bit too upbeat. There are times when things do not go well and last night’s dinner in the “pay extra” Italian restaurant was one of those times. I love Italian food but the calamari appetizer was rubbery – sent it back – and the lobster ravioli was so smothered with oregano that I was coughing so I also sent it back! Fortunately I was offered a second Aperol Spritz – another drink for you to research- which helped to raise my spirits. My cassata dessert was fine. My sister had a similar experience with her choices. We survived. She definitely enjoyed her Irish coffee substitute.

Our evening entertainment varied: we sampled a little classical tunes, with music from the movies, Motown with BB King and the billboard boys, of course. The last big production number from the singers and dancers was a showstopper in more ways than one: this was their last performance after six and a months at sea. They were great and got a standing ovation. As usual, we finished off the evening with Anderson and Justin, the billboard boys.

I’d planned to finish off this post this morning but the best laid plans don’t always work out as I’d planned…we were off the ship all afternoon for a very nice tour of Tauranga, which included an extensive tour of the first mission house, then we went to sample some local products made from kiwi fruit and manuka honey, the two major exports of the country. We also enjoyed visiting with a kiwi producer at his farm.

I hope to give you more details of today’s excursion tonight or tomorrow but I’m not sure when. It will be a busy from now on.

We have to pack now because we’ll be kicked off the ship tomorrow by 9:30 AM. We will check into a hotel in Auckland then will meet a friend of my sister’s who will take us around a bit. We spend Saturday night at the hotel in Auckland then get on the plane Sunday, but not until the late evening, so we’ll have Sunday for touring the city as well. We get on the plane, fly for eight hours, arrive in Honolulu and it will be Sunday – again!

We’ll be in touch but I don’t know where or when. Hope you enjoyed the cruise!