from le balcon

(tt)  And another glorious day sinks into the west

The hotel next door put on a deafeningly scary fireworks show. It was reflected in the windows of the hotel opposite and the sound crashed off and right into our room.

Nighty night.

How legends are kept alive

(tt) This mother was probably telling her little son the legend of the Red Witch of Moana.

He will be scarred for life.

Back at the Gallery

(tt)  There is an exhibition dedicated to the tattoo... an Hawaiian art form of thousands of years. Of course I was fascinated by the books left by American artists of the thirties and forties
These are by Sailor Jerry

And my favourites byt Rollo Banks

Shangri La

(tt) Doris Duke was an American heiress who came into her fortune at 12 years of age. Marrying at 23 she took off on a long honeymoon and while in India became besotted with Islamic art. In 1937 she and her husband bought a 5 acre lot on the coast and created this amazing home now a museum in her name.
We were weren't allowed to take photos of the interior so any you see are pinched from the net.
Here is the entrance. Camels from China.

My first view of this room caused me to spontaneously weep. The ceiling and screens were created in Morocco. The stained glass and plaster windows are just impossible to describe.

This is the main courtyard with decorations from Iran

The Spanish/Moorish room

The Indian room which is decorated as a tent with a Baccarat chandelier.

The glass doors sink into the basement courtesy of Otis

                                       

 

 Miss Duke's private harbour now a public bathing area.

 Lovely Anne, our guide

The Play House. Two white guest bedrooms are on each end

The Syrian rooms. We sat in the little one off and listened to the fountain

 One of the little fans they gave us.

Thanks Katie. We are so glad we saw this. I have such great ideas for the painting of our new little cottage in Oz.

Art Gallery

(tt)  On the advice of a reader, Katie Baker, we booked to tour the Doris Duke house. Meeting point was the gallery.

 There's beauty everywhere

And then there's me

 The cafe