Taha'a (French Polynesia)

Staying in an over-the-water bungalow has always been on my bucket list. It seemed unreal and out of this world. This year, we decided to just go for it and we spent a lot of time researching a perfect location in French Polynesia, where the over-the-water concept started about 50 years ago. This South Pacific island nation is comprised of 121 islands and atolls.  Since we are not honeymooners (anymore), Bora Bora was out of the question and the reviews also indicated that it's just the name. We found this wonderful place via Relais & Châteaux on the island of Taha'a called, not surprisingly, Le Taha'a.

The flight from San Francisco to Papeete, the capital, takes about 9 hours, which pretty much the same as going to Europe from the Midwest. We stayed at the Hilton Hotel Tahiti near the airport. Why near the airport, you might ask. Well, it was late and it was just a layover, not our end destination. Despite the close proximity to the airport, I don't remember hearing a single plane.

The next day we took another 45 minute domestic flight from Papeete to Raiatea, the sister island of Taha'a. From there we were picked up by a boat directly from the airport and shuttled to the outer island. 40 minute later we arrived at the resort.

The over-the-water bungalow was truly fantastic and during the night the fish were congregating together with sting rays which one could observe from the bed through the glass cabinet. It was outstanding. We went snorkeling every day at the coral gardens, where we saw a big eel, sting rays and an octopus that changed shape to look like a coral. The water level was not very deep and the hotel did not recommend bringing fins, to not damage the coral. Even though we are familiar with fins, we reluctantly complied. There was some current and I personally think that I would have felt more comfortable with fins. I would never touch anything, neither fish nor coral.

It seems as if guests come to the resort for like 3 nights and then go to another island. We felt that it's a waste of time (consider boat ride to island with airport, then flight to new island, possible boat ride to smaller island and so on) and so we stayed here for an entire week. This was the reason why we had bookings for multiple different villas and only the first two nights were in an over-the-water bungalow. The plan was to spend one night in a beach villa and then move to other over-the-water bungalow. The front desk called us to ask if we were willing to move to the Royal Pool Beach Villa a day earlier and we agreed.  You'd think that is crazy, because that is not really what your dream was about. Oh boy, were we surprised by the villa.

It was very modern with a Polynesian twist, such as the thatched roof. Obviously it was on the beach and it features not just one pool but also a plunge pool and a private tub carved out of a rock.

The privacy was guaranteed by the wonderful stone wall made from basalt.

One day we took the boat from our resort to Taha'a and rented a bicycle to go around the island. The lady in the distillery Mana'o Tahiti was kind enough to call a colleague who rents electric assistant bikes. When we drove by locals going about their business and we said hello in Tahitian la Orana (yo-rah-nah) they all waved back and returned a friendly (yo-rah-nah).

Half away around the island we stopped at La vallée de la vanille to get a better understanding of how vanilla is grown and harvested. It's all hand pollinated and the beans here on Taha's are a lot bigger than anywhere else. Since every step in the process is manual, it's not a surprise that vanilla is considered the second most expensive spice right behind Safran.

After two steep hills we ended up at the distillery again where we sampled the rum and it was quite tasty. The entire 25 mile trip took us about 3 hours of biking. The drizzle we had in the beginning was actually appreciated, because otherwise it would have been too hot.

Right in front of our villa we started snorkeling heading West, closer to the deep blue. We found this area had a lot to offer as well and we saw sting rays and black tip sharks patrolling the shallow waters.

Another advantage was that you could see Bora Bora from here. The mountain looks like where you would expect King Kong to live. The famous island is just about 12 miles away.

The staff was very friendly and helpful. The food, except the BBQ, was delicious. The buffet in the morning had everything you could think of. My favorite was the local fruit and the French toast with vanilla syrup.

Despite the fact that the resort was fully booked, I always had the feeling we were alone. There was so much space and we always found a quiet spot to relax and enjoy being alone.

Even on our way to the beach villa we found a serene place to just be. It almost looked like a local art creation.

The resort proved a wonderful service to help the environment by giving every guest a very nice stainless steel bottle to fill up on multiple water stations serving cold and hot water around the resort. Obviously, the bottles are reusable and now we have a couple at home that are not just convenient but also sleek looking.

I also wanted to point out that since our flight was late in the day, management offered us to stay in our fabulous villa and check out at 16:00, so that we could take a shower after lunch and then head to the dock for the boat ride to the airport on Raiatea. What a service. Thank you.

Chicago

There are many firsts that Chicago is responsible or known for. Chicago has great food and jaw-dropping architecture. In fact, the concept of a high-rise was conceived in Chicago. The Chicago river plays a major role in the city's rich history.

We went on an architectural cruise with Chicago Architecture River Cruise on a perfect day. The trip took us from the Ogden slip near the Navy Pier west to the Chicago river by the Marina Towers

First, we went up the North branch were over the past years people live directly on the river and only bridges in the up position are left as a reminder of a more industrial past.

It isn't always clear where nature starts and where illusions of human creation end.

On the way back to the starting point, the one building dominated the skyline. It was designed by a female architect and is with it's curvy outline perfect for Chicago.

One of Chicago's landmark is found in Grant park, the famous Buckingham fountain, which is one of the largest fountains in the world. We happened to be there at the right time when they turned it on and it appeared in its full glory.

At the North end of the Grant park, the Pavilion was used by a orchestra for a rehearsal of some sort of musical.

Even though it's July, there aren't too many people down town and there is always another angle to enjoy those impressive buildings.

New York

Visiting New York for the first time happens only once and let me tell you, it was quite an experience. I felt sorry for the Lyft driver, because at 6:00pm there was so much traffic coming from the airport. He was very patient but his driving style was a little more aggressive than in other cities. It made sense, otherwise you wouldn't go anywhere.

Anyway, we arrived in our hotel in Midtown and as the same indicates, it's located in the middle of almost everything. Looking at the map, we discovered Wolfgang's Steakhouse, which is located right next door. It became clear that with having 40 years of experience they know exactly how to prepare what turned out to be the best steak we've ever had.

After dinner we walked around and at 10:30pm there was no line to go up to the observation deck of the Empire State building. The temperatures were so mild that even this late a T-shirt was enough. 

The view was fantastic and compared to other cities way more lights illuminated the skyline.

Next morning we were on the hunt for the best New York bagel. We were not disappointed and we'll never see bagels the same way. The dough was perfect and so was the cream cheese. In contradiction to last night's dinner, this dish wins the breakfast category by its simplicity.

Now that we have energy again, we explored the city from top to bottom, 9/11 memorial up to Central Park. 

Hearing about a vegan restaurant that serves plant based food is one thing, but mixing it up with not one or two, but 3 Michelin stars is worth a trip to New York, the city that never sleeps. Please note that we are not Vegans and not even Vegetarians, but we wanted to experience the best food New York has to offer at Eleven Madison Park, which is run by Swiss chef Daniel Humm. The dishes were meticulously prepared and absolutely delicious. The wait staff went out of their way to make our visit special. After not being able to recognizing one of the songs that played softly in the background, they must have overheard us and a few minutes later someone handed us a card with the name of the song. The attention to details was out of this world.

One of the highlights was kind of hidden and we just stumbled on it. It starred in many movies and serves people every day. The architecture of Central Station is beautiful and in stark contrast to all the glass, concrete and steel of other building.

This was my first time in New York and I admit that it's actually a city I could live in. Apartments and businesses are mixed up and this won't be my last time.

Bahamas

We had such a wonderful time. That summarizes a great vacation at the Tiamo Resort on South Andros Island in the Bahamas. We chose this retreat because of its remote location as well as the great food all the reviews raved about. And it's only about 3.5 hours of flying, instead of 8.5 to Hawaii.

Getting there, reminds me of the movie "Around the World in 80 Days" because we took a Lyft to the airport, a plane to Nassau, then another 10 minute flight to the International Airport in Congo Town, followed by a cab ride to the port where Fred, the Manager of the resort, picked us up by boat. A short smooth ride later, we arrived at the actual resort and were greeted by a lemon shark swimming around the pier. What an experience.

We stayed in a villa right on the sandy beach, with a plunge pool. There was enough privacy to take a dip as nature intended. 

The sunsets are just beautiful and very romantic. Every day, we enjoyed the today's special drink by the elevated pool. Since we shared the entire resort with just another couple, there was plenty of alone time. The music was great in the background and as you can see the mood was perfect.

Waking up in the morning was followed by a great breakfast with espresso. There was a Nespresso machine in the cabin, but we forgot our favorite pods. 

The daily program included snorkeling, paddle boarding and kayaking. The water is very clear and thanks to the sandy bottom very turquoise. We often saw sting rays and one even breached the surface and looked at me before he or she scratched his or her back underneath the kayak. 

After a great lunch, it was time to walking along the white sandy beach. With nobody around, it felt like being in paradise.

Fred and Chef Antoine took us out on a boat to a couple of blue holes in the middle of the channel. We were positively surprised by the different varieties of coral and fish. These blue holes have fresh water coming up from the ground and that was very weird. I couldn't help myself to remove the snorkel and taste the water. It was really fresh in the middle of the salty sea.

Dinner was served by the pool and we always enjoyed the choices that were on the menu. Because we are on an island, I tremendously appreciated the fish dishes.

The chef was hunting lion fish and lobster, both of which he prepared for lunch and dinner. The delicious food couldn't have been any fresher. Every meal came with one of my favorite food items, a real, fresh French baguette. No kidding, it was delicious and as a bread connoisseur, I couldn't help myself to eat it all, although it added a couple of pounds to my slender body.

On a side note, just for full transparency, I need to mention the no-see-ums (Ceratopogonidae). We read about people being upset about them and so we prepared for them. Beside us bringing some bug repellant stuff, Tiamo Resort provided a nicely scented oil and it really help to keep those buggers at bay. Usually, I get bit all the time and event though I picked up my share, honestly, the bites didn't bother me that much. Just don't forget your neck and hair line. It must have something to do with a positive attitude. Being here in paradise made more than up for it.

Victor Boulard, the food and beverage manager, was very accommodating and he always recommended the perfect wine, complementing lunch and dinner.

Chef Antoine Laudinot is not just an excellent spear fisherman but also an accomplished creator of the best shrimp I've ever had. He was able to convince me with a conch ceviche that was simply out of this world.

Fred, the manager, is a man of a thousand talents. He, like all the other staff, went out of his way to make our stay as comfortable and memorable as possible.

Thanks you Tiamo!