Maldives - Conquering the Sea

These are my last photos from the Maldives. It was nice to slowly upload them over the last few weeks and enjoy the moments all over again. The Maldives is an extremely beautiful and unique place... and I hope to visit again. Thank you to The Perfect Wave for helping me to book the trip and thank you to the Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Island for providing luxurious accommodations.

I took these photos from a sandbar that formed between the surrounding islands. During low tide, you could almost walk to the sandbar (just had a deep section surrounding the island)... and during high tide, it was completely covered. The easiest method of navigating to the sliver of sand was by kayak or stand up paddle board (I tried both methods). The feeling of being surrounded by water with only a spec of dry land to rest was a surreal experience.

On this particular afternoon, I decided to paddle out right after lunch. I could see some dark clouds forming in the distance, but was hoping that they would pass to the north. The squalls in the Maldives move incredibly fast... and can form at any minute. If you're caught in the middle of one, you will be drenched in just a few moments and the vast amount of wind makes it difficult to traverse by water (I basically would have been stuck hiding under the kayak until the squall passed). When I started paddling, the sky was bright blue... but as I made it to the sand bar, the dark clouds were getting closer and closer. It turned out that the squall was headed in my direction. So after relaxing for a short time, I decided to pack up and head back to the safety of the lagoon. As I made it back to the shore, I could feel the first few gusts of wind on my back as the torrential downpour followed shortly after.

Where We're Going, We Don't Need Roads...

When I got to the Maldives, I couldn't help but think of the Back to the Future quote: "Where we're going, we don't need roads." From the moment my plane landed on the tiny island next to Male, I did not see a car. In place of standard taxi cabs, boats are waiting to transport you to your final destination (recommend learning how to swim before traveling here).

Life in the Maldives revolves around the ocean. Not only does it act as their super highways... but it also provides them with sustenance and is their primary source of income (tourism, fishing, etc..). What's ironic is that the same thing they cannot live without, may someday destroy their way of life. When talking with the locals, there was a consistent concern about global warming and the rising oceans. I hope that such a beautiful place like the Maldives never goes away... but I am glad I was able to visit the islands while they are still afloat.

Maldives - The Lagoon

Located on the western edge of Kandoomaa Fushi was a beautiful lagoon that connected three islands... the island I stayed on (Kandoomaa Fushi), the local island of Guraidhoo, and the uninhabited island of Lhosfushi. The average depth of the lagoon was only a couple of feet and the water was crystal clear. It was very relaxing to sit at the water's edge and just gaze into the water.

The people living on the local island of Guraidhoo were predominantly Muslim and strictly followed the traditions of that religion. Many of the women were fully covered in black, no alcohol was allowed on the island, and we could hear the call to prayer five times per day. I thought it was interesting to see such a different and unique culture separated by only a shallow lagoon. It was unexpected to look across and see women on the beach that were covered in black robes and veils.

Maldives - Beautiful Sunset IV

I took these photos on the beach front of Holiday Inn Kandooma Resort as I was waiting for the boat for the airport. It was a beautiful place!

Maldives - Beautiful Sunset III

Photographs taken from the same spot as my previous post... just a different night (same beauty).

Maldives - Beautiful Sunset II

Around 6PM each evening, guests at the Holiday Inn Resort on Kandooma Island would gather on the roof deck to reflect on the day, drink cocktails, and watch the sky light up. For surfers, it was a time to rest/recover and talk about all the amazing waves they rode. For couples, it was a time to be together and enjoy the last few hours of the day. Regardless of who you were or what you were doing, the free show that Mother Nature put on each night was worth the daily resort fees.

Surf Taiwan

There's no surf in Taiwan?

When I found out that I would have a few extra days at the end of a business trip to Asia, I started thinking about hopping on a short flight to Bali (before coming back to the US). However, there wasn't enough time to go back and forth... and I had never spent time in Taiwan. Therefore, I decided to stay on the island and go exploring. My first thought was to go to Taipei... but after looking at some maps, it seemed like Taiwan would have decent surf in the southeast and east. I asked some friends that lived in Taiwan about my options down south... and their response was similar: "There's no surf in Taiwan". A few people thought there might be waves near Kenting, but were not positive. That didn't discourage me though... if there were no waves, I would enjoy a little beach holiday or go hiking in the mountains down south. Taiwan has an amazing high speed rail network... so it is very easy (and cheap) to navigate the island.

Prior to my departure, I contacted a surf tour agency (The Perfect Wave) that I had used in the past to visit Fiji and the Maldives. They were based in Australia and had extensive knowledge of the SE Asia region. The Perfect Wave put me in touch with Surf Taiwan and I made arrangements for some accommodations down south in Nanwan.

The Surf Taiwan crew was great! They were super accommodating and made me feel like I was part of their family (the constant supply of Taiwan Beer was also nice). My host had the entire coastline dialed in and knew where to go for certain conditions. I was thinking I would be lucky if there were 2 foot waves... but there were waist to head high waves everyday and the water felt like a bath tub (managed to get a mini-barrel one day that no one saw). Another great thing about Taiwan is the lack of crowds... I think my friends meant to say "no one surfs in Taiwan" (instead of "there's no surf in Taiwan"). Anyways, not many people read my blog... so I'm sure that this posting will not lead to a giant influx of surfers to Taiwan.

Hoping that I can come back again soon!

Taking the HSR from Taichung to Zuoying. The commute took less than an hour (wish we had these in the US!)

The beach at Nanwan... no surfing during Typhoons  :(

What you don't see is this image is the giant nuclear power plant to the right. Surfing this place kind of reminded me of surfing at San Onofre.

Surf check!

Yes, there is surf... now let's see how fast I can run down the hill and go through the forest.

Rivermouth.

The left... good for longboard.

Lonely A-Frame reef break.

Have to be quick on your feet to make the speedy inside section at low tide.

Adios Taiwan!... hope I can visit your beaches again!

The Holiday Blur

In my mind, the holidays always have a slow start... there's a lot of anticipation and planning involved (especially if you're hosting an event or traveling somewhere). However, once they get started, they go by rather quickly and can be a bit of a blur. These are a few photos representing that "Holiday Blur".

Stockings Hung On the Chimney With Care

Waking up on Christmas morning, the first thing I would do was run down the stairs and look at all presents that had been "delivered". It was definitely one of the most exciting times of the year. This was the first view I would get of the Christmas tree and fireplace in the background. My brother and I were allowed to open up any presents in our stockings... but had to wait until later in the day to see what was under the tree. It definitely helped build up the excitement. 

Oh Christmas Tree

The Christmas Tree is the centerpiece of a house during the holidays. However, when I was young, it was my least favorite item to decorate (which is probably why I've never gotten one for my own apartment). We would spend hours putting the tree together, hanging lights, replacing broken lights, unwrapping ornaments, hanging ornaments (there were hundreds upon hundreds). My brother and I would actually go in shifts. Each year I tried to convince my mom to reduce the amount of ornaments... but each one had special meaning to her and brought back memories. Therefore, I was never successful.

These are a few photos I took of my parent's tree this holiday. Can you see the tree underneath the ornaments?

Lighting Up the Christmas Spirit

When I was young, one of my favorite things about this time of year was looking at all of the houses decorated with lights. It always felt kind of "magical". My family never went overboard with the decorations on the outside of the house (maybe went a little overboard on the decorations inside the house)... but it always looked quite nice.

These are a few photos I took of my parent's home this year... my mom and dad are still keeping the tradition alive.
(wonder how much power is wasted during this time of year?)

Christmas Time

I was looking through the photos I took during the Christmas holiday and tried to find one that I felt best represented the feeling of this time of year. For whatever reason, this one caught my eye... fireplace heating the room, stockings hung with care, ornaments on the tree, colorful lights, dark setting, warm colors... can't help but get a warm/cozy feeling looking at this setting. 

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Happy New Year!

"Ice Cold" Presidentes

In the Dominican, when they say that the beer is "ice cold", they literally mean it... the beer is kept buried in ice and is served just above freezing temperatures. It's a great refreshment after spending an afternoon in the hot caribbean sun. 

"Widescreen Views" at Playa Encuentro

The widescreen views at Chez Arsenio Restaurant in Playa Encuentro are much better than the widescreen televisions at most bars in the US... the programming is much better as well. 

Playa Encuentro - Surfing "The Left"

These photos give the illusion that I kind of know how to surf.
Photos taken by a local photographer in the Dominican Republic. This is the end section of "The Left" at Playa Encuentro. I had just come out of a hollow section and was cutting back to the curl.