Fanning Island – Republic of Kiribati – a Journey Back in Time

The stop on Fanning Island has been a highlight of the cruise so far.  We stepped back in time 50 years or more. The atoll is one of many in this nation that may disappear with rising ocean levels. The Republic of Kiribati was formerly known as the Gilbert Islands and was under British rule.  Fanning is in the Line Islands group. Kiribati is one of the poorest nations in the world but it is also rich in many other ways – as our native Hawaiian guide said.  There is enough food from the lagoon and the land – people were smiling and singing. No stress, no modern life frustrations, sunshine, good air…no crime to speak of – one cop whose main job seemed to be guarding the mailbox at the outdoor post office!  We sent two postcards – one to ourselves to see how long it would take to arrive. 

The water is various beautiful shades of blue and turquoise with white sand and postcard-perfect palm trees lining the shore.  Only a few cruise ships stop on the island now that the cruise line NCL stopped their weekly visits several years ago.  Due to the Jones Act, NCL had to stop in a foreign country before completing its cruises of the Hawaiian Islands.  Supply ships come infrequently and there is no air service.  Now this is what I call remote – 2 days from Hawaii and 2 days from Tahiti – the middle of nowhere.  The first tender off the ship had the Statendam carpenters who always go first to repair the dock!!! 

After we landed about 8am, there seemed to be kids everywhere.  Many were dressed in grass skirts and woven headgear – dancing and singing with their teachers.  This is the way they earn money for their schools – which seem to all be tied in with various churches on the atoll – Catholic, Protestant, Mormon.  We brought a backpack full of school supplies and books for the school library that we had previously taken to the Front Desk on the Statendam – HAL offloaded all of the gifts to the schools.  I brought red foam clown noses that were a hit.  I did the same thing at a village on the Amazon several years ago.  I’m sure there will be anthropologists that will be confused!  Not just the Cargo Cult – but now the Red Nose Cult in the Pacific. 

There was table after table of crafts – using shells; fish teeth and vertebrae; woven grasses, etc.  If we are any example, the island did well today!  We also took a tour of the island – a 2 mile trip to the other end of this piece of the atoll in the back of a pickup truck with benches and a canopy. The ride will either cure a back ache or cause one – not sure. Our “guide” was a native of Fanning who had been a seaman and had “seen the world.”   I think I understand why he would come back here.

The areas beyond the tender dock gave us a good look at island life.  Houses had thatch roofs – many on stilts – not for floods but for air circulation – no walls but some woven mats that could be placed over the openings.  Small pigs and chickens – a few dogs and one cat were our animal sightings.  We passed the one “industry” on the atoll - seaweed collecting and drying – the finished product is sent to Europe, the U.S., and Asia.

The International Date Line was moved for Kiribati so the entire nation would be on the same side of the Line.  It was also moved because the Republic does much of its business with Australia.  As a result of the moving of the Line, we will have no February 27 – late on the 26^th we jumped to the 28^th and on March 1 we will go back to February 28! 

It was a fascinating day on a remote Pacific atoll – now French Polynesia in two days. 

Hawaii – Honolulu, Lahaina, Hilo and Kona

Arizona Memorial

We are sailing out of Kona in an hour after spending 5 days in Hawaii – two in Honolulu and one each in Lahaina, Maui; Hilo; and Kona.  We were pure tourists in Honolulu, having never been there before except at the airport on the way to and from Indonesia.  It is an interesting city – multiculturalism at work – what a mixture of people and ethnicities! Our location guide on the ship is a good example – half Hawaiian, plus the other half includes Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, and German!  Kainoa is a walking melting pot on his own.  From what we could see, the mainland could learn something from the Hawaiians.  The public transportation system –“The Bus” – worked well for us on our second day of sightseeing.  Just flash your Medicare card and pay $1 per trip – with transfer included!  Being old has “some” advantages! 

On Day One we took a tour of Pearl Harbor and other military sites associated with December 7, 1941.  The Arizona Memorial and museums were interesting and moving.  Day Two was by bus to walk along Waikiki – we put our toes in the water as we walked along – (we had to do this once).  It was a beautiful setting with Diamond Head as a backdrop but a very crowded and touristy place. The water was surprisingly cold.  Next was the bus to Chinatown – oldest in the States and then on to the historic district with the State Capitol, Iolani Palace, Kawaiahao Church, Father Damien Statue, King Kamehameha Statue, etc.

The next stop was Lahaina on Maui – we rented a car and drove to Central Maui and the Iao Valley.  Within a few short miles we were into a rainforest valley with interesting rock formations – the Iao Needle was a short walk in a State Park near the end of the road.  The valley was the site of a great battle in 1790 when King Kamehameha the Great conquered Maui.  From here we started out the Hana Highway, knowing we did not have time to go all the way.  We made it about half way – fun driving if you don’t mind one way bridges and hundreds of hairpin curves – but fabulous scenery of ferns, plants, flowers, and sea views.  To avoid using the same road on the return, we turned off early and went to Upcountry Maui along a backcountry road.  This seemed like the real Maui with no hotels or tourists.  On the road back to Lahaina we looked for the whales that come to Maui from Alaska during this time of year but none this afternoon.  On the way into Lahaina in the morning, we had seen whales breeching from our cabin window! 

Hilo followed Maui.  We again rented a car and drove about 45 minutes south to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.  We made good time and when we got to the Visitor Center the parking lot was nearly empty.  When we came out, it was almost full!  Some of the loop road is closed due to toxic gases from the active Kilauea Volcano.  From the Jagger Museum we could see the escaping steam and smoke from the crater quite well.  We also stopped at steam vents.  At noon we went to the Kilauea Lodge in Volcano Village for lunch where we met Tony and Marie Hoke who live in Volcano.  Tony was one of the two Police Captains in Larkspur when I was City Manger.  Tony was the BEST - none better in all of the rest of my career. It was great catching up!

On the way back to Hilo we took a road over to the coast to the place where it ended due to lava flows.  We got lucky and a one lane road (more of a path) through the lava opened at 3pm each day.  We took it for a short distance to a parking area.  Some people are rebuilding in the lava fields – a County worker who was there to guard the barricade said these were not the original owners – but were “crazy people” who were rebuilding!  Back on board the Statendam, we watched a “ballet de baleines” (i.e. whale ballet in English) in the area just outside the Hilo Harbor!  Nice send-off from Hilo!

This morning we arrived in Kona on the west coast of the Big Island.  We had decided to cancel our car rental since we learned it was a long way by shuttle to the Kona Airport and that traffic is always bad in this area.  We took a “rock and roll” tender to the dock and then a shuttle to Kahaluu Beach south of the city.  We were expecting a beach but it was more of a lava flow with a narrow walkway into the ocean and a protected lagoon – with many people snorkeling.  It was an interesting place where we were able to see many fish even without snorkeling – but the main attractions were baby green sea turtles who were feeding on algae very close to the shore.  There were volunteer guides watching them and keeping people away – they are an endangered species and touching them results in a “hefty” fine.  I spent a long time next to the volunteer learning about them. Then back to town – a touristy place if ever I saw one – but we did stop for Kona Coffee and the ubiquitous chocolate covered Macadamias!  Back on board now and waiting to depart for Fanning Island in the Republic of Kirabati and then to French Polynesia. 

The Crossing from San Diego to Honolulu

Five days and six nights from San Diego to Honolulu may seem like a long time with nothing to do to some people – but not to us!  Sea days are wonderful – you can do nothing, read, relax, or stay busy from morning until night.  Whatever you want!

So far, this cruise has more activities than any cruise we have been on and we have been on Holland America nearly 300 nights and on other cruise lines for about 30. 

There are several lecturers on board.  One is an anthropologist who is presenting the cultures of the South Pacific – he has also lectured on WWII.  There is a “science” professor from England who has presented flora and fauna lectures. He also spoke on the voyage of the Beagle and the life of Charles Darwin. As a follow up, he discussed the “evolution” of Evolution Theory. 

There is a cultural group on board from Hawaii and Tahiti.  Marie-Elisabeth has been to Hawaiian language classes and one on lei making.  She is also taking classes on hula and ukulele daily!  The entertainment has been good too.  Even though we saw them on the Amsterdam last April, we again enjoyed the tribute groups for the Beach Boys and Beatles.  The cast show was Bob Mackie’s Broadway. 

The fabulous location guide, Kainoa, is a native Hawaiian.  He has presented useful information on activities you can do on your own – does not “push” ship tours and shopping.  There are separate staff talks on the tours and shopping.    He also has done a lecture on Polynesian migration and Kingdom to Statehood on Hawaii.  Kainoa also told some moving family stories about the attack on Pearl Harbor as well as his own experiences as a guide to the Arizona Memorial.   

Even though we have not set foot on land yet, this is a great vacation!

Cruise to French Polynesia - February 14 to March 16, 2014

Statendam - Holland America Cruise Itinerary

We're off again on a new adventure!  Marie-Elisabeth and I have both been to about 90 of the Century Club list of countries and territories - BUT - believe it or not - we have never been to Hawaii (unless you count the airport in Honolulu on the way to Jakarta).  Guess we were saving it for our old age - I know - that time has come!  :)

This 30 day cruise seemed ideal for relaxation. We love sea days and the joy of doing nothing in particular - except reading from our "full" Kindles, going to lectures, movies, cooking demonstrations, shows, and trivia (for me). Having someone else cook, clean, make the bed twice a day, do laundry, etc. is our idea of a real vacation.  We love having our hotel move with us, packing and unpacking once, and having someone else do the driving.

We'll have two days in Honolulu and then one day in Hilo, Kona, and Lahaina.  The stop on Fanning Island in the country of Kirabati - (formerly known as the Gilbert Islands) should be very interesting. This isolated atoll is quite poor and the Cruise Critics group we are members of has organized donations of books and school supplies to the island.  A previous cruiser noted that the school only had a dozen books on the library shelves.

During the cruise, February 28 will be about 48 hours long....and February 27 will be almost non-existent....???  We cross the International Dateline on the way to Fanning Island - spend the 28th on Fanning. When we leave there, we cross the Dateline again going back to February 28!  Someone with Cruise Critics has a birthday on February 27 so he has decided he will not get a year older this year!

Our other stops will be in French Polynesia and the Marquesas.  The day we are in Papeete is a National Holiday - Missionary Day.  This  is the day when missionaries arrived from the London Missionary Society. The place where they landed is north of Papeete and is the sight of an annual reenactment.  This year Missionary Day is on March 5 which is also Ash Wednesday.  This should be interesting!

I'll be posting Blog updates when I can so stay tuned!

Coata Rica and Nicaragua

Today we are at sea after two port days.  The first was Punta Arenas in Costa Rica.  Our plans changed at the last minute – long story.  Although we rarely take a ship tour, we signed up for one to take a gondola over the tree tops in a rain forest near Jaco, Costa Rica.  We have been to Costa Rica several times – twice with land tours of 2 weeks each, taking us to both the Caribbean and Pacific Coasts.  We have walked in rain and cloud forests but never over and through the treetops.  It was a great experience.  So much of the life of the forest takes place above the ground.  Each gondola (open air) seated 8 plus a naturalist guide.  One of the highlights for us was spotting a Toucan in the trees!  The tour also included a walk in the forest with displays of trees, flowers, and a serpentarium.  At least they were in terrariums because I never met a snake I liked!

The biggest thrill of the day was during the drive on the private road to the site of the gondola.  Our bus guide spotted a Scarlet Macaw peering out of a hole in a tree.  At first he thought it was a fledgling getting ready to fly – THEN – a full sized bird came out of the very small hole.  At this point, we could see the baby being fed by “maman!” Our bus guide was excellent.  He was a retired National Park Service Naturalist with excellent English speaking skills.   Costa Rica is continuing to develop infrastructure for tourists – the roads are good and the people friendly and accommodating.  The country has no army, the highest literacy rate in Latin America, universal health care, and an excellent environmental record.  No wonder they have such a large American expatriate community.

Our next day in Nicaragua could not have been a bigger contrast.  The country has been racked with revolutions, civil wars, brutal dictators, and negative interference from the United States.  The country is one of the poorest in Latin America and is only now beginning to develop tourist infrastructure.  Cruise ships have only recently started stopping.  Our primary destination was Leon – established in 1524 – about an hour from the port of Corinto where we docked. 

We had a private guide - Julio Cesar Pineda Arauz was the proud owner of Julio Tours based in Leon, Nicaragua.  His story is what made the tour special.  When he was 14, he and three friends were arrested by the Somoza military when returning from a baseball game after the martial law curfew.  (The Somoza family ruled Nicaragua for generations as repressive dictators.)  Julio was not a guerilla/rebel when arrested but his treatment in prison radicalized him. (This sounds familiar!)  He was released thanks to his grandmother’s perseverance. 

After his prison experience, he joined the rebels in the mountains – the Sandinistas.  When the Sandinistas came to power, Julio was in the Army and went to the Soviet Union and Cuba for training.  When the Sandinistas lost power in the late 1980s, Julio looked for work in civilian life but could not find anything in Nicaragua. He went to various Central American countries to look for work.  His experience as a guide for a blind American visiting Guatemala convinced him that Americans were not the foreign devils portrayed in the propaganda of his youth.  He returned to Nicaragua and continued working in the tourist industry as a bellman and valet at the nicest hotel in Leon.  Guests in the hotel convinced him he should study English more to be able to guide tourists.  He now owns Julio Tours, employs several people, owns a van, rents others when needed, and appears to be doing quite well.  Yesterday he had three full vans of tourists from the ship. 

On the way to Leon, we stopped at a school where the students – primary grades – sang for us.  It was chaos but a great fun.  The school is primary education in the morning and secondary in the afternoon.  We bought school supplies in Leon and dropped them off on the return to the ship. Leon has 1 public and 4 private universities – it was the seat of leftist activity during the various revolutions. The town is low-rise with colorful buildings – shops and homes mixed together.  We walked through the market – a favorite activity for us.  There was everything – fish, meat, vegetables, fruits, etc. 

We stopped at a stand where the owner was skinning an iguana – Julio said iguana tastes exactly like….iguana!  The woman suddenly pulled two packages from below the counter – several green and brown iguanas tied together but there was a difference!  They were still alive – one of the large bright green ones kept blinking his eye as he watched her skin the first iguana.   Someone in our party – who shall remain nameless – did not realize they were alive but when this reality became apparent, I believe the direct quote was – “eeeuuuu…..!” 

YUM!

We also visited the Cathedral – a World Heritage site – built in the 16^th century.  When the doors closed at noon, we walked around the main square when hundreds of uniformed students spilled out of a local school.  Watching them mingle in the square reminded me that kids are kids all over the world.    Our lunch was in a wonderful old hotel built around a central garden.  El Convento Hotel had been a convent.  On our drive back to the ship we stopped near a volcano to see the bubbling mud pots. 

This was one of our most memorable day trips from a ship.  It was mostly due to a great guide, friendly people, and learning firsthand how one person made it through the turbulent years of Nicaraguan history.  

Panama Canal

Yesterday was our Panama Canal transit – our second time.  The first was in 2006 just before they started the expansion project.  We saw major construction underway yesterday.  It is supposed to be completed in 2014 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the original canal opening.  Not sure they will make 2014 from what we could see.  The expansion is to provide wider locks to accommodate the current generation of mega-ships.  Rather than expand the existing locks, they are building parallel locks so there will eventually be 4 sets of locks instead of the current 2 at each site.   There are locks near the Caribbean and two sets on the 

Pacific end of the canal.

Most of the time you sail through Gatun Lake and another smaller lake as well as the infamous cut through the hills that claimed so many lives during construction.  Gatun Lake is man-made – one of the engineering marvels of the canal.   There are double locks as a precaution since a failure would mean that Gatun Lake would empty out into the Pacific or Caribbean.  Not a good thing!

The canal runs from northeast to southwest – which is counter intuitive until you look at a map and realize that Panama actually runs west to east.  So – you go south to get to the Pacific from the Caribbean! 

It was a beautiful day – hot but bright sun with white clouds and no rain!  The ship had a very good commentator on board who pointed out sites along the way as well as history and basic facts about the canal.  All in all – a great day! 

Fort Lauderdale to Aruba

Beach Time on Aruba

Our flights from San Diego to Fort Lauderdale via Dallas were relatively uneventful.  The planes were full but thanks to my Gold for Life status we were in the expanded seating area of Economy – those extra few inches of legroom make ALL the difference.  Dallas to Fort Lauderdale was a bit strange – no beverage service because of the bumpy ride (they said), even though we have had flights a lot more turbulent. 

Since the shuttle to the hotel was not the best experience, the next morning we opted for a taxi to the Port Terminal.  We went early enough that traffic was sparse and we were able to check in immediately – only 8 to 10 people in the waiting area.  Of course, we had to wait two hours to board but we had plenty to do – thanks to Kindle. Our friends, the Quastlers, had to disembark after the World Cruise and re-board for this repositioning so we had a chance to see them in the boarding area. 

After lunch in the Lido, we found our room which is our home away from home – we are used to these Holland America cabins so we know where to put everything.  Later we joined our friends at the early dinner seating along with friends of the Quastlers who are also on this cruise.  

The next two days were “sea days” – our favorite time on a ship!  Relaxation, eating, book reading, Team Trivia, eating, naps, lectures, and – did I mention eating?  Actually, we’re trying to be good on the “food front” which is not easy – especially considering the cookies! 

Yesterday was Aruba – undoubtedly our least favorite Caribbean island – but we seem to keep repeating this stop – this was our third time on the island.  This trip we opted to rent a car and go to a beach that was recommended on Trip Advisor – Eagle Beach.  This is in the low-rise hotel area.  We found a spot in front of Amsterdam Manor – at this time of year (past peak season) they allow “day-trippers” to use their beach front.  The Quastlers had joined us so we stayed at a table under a nice shady tree until the restaurant opened.  We ordered lunch and they delivered it to us in interesting stackable “Asian Steam baskets.”  The food was actually quite good and not badly priced for being right on a beautiful beach. 

Imre opens the magic lunch stackables!!

After dropping off the Quastlers in downtown Oranjestad, we drove to the far south tip of the island to a recommended beach – Baby Beach.  Well – not the best idea in some respects.  The drive was uninspiring – through a decidedly non-tourist area.  It was dry, dusty, uninspiring landscape, one small settlement after another.  Finally a sign for Baby Beach – we then drove by an abandoned Valero Refinery and a prison before finding the beach.  It was admittedly a beautiful blue/green sea with white sand in a well protected lagoon but there were few trees and only a few shade structures.  Very glad we went to the other beach. 

Returning the car was an ordeal – it was NOT easy to find a parking place in the public lot across from the Hertz Office.  The walk back to the ship was the walk from HELL – it was in the 90s with the humidity about the same.   If there ever is a “next time” for Aruba – I doubt if I get off the ship.

Today is another wonderful sea day – tomorrow the Panama Canal transit!