Idris Elba

I don't need an excuse to post a picture of him.

Michael Sam

Best NFL Draft, EVER!!!

That's Michael with boyfriend Vito Cammisano

 

So damned sweet!

 

Morning Coffee in French Polynesia

I didn't start out making a series of themed pictures, but it turned out that way. One morning I was out on the balcony, sipping my coffee and taking pictures. "Snap" I took a pic of my cup. And I continued almost every morning after. Here's my favorites.

First morning in Pape'ete - coffee and leis

 

On Mo'orea - Breakfast buffet was included with the room.  This was the view from the breakfast dining room.  I mean, come on, pretty great stuff!

Huahine - The furniture was wicker but super comfortable.  This was the patio for our room, surrounded by plants.  Serene!

The dining room at our hotel in Huahine.  Bummer the pic didn't come out better, but that splash of sunlight was the pool and beach and ocean.  Ahhh...

Bora Bora - Again, breakfast buffet was spectacular every morning, as was this view.  It never got old.  And the coffee press brought to our table with croissant and mini-baguette was always welcomed!

View off our private above-water bungalow in Bora Bora.  Yeah, it's heaven!

More Bora Bora spectacularness (Is that a word?  This place demands it to be!)

Flowers & Plants in French Polynesia

I'm the farthest thing from a plant specialist. I'm drawn to a pretty color, vibrant blooms, and really cool textures.  Just don't ask me the names of the plants, I'll give you a blank stare.

 

These lovely yellow flowers were hanging right outside our bungalow on Huahine.

In our room on Mo'orea

 

These were trees with long red (almost pink) fuzzy things.  It looked soft, but I didn't want to touch in case it was fragile or might make me break out!

Pineapple

 

An elegant flower (I think it's a flower?) but with other-worldly blooms, long and skinny, but elegant in a way.

Yes, they're everywhere!

Again, yes, they're everywhere!

So soft and frilly

 

Tiny red trumpets SCREAMING with color!

Like little orange beads - fascinating to me.

 

Pink lovelies

 

Someone said this was young, green coconut.  Not sure but I thought they were cool. 

 

I think this was the pink flower that was in our hotel room, only this was wild.  Wild indeed!

These giant leaves drew my attention, then I noticed the tiny buds growing out of the big green bulbs in the middle. 

 

"Hello, I'm lilac-colored and I'm awesome! Neener, Neener"

Underside of these leaves were purple

I've only seen these in pots in the states, but these were wild. 

Ubiquitous

 

Full disclosure:  I took this pic because those orbs and stem reminded me of "man junk". 

 

Splattered leaves

 

"Look at me, out here in the pond, I'm FANTASTIC!"

 

Tattoos of French Polynesia

I became sort of obsessed with the tats in French Polynesia. I don't like tattoos much but something about these fascinated me. Might have been the intricate details or the tribal patterns or just the hard core traditional methods used to make them.

 

But for certain, these fellas loved to stop and pose when I asked. Haha!

 

Ok this shark tattoo was incredible. It was happenstance that I found a tshirt with a similar pattern. So cool.

 

This leg tattoo was on our boat captain. He said it was a family tattoo All his kin had the same one, but different parts of their body.

Finally our bellman was sporting this amazing pattern. Soooooo terrific!