Take a Breath

It's been rather silent here on Rememorandom for over a week now.  Some of you may have been worried.  Did he get mauled by a great, giant panda?  Did he eat a pita full of salt on a dare and go into a coma?  Did that hag finally hex him and he's now roaming the streets as a hungry aardvark?  Well, allow me to assuage your fears.  The answer is no, no, and, sadly, no.

You see, Keisha and I were looking at our extended forecast, and it turned out that this past weekend was one of our last "free" weekends until our daughter arrives in June.  The rest of them are loaded with baby showers or other sordid things.  So, spontaneously, we decided to go camping down at the lovely Land Between the Lakes.  I was a bit hesitant about my six-month pregnant wife sleeping on the ground (i.e., air mattress, even though I normally shun these sorts of luxuries on such trips, I'm not a Spartan when it comes to my sweetness and her comfort), but we did it anyway.

A beautiful day Friday with gale force winds.  A glorious Saturday with sunshine and cyclones.  A humid and ridiculously warm Sunday with forgettable gusts.   Lots of fun to be had.  We spent two hours or so in an 1850s-style homestead, talking with the locals and enjoying the weather.  We drove up to where my project for work is located, checking out the highway (boring) and looking at the ditches (boring), but still, it's nice to actually see the place in person instead of on a computer monitor.

I spent a few hours in the garden on Sunday and got a healthy (hahahaha) sunburn on my pale and milky white back.  Then I had some vacation time, which was spent emptying out the baby's room for the crib and furniture to go in.  This took much of the day Monday, but we finished.  Tuesday, another vacation day, was spent mowing and staining some chairs (see pictures below).  Tuesday night proffered chili dogs, a feast no sane person can deny, and I went to bed happy, working a crossword puzzle in the bed with Keisha 'ere the lamp went dark.

Things have been busy and will continue to be busy for a while.  There's a lot to talk about, but no time to devote to blogging at hand.  Instead, I'll mention briefly:  we attended our first baby class, where Keisha learned how to breathe properly; my project, which I thought was finished last week, apparently is unfinished and still needing revisions; I'm not really enjoying the book I'm currently reading, but I'm not "not enjoying" it, either; Easter approaches, and so does my solo; a new My Morning Jacket album comes next week, I believe; baby baby baby baby baby work work revisions revisions clean clean garden baby baby dogs bills work money money money money money 2 months no paycheck bible is good book i'm in leviticus now and read about sacrifices the other morning while eating breakfast and mymind'sshotandthere'snothingleftformetowriteaboutbattlestargalacticaisstillgoodtoomuch.........................

there will be another post this week.  maybe two.  back below the surface, now.  take a breath.  (if only i learned to breathe properly at a baby class...)

The Great Smoky Mountain Trip

View Full Album

*There are 74 photos, including Creepy Pedo-looking Logan, Beautiful Mountain panoramas, Young Love, Puppies, and Other Things.

I've been to the Smoky Mountains a handful of times.  Gatlinburg, its majestic strip plagued with ho-hum shopping and tourist vendors and more than a few museums.  Pigeon Forge is like a fraternal brother, just more sprawled out and more food.  These two cities are swamped year-round as people flock to the Great Smokies in search of beautiful nature, rustic arts, class-act entertainment, expensive dining, candies and taffy, and cheap souvenirs.  This year, I re-joined the rat race.

Keisha and I have never been on a vacation with extended family, and we thought that we should try it out.  We took care of planning everything, booking the cabin, reserving our tickets, and everyone else would just reimburse us.  So come Thursday morning, we loaded up two vehicles and hit the road.
We entered the Great Smoky Mountains National Park a little after lunch time.  We pulled off to the side of the road near the Pigeon River and had cold cuts and snacks.  We then spent the rest of the afternoon meandering along the river banks.  At one spot we collected two socks full of hickory nuts (we didn't have any other handy container (pun intended)).  The water was cold, but the scenery beautiful.  Eventually we made it to the city and got our cabin info.

The road up to the cabin started off mildly steep, but nothing my 05 Corolla couldn't handle.  Each turn brought a change of grade, and by the last, the road was extremely inclined.  I've never driven on a road this steep, but I pressed on (what other choice did I have?), tires spinning, brakes grinding.  The cabin was worth it.  Sleeping ten, offering a hot tub and two king size beds, a pool table and a fireplace, the place was very nice.  And, since there were eight of us, it only wound up being around $49 per couple per night, which is much, much cheaper than any hotel rate.

The rest of Thursday was spent resting and driving around the Pigeon Forge strip.  We bought some breakfast groceries and headed back to the cabin in the late night.  Friday morning, Keisha and I made everyone breakfast, frying bacon, eggs, and toast.  The plan for Friday was to spend all day in Gatlinburg and then be back in Pigeon Forge by 4:00 for our Dixie Stampede reservations.  The Craftsmen Fair was going on in Gatlinburg, and Keisha and I love looking at all the handmade items, getting ideas for making things ourselves or buying gifts.  We also got another caricature drawn, and as it so happened, by the same person that drew our first one a few years ago.

The Dixie Stampede always offers plenty of fun, an amazing feast, and a good experience.  Last time I went, Keisha and I got selected out of the audience to participate in one of the games.  This time, I got picked again, and I faced off mano y mano in a game of horseshoes with 1500 people or so watching.  However, instead of actual horseshoes, we threw toilet seats.  Sadly, I lost, but it was fun getting picked.  Afterward, we picked up some more breakfast foods and headed back up the mountain.

Saturday morning we made sausage, biscuits, and gravy for everyone.  Once finished, we loaded up the rides and headed out for a two hour, winding mountainous drive.  Destination: Maggie Valley, NC.  The roads were cluttered with look-out points to stop and enjoy the view.  Traffic was slow and congested, but we eventually made it.  We spent time at another craftsmen fair, and then some candy stores and other tourist traps.  I bought a peck of apples on the cheap and have lots of varieties to enjoy for the next several days.  We stopped at Cherokee, NC, and had a picnic in some gnat-infested park.

The drive back was awful.  It took much longer as traffic was bumper to bumper.  We stopped at a few vistas and got some great pictures.  Then we headed to Pigeon Forge and stopped at a little mall, killing time before the Comedy Barn reservations.  Travis (Keisha's younger brother, but not youngest) actually got selected out of the audience here and he went on stage for the finale.  My head was throbbing from laughing so hard and lacking oxygen, but it was definitely worth it.  If you've never been to the Comedy Barn, go go go if you ever get the chance. 

Sunday we had to be out of the cabin by 10 and I was wanting to eat at a pancake house.  We checked out and had a delicious breakfast.  Then the vehicles split up, mine heading off to the outlet mall, the other heading back home.  I finally found me some new tennis shoes (so did Keisha, among many other things) and we eventually headed home.  Home to mamaw's to pick up our waiting, furry pups.

Overall, the trip was fun albeit busy and tiring.  I didn't get much reading in at all, though I really wanted to.  I didn't much sleep either, though I don't go on vacation to sleep.  Traveling with the in-laws was enjoyable.  There wasn't too much drama and I think everyone had a good time.  I can't speak for them, but I did.

I Am Returned

My trip to and through the Smoky Mountains is over.  I returned last night.  Now I'm a little sore, very tired, and in for a busy week.  Lots to do at work, and plenty to do at home, too.  Plus, Fallout: New Vegas comes out tomorrow.  And I didn't get much reading time at all, so there's a big chunk of The Passage to get through, too.

I've got plenty of pictures of fall foliage from the trip, and a recap to summarize the vacation, coming up hopefully by week's end.

Until then...

White Water Rafting the on the Ocoee

As I write this, my arms are heavy and weighted, my legs are rubber, my brain is fried, my body is exhausted, and my bladder is full.  One of those is not really related to the weekend.  Nevertheless, the bachelor party for William, consisting of white water rafting and true camping, in the eastern hills of Tennessee and the western mountains of North Carolina, was tremendous fun.

Adam and I took my car down to William's house on Friday afternoon, top off and windows down.  The trip is about five hours, plus a time-zone change (CST to EST).  On the way we worked a diagramless crossword puzzle and managed to finish by the time we got to Chattanooga.  We got there first, unpacked the car and filled William's truck, and waited for the rest of the group to get there.  Little sleep was to be had, for I am but a super-sensitive sleeper, particular in that I almost need pitch black and deeply cold rooms accompanied by absolute silence and a whirring of a fan.  Still, I managed to get a few (2-3) hours and woke up excited to hit the river.

From William's, we drove another hour or so east and met up with his brothers at the rafting outfitter.  The eight of us checked in, signed our waivers, got our gear (life-jacket, helmet, and a paddle), and watched the safety info.  Soon we were bussed to the river and carrying our raft down at the base of a dam.  We picked the vessel up and stepped it into the water, feeling for the first time the coolness of the river.  And then we were in it and rapid bound.

Total time on the river was about an hour-and-a-half.  Much of this time was spent in the rapids, from names like Broken Nose to Hell's Hole.  I was amazed at the sheer power of the water, at the white-foamed bubbles from the swift flowing river, broken by massive boulders and jagged rocks spread throughout.  The rapids were loud and noisy.  The whole river was beautiful.

Going through a rapid is an exhilarating experience.  First is the anticipation, hearing the raft guide tell you about it and how you're going to have to paddle to make it through.  It's important that everyone paddle in sync to be efficient, and for the most part we did this.  Next comes entering the rapid and the guide yelling directions.  The boat is rocked and pulled to one side, bumping into a rock here, spinning around there, free-falling over a ledge there.  It's kind of like mixing a roller-coaster with ATV riding, only you're on water.  Sometimes you may all have to lean one way or the other to prevent a capsize, and sometimes the raft may be inclined as it rides the waves or sucked down by a powerful whirlpool.  Finally, once the rapid is cleared, you're either in a brief calm section or approaching another rapid, the guide already giving directions.  As I said, exhilarating.

The first time we capsized I slightly panicked.  The raft flipped, we all spilled over into very cold waters, and I swam up to the surface.  However, I came out of the water below the raft and I was disoriented.  I gasped and gulped down water and tried to breathe.  Eventually I realized that the raft was flipped over and the air cavity would let me breathe, and so I took a lungfull of air and made my way out.  After a moment to calm down, I relaxed and floated on down the river.  It was a calm between rapids and we enjoyed a few minutes of swimming.  Still, the body never really acclimates to the temperature, but I enjoyed swimming in a river.

The guide asked us if anyone wanted to ride the bull.  This means that the rider abandons their seat and paddle and goes to the front of the raft.  Then they hop up on the side, dangle their legs over, and hold on to a rope attached to the tip.  It's almost like riding a mechanical bull.  There are three spots during the trip that one can ride the bull, and I did it on the last spot.  When I hopped up there, the guide told us we were going through Hell's Hole and Powerhouse.  He gave the warnings that if the raft flipped to make your way immediately to shore, that this section was strong and swift.  Somewhat apprehensive, somewhat thrilled, we entered the rapid and I held on for dear life.  Riding the bull was crazy.  I was pounded by ten foot waves, taking the brunt of them head on.  The whole time I was fighting for air, but drinking down water.  I could feel the raft tipping forward and backwards and sideways and I loved it.  I managed to stay on the whole time and shortly after the trip was over.

White water rafting was an incredible experience that I would love to do again.  We all had a great time together on the river, and spending another late night out camping was also fun.  Sunday, cold and fatigued, we packed up tent and headed back home.

Overall the weekend was phenomenal.  It was good seeing people.  It was fun camping again, as it's been a long time.  And it was amazing being able to raft.  Good times all around.

The Vacation, Conclusion: Grand Turk, Sea Day, Miami (Days 6-8)

Grand Turk is not a very large island.  Really, it’s not that impressive, either, unless you’re able to snorkel or dive.  The beaches, although very pretty, are very coarse and rocky.  Still, one can’t complain while on vacation.

The Glory arrived about an hour late.  Shopping was first on the itinerary, as the shopping district is quite small.  A few deals and bargains later, Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville served an expensive—but nourishing—lunch.  Conch was sampled for the first time, and it tasted almost exactly like clams from Long John Silvers.

Next came the beach.  An hour or so navigating through the stony sea bottom, watching the fish swarm around feet.  Cheerios attract them, and larger swarms form.  All are quick and small, like little blue and silver streaks of light through the water.  Then came the beach lounging, coupled with reading and talking.

The time spent on Grand Turk amounted to just over a handful of hours.  Still, it was nice to see the island.

***

The following day tea time was observed in the afternoon.  A variety of teas were offered, along with a large choice of desserts.  Lunch on the main buffet was chocolate themed.  There were scores of different chocolate pies, cakes, drinks, fruits, ice creams, etc.  Quite a sweet and tasty lunch.  Later in the day a galley tour took place, giving the passengers a glimpse at what goes on inside the kitchen and just how much food is needed to provide for the ship for a week.  The numbers are astounding.  Finally, the day ended with a show that displayed the karaoke talents of some fellow passengers, which was quite fun and enjoyable.

***

Sunday, 5/16/2010, and the Glory is back in Miami.  Going through customs and getting back to the vehicle is much easier this time around.  The car is loaded and the long drive back home begins around ten in the morning.  Driving through the day is much easier than starting at night.  Florida, sadly, still takes a very long time to drive through.  A bargain bookstore in Georgia advertises very cheap books ($2.99 or less), and that claim was investigated.  Indeed, deals were found.  And, several hours later, several pit stops later, two novels later and five pounds heavier, Stewartland came into view, bringing an end to the Vacation.

View Full Album

The Vacation, Part Three: San Juan, PR (Day 5)

He woke up early Thursday morning.  He had to.  The Glory would arrive in San Juan at 7:00am, and he didn’t want to miss anything.  He roused his wife, Keisha, and together they ate their free room service breakfast.  Shortly, they were both ready to debark.

Stepping off the ship, Logan Stewart was instantly drenched in sweat.  The heat and humidity of San Juan was in that perfect stage, the one that no matter what, you’re always going to be uncomfortable.  He took his wife’s hand and they navigated through the throng of people waiting to go on an excursion.  They had their own thing to do, thanks to a recommended walking tour found on the Triple A website.

“Taxi!” a local called. 

“Hey mon, need a taxi?” 

“TAXI!”

He just shook his head, declining, pressing on and out away from the crowd.  Up ahead he spied the little building he needed to find.  The tour would start at a City Info building.  From there, the route pretty much followed the cobbled streets along the walled city, all the way up to El Morro, an ancient fort.  Then the path would lead through the city district, through historical sights and shopping, and up to the castle.  He read over the tour briefly, powered on his camera, and began.

San Juan is a fortified city.  Giant walls surround it, erected a few hundred years ago.  Walking down the path beside the walls, Logan couldn’t help but think about sieges and old wars.  He marveled at a beautiful sculpture, camera flashing.  The trees were all different, like they almost belonged to a rain forest (which could be possible, as the only rainforest found in the US is in PR).  They pressed on and suddenly came to a stop.

“It’s the feral cats,” said Logan.  He pointed to the handful of cats that blocked the path.

“Can I pet them?” asked Keisha.

Logan shook his head.  “No.  You don’t wanna get Puerto Rican Cat Scratch Fever.”  They stood there for a moment, taking a few more pictures, waiting for the cats to move.  There was another group of people following the same walking tour, looking at the cats.  Logan watched them turn up and into the city, and he quickly followed.

Inside the walls they made their way much quicker.  Logan talked with the other travelers, who jokingly made fun of their accents.  “Apparently,” thought Logan, “our Kentucky voices are more recognizable than I thought.”  They saw a few more cats, but ignored them.  And soon, El Morro was in view.

The scene was breathtaking.  Logan had never seen anything like it in his life.  High atop a beautifully manicured green hill sat the fort.  On the backdrop was the mighty ocean, waves breaking and crashing against the rocks below.  Children were flying kites high in the sky.  He walked up the hill and paused outside the fort, wondering if this was the oldest manmade structure he’d ever seen.  Inside was like stepping into another world.  Cracked and aged walls, narrow steps, cannons and cannonballs.  He climbed to the top level of the fort and the view was breathtaking.  He could see all around the city, the colorful little houses and the large government buildings.  At a far, remote corner of the island was a small, run-down home that used to house lepers.  Set against the ocean was a large cemetery, quite different than the kinds in the States.

Before he left, he talked to a local about some island history and also where to find some good, local food.  The man marked a location on his map, and soon the couple left the fort.  They found the downtown shopping area and Keisha immediately began exploring the factory Coach and Doonie & Bourke stores.  Like with the rest of the islands on this trip, prices can be negotiated and nothing is set in stone.  They walked down the narrow streets, stopping at whatever stores struck their fancy, until they found Los Yeyos, the local restaurant.

The owner was nice, and the food fantastic.  The little building was small and blue, just like something you might see in a Bourne movie.  After lunch, Keisha wanted to hit some more shopping, and Logan followed.  The weather was still very hot and sticky.  Eventually they made their way to the castle, high up on another hill, and they took more pictures.  Tired, not wanting to pay the entrance fee, and late in the day, Logan decided not to go in.  Instead, they made their way back towards the ship.

It was hard, walking past the beggars and panhandlers.  He felt conflicted, wanting to give, but wondering if they were conning.  He boarded the boat and checked back in.

The night was rough.  The winds were still strong and the waves still very choppy.  The boat rocked back and forth.  Keisha became very nauseous and went to bed early.  Logan saw a few people clutching their stomachs, trying hard to fight the seasickness.  He himself never felt threatened or sick, but the rocking was disorienting enough to cause a slight headache.  He decided to skip the midnight Mexican buffet and went to bed.

View Full Album

The Vacation, Part Two: St. Thomas, USVI (Day 4)

Dearest Rememorandom,

You won’t believe the incredible sights I witnessed here on St. Thomas today.  It’s been such a trying day I scarcely know where to begin.

The boat was supposed to arrive at 8:30 this morning, but due to an emergency medical evacuation of some passenger, we didn’t exit the boat until almost noon.  The evacuation was rather exciting, seeing the helicopter from the USCG fly out to meet us.  I stood in a parlor and watched through the glass ceiling as a man lowered himself down a rope and landed on the roof.  After that I stopped watching, but I daresay it was quite a sight!

But enough of that.  You want to hear about St. Thomas, eh?

After a dreadful debarkation process, we quickly boarded a taxi/open-air bus that took us across the island to one of the world’s most beautiful beaches, Megan’s Bay.  But I get ahead of myself.  St. Thomas is quite different than Half Moon Cay.  See, the island is very hilly and steep, not to mention much bigger.  The taxi ride was heart-pounding.  The vehicles all drove on the wrong side of the road, and everybody honked at everybody and everything.  I kept the video camera on nearly the whole trip, and you’ll have to see it when I come home.  Finally, though, we made it to Megan’s Bay.

Meh.  Even if National Geographic says it’s super beautiful, I didn’t think it was any prettier than Half Moon Cay.  Sure, it was nice looking, nice enough that there were some people getting married down the strip.  And the actual beach itself was enormous, but I just wasn’t as impressed with it as I was the day before yesterday.  Locals were charging to rent beach chairs and the food was absolutely ridiculous ($10 for a cold sandwich!), so Keisha and I just walked down the sand and collected some shells and swam for a bit.  It rained a bit off and on, but that wasn’t much of a bother.

After a time, the taxi was back for us.  Another rise in blood-pressure later and we were stopped at a beautiful lookout point.  We took some photos and then headed to the downtown shopping district of St. Thomas.  Keisha was excited to see the discounted jewelry and to haggle with the jewelers.  See, here in these islands you can negotiate a price and everything is relatively cheap, compared to back home.  Well, Keisha picked out a diamond ring that she liked and the jeweler casually told us the price: $25,000.  Casually, as if we had that much money, we declined.  My heart fluttered more here than in the taxi, I do believe.  Most jewelry was much cheaper than in the States, but still everything was more than we wanted to pay, so we didn’t wind up getting anything.

We walked through the open-air market, killing time and waiting for the taxi to take us back to the port and the other shopping district.  I had another rum & Coke, but that turned out to be a bad idea on an empty stomach.  When we got back to the other side of the island we rejoiced at seeing a Wendy’s.  Furthermore, it was reasonably priced, and we had lunch at 4:45pm.  Afterwards we felt much better and hit up the few shopping places that were still open.  (Apparently St. Thomas closes at 5:00 for the most part.)

I bought some excellent priced liquor: 3 bottles of rum and 1 bottle of vodka, all for $40.  (As it turns out, liquor and tobacco are very cheap outside the States.)  I’m not really sure exactly what I’ll do with it, but I imagine it’ll last for a very long time.  We didn’t buy much else, and headed back to the boat to the Glory to get ready for our super elegant dining night in the Emerald Steakhouse.

The Emerald cost $30 each, but the meal mimics a New York elegant dining experience.  It took over two-and-a-half hours to eat our five course meal, complete with a visit from the chef himself.  I tried escargot as an appetizer and found it very tasty.  I had a 24oz. porterhouse that was quite delicious.  For dessert I got a cheesecake that was probably three inches tall.  All in all, the meal was definitely worth the price.  Definitely.

Tomorrow we’ll be hitting up San Juan, and we’re both pretty excited about that.  I’ve included in the photos some spectacular pictures of a sunset here in the ocean, a few more shots of St. Thomas, and one very nice picture of me with my normal, crazy hair.  Do share them with all your friends, Rememorandom.

Always faithfully,

Your maker and creator,

logankstewart

View Full Album

The Vacation, Part One: Miami, Half Moon Cay, Sea Day (Days 1-3)

As many of you know, I’ve just returned from a seven day Caribbean cruise.  Keisha and I drove 17 hours, from her college graduation in Louisville, KY, to the Port of Miami in Miami, FL.  The boat was scheduled to leave at 4pm on Sunday, May 9.  The trip would include a stop at a private island in the Bahamas on Monday, a stop at St. Thomas of the US Virgin Islands on Wednesday, San Juan Thursday, and Grand Turk on Friday.  We would return to Miami at 7am on Sunday, May 16.  As you can imagine, the week was packed with activity, but I managed to find some time to rest and relax as well.

Summing up my trip should take three or four blog posts.  There will be many pictures (I took over 2Gigs of them!), but I’m only going to include some of my favorites here on the blog.  I figure I’ll populate the posts with various pictures and include a slideshow (no more than 30 pictures or so, hopefully) at the end of each post that contains a few extra photos of the featured islands.

I can’t decide how to write these posts up.  I’m thinking I may switch different point of view styles for each post: 1st person, 2nd person, and 3rd person limited.  Should be fun.

Hopefully these next few posts aren’t too unbearable. 

*****

I arrive at Miami around 11am.  The heat is 30 degrees warmer than in Kentucky and I turn on the air.  Eventually I spot the CRUISE PARKING sign, and we take our shuttle over to the Port.  I’ve never seen anything like this.  Hundreds upon hundreds of people of all nationalities and languages.  Finally we get through security and into the queue to board the boat.

The Carnival Glory is like a building that an move on the ocean.  The thing is humongous, and I don’t use that word lightly.  We’re hungry, and the boat already has a buffet set up for lunch.  We step on board and as soon as I see the lobby I’m instantly reminded of The Poseidon Adventure.  I start thinking about shipping disasters and entertain the thoughts for a few seconds.  But we press on, determined to see the room before we find the buffet.

The room is small.  Very small.  Large enough for a king size bed and that’s it.  I look longingly at the bed, exhausted from driving, but my stomach points out that I can sleep later.  Food is more important.  We meet our room steward, Gede, and head out to find the food and explore the boat.  The narrow hallways take some getting used to.

After feasting we head to the top deck and watch Miami disappear behind us.  The ocean—mighty, powerful, immense—opens up all around.  It’s exciting.  Soon it’s time for a safety drill, followed by a quick shower and the evening dining experience.  We meet our table mates and indulge in fine dining.  Thoroughly worn out, we head back to the room and quickly fall asleep.

I wake up refreshed and ready to see Half Moon Cay.  We dress and head up to the breakfast buffet to watch the island draw nearer.  The turquoise blues I see are the exact colors I wanted to see, like they’re something out of a dream.  Half Moon Cay is a private island, owned by the Carnival Corp.  There is no place to dock, so we have to take small tender boats from the Glory to get ashore.  The tender ride over is beautiful.

Stepping into foreign soil for the first time is not a smooth process.  A pack of people are all trying to find their excursions or what not, including me.  We see our excursion line and take a small shuttle to a different location on the island.  The excursion is called the Eco Lagoon Tour.  I see the boat we’re taking, a little thing that can hold no more than twenty or so, and take a seat.  Our guide, a native that commutes daily to give these tours, is fun and loud, able to answer any questions we may have. 

I’m amazed by the clarity of the water.  Not just the clarity, but the colors.  Maybe it’s because Kentucky is landlocked and these things aren’t familiar.  Maybe it’s the buried artist inside me.  Whatever it is, everything I’m seeing is like a view of paradise.  Fish and starfish and coral and many other things open up beneath the glass bottom of the boat.  I can’t help but take pictures of everything I see.

An hour and a half later the tour’s over and we’re back at the main area.  Carnival is having a BBQ on the island, so lunch is provided.  After lunch, we spend the rest of the day on the beach.  The water is much colder than I expected, but it warms after a few minutes of staying in.  The beach is fun and beautiful, but eventually it’s time to head back to the Glory.

On board we explore more of the ship and its various stores, theatres, bars, etc. We go to a Motown tribute show after dinner.  I decide to try a drink I’ve been wanting to try, a Rum and Coke, and find that I like it quite a bit.  Keisha gets some pretty drink.  Sleep calls again, and I give in.

Today is a Sea Day, meaning the ship is en route to an island so we’re going to be on board all day.  There are all sorts of activities to do.  The day begins at 9am, where we flip on the tv and watch the cruise director’s morning show.  He asks a trivia question and Keisha calls in and wins a photo album, a medal, and a 24 carat gold plastic piece of ship on a stick.  Needless to say, that is pretty cool.

I spend the morning following Keisha around in the stores.  After lunch there are two shopping talks about how to shop on the islands.  Everything is tax and duty free on these islands, so we can get some exceptional deals, and Keisha is pretty excited about seeing some jewelry.  I skip out on the second talk and hang out on the upper deck, relaxed and reading. 

Tonight is the first elegant dining night.  I put on my suit and tie, dressed to match Keisha.  She looks very beautiful.  We stop by the casino, since neither of us have ever been to one, and lose a quick $30 in the slot machines.  That’s enough gambling, so we head to the dining room.

Everybody is dressed fancy.  We take our seats and check out the menus.  You’re allowed as many appetizers, entrées, and desserts and you want on the boat, and since it’s formal night, I figure I’ll get multiples, especially since I’ve never had lobster before.  The meal is great, and our head waiter, Sudana, is hilarious.  He’s from Bali and is not afraid of putting on a show.

After the meal we head to the bar for a piano sing-a-long, but it turns a bit vulgar after 11pm, so we decide to leave.  We head up to the open deck and hang out.  It’s been a windy day, and the upper decks have been closed.  The rockiness of the ocean has been felt a bit, but it’s not been too bad.  I stare out at the inky black waters, feeling humbled and awestruck.  It’s amazing just how big the world is, and how small and frail we are in its wake.  I think about how big God is.  I think about how dark it would be if the lights were all off on the ship.  I ponder these things for a while, even after we’re back in our room.

View Full Album

A Brief Respite

I'm off, friends. I'm heading to the wilderness of western Kentucky. I'm going to take it really easy and only do a little homework. I think I'll do a bit o' resting and reading and maybe even some writing.

Farewell for now. And remember, let the Wookie win.