June 20, 2024
Planten un Blomen - Hamburg's Botanical Gardens
After the soccer game, we took advantage of the late summer daylight hours here in Northern Germany. We strolled the gardens for an hour and then found seating in the grassy area, surrounding the lake, to await the nightly fountain show. Can you believe it is 10 pm when show started! Look how bright the skies are! At 10:30, as we made our way home, darkness finally comes. Sunrise starts at 4:50 a.m.! I wear an eye mask to bed each night. Crazy German Summer!
RAIATEA, FRENCH POLYNESIA was our Port for Christmas & Boxing Days. Our ship pulled right into the town center. We love these kind of Ports, where we can walk right off into the center of things. I have to admit I only went out on my balcony on the 25th, as we were quite busy and it was a bit rainy. But I went for a nice walk through the town center and outlying area today.
Christmas Eve we explored this magical place underwater. It was a little drizzly in the morning, so we only had the Plouard Family from Normandy, France to share our Viator snorkeling excursion. We saw so much wild life - it was a fabulous day! We saw Manta Ray Momma, Blacktip Reef Sharks, Stingray, Spotted Eagle Rays, Long Nose Emperor Fish and so many more!
I have wanted to come to Bora Bora since I first heard about it in my 20's and when I swore it was calling my name in my 30's!! It did not disappoint, one of the most gorgeous lagoons I have seen to date.