Ailsa’s Travel Theme: Tilted

As soon as I saw Ailsa’s new theme, I thought of my header, which probably make you all believe that I spend my life reclining in a hammock between two tilted palm trees on the French Polynesian island of Bora Bora. I assure you that this is very far from the truth, although it would be very nice indeed. 🙂

On the subject of palm trees, I really had a problem with this one in Punta Cana. No-one heard my cries for help as I tried in vain to push it back up again. 🙂

Of course, one couldn’t possibly do a ’tilted’ challenge without including the most famous crooked edifice in the world, the seven storey high Leaning Tower of Pisa. The tower leans a little bit more each year and was closed for repairs in 1990, when it was leaning fourteen and a half feet to one side. Engineers worked to stabilize the foundation, straightening the tower only slightly to help prevent irreparable damage without taking away the uniqueness of the structure.

Hubby made a valiant attempt to push it upright, but he just wasn’t quite strong enough.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my fun photos for Ailsa’s theme. To see more interpretations, just click here.

Two Tropical Paradises for Sue’s theme.

Sue’s ‘Word a Week’ challenge is ‘Tropical’, and she’s posted some amazing pics of an island in Malaysia where she has recently been on vacation, so do go and have a look.

I’ve been to so many tropical paradises over the years that I found it difficult to select just a few pics, but I restrained myself and decided to stop at just two and a bit.

Punta Cana is named after the palm trees native to that region, and literally translates to “Point of the White Cane Palms.”

It’s the major resort area in the Dominican Republic, and has an average temperature of 30°C. The pure white beaches are so beautiful, and there was just enough breeze to wave the palm fronds and offset the heat.

The azure sea is calm and safe for bathing and sailing.

It did make me wonder about this though, when I saw the old ship wreck just off shore.

Bora Bora in French Polynesia, is a seven million year island of volcanic origin, completely surrounded by coral reefs.

Its real name is ‘Pora Pora’ meaning ‘Firstborn’. There is actually  no ‘b’ sound in the Tahitian language, but the people who discovered the island thought the inhabitants said ‘Bora Bora’ and that name has stuck. It is located about 160 miles northwest of Tahiti, and was discovered in 1722. The author James A Michener described it as the most beautiful island on the planet. It is indeed a very romantic destination, and is very popular with honeymoon couples.

Its beautiful blue lagoon was described by the author James A Michener, as as “so stunning, that there are really no adequate words to describe it.”

 

We spent an idyllic week there, just lazing around as one is wont to do in the tropics. What more can be expected, when one has turquoise waters, lush scenery and lots of pampering? 🙂

Next stop was Tahiti. This was taken from our canoe, looking back at the island.

To see more interpretations of Sue’s theme, just click here.

Ailsa’s Travel Theme: Shadows

Ailsa’s travel theme this week is ‘Shadows’, and I was thinking that I would really be hard pressed to find any shadow pics in my albums. However, I suddenly realised that my blog header, when uncropped, has a great shadow. This was me on an idyllic vacation in Bora Bora, an island in French Polynesia.

One afternoon, we went across the reef to another small island, which as it turned out, had nothing of interest, and nowhere to even buy a drink. I knew then how people marooned on a desert island must feel. I sat in the only bit of shade I could find, reading my book for a few hours until thankfully, our boat returned to ferry us back to the resort.

Here is the shadow under the pier in my South African hometown of Umhlanga Rocks. I’ll be back there next month, and one of the first things we will do is go for walk along the beach and up onto the pier to watch the waves. I’ve really missed them.

On the same beach, this seagull also casts his own shadow as he proudly struts along the sand.

Here in Delray Florida, the sea birds also drag their shadows along the sand as they search for food. I think these may be Storm Petrels.

Here in Pompeii, the shadows cast by these ancient walls, must have been seen day after day by its citizens, as they went about their daily business, until that fateful day in AD 79, when Mount Vesuvius erupted, burying the whole city under 4-6 metres of ash and pumice.

Something far more up-to-date, are the shadows of the flags of British Airways cabin crew protesting just outside London about job cuts, and working conditions.

These weird-looking shadows in the town square in Nassau in the Bahamas, are from a very tall tree with bare branches. Also note the shadows of the air conditioners below the windows.

Lastly, here’s a structure you’ll all recognise. The Leaning Tower of Pisa, casts its shadow on the 180 foot tall Baptistery, which is made entirely of marble, and dedicated to St John the Baptist. Although it doesn’t look it here, the Baptistery is actually a few centimetres taller than the leaning tower.

Hope you enjoyed my shadow pics which I didn’t think I had. 🙂

For more bloggers’ shadow pics, just click here to be taken to Ailsa’s post.

CBBH Photo Challenge: Blue

Marianne of ‘East of Malaga’ blog, has challenged us to post photos of something blue.

I think the most common sightings of this beautiful colour, are when we look at the sky and the ocean. Many of my travel photos show beautiful blue water, so that is what I have chosen. If you get a bit of blue sky thrown in, then that’s an added bonus. 🙂

“Blue color is everlastingly appointed by the deity to be a source of delight.” — John Ruskin

The Great Barrier Reef, off the east coast of Australia is one of the wonders of the natural world.

Snorkelling in the Coral Sea, was an amazing experience.

The deep blue of the Pacific Ocean, viewed from the island of O’ahu in Hawaii.

Flying in to the island of Bora Bora in French Polynesia; so many different shades of blue.

In the Bahamas, the turquoise blue of the Caribbean is matchless.

The sparkling, icy blue of Lake Titicaca, surrounded by the snow-capped Andes mountain range.

The greeny blue waters of San Francisco Bay.

The warm waters of the Andaman Sea in Phuket.

Last but not least, is the Atlantic Ocean. This photo was sent to me by my son, from Bermuda, a place I have yet to visit.

So many blues, so little time.

To view more shades of this beautiful colour, pop over to Marianne’s post.

Here are links to two blogs which I follow. Please go and have a look at them, they’re well worth a visit.

It’s always fun to visit Amy at “The world is a book.”

If it’s African wildlife you want to see, then Bulldog’s blog is the place to be. That rhymes so nicely, doesn’t it? 🙂