Pago Pago, American Samoa

 

I think it’s October 10, but I’m not sure as we are going to be crossing or we have already crossed the dateline. I do know we are in Pago Pago instead of Apia, which is what it says on the itinerary. Pago Pago (pronounced Pango-Pango) is tiny, green, lush, hilly, tropical, hot and pretty. 

 

It’s the dry season right now, so there are not as many flowers as there would be in the wet season, but the torch ginger, mati, hibiscus and bougainvillea are definitely in bloom. Mati is a new flower to me. It’s a series of pink flowers that grows in a cone-shape.

 

Like all tropical islands, it’s green and lush. The vegetation grows everywhere...on buildings, cement beams, as well as on the ground. All homes look dirty, even when they are freshly painted, as the mold stains everything, forever. The homes are made of cement block or poured cement. There are a few wooden homes, but they don’t do well in the humidity or the typhoon winds.

 

The waters around the island are blue and relatively calm...at least today they are calm. The surf rolls in over a reef making for a riptide. Also there are not many sandy beaches, at least where we were.

 

We took a local taxi ride for 3 hours. We saw the “flowerpots” which are gumdrop-like formations in the ocean covered with vegetation. 

Then we drove some more and found the blow-holes in a black lava stone beach. I tried to take a picture of the water blowing thru the hole, but my timing was off.

I did see a shorebird picking at the lava. There are the requisite boonie-dogs and chickens, but it’s rare to see a cat in the tropics, I don’t know why?

 

The island has all the mod-cons. The LBJ Topical Medicine Center, an International Airport, Post Office, Consulate, Ace Hardware, Napa, McDonald’s and Carl’s Jr. There are lots of mom-and-pop stores that sell just about anything from water to bingo supplies. 

 

 

 

 

We had a nice time on the island. Next stop is Fiji...keep watching this space.

Local Teachers taking a lunch break

Our ship, the Maasdam from an overlook

Our Guide — look at the carved and painted tree...it’s cleverly done

Our driver in a traditional lavalava

Local Police in uniform

 

US Flag, American Samoa Flag...and the McDonald’s Flag

 

 

 

Stuff To Do and Not To Do

Life on ship is easy. There’s stuff to do, and stuff to ignore. We seem to be doing a lot of ignoring. We had formal invitations to two soirées only to forget to go to them. One was a “meet and greet” with the officers, the other was to receive a medal saying we’ve sailed with Holland America for 100 days. I brought my invitation to the front desk and they were nice enough to give me my medal. While the invitations are nice,  we don’t need more opportunities to eat.

 

Regarding “stuff to do” I have been crocheting. I finished another teddy bear blanket and I gave it to Karen, the acupuncturist on the ship. She was delighted. We’ve also been reading, looking at movies and eating. 

 

 

Our next port of call is Pago-Pago (which is pronounced Pango-Pango) where I think we are going to visit an American National Park.

PS: this teddy bear blanket is buttery yellow

 

 

Honolulu, part 2

 

 

 

Our second day in Honolulu. It’s been a nice respite from sea days. We’ve not done much here except go ashore to get some stuff that we needed. When I took my walk this morning at 6:45, the clouds were incredible. By noon, the clouds disappeared and the day warmed...

 

 

Then the clouds returned about 4 and we were treated to a rainbow. It’s called the “land of rainbows” for good reason.

 

 

 

 

Hawaii is also a huge container port, so we’ve been seeing lots of traffic outside our window. This afternoon a Matson container ship passed by, and all but two of it’s containers were Matson. That’s a rarity.

Honolulu Images

Honolulu with the Aloha Tower

The Maasdam in Port

Aloha License Plate...the land of rainbows

Gotta go to Walmart...there’s a free shuttle here which we did NOT take

A cloudy day which is very nice...not too hot, not too humid! 

We are here for another day!

 

Another Blanket

Another Teddy Bear Blanket has been completed. I started the blanket when we were in Canada in the summer...then I fell and discovered I could not work a crochet hook without causing shoulder pain! So I stopped crocheting, which I was not happy about, but there was nothing I could do about it, except heal. I guess I’ve been healing, because now I can wield a crochet hook with the best of them!

 

I laid the blanket out to take this picture, when a nice lady said I was a gifted crocheter! She “oohed and aahed” about how pretty the blanket was, so I asked her if she knew of a baby on the way and she did, so I gave it to her! She was shocked! She asked if she could pay for it, and I told her to give a donation to her favorite charity. Pay it forward...so there’s a new baby blanket out there spreading joy in a couple of ways. Does it get any better than that!

Recognize Diamondhead?

 

 

PS: we just docked in Honolulu. We’ll be here for 2 days.

PS2: I don’t know why the photo of the blanket looks like it’s been stained with coffee...it is a pure white blanket!

Life on the Maasdam

We are getting into a routine on the ship. We order breakfast in the room between 8 and 830. A neatly dressed waiter rolls our goodies into the room and our day begins. It’s always a nice way to start the day with a yummy breakfast we didn’t have to cook.

 

Some days I walk the Lower Promenade Deck for 2 miles. Other days I go to the gym and use the treadmill then do my PT exercises.  My shoulder is feeling a bit better. I had a big “dose” of PT yesterday with both exercise and acupuncture. I even have some acu-pressure points on my ears that I can push should the pain in my shoulder become worse...and believe it or not, the acu-pressure points work!

 

Then it’s time to relax in the hot tub. There are only 2 public tubs on the ship (it’s not a big ship). They are in the “Lido Dome” which is on Deck 11 of the ship. The dome opens and closes according to the weather, but the dome is usually opened so that the hot tubs are in the shade, which is perfect. 

 

Yet another change of clothes and it’s time to go to lunch. There are choices to make here. We can have lunch in the formal dining room, or we can go to the Lido and enjoy various cuisines from all over the place. We choose between fresh pasta, pizza, sandwiches, Sushi, salads to tacos or burgers and more...the list goes on and on. Then to finish off the lunch, there’s the desert bar with scooped ice cream. 

 

After lunch I play trivia, which is not a blood sport on this ship. It’s just fun trivia. So far, my team has yet to win a prize but we are having fun deciding on answers. Do you know the largest province in Canada or who is the voice of Ella in Frozen—the questions cover a lot of categories.

 

After trivia there’s more choices to make, such as a lecture, a movie, a cooking program (ATK is here) or the library. Yesterday we saw “Churchill.” Sometimes it’s a nap in the comfy chairs in the library or a dip in the pool or nothing at all. The decision is ours to make.

 

Then it’s time to go to dinner. We have “any time dining” which means a different table every night and a different set of table mates.  We could also go at any time between 530 and 930. We have opted to have a set time, 530, as that seems to work well for us. We’ve been asking for a “4 top” which allows us to talk to another couple. So far the arrangement has worked out well. Last night our table partners escaped from their early dining  assignment as their table mates spoke German and after 3 nights of trying to have a conversation with them, they just gave up and decided to try any time dining.

 

After dinner there’s usually a show in the main theater. There’s also venues for music and dancing and trivia. We’ve been trying to sample all that is out there. There’s also a huge DVD collection onboard, so we can retire to our room and look at a movie of our choice on our flat screen TV. 

 

A day in the life of the Maasdam is pretty nice!

(PS: The Pictures

1-the elevator rugs are changed daily—otherwise we would not know the day of the week

2-just a pretty light fixture

3-the atrium lobby on the Promenade Deck...Holland America does not waste space on luxurious atria...this one is a bit more exciting than most of their atria

4-See the clock—clocks are rare on shipboard..this one is on the main deck. It’s important to know where the clocks are as the time is changed regularly)

Day 1 of 55

We just completed our first full day on the Maasdam. It’s been a good day at sea. It started with breakfast in the room, followed by tea in the Crow’s Nest, followed by a 3 star Mariner champagne welcome, followed by lunch. Then came trivia and finally some rest time in the library. Tonight was a “Gala” night, so it was the first of our 9 formal events and most of the folks got dressed up. The day is coming to a close, so we’ll see a movie before bedtime. Cruising is such hard work...and we seem to love it. Our first stop is Honolulu but that’s another 4 days from now. Life is good! And, guess what? Silkie is having a good time too!

Morning

The sunrise was spectacular this morning. The light radiated from the cloud cover painting the ocean with pale pink, gray, green and blue light. And, then a blink later, it was gone! I completed my 2 mile walk, which is 8 laps around deck 6, in good time. I thought I was leaving my cabin early, before 6:45, but folks were on deck 6 walking away.       

The deck hands were putting up the deck chairs while the rest of us walked (no jogging allowed) the wet deck. Thank goodness the deck was not slippery. As you can see, the water was calm, as it’s been the whole trip.

Next stop was America’s Test Kitchen which Holland America is featuring right now. Fans can watch ATK test cooks demonstrate their favorite recipes. Today, 2 yummy easy-to-cook Italian meals were prepared in less than 30 minutes. My type of dinner. 

 

Watch This Space

My shoulder still hurts, so I’m using the sling once in a while, especially when my arm gets tired. I saw another doctor yesterday and he said the exray shows a “chip” in the shoulder that could cause another problem. If you look, you might see a dent at the tip of the humerus. 

I’m not sure why my other doctors have not seen that little indentation. This doc said it could cause a “catch” when I raise my arm? Who knows. I’m doing my rehab regularly and I’m determined it will get better. It has to get better, as a new adventure is starting tomorrow. 

Right now there are 5 suitcases in the bedroom that are getting packed and only one is completely packed. We are getting ready for a HUGE vacation. Watch this space for pictures...they will start tomorrow!

 

Back in the Land of Fruit and Nuts

We are back in California, having made the four day drive from quiet and rural to noisy and urban. Thank goodness we don't live in a super urban part of CA. When we leave and when we return I try to take a picture of Lake Oroville. 

This September the water level is relatively low. This is probably a good thing because the spillway is not yet fixed and the weather guessers are predicting a wet winter. (We saw a headline on Sunday saying the spillway will not be finished by November 1.) Therefore, a low lake level is a good thing. Click here to see the lake level last year at this time. Click here to see progress being made on the spillway. It's a huge project.

BTW, I named this post the "Land of the Fruit and Nuts" because California produces a lot of fruit and a lot of nuts, both of which are healthy for you.

Update

 

The news is good. Yes I did break my shoulder...and yes I did some damage to the rotator cuff...but according to my doctor I'm on the mend and I do not need surgery!

The top x-ray is the latest one...and if you know how to read x-rays, you can see that the bone is mending. The doc took me out of the sling and said now is the time to try to heal the rest of the way by moving your arm more naturally so it will not become frozen. So, he gave me some exercises to do several times a day to increase mobility, which I'm doing.

As for the rotator cuff, it is NOT torn. When I fell, I must have jabbed the bone into it, creating a 1/2 inch hole. This is supposed to be better than a tear. A tear needs to be surgically sewn togehter, but a hole will heal itself. If all goes to plan, the shoulder should be well in 8-10 weeks. He showed me the hole on the MRI but frankly I did not see what he saw...it looked like a brighter line amidst some darker ones. Interpreting MRIs is an art-form.

Being out of the sling is wonderful. I have two arms and two hands that work, as long as I don't push it too much. I did that last night be accidentally over-extending my right arm. The pain was immediate! I'm not 100% yet, but I'm going to get there.

Lest We Forget

Today is 9-11 -- 16 years ago, a group of Islamic terrorists successfully destroyed the World Trade Center in New York City, part of the US Pentagon, etc. It is a day we need to remember, much like we need to remember 12-7-1941 (Pearl Harbor Day or The Day that will live in Infamy). Events happen that change the world...and they should not be revised or edited or erased because they are not pleasing to x-group or y-group, or any other group. (Ancient Egyptians took to deleting hieroglyphs of pharoahs when they were out of favor...yet centuries later, we still know those pharoahs existed and what they did.) Columbus took a few handful of men in 3 tiny ships and sailed to a place that was hitherto unknown; Robert E. Lee was a great Civil War general; 12 US Presidents were slave holders; Balboa, Vespucci, DeSoto and many others were discoverers exceptional; and now these people and others are being reviled because of the aftermath of their deeds. For every action there is a reaction. That's what change is about. We need to remember the past in order to understand the present and predict possible futures. Erasing the past will not make it go away, nor will editing it. The past is! Wake up and smell the roses. Things happen. 9-11 changed our world in such a way that we no longer trust one another. We need to remember that and not try to erase it like it never happened.

Watch this Space

We said "good bye" to the Tetons for the summer...watch this space as another adventure is on the horizon!

Birds

It's hard to take still pictures that show some action...but I think I did. This warbler is munching the berries on a western mountain ash tree.

And here's a young robin doing the same. Not too bad for a smartphone camera!

On the Lighter Side

On July 29 I broke the tip of my humerus and tore my rotator cuff. Trying to type with those two conditions has been difficult. Today I'm trying again...and so far, no pain...but I'm supposed to get out of my sling tomorrow as the break should be healed. The rotator cuff injury is another story. I'll find that information out tomorrow.   In the meantime, I need to post some pictures as I've not just sat around while waiting for my arm to heal. We went to an old car show which was a lot of fun. The cars of my youth are now old cars. I hope they don't put on an "old person show" any time soon, as we are not quite as shiny as the old cars.

The cutest car there was the 1957 Metropolitan. I remember this car but I don't think I saw too many on the road. This little beauty cost under $1200 when she was new. 

In traffic, she got 30 miles to the gallon! American Motors was ahead of it's time.

My eyes were drawn to this 1955 Oldsmobile because my parents had one of these beauties. We had the Super 88 (this is the 88) in turquoise blue and polar white...those were the days of two tone cars! This car is currently for sale for a mere $22,000.

1958 was the first year of the Chevrolet Impala and this beauty was HOT way back then. It even sported a Continental Kit which made her about 18 inches longer. Those were the days when longer was better.

There were two 1957 Chevrolets...and red one and a blue one.

The blue one sported a Buick grille...who knows why. This one is completely restored and has only 5000 miles on it. The gentleman who had the car said "this car gets lots of attention" and rightly so. She was purty!

You don't see many Studebaker's around anymore. This is a 59 SkyHawk.

I'll end with a 1970 Nova that been "souped" up a bit. This car did not sell well in Mexico because no va means "no go" in Spanish. Not a promising name for a car!

Stuff

Hurricanes are blowing, earthquakes are shaking, fires are burning, NK is threatening...no where is safe! My heart and hopes and prayers and thoughts are going to all the folks who are enduring the barage of "ugliness!"Do we need a crazy man exploding nuclear warheads when we have mother nature doing her thing? STOP NK--enough is enough! Everyone, stick together; help your neighbors; we're all in this together... Be safe out there!