Someone once said that traveling is the only thing you buy that makes you richer and as far as we’re concerned, no truer words were ever spoken. There is little doubt that we are richer by far from the past five weeks of travel in the South Pacific – beginning in Tahiti.
Just say the word to someone buried under a mountain of snow in the dead of winter and it conjures daydreams of palm trees, mysterious, mist-covered volcanoes in the distance and bungalows hovering over the azure blue of the South Pacific waters. All of these daydreams of ours came true.
Mysterious Moorea in the distance from the beach at Le Meridien.
We arrived in Papeete, the capital of Tahiti aboard an Air Tahiti Nui flight from Los Angeles. One of the best air travel experiences we have ever had, this airline is on our list of carriers to revisit whenever possible. We did our homework – visiting Seatguru, reading the reviews etc. as all discerning travelers do. We were traveling business class so expected extra room, better meals and perhaps some in-flight entertainment. What we were greeted by were refurbished planes with fully-reclinable seats, wonderful, flat-screen computers at every seat with a terrific selection of entertainment and on-board staff who were the nicest, most attractive, most efficient we’d seen since we traveled on Hawaiian Airlines two years ago. So when we arrived at our destination, we were already relaxed and in vacation mode.
The new in-flight entertainment system on Air Tahiti Nui. (We were in business class, but even economy has the screens.)
We chose to stay at Le Meridiensome fifteen minutes’ drive outside of Papeete rather than at the Intercontinental which had been initially recommended. This was partly because we didn’t really want to be that close to the city, and partly because the Intercontinental was offering only standard rooms. This was a special vacation and we opted for a Senior Suite. The hotel’s web site did not do it justice at all.
The hugely spacious two-room suite’s best feature as far as we were concerned was the huge terrace with 180 degree views – and the island of Moorea in the distance. Although many travelers like to search for the cheapest way to travel, we believe that you should look for luxury (for less if you can) that you can afford. The funny thing is that when we treat ourselves, we are never disappointed.
Exotic lotus blossoms in Tahiti
The first thing we noticed about Tahiti was how nice everyone was – smiling, attentive staff, eager to please. Then, of course, there was the water – so blue and so warm, warmer by far than even the Caribbean. So we had to see the island.
The hotel concierge helped us to arrange a private driver and car for a full-day, private circumnavigation of Tahiti Nui (Tahiti actually consists of two islands connected by a causeway: Tahiti Nui – which means larger; and Tahiti Iti – smaller and less navigable all around). Our driver was deeply versed in the flora and fauna of the island and took use to a number of truly wonderful gardens and grottos.
We lunched at the Paul Gauguin Restaurant sampling a number of local delicacies and visited Point Venus, the beach on Matavai Bay where Captain Cook came ashore in 1769, and where Marlon Brando (who later bought an atoll near Tahiti, built a house and lived) played Fletcher Christian in the 1960’s version of Mutiny on the Bounty, one of the movies we had watched on the plane!
While we were in Tahiti we walked the beaches, ate wonderful food and bought a Tahitian black pearl for Patty in Papeete. After five wonderful days, we embarked on our cruise.
Now that was interesting…
Art at the market in Papeete — not to be missed when you visit.
And so the season is upon us, and the discerning travelers are preparing for Christmas – at home? Yes, at home for the first time in many years. Most people would think that wasn’t so odd – they spend the festive season out-of-town with relatives every year. We, however, usually spend it in a hotel. And what’s more, we like it that way!
London is dressed for the holidays and for our Christmas last year.
This time last year, we offered you Travel for Christmas? You bet! where we explained how this seemingly odd situation came to be, and gave you a few tips for spending the holiday season far away from home. Two years ago, we shared our story A Merry Christmas Cruise, the most memorable Christmas experience we ever had as a family. But last year’s Christmas season was so memorable, we have to share a bit of the story with you.
As far as we are concerned, there is no place like a big city for the holidays! Last year that big city was London, and merry it was! Here’s how it happened…
Early in 2013 our son, the twenty-something performing artist decided to leave his long-term contract with Les Ballets de Monte Carlo to return to his original roots: musical theater. An accomplished dancer and singer, he decided to start at the top: he would move to London and audition for the West End. So he did, and so he debuted in the West End at the Savoy Theatre in the revival of Cabaret in the fall of last year. So, where would the discerning travelers spend Christmas? In jolly old London, of course.
We checked into the Marriott Park Lane just before Christmas to find ourselves surrounded by crowds of people all celebrating the season. Children were having their photos taken in front of the glittering Christmas tree in the lobby; parents were enjoying a festive cocktail in front of the roaring fireplace. All this seems so normal – but most of these people were from the Middle East, and few of them were even Christians. As we have always said, the Spirit of Santa Claustranscends any religious affiliation at this time of year! They were having fun.
Who could mind a rainy Christmas evening if you can spend it in London?
And so were we. Two days before Christmas we treated ourselves to an afternoon of the English National Ballet’s Nutcracker. As anyone who knows us, or reads us regularly will know, The Nutcracker has been the cornerstone of many a Christmas season – just ask anyone with a child who is a ballet dancer. We had seen son Ian in many performances of the National Ballet of Canada’s Nutcracker from the time he was 11 years old until his second year with the company at the age of 20. The English National Ballet’s was lovely – wonderful dancing, the beautiful Tchaikovsky score and the traditional story. Even at that, though, it had little on the NBoC’s spectacle that has something for everyone – even those who (horror) do not appreciate ballet as a form of entertainment. But we had a memorable afternoon, imbibing champagne at the interval and enjoying a traditional holiday treat.
On Christmas Eve we made our way up the street to the Marriott Grosvenor House to eat (one thing we know to be true: you can always find an open restaurant on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day at a lovely hotel!). Upon our return to our own hotel room after a wonderful meal, we found that Santa had left a stocking filled with chocolates on our door knob (thanks, Marriott elves!).
Marriott elves helped Santa Claus last year!
The next morning found London at its best – empty. What a treat to take a walk along the storied streets with hardly a living soul about. We didn’t mind the rain at all.
Later we repaired to the dining room for some live entertainment and a stupendous Christmas meal that included turkey with all the regular trimmings and a few surprises.
Having someone else madly shop for groceries, plan the day to the letter, sweat over a hot oven, serve up meals for everyone may not be everyone’s cup of tea – but it is ours. That said, we are looking forward to Christmas here on the bay this year. Then a mere four weeks until we head to the South Pacific. We wish a wonderful holiday season to all our regular readers– and those who happen by.
We’re not sure about everyone else, but we are sure about ourselves when it comes to travel: we are very particular about the experiences that we have, and we are suspicious of those who take the view that you can’t have an ‘authentic’ travel experience unless you somehow suffer. What nonsense!
What does it mean to be authentic anyway? Well, the dictionaries suggest that it has to do with being real, genuine, or not fake. When it comes to travel experiences, what makes something authentic (and why do travelers these days care, anyway?)? The latest craze for visiting slums in third-world countries is one of the more puzzling approaches for authentic experiences that we’ve seen.
Some travel writers seem to think that staying at a ‘quaint’ property is more authentic than staying at a ‘grand’ property, but who is to say that quaint is any more authentic (read: morally superior), than ‘grand’? And what about dining? Is it more authentic to eat street food in India or to dine at a high-quality Indian restaurant? Perhaps the risk of dysentery is what makes a dining experience authentic? Well, we think that’s just travel snobbery. Take a recent experience we had in New England.
As we love to do in the fall, we took a few days earlier this month to take in the fall colors in Maine and New Hampshire. Having not set foot in Bar Harbor, Maine in decades, we decided that it would be a good place to spend two days exploring the countryside and Acadia National Park (we suppose that a national park is authentic?) As we usually do, we sought out the fine dining experience in the village and found ourselves at a little spot called rather unexpectedly, Havana. What in the world were you doing in a restaurant named for the capital of Cuba in the middle of the Atlantic seaside in Maine? you might ask. Surely that couldn’t be an authentic Maine experience. Oh, but it was.
You see, that restaurant is owned and operated by a local restaurateur with a flair for the sophisticated. With an extensive travel background and a true respect for dining (not eating as we’ve discussed before), Havana’s proprietor with whom we chatted for a while during and after our dinner, has for the past 15 years been committed to “…serving local and organic meats, produce and seafood. [They] consistently search out New England farmers and fisherfolk to purchase products that are not only great tasting, but great for the environment and local economy as well…”[from their web site]. In addition to this, they have their own urban garden on a reclaimed urban plot. What’s more, this commitment to the local and the sustainable hasn’t gotten in the way of serving outstanding food accompanied by a wonderful, thoughtfully selected wine list.
Havana Restaurant (photo credit: Havana web site)
An authentic Maine experience? Of course. Eating freshly steamed lobster at a newspaper-covered picnic table might constitute what most travel snobs would define as authenticity, but there’s more to being authentic than the cheaper, lower-level experiences.
There is nothing inauthentic about being comfortable and happy while travelling. It’s authentically wonderful to have the privilege of making a choice. Be discerning about your own experiences and never be defensive about your enjoyment of your travel experiences.
Sometimes a perfect day for discerning travelers relies largely on the weather cooperating. At other times the weather be damned! Earlier this spring we spent a perfect day in Dublin and were determined that weather would not play a part in our enjoyment of every single moment – and that was a good thing!
We left our hotel (the Westin Dublin) shortly after a wonderful breakfast in their charming dining room heading across the street to Trinity College. Our first stop was to visit The Book of Kells and the old library. A library might not seem so exciting to you, but Patty has a long and happy association with libraries. He very first part-time job at the tender age of sixteen was working at her home town’s children’s library – the highlight of each week was setting up the projector on Saturday mornings to show short films to children huddled in a circle of tiny chairs. Then she stacked books at the main library during her first year in university. Art spent many hours searching for books in the old science library when he was an undergrad at the same university. So, the association is long and deep.
The Book of Kells is an extraordinary piece of history. Dating to what historians believe to be about 800 AD, the display of this illustrated text of the bible created by Columban monks evokes a feeling of closeness to history. And then you move into the old library with its extraordinary collection of antiquarian tomes that are currently being restored by artisans working on the mezzanine you can see above.
The museum of Ireland’s architecture is worth the visit in itself!
One of the things that made this visit so perfect was our timing: we visited in April and spent not a single minute in line, a situation that we’re told does not occur in high season. It was bliss! Then we walked out into the overcast day to make our way to the National Museum of Ireland.
Even if you’re not a museum lover, this is one not to be missed. We are constantly impressed by the skills of Irish and English museum curators to tell a story. Perhaps our impression results from these two countries having rich histories that date much further back in time than that of our young homeland. Whatever the reason, this museum transports you back in time to the Viking days of Ireland and then moves you through history. Who knew that bogs could preserve even clothing let alone human bodies for so many centuries? Even the building itself, purpose-built in the 19th century as a museum, is an outstanding specimen and should be appreciated in itself.
That visit finished, we headed outside and made our way to St. Stephen’s Green for a bit of outdoor appreciation. Our enjoyment was magnified by the fact that although Dublin is significantly farther north of our own home town, the climate is quite different and the spring was much further advanced here. The flowering trees were in full bloom and the respite from the noisy city was complete. Then it was time for lunch.
Guinness: An Irish tradition served on a Canadian beer coaster!
With a recommendation from our driver who would soon be taking us on that private tour of Ireland, we stopped into The Old Stand for a pub lunch and our first taste of Guinness. This is a pub that has been in this same location on Exchequer Street for some 300 years. When the waiter placed the coaster on the table upon which to place the half-pint of dark, frothy Guinness, we both smiled and asked him how he knew. Knew what, he asked. That we were Canadians. The coaster was an advertisement for Canadian beer that was at that time being widely promoted in Ireland with the slogan “From our land to yours.” He smiled broadly when we told him we were Canadians as Patty tasted her first Guinness. Then it was off to a famous landmark.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral dates from 1220 AD; a visit to Dublin would not be complete without seeing it. What a surprise it was for us to find out that this well-known landmark is not a Roman Catholic Church at all, but rather the national cathedral of the Church of Ireland, a denomination of Anglican persuasion. We know that a steady diet of church visits is not everyone’s choice when touring – it is not ours either. But from time to time you do need to visit a church or two to really get the flavor of the place in time. So that’s why we then planned a walking route across the River Liffey to find St. Michan’s church. And that’s when the heaven’s opened and we found ourselves in a veritable deluge. Although we had umbrellas, the wind was moving the torrents of rain horizontally so they did us little good. We took refuge under the eaves of the law courts for a few minutes until we thought it safe to continue. We were wrong. By the time we reached out destination we were soaked. Good thing that this particular church is known for its dry interior!
The amazing floor of St. Pat’s
Not exactly on the tourist route, St. Michan’s church is Dublin’s oldest north-side parish church founded in 1095 with the present structure dating to 1685. It’s that dry interior in both the church itself and the vaults beneath that are what makes this church so interesting. That’s why there are completely preserved, desiccated bodies that can be seen as you make your way down into the underground vaults with the guide who is a cross between Boris Karloff and a stand-up comedian.
After two churches, a museum and a library, and finding ourselves still on the north bank of the Liffey, it was time for something completely different. A short walk found us standing in front of the National Leprechaun Museum. We know. We can hear you now. The Discerning Travelers at a museum dedicated to leprechauns? In a word, yes.
A relatively new addition to the tourist attractions in Dublin, this is less of a museum than it is a place to hear a really good story teller tell stories about one of Ireland’s most ubiquitous mythological characters. Patty’s opening question to the ticket seller at the front was, “Do you let adults in?” To which he replied that in fact adults were their main audience. So we entered, and we enjoyed.
Patty & friend!
The sun was out when we emerged from our stories of the “little people” and it was now late in the day. We had one more important stop to make.
On Custom House quay in the Docklands area is the mesmerizing Famine Memorial that remembers the great famine that engulfed the Irish people in the mid- 19th century. Although our histories are a bit murky, it’s likely that Patty’s family made their way to Canada aboard one of the so-called famine ships. The monument that we had to see is a heart-breaking set of bronze sculptures that depict hollow-eyed, hungry people making their way along the banks of the River Liffey toward the ships that promised them a new life in a far-away land. And for many of them, this promise came true, as their descendants have the privilege of traveling the world to appreciate all that it has to offer.
The Famine Memorial on the shore of the River Liffey in Dublin. Take a few moments to remember.
The Discerning Travelers 
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