Rarotonga, Cook Islands 2/1/2025

We arrived yesterday to the Cook Islands.  A very pretty island but small.Rarotonga was first settled by Polynesians, likely from the Society Islands (modern-day Tahiti) around 800–1000 AD. The island became a hub within the vast Polynesian triangle, with strong connections to other Pacific islands. The traditional Māori culture of the Cook Islands, including language,…

French Polynesia 1/28, 29, 30 /2025

Before I get Popeete, I want to tell you about a fun outing we had several days ago.  On January 25th there was an unusual planet alignment of 6 planets.  The ship had anyone interested go up to the “Retreat” area of the ship, 11th floor forward.  They turned off most of the lights on…