Even the plane is turquoise!

You have probably heard of the amazing turquoise blue waters in the South Pacific. No photograph could ever do them justice. But even more charming is the way that Tahiti Nui airlines has decked out their fleet in the same tropical hues, preparing you for oceanic bliss before you even arrive.

Our first stop was the Sheraton hotel, just outside of Papeete, Tahiti. It was a very nice way to start the vacation, but in all honesty, did not remotely compare to what remained ahead. We got on the plane the next day, bound for Bora Bora. A short stop in Moorea, no more than 5 minutes away from Tahiti, allowed us to pick up dozens of other honeymooners, filling the plane to capacity. We also flew past Raiatea and Tahaa (please refer to map in previous blog entry). The sights were spectacular, like nothing I have ever seen.

The approach into Moorea.

Leaving Moorea, and the houses below.

Raiatea.

Raiatea and Tahaa.

I know, I know. You are salivating for pictures of Bora Bora. But alas, dear reader, I must keep you dangling for yet another installment of the Adventures in Bora Bora. Stay tuned...

Honeymoon in Bora Bora

The blogger is back after much delay. Out of respect for a proper remote island vacation, I vowed to stay away from all forms of electronic/mobile communication during the honeymoon (even though, as it is all the world over these days, there was plenty of internet access). Only messages in bottles floating on the ocean tides for me!

But alas, we have returned to the "real world". I miss this beautiful tropical island paradise already, and eagerly await our next trip back to Bora Bora, maybe in twenty years or so. (You will understand when I get to the cost section.) Photographs simply do not do this island justice. Simply put, it is the most beautiful place on earth. I do not exagerate.

Let's first address the question, "Where exactly is Bora Bora and how does one get there?"



It is not as far as you might think. French Polynesia is actually east of Hawaii (but much farther south, in the southern hemisphere), and is only 3 hours earlier than the Pacific time zone. From the LAX airport, it is a 5 hour flight to Papeete, Tahiti. From there, it is a 45-minute flight to Bora Bora.


The island of Bora Bora was formed by a volcano that was active 3 to 4 million years ago. Bora Bora is surrounded by coral reefs, as well as two "motus" (small islands) to the southwest that are actually the remnants of the rim of the volcanic caldera remaining above sea level.



We stayed on a motu to the east side of Bora Bora, called Motu Piti Aau. This is the perfect location, a short boat ride from the main island, but otherwise completely isolated with our own private beach and gorgeous view of the mountain, Otemanu.

Stay tuned for the next chapter in the Bora Bora adventure!

No Glowdeo for Working Stiffs

Today marked the last day of Balloon Fiesta here in Albuquerque. Since this is only my fourth year living here, I remain immune to the jaded sentiments of most long-timers and natives. With our enthusiasm strongly intact, tripods in hand and camera bags dangling, we piled in the car Friday night and battled the traffic to get to the balloon park for "Glowdeo." This is the time when all of the special shapes balloons light their burners after sunset and just, well... glow.

Unfortunately, for those of us with regular eight-to-five jobs, Glowdeo appears not to be a viable option. By the time I left work, battled the balloon traffic all the way home, grabbed hubby and cameras, and battled the traffic once again, it was 7:00 pm and one lone humpty dumpty balloon remained. The rest of the balloonists were packing up and heading out for margaritas. But fortunately for you, my readers, there was a stellar fireworks display that we did not miss.

After the fireworks display, we felt obligated to sample the state-fair-style food. Two green chile cheeseburgers and one frito pie later, we were happy, stuffed and ready to call it a night. Maybe next year, if I leave work after lunch, I might make it in time for the Glowdeo.

Why tripods are great and hand-held shots are not:

This one looks like a set of kidneys, ureters and bladder. Clearly I've been spending too much time at work.

And these are just plain pretty:

Behind the curve on Crazy Fish

I may not be a sushi afficionado, but I would definitely qualify as a sushi junkie. So it is more than a little embarrassing to admit that Crazy Fish has been open for several months, and I just got around to trying it less than a week ago. (Actually, I didn't even know it existed until about two weeks ago. At least my response time was respectable.)

Word on the street is that the owner of Crazy Fish was the head chef at Japanese Kitchen, another highly regarded sushi joint here in Albuquerque. He has now opened Crazy Fish, and it was definitely a step in the right direction.

Crazy Fish has a prime location, next to the Lobo theatre in Nob Hill. The decor is sparsely chic, with red tabletops against black decor and minimal artwork. But, as it should be, the food is what sold me on the place.

Sake is served in a champagne-style flute, an interesting twist. The miso soup is your run of the mill miso soup, except it had no tofu, a minus in my book. But hold on, it gets better. The mushroom and broccoli appetizer was delicious. A variety of different mushrooms were sauteed in a garlicky-lemony sauce that was delecate and never overpowering. The ceviche was amazing -- sashimi marinated (or whatever you call the ceviche soaking process) in a citrus-jalapeno-cilantro juice. It will be the first thing I order the next time I return.

For the main course, we ordered a variety of nigiri sushi and rolls. Both were excellent. The fish was fresh, full of flavor, and generously cut. I was hoping for more unusual rolls on the menu, but they seemed to have the usual selections. The crunchy roll that I ordered was very tasty.

We ordered the ginger ice cream for desert. Having received an ice cream maker as a wedding gift, we've dabbled with our own ginger ice cream recipe and prefer ours to theirs. The Crazy Fish ginger ice cream didn't have abundant chunks of fresh or candied ginger, and for some reason (perhaps purposefully) tasted a little bit like paper. There may even have been a hint of soy sauce flavor. Interesting, but not something I would add.

If you like to frequent the Nob Hill scene, you simply must check out this place. Although you may find an item or two that seems a bit off, the vast majority of the food here is simply fabulous. You'll be planning your next trip back before you even walk out the door.