Magnificent Maldives

Not every visitor to the Maldives will have the opportunity to meet the Vice-President which is unfortunate because it is a very interesting experience. Dr. Mohamed Waheed is the first Maldivian to be elected to the position of Vice-President because before October of 2008 it was an appointed position. This is just the first of many impressive accomplishments that can be attributed to Dr. Waheed. He was also the first Maldivian member of parliament to be elected in a competitive “western-style” election and this election win could be at least partially credited with opening up the election process to more recent elections in this country that were considered to be more free and more fair than in the past. Dr. Waheed is highly educated with Master’s degrees in both political science and education plus a PhD. in International Development awarded by Stanford University. Dr. Waheed has worked extensively outside of the Maldives with the United Nations and UNICEF including his 2002 appointment as special representative in Afghanistan where he advised the Government of President Hamid Karzai and coordinated the reestablishment of the education sector in Afganistan. Dr. Waheed was instrumental in enabling more than one million Afgan children to attend school!

Madelyn caught one of the mid-sized red snapper fish in this basket. Rifqa was lucky enough to catch three fish including this Grouper swimming in the tank.

Last night we had the opportunity to take part in a night fishing excursion as guests of the resort owners. We left the dock at about 5:30pm so we could be over a carefully selected portion of the reef by sunset. We traveled in a traditional Maldivian fishing boat called a Dhoni.

The scenery was beautiful which more than made up for the fact that almost everyone except Tanya and I caught a fish. Even Madelyn caught a nice size reef fish with a little assistance from the very kind-hearted resort owner, Mr. Shiyam, who could see the obvious disappointment on Madelyn’s face when the fish stole her bait for the third time. We will post video of Madelyn with her catch as soon as possible.

Relaxation is the name of the game. Today we stepped into the Sun Spa. The brochure claimed, ” from the moment you enter our Sun Spa sanctuary you will feel the peace and harmony emanating from within…” This claim was actually an understatement! The spa is an open air oasis with covered roofs, waterways and bridges, palms and hibiscus plants. The massage rooms are private with partial walls, greenery and fountains, very unlike our stuffy four walls and ceilings. We had a couples Balinese Massage combining Swedish massage with acupressure. It was a very calming and restoring experience. It felt as if we were walking on air for the rest of the day!

We are staying at the unbelievably beautiful Olhuveli Beach and Spa Resort. Many pictures and stories will follow as we tell you about the fabulous facilities. The staff are amazing and very dedicated to ensuring every comfort. The food has been so delicious with three daily buffet meals that offer many choices plus two additional unique restaurants if you happen to miss the buffet. The scenery is truly indescribable and must be seen to be believed. There are many activities to entertain those who for whatever reason want more than to sit on the powder white sand and soak in the sunshine and scenery.

It is a paradise.

Here is a short promotional video provided by the Maldives Tourist Promotion Board (MTPB)

Miramichi (47°00′28″N 65°26′57″W) Halifax (44°52′51″N 63°30′31″W) 280 km
Halifax (44°52′51″N 63°30′31″W) Toronto (43°40′38″N 79°37′50″W) 1292 km
Toronto (43°40′38″N 79°37′50″W) Frankfurt (50°01′35″N 08°32′35″E) 6361 km
Frankfurt (50°01′35″N 08°32′35″E) Colombo (07°10′51″N 79°53′03″E) 8070 km
Colombo (07°10′51″N 79°53′03″E) Male (04°11′31″N 73°31′45″E) 778 km
Total: 16780 km