The Great Barrier Reef tours…Glass bottomed boat…Semi-submersible interior photo…Cost for the day…

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A semi-submersible boat with passengers in the lower deck checking out the underwater world of the Great Barrier Reef.

Once we arrived at the pier in Green Island, it was almost time to board the first of the two boating events, we’d booked, a tour in the glass-bottom boat. We’d both wondered what a tour in this type of boat would be like.  Our expectations were in check.

There was a support post down the center of the boat that sorely impeded viewing and photo-taking opportunities. I’d expected a single flat window running along the bottom of the boat over which we’d learn, watch and take photos.

The glass bottom boat wasn’t as conducive for watching and taking photos of marine life and coral.

With the equivalent of window panes trimmed in metal frames as shown in the above photo, when a fish swam within the frame of our window, it was lost in a second when it reached the “windowpane” of the person sitting next to us. Also, there were vertical posts supporting the structure between every two people further impeding the view.

Photos of the coral reef appear monotone.

As a result of this design, it was nearly impossible to take any decent photos. Of the group of possibly 40 tourists, a few were taking photos struggling for good shots, not unlike me. The glass appeared to be tinted a light green making everything in view a monotone color. This proved to also be the case on the semi-submersible submarine.

More coral reef from the glass bottom boat.

As for the semi-submersible aspect, it had an appearance comparared to an aluminum pontoon, such as an old fishing boat. Once on the deck of the boat, we walked down a short staircase, broken up with a landing, turning and then maneuvering a steeper almost ladder-like structure in the full interior.

The variety of life in the coral reef is beyond anything we’d seen.

Two tourists sit side by side on a pull-down aluminum seat until all 20 were in place. Tight quarters. The interior was no more than 1.22 meters, 4 feet wide. Very tight quarters. 

Marine life in the coral reef is unlike anything else in nature.

With babies crying, passengers trying to find seats where there were none, I felt like offering up my seat and getting out. Tom looked at me reassuringly that staying put was for the best. There was no way I could crawl out anyway. 

Although there were a few moments of passing massive schools of fish swimming, here again, it was nearly impossible to get good photos through the green tinted glass as the semi-submersible vehicle moved along the water.

This tiny space in the semi-submersible had seats for 20. As shown, it’s packed as tight as sardines.

The reason the boat is referred to as semi-submersible is due to the fact that the top deck of the aluminum boat is not underwater. A door is left open during the tour while a tour guide sits on the steps describing some of the fish passing by below.

If one suffers from claustrophobia, this boat may not be an ideal scenario, not as much from the submersion, as from the tight person-to-person contact of a total of 20 people jammed into very tight quarters. From what we’d read online at the company’s site, no more than 10 passengers would board the boat.

The fish have learned that these boats provide a government approved “feeding” of a marine based pellet to allow the visitors in the boats to see more fish.  As a result when they see the boats coming, they gather around for food.

We saw a number of fish, a few sea turtles, and a small section of the coral reef. Although photos taking wasn’t ideal, we were glad we had the experience and sighed a breath of fresh air when it was over. I doubt we’ll care to partake in either of these two types of boat tours again in our future travels.

Surely, snorkeling would have been a better alternative but, much to our surprise we only spotted a handful of snorkelers in the designated areas, although many tourists were swimming at the sandy beach, most without wetsuits.

Mostly, tourists used smartphones for photo taking.

After the back-to-back boat tours ended we wandered down the long pier to Green Island stopping frequently to peak over the edge of the pier to check for any signs of life. 

With no tinted glass to impede our view, we still weren’t able to get good photos being high above the water’s surface while standing on the pier. Also, as much as a sunny day was preferable, the brightness of the sun created a glare on the water.

With only a small amount of food offered to the fish from the boat, in an attempt to keep them interested in seeking their own sustenance, the fish quickly swam away.

At Green Island, we were surprised to find a beautiful visitor’s area shaded by trees, including a variety of shops, dining establishments, and scuba and snorkeling rental shops. Tables, chairs, and park benches lined the area creating comfortable seating for tourists to stop to relax. 

After taking our time walking through the tourist area, it was fast approaching time to return to the pier to board the departing 4:15 pm Rocket Reef boat to make our way back to the port in Cairn The return boat ride included a distant whale breaching sighting, here again too distant for any good photos. 

The boat to the left is the semi-submersible “submarine” we boarded to see the coral reef.

Including the two boat tours, the glass bottomed and semi-submersible, our total cost for the half day visit to Green Island was AUD $219, USD $157 plus AUD $12, USD $8.61 for parking. The parking area was approximately 10 minutes from the boat tour check-in building that had restrooms, seating, and beverages. 

Only credit cards with a chip are accepted in the pay machines in the car park at various points in the outdoor lot. Luckily, a few of our newer cards actually have chips and this worked well.

A boat, the Big Cat, remained docked at the pier in Green Island for visitors to use as a rest station and meeting point for other tours and events their company hosts.

Finding the Reef Fleet Terminal at Pier Point Road, for check-in was tricky if unfamiliar with the area as we were. With less than ideal directions from the website of the tour company, we easily spent extra time searching for the building. We’d suggest allowing no less than an extra 30 minutes before the required check-in time to find the terminal. 

In essence, we were smart to have booked the half day tour as opposed to the full day. We had the perfect amount of time at the site. If we’d booked the full day, we’d have an extra four hours. 

A view from the pier at the reef.  As the coral ends, there often a pristine sandy bottom.

I’d have enjoyed lounging on the sandy beach for a few hours but, Tom would have been sunburned.  In all of our travels, our first consideration is one another’s comfort and well being.

Had we known more about the experience we still would have booked the tour. There was no way we wouldn’t have gone to see a portion of the Great Barrier Reef when we were so close living in this area. Overall, it was a fine experience.

Another view of a small portion of the reef from the pier.

We’re fast losing interest in booking any large group tours if other options are available such as small groups we’ve joined with other cruise passengers we’ve met on cruises or at cruisecritic.com.

However, in our upcoming Mekong River cruise, there are days and days of land group tours with other passengers. These types of tours are unavoidable and there’s no doubt we’ll have a good time as we tour Cambodia and Vietnam.

As the boat left Green Island in the Great Barrier Reef.

With only 10 days remaining until we depart Australia, we now feel satisfied that we’ve experienced the area as much if not more than we intended. During this remaining period, we’ll visit a few parks and beaches, walking for exercise, and to further revel in the beauty of this nature-rich continent until we return again in the future on many upcoming cruises.

Tomorrow, we’ll post a new story and wrap up a few more Great Barrier Reef photos. Have a wonderful day!

                                               Photo from one year ago, August 28, 2014:

As we wound down the time in London with only three days remaining, we had dinner after a visit to the Natural History Museum in South Kensington. For many museum photos, please click here.

We’re off to the Great Barrier Reef on a perfectly sunny day…

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We were shocked to see the reasonable price on this exquisite arrangement at only AUD $20, USD $14.20. Our daughter and family had sent us a similar bouquet sent to us in Hawaii, most likely at 10 times this price.

With bad weather heading to Queensland, we were concerned we’d go on yet another long boat ride only to be sitting drenched in our rain jackets. To date, we’ve had numerous less-than-successful boating excursions throughout the world.

On whale watching expeditions, we’d yet to see a whale within photo taking distance. On sunset cruises, its rained such as was the case one year ago on the Seine River in Paris.

There is a wide array of both common and less common fruits and vegetables at Rusty’s Market.

On other boat tours we’ve been disappointed with rough seas so bad we could easily have booked a ride on a roller coaster for an equal amount of rattling and commotion. Also, we seldom sighted the marine life we’ve anticipated during a boat tour, unable to take good photos as the boat rocked to and fro.

Hopefully, today’s excursion to Green Island in the Great Barrier Reef will prove to be more fulfilling and less about a crazy boat ride and more about the scenery that awaiting us. 

The sign is marked, “spray free, custard apples” priced at AUD $4.50, USD $3.19 per kilo (2.2 pounds)

With all the cruises we’ve taken with many more to come, it’s obvious we enjoy being on (as opposed to in) the ocean. In our past lives, we both were avid boaters owning boats for a majority of our adult lives.

As a single mom at 29 years old I purchased my first boat which I kept docked in St. Albans Bay on Lake Minnetonka in Minnesota USA. It was called the Tootsie Roll Boat due to it brown, orange and white colors. 

More traditional fruits and vegetables including corn, oranges, tomatoes, zucchini and cucumbers.

Tom purchased his first boat at 29, an Alumacraft fishing boat and later purchased a ski and fishing boat, a Fisher Sweet 16, when he was around 30 years old. 

Some of the vendor’s displays occupied huge areas in the market while others are as tiny as a card table.

As a result of our past experiences, we both generally have enjoyed being on the water and thus have booked some type of boating tour in most countries where we’ve been close to water.

What? Chocolate pudding fruit? Sounds interesting. Priced at AUD $3.50, USD $2.48 per kilo.

As a result of the past boat tours in our world travels, our expectations are in check, hoping for a good experience. Realizing that most of our upcoming photos of marine life in the Great Barrier Reef will be taken through glass we don’t expect perfect representations of what lies below. We’ll definitely do our best to take good photos.

Another equally affordable bouquet of locally grown flowers.

This morning we awakened to a bright sunny day adding to our mutual enthusiasm to finally see one of the world’s greatest treasures. In posts over the next few days, we’ll be included historic and geographical information on the Great Barrier Reef with facts nature lovers may find interesting.

Fresh flowers are scattered throughout the market, adding to a colorful visual.

Our beach bag is packed and we’re set to go other than a necessary stop along the way to the pier in Cairns to purchase bottled water. Much to our delight, we’ve been able to drink tap water in Trinity Beach without any intestinal problems. 

At only AUD $3, USD $2.31 each, a gorgeous bouquet could be put together for a reasonable price.

Its the container for our iced tea that we’re lacking that a large bottle of plain water will provide. Once in hand, we’ll add the packets of iced tea we’ve been hauling around the world with us and be set for beverages for the entire trip.

Today, we’re posting the final photos of our visit to Rusty’s Market and look forward to posting our photos and stories of our tour to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. 

                                            Photo from one year ago today, August 26, 2014:

The Regency Hotel, Queen’s Gate, where we stayed for two weeks while in South Kensington, London, UK was under construction. Noise with a cluttered entrance at times didn’t bother us at all. What we found most inconvenient was their wifi policy charging huge daily fees for a poor connection. Later in our stay, we were able to get the hotel manager to waive all of our wifi fees for the 16 nights. For more details, please click here.

Part 1…Papeete, Tahiti, Society Islands, French Polynesia…Excellent island tour…

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Us, on the bridge overlooking the sea.

Here is an interesting link with detailed information about the island of French Polynesia including both Moorea and Tahiti. I’d mentioned providing more detailed information about the islands, but this link explains it much better that I could.

The view from the ship of Papeete, Tahiti.

As I write today again, we’re situated in our favorite spot in the Schooner Bar after a chatty breakfast in the Romeo & Juliet main dining room. There’s a tiny table onto which I can set my laptop giving me perfect ergonomics for the time it will take for today’s post and photo upload. 

This is the most comfortable spot on the ship and we can stay mildly entertained by the activity surrounding us at times; trivia or Sudoku games played in teams. On a few occasions, we joined in on the trivia games.

Typical busy city streets found anywhere in the world.

At the moment the ship has anchored a distance from the pier in Bora Bora and taking a tender is required to go ashore. Once we’re done here, we’ll unload our computers back to the cabin and take off for a little exploration of this island paradise, not unlike what we’d done yesterday in Tahiti.

Breadfruit tree.

With our friends Rene and Jeff, we grabbed a taxi at the pier, negotiating a fair price of US $20 per person for a tour of some of the highlights in Tahiti. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

There’s always a pizza place in every city.

Our driver Benjamin, who can be reached at 872 976 35, an elderly English speaking gentleman of Chinese descent who’s lived in Tahiti all of his life, was the perfect driver taking us in a safe and timely fashion to see the high points. His tour was similar to the four-hour bus tour at a considerably higher cost in considerably less time than going through the ship’s excursion department. 

Noni fruit in Tahiti.

In less than two hours we’d seen all the high points and with the photos, we were able to take, we couldn’t have been more content. The four of us were looking forward to the afternoon matinee back at the ship to see the excellent movie, Unbroken.

This cloudy view of Five Fingers Mountain.

One may ask, why in the world we want to go to a movie on a cruise ship while we’re in Tahiti?  For one, it was raining. More importantly…because we can. Plain and simple. Because we can. This cruise, like others, isn’t our once-a-year-vacation/holiday. 

The Mayor’s home in the center of town known as La Saintonge.

This is simply 18 days of our lives during which we happen to be using a cruise for transportation to Australia, during which we’re having a fabulous time, making new friends and checking out new locations we’ve never visited in the past.

Vegetation view from the bridge at One Tree Hill.

It was interesting to see Tahiti. Although it’s a beautiful island it didn’t call to us to return at some time in the future to stay for an extended period. The image we had in our minds of Tahiti was very different from reality starting out in the major city of Papeete which not unlike many other major island cities is busy, noisy, and filled with local and tourist traffic.

What a view at One Tree Hill.

Once Benjamin drove us beyond the hustle and bustle, of Papeete the island began to look somewhat similar to Belize in its massive amount of lush green vegetation, old run-down structures, a few historic buildings, mountains, and ocean views. I suppose after Kauai, Hawaii we’re a little spoiled. 

Closer view of the peninsula in the bay in Tahiti.

For many, Tahiti could be an ideal vacation spot staying in one of the many tropical themed hotels with boundless views, sports, and amenities. For us to live there, it becomes an entirely different scenario. 

Our wonderful new friends from Australia, Renee, and Jeff.

However, seeing the beautiful points of interest provided us with a degree of affection for its quaint and eye catching scenery and seemingly friendly people.

Instead of walking over the rickety stairway, Benjamin suggested we follow the path below to access the expansive view of the bay. The single Banyan Tree at the top of the steps was the basis for the name, One Tree Hill.

Back at the ship in time for the matinee, the four of us and two more, the couple we’d met at breakfast, Dee and Ron headed to the theatre for the heart wrenching, well-done movie.

Church in the center of town.

By the time we returned to our cabin, it was 5:00 pm, time to get dressed for dinner and head to the bar for happy hour. Happy it was, that hour until at around 7:00 pm we made our way to dinner for another fine evening of lively banter with more Australians at our table. 

Another church in Papeete, Tahiti.

After dinner, we went to the show, a ballroom dancing extravaganza that was highly entertaining. We’d had another perfect day aboard the ship. We’re not yet halfway through the cruise and excitedly anticipate each day as it comes.

Monument denoted Captain James Cook’s landing in Tahiti. Dark clouds were rolling in.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with Part 2 Tahiti since we had more beautiful points of interest to share than we could possibly post in one day.

Walkway to the beach area near the monument.

Have a pleasant start to the new week!

                                               Photo from one year ago today, June 1, 2014:

The charming streets of Ribeira Brava, our most convenient location for shopping in Madeira, Portugal. For details from that post, please click here.

A visit to Kukuiolono Park…Another historical spot in Kauai…Sightseeing continues…

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Stumbling on this site along the highway, we stopped to check out this historic location, Kukuiolono Park.
A quote from the Kukuiolono Park website:
“In the town of Kalaheo, just off the beaten path lies a hidden gem, Kukuiolono Park and Golf Course. The park was once the site of an ancient Hawaiian Heiau and more recently the estate of the late Walter McBryde, who was the owner of the McBryde Sugar Plantation and donated the 180 acre parcel to the state as his gift to the people of Kauai.
The park offers extensive walking paths and gardens with breathtaking mountain and ocean views. The challenging 9-hole golf course is popular with the locals for its beauty and the most inexpensive greens fees on the island.
The newly renovated Japanese garden is a great place for a stroll down a quaint path and over a footbridge where visitors can see fountains, statues, bonsai trees and other plantings. The garden path leads up to a unique and extensive collection of Hawaiian lava rock artifacts and a newly-built meditation pavilion.”
Tom, history lover that he is, often reads every last line on such sign while I peruse the area for photo ops.

Obviously, sightseeing every day is impractical. For several reasons, we’ve had more interest in visiting various sites here in Kauai than we’ve had on the other islands.

The chickens flocked to us the moment we parked the car.

Ending a cruise in Honolulu on October 5th, we were coming off several busy months needing a break; two cruises, a month spent in Paris and London, three days in Boston, six days in Vancouver, dealing with two broken laptops and preparing for the arrival of family to the Big Island. 

As soon as we exited the car, this determined rooster indicated he was anxious to find out if we had any food. We did not. However, his familiarity with humans visiting the park made him unconcerned as I approached for the photos shown below.

On top of it all, we were worrying about the lava flow reaching the two houses we’d rented in Pahoa, feverishly checking online for other options. By the time we arrived in Maui on October 16th after spending 11 days in Oahu in a condo we found uncomfortable, we needed another break.

We’d never been close enough to a rooster, to notice his sharp spurs.

Arriving in Maui we immediately prepared for predicted Hurricane Ana shopping for the possibility of being without power or water for days to come. Once that risk subsided we hardly felt like driving around sightseeing.  We ending up spending lots of lazy days at home in the lovely condo overlooking the sea. It was easier to do nothing than plan trips.

Upon closer inspection, we saw how dangerous this spurs could be. Undoubtedly, roosters know how and when to use these. We kept our distance although he was a friendly fellow.

By the magic of life on the Hawaiian Islands we were able to take photos to share and we never missed a single day of posting in the six weeks in Maui. We did venture out on a handful of occasions to check out local attractions but, had little interest in long drives in the car.

There were a few flowers blooming in Kukuiolono Park.

Now, here we are, after over four months in the islands and we’ve got the bug to check out everything we can find on this exquisite island. At this point, we’ve accomplished traveling the entire perimeter of the island of Kauai as far as the paved roads allow.

The park had several trails leading to the rock displays.

From here? There’s plenty more. We feel excited to investigate the nuances only particular to Kauai along with many other sites we’ve yet to explore. With only three months remaining, we have time for planned and unplanned social activities and taking our time to see what magic lies beyond that which we’ve seen thus far.

Each of the historical displays had signage to explain its significance in Hawaiian history.

As a bonus to us, we’ll continue to observe and photograph the growing albatross chicks. We’ll be long gone by the time they’ve fledged the nest to take off on their own, when the last time their parents headed out to sea, never to return, as each chick impatiently awaited their next meal. 

Zoom in to read the sign. This basin was used by fishermen to keep their catch fresh overnight.

When the days pass as the chick waits in the nest and the parents don’t return, the chicks eventually realize that their time has come. They are on their own. And sometime in July or even August, the day will come when they too, head to sea to begin their lives. 

Offerings were left by the fisherman for the Divine One.

Lessons can be taken from wildlife who have the sense to know that at some point we must let the offspring go to build their own lives. Its never easy to do. 

Tree molds were formed over 2 million years ago when lava poured into the trees.

We humans may come to realize that giving them the opportunity to go off on their own only makes them stronger and more confident in the perpetuation of the species whether human or animal, ultimately to achieve fulfillment in their own lives.

A salt pan was used to gather salt from the sea, to be dried for everyday use.

Wildlife teaches us many lessons. As Tom and I have spent considerable time in our travels observing the life cycles of animals, we’ve seen how resourceful and determined they become to provide for their own when needed and to let go when the time is right. It’s the wonder of life.

We were intrigued by the oblong shape of this palm tree trunk at Kukuiolono Park.

And the wonder of our lives continues, whether sightseeing or relishing in lazy days at home, whether writing to our readers, our family or friends or, whether blissfully engaged in mindless activities. All of it matters. 

Another fish storage basin made of rock.

Every single day that we’re given life matters. Its how we spend it that shapes who we are, who we want to be and the legacy that eventually we’ll leave behind.

Having seen everything we wanted to see, once again, we were back on the road to what proved to be some of the most exciting finds of the day. Check back tomorrow.

                                           Photo from one year ago today, February 23, 2014:

As we busily prepared for our upcoming goodbye dinner party we were hosting, the visitors came to call as always. We seldom missed an opportunity to say hello, offer a few pellets, and take a photo.  For details on this date, one year ago, please click here.

Final full day in Maui…Disappointing whale watching…

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The Maalaea Marina as we made our way out of the windy bay.

Boarding the boat that held 146 passengers was a lengthy process. Not only were we asked to arrive by 12:15 for a 1:00 pm sailing but after we’d checked in, we had to wait with the crowd for another half hour for our guide to “walk us” to the awaiting tri-hulled boat.

The view in front of us while we were seated on the boat. Our condo building was straight ahead.

VIP members of the Pacific Whale Foundation were allowed to board first which after making their donation, made sense to us. Luckily, we were next in line after that group able to pick preferred seating on the boat which surprisingly ended up with less than 101 passengers on the long holiday weekend.

We’d read numerous reviews on TripAdvisor.com on the Pacific Whale Foundation stating that passengers were disgruntled when they were “required” to have their photos taken. Long ago in our travels, we learned that no one can “make us” have our photo taken unless one has signed a contract agreeing to do so.

As our boat was heading out to sea another similar boat was returning.

Shoo them away! That’s what we’ve done in all of our travels and again yesterday when pressure was exercised for us to get in line for a photo before getting on the boat. We passed right by, shaking our heads and saying, “No thank you,” as we’ve done many times in the past.

Its hard to determine the severity of the winds from our photos.  Our eyes were focused on spotting whale blowhole spouts as we were instructed by the marine biologist on board as the easiest way to spot a whale.

The wind was blowing so hard, it almost knocked me over. We’d both worn our matching BugsAway bill hats, having to hold onto them during the entire period to keep them from flying away. 

We enjoyed sailing past the same road we’d taken to get to Lahaina and Kaanapali Beach.

The crisp white of the boat, the glaring sun, and the huge waves made watching the ocean for whales a bit challenging. Wearing the hat helped block some of the glare. Holding onto it was annoying. Even wearing my quality sunglasses, I needed the hat to allow me to see anything at all. We sat on the top deck of the boat, adding to the feel of the wind. 

As we took off, the captain explained that Maalaea Bay is the windiest harbor in the US and second windiest in the world and that yesterday was one of the windiest days they’d seen of late. Had we spotted any whales it would have been challenging to take a photo or a video when it was nearly impossible to stand up and maintain one’s balance.

The scenery in Maui is always beautiful.

After the first 30 minutes, I left Tom in the seats we’d originally picked to find a better vantage point, hoping I wouldn’t miss a shot. Although one whale spouted from its blowhole, I never saw it nor did many others. We waited in the area for it to reappear, only to move on 30 minutes later when it never surfaced again.

At the end of the event, all the passengers were offered another complimentary outing, good for one year, since we never really had a sighting, also due to the fact the two-hour boat ride was so uncomfortable in the high winds. We’ll have no way to use it when neither of the upcoming two islands has locations for the Pacific Whale Foundation.

After I’d move to the bow of the boat, I stood for another 30 minutes, holding on with one hand while the other held the camera in ready mode. On a few occasions, the boat lurched substantially. Luckily, I held on for dear life, using my left, not my bad right arm.

We’d have loved having photos of a whale to share today but, the scenery is all we have to offer.

After that, I found a decent spot to sit with a good view of the bow, ready for action. The only action I saw during the last hour was the lively conversation with a lovely tour guide I met who lives in the islands.  Exchanging business cards, we agreed to get in touch in the near future.

When the boat finally docked at the Maalaea Marina, I walked back to find Tom with a huge smile on his face, cheerful as ever, happy to see me.  He’d stayed in the same seat during the entire two hours, knowing I’d find him at the end. Based on the fact the captain never announced that anyone had fallen overboard, he never had a worry in the world.

In Maui, one minute the sky is blue, and moments later, the clouds roll in.

We weren’t as disappointed as we could have been had this been an actual “vacation” in the islands.  Whales will be surrounding us in many of our future locations and we’re certain that at some time in the future our whale watching aspirations will be fulfilled.

Today is packing day. Now that it takes less than a half-hour to pack everything we own, it causes no concern or stress for either of us. 

The reality finally hit us that we’re leaving Maui. Last night, as Tom peered out the open door to the lanai he said, “It’s hard to believe we’re actually in Hawaii. Then again, it’s always hard to believe wherever we maybe.” So true, my love. So true.

Tomorrow on travel day, we’ll post our total costs for the entire six weeks we spent in Maui, including a breakdown of rent and expenses. Please check back for details which will be posted at our usual time.

At the moment, Tom is watching the Minnesota Vikings football game on his computer and is happy as a clam.  That’s not to say that they’re winning!

Have a happy Sunday!

                                                Photo from one year ago today, November 30, 2013:
One year ago, it was a travel day from Diani Beach, Kenya to Marloth Park, South Africa, a long and laborious journey. As a result, no photos were posted on that date. But, soon as we arrived in Marloth Park, the fun began when we had visitors every day during our three months of living in the bush, having the time of our lives. For details of that travel day, please click here.

Pearl Harbor presented in movies and video over the years…Today’s post is #800!…One year ago, a mating lion…

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Gun turrets aboard the USS Missouri.

Tom was moved by the reverence, respect and attention to detail presented at the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument. 


This is the armor piercing shell weighing over one ton.  To the right, is two of three packs of gunpowder wrapped in silk to avoid sparks.



Gun turrets.


Standing atop the memorial of the sunken battleship USS Arizona, the final resting place for many of the 1177 crewmen killed on December 7, 1941 when their ship was bombed by Japanese Naval Forces.


The Captain’s dining hall aboard the USS Missouri.

Captain’s dining hall seating area.

In all, the Japanese attack killed a total of 2390 people; 1990 sailors, 233 soldiers and airmen, 109 marines and 49 civilians.  Of the eight battleships in the harbor, five were sunk.  In all, 21 vessels were sunk or heavily damaged.


Shells to be shot from smaller gun turrets.
Officer’s mess hall.

After the attack, the Navy undertook a massive salvage operation and all but three vessels were returned to service; the USS Arizona, the USS Oklahoma and the USS Utah. The attackers destroyed 164 aircraft , damaging 159.


Junior officer’s sleeping quarters.
Junior officer’s lounge.

The Japanese Navy lost 55 airmen and 29 planes.  Of the five midget two-man submarines launched, four were lost and one was captured which was America’s first prisoner of war.


Junior officer’s bunks.
Officer’s mess hall.
 

Millions of people from all over the world come to the majestic setting to see the location where World War II  began for the United States.  It is currently the number one visitor destination in Hawaii.


Junior officer’s mess hall.
Vegetable prep area.

Having an opportunity to board “Mighty Mo,” the USS Missouri, only added to the significance and depth of his experience.  Of course, it was important that visitors take extra precautions to avoid “knee knockers” and “head bangers” when most visitors have no experience or knowledge in boarding a battleship with its many ladders and small spaces.  Tom exited unscathed.


Kitchen baked goods area.
Marine’s are on board the USS Missouri as ship’s security.  These are their sleeping quarters.

As we discussed his experience, it came to mind that there has been movies, videos, and even songs, attributed to the memory of Pearl Harbor and its tragic loss of life.  Today, we share some of those here with the following video links and a short description:

Mail room.
Executive officer bedroom.

For those World War II aficionados, you may enjoy clicking on the above links.  On YouTube some of theses movies are offered in their entirety by simply typing in  the name of the movies on their site.


Executive Officer lounge area.
View from the USS Missouri’s bridge to the memorial.

Thanks to all of our readers for sharing this powerful experience with Tom.  Although, I wasn’t in attendance on the tour, I feel the significance and powerful message portrayed in this magnificent memorial along with him as we share these details with you.


Various US military flags.
View of the port side of the USS Missouri.

Tomorrow, is our flight from Oahu to Maui at 12:45 with Hawaiian Air.  The flight time is only 39 minutes.  We’re going to love that!


The monument at the Punchbowl, which is the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

The grounds of National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific where the memorial for Hawaiian born Astronaut,  Ellison Onizuka, is located, who was killed on the Challenger in 1986.

We’ll end on a happy note with this fabulous World War II Christmas music video by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers, “Christmas Without You.”


Statue of the classic Tim magazine shot of a nurse and sailor kissing at the end of
World War II.

Happy day!
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Photo from one year ago today, October 15, 2013:

Contented male lion during a short break in the mating ritual.  For more photo and details, please click here.

Hello Hilo, Big Island, Hawaii!…An unexpected outing!…New photo of us in Hilo…

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Here we are at Liliuokalani Gardens in Hilo. Sam, our overly friendly taxi driver, took the photo.

It was tempting to get off the ship to go see the two houses we rented on the Big Island for the holidays with our family. But, we’ve decided to wait in order to be surprised.

The scenery along the shores of Hawaii is lovely.

The pier in Hilo is located in a highly industrial area and we’d have had to walk for miles to get to any points of interest. 

As we entered the Port of Hilo, Hawaii.

Also, we’ll be back on the Big Island for six weeks in less than two months, saving sightseeing to do with our family members when they start arriving on December 6th.

The last time we went to a Walmart, a store we never visited in our old lives, was in Cabo San Lucas in Mexico on January 6, 2013, when we got off the ship, the Celebrity Century, to purchase our first camera. Here’s Tom in front of the Hilo, Hawaii Walmart. See below as to how we ended up at this store, an entirely unplanned outing.

However, we decided to take the free shuttle into downtown Hilo. Well, of all things, we accidentally got on the bus going to Walmart! We couldn’t have laughed harder. 

Leis for sale in a refrigerated case at the Walmart store.

After spending $126 in Walmart, we weren’t laughing quite as hard. We purchased nuts, a couple of shirts, self tanning cream, shampoo, toothpaste and a few odds and ends.

Our ship is behind the Pacific Princess in the foreground.

Tom got “overly grumpy” when we had to buy a cloth bag to carry our purchases since Walmart in Hawaii doesn’t use plastic bags. I couldn’t have been more thrilled with their concern for the environment. 

Near the Liliuokalani Gardens in Hilo.

After we made our purchases, we found our way to the waiting area for the free shuttle to return us and others to the ship. The expected wait time was 15 minutes at most. 

At the Liliuokalani Gardens in Hilo.

As we waited while sitting on a bench, a friendly-looking taxi driver asked if we wanted a ride back to the pier.  Did we have food stuck in our teeth proving we were passengers of the latest cruise ship to arrive in Hilo?

I asked Sam, “How much?” 

Sam answered, “$12.”

I answered, “Na, too much!”

Sam answered, looking at the camera hanging from my shoulder, “How about $10 with a stop at a gorgeous site to take photos?”

The park was lovely.

We couldn’t have jumped up quicker, taking Sam up on his kindly offer. As soon as we got into his air-conditioned minivan, we all engaged in animated chatter as Sam drove us to the Liliuokalani Gardens, an exquisite park on the way back to the ship.

Oddly, Sam told us he lives on “Lyman Ave” in Hilo, pulling out his driver’s license to show us. Serendipity.  We’re hardly wanted to say goodbye to Sam after an outrageously fun time with him during the drive and at the gorgeous park. Its funny how the least expected situations turn into the most fun of all. 

An enchanting footbridge in the gardens.

Over the extended periods we’ll spend on each of three of the four islands we’ll have plenty of time to see everything that appeals to us. No paid excursion would have been more fun than our time with Sam.

As for Hilo, we searched for a bit of general information on the Hawaiian Islands and found the following. As time goes on, we’ll acquire knowledge that we’ll share with our readers as opposed to quoting other web sites. 

For now, we’re Hawaiian newbies and we prefer to be careful of that which we write until we become more knowledgeable over the next many months:

“The Hawaiian Islands (Hawaiian: Mokupuni o Hawai‘i) are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) from the island of Hawaiʻi in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll. Formerly the group was known to Europeans and Americans as the “Sandwich Islands“, a name chosen by James Cook in honor of the then First Lord of the Admiralty John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich. The contemporary name is derived from the name of the main island, Hawaii Island, as a pars pro toto.
The US state of Hawaii occupies the archipelago almost in its entirety (including the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands), with the sole exception of Midway island, which is instead an unincorporated territory within the United States Minor Outlying Islands.
The Hawaiian Islands are the exposed peaks of a great undersea mountain range known as the Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain, formed by volcanic activity over a hotspot in the Earth’s mantle. The islands are about 1,860 miles (3,000 km) from the nearest continent.“

In these short few days in Hawaii, it’s odd for us to grasp that Hawaii is a part of the US, other than for its abundance of US products, services and of course, its economy. It appears comparable to other many other resorts/vacation/holiday island we’ve visited in other parts of the world.
 

Of course, we enjoy the easy availability of products and services from which we’ve been far removed for much of the past two years. Seeing the familiar products, chain restaurants, markets, and hotels is both refreshing and disappointing when we’ve found great pleasure is being detached from all the hype.
 
We’ll have ample time in the future to once again feel removed from the hustle and bustle of life in the US when again we take off for more remote locations in not too distant future.  
 
In the interim, we’ll enjoy every aspect of living in Hawaii, experiencing each of these  islands, each with its own unique persona. From what we saw on Tuesday in Honolulu, the prices may not be any higher than we experienced in the past locations.

With only five days and four nights until we disembark the ship, we have that wonderful feeling of not being disappointed that the cruise is ending, knowing that which lays ahead will be equally enjoyable.

                                          Photo from one year ago today, October 2, 2013:
 
None of our photos were posted on this date. However, we did post a story about “worrying” we loved to share with our readers who may have missed it. Please click here for details.

Part 1…A day in Normandy..Profoundly moving experience…

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The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial.

Tom has always been the war buff in this family. His knowledge of wars astounds me at times. Having never taken a particular interest in past wars, other than feeling pride and compassion for our loyal soldiers, I didn’t expect I’d find the 10 hour day exploring Normandy interesting.

The region of Normandy is rich in history and charming for its appealing French architecture of the century’s past.

Not only did we both find visiting Normandy interesting, but our hearts were embraced by the way France and the US have maintained a peaceful and respectful tribute to our fallen soldiers from World War II.

Of course, we’re anxious to share some of the many photos taken throughout the day. Unfortunately, we just returned from our small group of eight chartered tour and time is short. 

The fog rolled into the Normandy region as shown in our early morning two-hour drive

It’s almost 7:45 pm Monday evening and our dinner reservation is at 8 pm tonight leaving little time to complete today’s post with photos before getting changed and ready for dinner. Most likely, we’ll return to our cabin after 10:00 pm tonight with another early morning chartered tour. Sleep will be the first priority.

As in many other areas of Europe, many of the homes and buildings are attached, each with its own definitive front.

This Thursday will be our first “sea day” and Friday, our second, during which I’ll finally have time to complete Parts 2 for today’s, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays tours. As a result, over the next few days, there will be a short post each day with only a few photos with more following upon completion, each of which will be clearly marked as to the event and part number.

Once these are posted, we’ll be back to our normal daily schedule with many sea days as we sail across the Atlantic Ocean sharing information as to the ship, the wonderful people we’ve met, the activities, and of course, many food photos.

The area is filled with tourists from all over the world.

Please check back tomorrow at about this same time for Part 1 of the short post regarding Tuesday’s chartered tour to the Stonehenge in England. By far, this will be the busiest cruise we’ve ever experienced, and look forward to sharing details with our readers.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, September 1, 2013:

The final goodbye to the house in Boveglio as we began the drive to Venice to spend the night and begin the 22 hour flight to Kenya.  For details of that date, please click here.