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Tui Snider
Tui Snider

Tui Snider

Inquisitive world traveler who writes books, gives talks & leads tours through historic cemeteries. My homebase is Texas, where I share a goth/tiki castle with my mad scientist husband & tabby cat. For my newsletter & more visit: TuiSnider.com Læs mere🇺🇸United States
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  • Tui SniderMarch 2024Rejsende

    Happy Birthday to me!

    9. marts 2024, Indonesien ⋅ ☁️ 86 °F

    Had a lovely birthday aboard ship!

    Wound up with two cakes, though, because both Larry and our sweet tablemates, Thelma and Clive, requested cakes for me.

    Two cakes mean two wishes, though, so I’m not complaining! We shared the excess with nearby guests as well as the crew.

    I had two wonderful surprises for my birthday, as well. While waiting in the theater for the show to start, Clive, who is a professional magician, gave me a mini show as a gift.

    Not only is he a member of the prestigious Magic Circle, but he has won several close up magic competitions. I love close up magic, so it was a real treat.

    The second surprise was a cute photo from our grandkids wishing me a happy birthday. So sweet! I miss those little munchkins.    Læs mere

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  • Tui SniderMarch 2024Rejsende

    Lombok Crafts Market

    8. marts 2024, Indonesien ⋅ ☁️ 88 °F

    Our tour took us to a crafts market where vendors sold locally made crafts.

    A gamelan band played at the gate while two men engaged in a traditional “stick dance” that seemed more like some form of combat to me.

    I got a lot of mileage out of the simple phrases I’ve learned from Indonesian crew on the ship by saying “good morning,” “how are you,” and “thank you.”

    I’m able to use Google translate for Indonesian, too, since they use the same alphabet.

    We chatted with some vendors and bartered for a few handmade souvenirs. As we drove away, a bunch of kids waved to our bus.

    Our next stop was a fancy pearl store. We took a quick look, but spent most of our time watching a calf try to befriend a skittish dog.    Læs mere

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  • Tui SniderMarch 2024Rejsende

    Parade of Schoolkids

    8. marts 2024, Indonesien ⋅ ☁️ 79 °F

    Our tour bus got caught in a traffic jam, but it was caused by school kids, not cars!

    Our guide wasn’t sure what the parade was all about, but he said it was “kinda like a wedding, but not really.”

    He went on to explain that the Sasak people of Lombok Island have an old tradition where the groom kidnaps his bride to be. They sneak off together, and when they return, the family has a big procession like this in the streets.

    So we don’t really know what the kids were celebrating, but just like everyone we saw around the island, they were quick to a smile, and many of them waved at us as we passed by.

    I got a kick out of the one wearing Chuck Taylor tennis shoes!    Læs mere

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  • Tui SniderMarch 2024Rejsende

    Lombok Drive

    8. marts 2024, Indonesien ⋅ ☁️ 79 °F

    We enjoyed a scenic drive on Lombok Island. There wasn’t a lot of traffic, and it was mostly cars and scooters, but we also passed a few horse drawn carts along the way.

    As our guide explained, “That is a small horse, not a donkey. Indonesians are small people, so God in his great wisdom gave us small horses.”

    Rice fields abound on Lombok, so we passed many fields. Some rice was recently harvested, as evidenced by the woman we saw spreading using a push broom to spread out some rice on a sheet to dry. (I took that as a weather forecast, as well. After all, they wouldn’t dry rice on a rainy day, would they?)

    Unlike neighboring Bali, Lombok’s citizenry is mostly Muslim and Wetka Talu (a syncretic blend of Islam with the local tribal animism), along with a smattering of Balinese Hindus. (Bali, on the other hand, is mostly Hindu.)

    We passed a lot of mosques and temples on our drive.    Læs mere

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  • Tui SniderMarch 2024Rejsende

    Cultural Influence as Intense Dialogue

    7. marts 2024, Indonesien ⋅ ☁️ 90 °F

    We were greeted at the museum in Mataram with gamelan music, drinks, and yummy little snacks.

    We enjoyed the museum, but it was a lot of info to take in. According to our guide, Indonesia is made up of over 490 tribes, and everywhere you go, there is a wide range of cultural influences. There are over 70 dialects on Lombok Island alone. It’s a lot to take in!

    When traveling, my motto is, “Shoot first, ask questions later.” I shot pics of the museum’s info plaques so I could read them later.

    We were surprised to learn what the colorful rocking horses are for. Traditionally, after Sasak boys are circumcised, they are put on these horses “to comfort them.”

    Below are some snippets from the museum plaques. I love how they call the various cultural and influences “an intense dialogue.”

    “The native inhabitants of the island of Lombok, which is also known as Gumi Sasak, are of the Sasak ethnic group …

    Not a lot is yet known about who the Sasak people were and where they came from, except for fragments of archaeological information from the prehistoric era …

    In the times that followed, different ethnic groups, such as the Balinese, Javanese, Bugis, Banjar, Melayu, Portuguese, Dutch, Japanese and so forth, came to Nusa Tenggara Barat by stages and in alternation.

    The same happened with religions and beliefs; at the very beginning were animism and dynamism, then the religions of Hinduism and Buddhism, Christianity (in Donggo, Bima) and lastly Islam.

    The difference between the two islands, each with its own community and cultural identity, is the intensity of the dialogue with the arrival of external cultures which influenced them.

    The Sasak community in Lombok chose to have an intense dialogue with Bali and Java, whereas the Samawa and Mbojo communities on the island of Sumbawa had a more serious dialogue with the Bugis of South Sulawesi.”

    TRADITIONAL HOUSE
    The traditional house of Sasak tribe is called Bale. It usually has square shape,
    pole, wall and alang-alang roof.

    The traditional house in Museum
    Negeri Nusa Tenggara Barat is called
    "Bale Gunung Rata" that as one very small window.The purpose of making
    small window is to avoid the thief comes.

    in to the house using the window.
    It also avoid the Sasak girl goes out without permission from the parent.

    JARAN KAMPUT
    Original plaque:
    It is used to comfort the circumcised Sasak boys who also called "Praje Sunat". The "praje sunat" are seated on
    "Jaran Kamput" - like horsemen and couple of people carried them in a parade around village.    Læs mere

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  • Tui SniderMarch 2024Rejsende
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    Lingsar Temple

    7. marts 2024, Indonesien ⋅ ☁️ 79 °F

    Pura Lingsar is a temple complex in Lombok Island’s village of Lingsar.

    Lingsar means “clear revelation from God,” in the local Sasak tribe’s language. “Pura,” meanwhile, comes from a Sanskrit word for "walled city" or "palace.” (It’s a word you’ll see all over Indonesia in connection to temples.)

    Pura Lingsar dates back to 1714 and the grounds include a couple ponds and a spring, all of which are considered sacred to the Sasak tribe.

    On our way in, we noticed locals fishing. Later, we visited another pond where sacred eels dwell. If you see one of the eels, it means your wish will be granted. (Apparently, vendors sometimes sell hard boiled that you can use to coax the eels out with, but there were none around during our visit.)

    We did, however, pay a visit to Pura Lingsar’s artesian well, which our guide called the fountain of youth. Splashing water on ourselves was certainly a much needed cool off.

    After this refreshment, our guide instructed us to say thank you to our mothers. “You must be thankful to momma because you would not be here without her.”

    He also explained what the different colored cloths symbolize. Black and white checkered cloth stands for the balance between mankind’s dark and light forces, for instance.

    Pura Lingsar is multi-denominational temple, with areas for Balinese Hindus as well as followers of Lombok’s syncretic religion of Wektu Telu, which combines Islam with the Sasak tribe’s ancient animism.

    Local street vendors chased us from the parking lot to the shrine entrance, which made it hard to listen to our guide at times, but we figured that was all part of the experience here.

    With 490 tribes, and just as many languages and dialects, the cultural mix of Indonesia has my head spinning.
    There is so much to learn!    Læs mere

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  • Tui SniderMarch 2024Rejsende
    111

    Fremantle Cemetery

    3. marts 2024, Australien ⋅ ☀️ 91 °F

    Considering that it’s “the most visited grave in Australia,” Bon Scott’s monument is surprisingly humble.

    As AC/DC’s original singer, and despite lyrics proclaiming, “forget the hearse, cuz I never die,” Scott tragically drank himself to death in 1980.

    Cremation was not approved by the Catholic church until 1963. Even then, they frown upon ashes being scattered, preferring them to be buried instead.

    Bon Scott’s ashes are buried along with many others in a small remembrance garden, so it took a while to find.

    The flat monument is covered with grave goods befitting a rock star such as beer caps, booze bottles, and an AC/DC candle.

    There are a couple of info plaques near his grave, as well. One provides a mini bio of Bon Scott, along with a QR code for more details, while another reminds fans to be respectful when they visit his grave.

    In places, the vegetation at West Terrace Cemetery is quite lush. The oldest section, however, reminds me of scraped graveyards I’ve seen in the USA. I didn’t come across any groundskeepers, alas, so I couldn’t ask about that.

    The cemetery has a pretty walking trail, with more signage and QR codes. I had a printed copy of the map from the Visitor’s Center, too.

    I need to invest in a good pair of binoculars, because once again the birding here was excellent, and I swear a couple lorikeets were following Larry around the place!    Læs mere

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  • Tui SniderMarch 2024Rejsende

    Fremantle Wandering

    2. marts 2024, Australien ⋅ 🌬 88 °F

    We had a fun day in Fremantle. If we’d had more time, we could’ve popped up to Perth, as well, but we spent the day exploring “Freo” as locals call it, instead .

    I enjoyed watching the pilot embark onto our ship during our morning walk, as you can see.

    I took gobs of photos during our walk through Freo’s West Terrace Cemetery, but hardly took any during our walk around the city center. Maybe it’s because the market was so crowded?

    The market was lively, but wowza, was it a tight squeeze. I just took it all in and kept my bag tight. Had to snap a pic of the didgeridoo player though.

    We eventually found a sidewalk cafe on a side street where we enjoyed some iced coffee. I like how they often add a scoop of ice cream to these in Australia. Really hit the spot!    Læs mere

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  • Tui SniderFebruary 2024Rejsende

    West Terrace Cemetery

    28. februar 2024, Australien ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    Cemeteries often have monument shops nearby, but the one in Adelaide features an eye catching statue out front.

    Like other burial grounds we’ve visited Down Under, we enjoyed birds and their melodious calls as we explored. At one point, a half dozen Superb Fairy Wrens appeared and began foraging along a line of headstones.

    The wrens are aptly named; they do flit like little fairies, with iridescent turquoise feathers around their necks adding a delightful flash of color.

    West Terrace offers a whopping 4 different walking tours, with signs featuring QR codes throughout. I chose the Culture and Symbolism tour.

    I was stopped by groundskeepers twice during our visit. They simply wanted to know how I was doing and if they could help. Both times I let them know how much I enjoyed their walking tours and the fact that they are protecting heritage plants.

    Christian monuments dominate the landscape, but there were Jewish, Afghan, Muslim, and Syrian Druze sections.

    That said, my favorite monument there is the cherub with butterfly wings that we saw on our way out.    Læs mere

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  • Tui SniderFebruary 2024Rejsende
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    Adelaide Wandering

    27. februar 2024, Australien ⋅ ☀️ 97 °F

    In Adelaide, our ship was met by a band called “Ewe Calyptus.” Always nice when locals come out to greet us like that.

    The cruise port is quite a way from Adelaide, so everyone needed to take the train if they wanted to go into town.

    The ticket booth closed, so the station agent told us to buy a cruise day pass when we got off.

    Once there, our departing throng overwhelmed the ticket booth, so much so that they shooed us along and told us to buy tickets upon our return. So that’s what we did!

    After taking a cab to Adelaide Cemetery, we hoofed it back to the train station, admiring the architecture and stopping for iced mochas and pastries along the way.    Læs mere

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  • Tui SniderFebruary 2024Rejsende
    11

    Melbourne Cemetery

    26. februar 2024, Australien ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    Our friends had never visited Melbourne General Cemetery (MGL), but they accommodated my wishes by including it on our walk.

    Well, we actually took the tram for part of the journey. Good thing they were with us to sort that out.

    The ticket machine didn’t work at the port, so the tram driver told us all to board it anyway, because she was heading to the free ride zone.

    Melbourne General Cemetery has the largest caretaker’s cottage I’ve ever seen. Inside, I bought a book about the burial ground and picked up a walking trail brochure.

    I was happy to see that MGL has a program called “Project Cultivate” which plants native trees and grasses to the burial ground as a way to revitalize the land.

    I had two monuments on my list to see here, and we found them both: the Elvis grotto and tomb of a famous billiard player.

    After those goals were met, we had an aimless meander through the old section, which is always my favorite part.

    My favorite monument there features a large statue of the Archangel Michael.    Læs mere

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  • Tui SniderFebruary 2024Rejsende
    132

    Melbourne Friends

    26. februar 2024, Australien ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    We met Carol and Steve on our world cruise last year, and they met up with us today at the port!

    Our other Melbourne pals couldn’t make it, but we spent a fun filled day with Carol and Steve, catching up, eating fish ‘n’ chips, exploring a cemetery, walking some more, and capping it all off with decadent pastries and espresso.

    We barely scratched the surface of all that Melbourne has to offer, but it was the perfect way to spend a day here.    Læs mere

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  • Tui SniderFebruary 2024Rejsende
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    Sydney Sail Away

    24. februar 2024, Australien ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F

    Our tablemates, Clive and Thelma, invited us to watch the Sydney sailaway from their suite, and it was sweet, indeed.

    As we pulled away from the dock, I had a great view of a tugboat at our bow, and was surprised to see that there was a line attached to our stern.

    Must say that Sydney’s opera house is just as striking in person as it is in all the posters and movies I’ve seen it in.

    At one point, Clive asked, “What sort of bird is that?” Moments later, we realized it wasn’t a bird at all, but was in fact, a large bat! It was the size of a raven. Truly special way to end our day in Sydney.    Læs mere

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  • Tui SniderFebruary 2024Rejsende
    11

    Sydney Walkabout

    24. februar 2024, Australien ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    Sydney’s port swarmed with people, but we had a good time exploring the area just the same.

    Friendly volunteers handed out maps at the pier. The lady I spoke to told us how to enter the opera house for free, adding that, “Be sure to visit the bathrooms, too, they are quite picturesque.” I’ll let you be the judge from my photos!

    Along the way, we saw some Aborigines busking. I’m a sucker for the didgeridoo, so I walked up to take a photo of the guy playing it while the other guy danced.

    I didn’t expect the dancer to pose for pics with me, but he was very exuberant. After our first pose, which was rather sedate, he goes, “Let’s do another shot, but make it a bit crazy!” Sounded good to me, so that’s the shot I’ve shared here.

    Sydney’s historic neighborhood, aka The Rocks, was especially busy, with an open air market full of goodies.

    I chuckled at the sight of a Berliner booth because of JFK’s famous gaff. When visiting the city of Berlin, he grandly stated, “Ich bin ein Berliner.”

    He meant to say that he was a citizen of Berlin, when he was actually proclaiming that he was a jelly filled donut.

    Seeing Vegemite for sail put the Men at Work’s “Land Down Under” song in my head. We also saw a variety of kangaroo products for sale.

    The little phone booth I show here would’ve come in handy when Larry and I were trying to book a cab earlier in the day. You can use it to make free calls in Australia. It also says that it has free WiFi, but I’m not sure how it all works.

    Ozzies drive on the same side of the road as Brits do, so the “look” sign on the pavement was a good reminder. We travel so much that I look both ways before I cross the street no matter where we are.

    Larry has a special way with birds, and was able to feed some wild Lorikeets we saw loitering on some cafe umbrellas.

    Seeing “pet shop birds” in the wild is such a delight. During our cab ride, for instance, I saw a dozen lorikeets standing on an apartment railing. The cabbie explained that the birds had “adopted” the people living there. I like the idea of people being pets to animals.    Læs mere

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  • Tui SniderFebruary 2024Rejsende

    Cold Front Clouds

    23. februar 2024, Tasman Sea ⋅ ⛅ 81 °F

    The night before we reached Sydney, a big cold front blew through and cooled the city down from triple digits to a very pleasant seventy-something.

    Our dining table is located at the ship’s transom, so we had a great view.

    Sunsets at sea are a wonderful sight to behold.    Læs mere

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  • Tui SniderFebruary 2024Rejsende

    Waverly Cemetery

    23. februar 2024, Australien ⋅ ☁️ 90 °F

    Sydney’s Waverly Cemetery is a beautiful burial ground overlooking the sea. Although filled with Victorian and Edwardian monuments, it’s an active cemetery, and still receives new burials.

    I never found out what type of lizards the street sign refers to, but apparently they cross the road by Waverly’s front gate.

    We spent several hours wandering up and down and all around. It was hard to choose which photos to share here.

    One of my favorite monuments depicts an angel with butterfly wings. I was quite intrigued by a monument to a young man who, as the epitaph explained, died during a circus stunt in which he dove into a bucket from a great height.

    Afterwards, we found a cafe nearby and enjoyed some delicious iced espresso. Hailing a cab turned into quite a challenge, however, so we lingered longer than planned.

    My Uber app wouldn’t work, and when I called for a cab, I got an automated menu that wanted me to input an Australian phone number. We tried waving down a few passing cabs, but none of them stopped.

    I finally managed to get a human on the end of the phone (which was an international call) and book a cab. Phew! We enjoy walking, but that would have been a bit too much.    Læs mere

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  • Tui SniderFebruary 2024Rejsende
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    Glow Worm Caves

    20. februar 2024, New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    Our second stop in New Zealand took us to the gorgeous Bay of Islands. I was eager to see native Tui birds there, but locals explained that it was too hot. The birds were staying cool in the deep forest.

    Ah, well. I don’t blame them. It was too hot in the sun for this Tui, too.

    We compensated for this ornithological disappointment while exploring the seaside village of Paihia. Larry found a pair of Tui earrings with a matching pin and sneakily bought them for me. I love them and have been wearing them ever since.

    Later, we took a bus to the Kaiwiti Caves where we saw glow worms twinkling in the darkness. Glow worms emit light in order to lure insects into the sticky threads they dangle from the walls of the cave.

    After dining on their prey, they quit glowing until they get hungry again, which can be as long as a month.

    Our guide, Hinemoana, was very knowledgeable and answered all our questions with aplomb. I regret, however, that I can’t share pics of the glow worms. Since the caves are sacred to Maori people, photography is forbidden inside.

    In addition to hundreds of glow worms, we also saw a big eel in the cave. Priscilla, as she is called, is 4 1/2 feet long and well over 80-years-old!

    You can see Hinemoana standing on a meteorite in one of my photos. It fell from the sky and landed at a nearby farm many years ago. They rolled it here so people can marvel at the heavy rock.

    Larry and I enjoyed how low key and informal the whole experience was. The cave has no electricity inside, there’s no gift shop, and the only toilet facilities were a couple porta-potties.

    The New Zealand countryside is so pretty. I’m in love with the gorgeous forests and great big fern trees.

    I definitely want to visit New Zealand again. After all, over yet to see a Tui bird!    Læs mere

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  • Tui SniderFebruary 2024Rejsende
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    Weta Workshop

    19. februar 2024, New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 81 °F

    While our cemetery jaunt bolstered my ongoing research, our stop at the Wets Workshop was pure fun.

    We’re offers a behind the scenes glimpse at the filmmaking process, especially the special effects aspect. They have miniatures and big-atures and all sorts of paraphernalia for sci fi, horror, and fantasy films.

    Larry found the workshops inspiring for his mad scientist laboratory back home. It’s definitely a place that would be fun to take the grandkids. As you can see, we had fun playing around during g our visit.    Læs mere

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  • Tui SniderFebruary 2024Rejsende
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    Aukland Walk

    18. februar 2024, New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F

    After a taxi to a historic cemetery. We hoofed it all over Auckland. Definitely got our steps in and got a little taste of the city along the way.

    The “haere mai” sign brought back pleasant memories of Polynesian dance lessons I took as a kid. We did a poi ball routine in our Maori garb while singing a welcome song called “Haere Mai.”

    Everywhere you go in Auckland, the Sky Tower pops into view, making it easy to navigate.

    It was a fun day of wandering, and we enjoyed some tasty espresso along the way. I’m still scratching my head over the “tepid baths” place, though.    Læs mere

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  • Tui SniderFebruary 2024Rejsende
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    The Friendly Islands

    15. februar 2024, Tonga ⋅ 🌬 82 °F

    Captain Cook nicknamed Tonga, “the Friendly Islands,” and from our experience the moniker still holds true.

    For instance, when a Tongan man saw me admiring a pretty white flower, he walked over, picked a blossom and handed it to me. Later, a woman handed me the blossom she wore in her hair when she saw that the white flower I was attempting to shelter from the breeze was starting to wilt.

    The Kingdom of Tonga is proud to be the only Polynesian nation that was never colonized, however, Jesus Christ has certainly made the rounds. There are churches all over and a variety of denominations: Catholic, Latter Day Saints, among many others.

    The woven “apron” Tongans wear is called a “ta ovala.” These are handmade (our guide’s mother made his) They are woven from local plant fibers and worn by men and women in formal situations. It’s rather like the equivalent of a man’s tie in Western society.    Læs mere

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  • Tui SniderFebruary 2024Rejsende

    Touring the Kingdom of Tonga

    14. februar 2024, Tonga ⋅ 🌬 82 °F

    Our tour of the Kingdom of Tonga included stops at some blowholes, a three-headed palm tree, the Tongan royal palace, and the Royal Tombs.

    Of the four, the blowholes were the most impressive. Between the heavy waves and sharp volcanic rocks, you certainly wouldn’t want to go swimming, but the spouting water was a mesmerizing sight.

    Our tour guide was quite shy and didn’t offer much information. When he spoke, we could barely hear him. He was very sweet, though, and loved to sing. We enjoyed being serenaded by him, even though his repertoire consisted of Christian hymns sung in Tongan.

    I was disappointed, however, that a great big fence kept us so far away from the Royal Tombs that all we could do was zoom in with our cameras to see any details at all.    Læs mere

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  • Tui SniderFebruary 2024Rejsende
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    Tahiti Flower Market

    10. februar 2024, Fransk Polynesien ⋅ 🌧 81 °F

    One of my favorite memories from our visit to Papeete in 2019, was visiting the fresh flower market. Not only did I enjoy the fresh fruit and flowers, but I liked seeing that it caters to locals as well as tourists.

    Just like last time, I was eager to buy a headband made of real flowers. Not only does it look beautiful and make me feel like a tropical princess, but it smells divine.

    Locals wear these pretty headbands, too, not just tourists like me. The guy we bought mine from gave Larry a tiare blossom and instructed him to wear it behind his left ear to show that he is taken.

    On the other hand (or should I say ear?) flowers worn behind the right ear signal that you are single and looking to mingle. I saw locals wearing them on both sides throughout the day.

    Before we reboarded the ship, I nabbed a few tiare blossoms that folks had discarded. My leftover coconut makes a handy vase, and our cabin smells wonderful.    Læs mere

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  • Tui SniderFebruary 2024Rejsende
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    Welcome to Papeete

    9. februar 2024, Fransk Polynesien ⋅ 🌧 77 °F

    After missing three ports due to a Tropical Depression, we were all feeling a little tropical depression of our own as we wondered if we would ever make it ashore in the South Pacific.

    At last we docked in Tahiti’s capital, the city of Papeete. Locals handed us fragrant tiare blossoms as we disembarked, and a lively Polynesian band serenaded us on the dock.

    It was late afternoon when we arrived, and most places were closed for the day, but we had a quick explore before dinner, during which we enjoyed a marvelously vibrant sunset.    Læs mere

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