Sunday, January 30, 2011

Bora Bora My Dream Vacation

The island is located about 160 miles northwest of Tahiti. Of all the places I’ve blogged about this by far is the destination I am most passionate about. I’ve never been to Bora Bora. I heard about Bora Bora a few times but never really did any research until I saw the movie Couples Retreat. I was blown away by the stunning beauty of the island. I would love to visit here one day preferably on my honeymoon and make my dream vacation a reality. The couples in the movie Couples Retreat stayed at St. Regis Bora Bora Resort.  The resort is amazing however quite pricey as one would imagine.

Things to do while in Bora Bora, besides the obvious R&R, are endless. There are several options of water sports one may consider doing such as:

  • Snorkeling
  • Jet skiing (Definitely an adventure I would take advantage of!!!)
  • Windsurfing
  • Kiteboarding
  • Scuba Diving


Then there is also other exciting activities offered such as:
  • Hiking
  • Parasailing
  • Shark and Stingray feeding (I’d totally pass on this activity)
  • Sunset cruises


The list of options is endless. However, I would indulge in massages, sunset watching, taking pictures, lavish fine dining, and of course hiding on the day my vacation ends so that I may stay longer and do it all over again. Oh and not forgetting enjoying the beaches which I am so fondly guilty of loving. I hope you enjoy the pictures I’ve fell in love with.




Cruise through memory lane of San Blas Island

In March of 2000 I went on a family cruise to South America. I had an awesome time while exploring each new port and completely thrilled knowing the next morning I would be able to start exploring all over again. Our stops included Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama, and San Blas Island. I loved each country for several different reasons, however San Blas island left fond everlasting memories.


It was such a unique experience while visiting the island. We first had to take a launch boat to a small pier because the cruise ship was not able to dock at the pier due its large size. Upon disembarking the cruise I was excited, I had my camera with me and was ready for whatever the island had to offer. I was amazed at what I saw. The Kuna Indians were dressed in their cultural attire and looked beautiful. There were tables scattered everywhere of items for sale including but not limited to handmade arts and crafts, T-shirts, and beaded jewelry. One older lady told me I may take a picture of her but I needed to pay $1, I paid my dues and froze a moment of her everyday life with my camera. I continued exploring the tourist area of this tiny sized island and returned to the cruise ship about 2 hours later.


At the time I was much younger than I am today. I hope to return one day and do more than I did back in 2000. I’ve done further research and saw that the San Blas islands have so much to offer. There are over 365 islands with the option to snorkel around them all, however diving is not permitted. You are also allowed to explore their villages, and jungles. As one would expect the infrastructure doesn’t resemble that of a developed country. There aren’t many hotels and of the hotels that are there it’s pretty basic, but no cable TV and the hotel usually just provides food. I’d love to see as many of the islands as I possibly can if I were ever to return.


There isn’t much nightlife here this would be an ideal vacation for families who are simply looking for a gorgeous hideaway from their everyday lives. I like to think of the San Blas islands as a place that was hand crafted for the perfect relaxation getaway. As usual I’m closing off my post with pictures of the hidden beauty of South America.





Sunday, January 23, 2011

Belize's Hidden Treasure, the Blue Hole

Has anyone ever heard of or seen the Blue Hole that’s located 46 miles off the coast of Belize? If not you should definitely search Google to see how stunningly beautiful it is. I first found out about the Blue Hole from a forward email that I received a few years ago, and ever since I’ve been fascinated with this magnificent creation. Upon doing research I’ve found that Jacques Cousteau is responsible for making the Blue Hole famous in 1972. Him and his crew were the first explorers of the Blue Hole, he also created a route that is still used by dive boats today.

Today the Blue Hole is explored on a daily basis by tourists who visit Belize. There are options of snorkeling, or diving. Personally I would opt for the snorkeling option and admire the beauty of this creation from above. The Blue Hole is about 1000 feet in diameter, over 450 feet deep, and is surrounded by coral reefs. As one may imagine individuals travel from far to explore the beauty of this masterpiece, which even includes Matt Lauer from the Today’s Show.  I’m attaching photos of the Blue Hole and a YouTube link of Lauer’s visit which has footage of his dive. I hope one day to visit Belize and create footage of my own adventures of the great Blue Hole. 

All hail serenity!!

I am a nature lover at heart. I LOVE watching the sun set into the ocean and always hope to see the green flash!  I feel as if we sometimes take many things for granted with nature being one of them. I love traveling and exploring places of interest especially uncommon locations. I am originally from the Caribbean and whenever I take a trip back home I always take advantage of all the nature around me. I often go to the beach and get my feet wet while reading a magazine or simply just relaxing. This is enjoyable with family and friends, or even great for alone time. I tend to have my best thoughts when I’m alone at the beach.

I think everyone should take at least 10 to 15 minutes out of their day to enjoy something of interest.  Admiring nature just gives the feel of peace and serenity to one’s state of mind and also is a great way to “destress” yourself. I’m closing off with a picture I took about a year ago while I was back home of the most beautiful sunset I’ve seen to date. I was taking my dog Crystal for a walk that afternoon and fortunately I had my camera with me and was able to capture the moment of tranquility. I hope you all enjoy my pictures as much as I enjoyed taking them.