Connecticut College Arboretum

Established in 1931 750-acre Connecticut College Arboretum includes their 25-acre Native Plant Collection located in the larger Bolleswood Natural Area.  The Native Plant Collection trail is broken down into 9 main stations with a few additions. The main trail is roughly 2 miles long and can be completed in 1 hour at a leisurely pace.

As we headed down the hill we entered Stage 1, described as a typical forested wetland which has water present at or near the surface for most of the year.  The ground definitely looked like it would normally be swampy but with our current drought the ground was,at best,damp. The Marsh Marigold with its buttercup-like flowers were flourishing.  

As we continued along the marked trail, we entered the second stage filled with various types of  magnolia's. Here two stoic 79yo tulip trees planted in 1936 have grown tall.  The fast growing tulip tree grows perfectly straight and love moist wet forested areas. Around the base of these impressive trees are the Roseshell Azaleas planted in the 40's.

Stage 3 takes us to the conifers. The Gries Memorial Native Conifer Collection was established more recently in 1988 then the majority of the collection.  It's relatively young age is a result of the previous grove of red pines secumming to an insect infestation in the early 80's. The refreshed conifer collection now includes red and white spruce, hemlocks, cedar trees and various pines. 

Along the large Pond is the fourth stage, a dam responsible for the 3' deep pond. The dam built in 1934 allowed the seepage fed pond to devlop its own natural ecosystem and is host to many creatures like crayfish and tadpoles. 

As we continue along the dam we reached Stage 5 filled with many deciduous trees and herbaceous species like oaks, birches, maples, dogwood and mountain laurel. Typically you would also find Eastern Hemlocks but the Asian Hemlock Wooly Adelgid insect has decimated the trees. 

It was here we had an option, we could continue along the main path or deviate and follow the bog path. We decided to check out the bog and took the path to Stage 5a. A bog is a fairly uncommon feature found in Southern Connecticut.  Bogs develop when glacial depressions fill with water and over time plant material accumulated and formed deposits of peat as thick as 3'. Shrubs like cranberry, highbush blueberry, and leatherleaf can be found along the bog edges. The bog was fairly dry thanks to the current drought. 

The sixth stage includes native nut trees like the Hickory Tree. Their hard shell fruits are edible and provide food for many of the local wildlife. Here you could also appreciate the rocky out croppings from which much of the granite buildings on campus are built from. 

As we made our way along the path we reached the one man made  structure. Stage 7 was a gift by the Buck family in 1937 and is known as Buck Lodge. It's used by the college for recreational gatherings and meetings. 

The eighth stage puts you under a massive White Pine planted in 1940 to replace the loss of another large pine in 1938. It sits on the edge of the outdoor theater once used by Connecticut a College for Comomencement exercises. As we admired the open area we discussed the possibility that my Grandmother who was an alum of Connecticut College may have received her diploma in that very spot. 

The final stage, stage 9 is the home to the arboretum's native Holly collection. With both male and female trees I have never seen such big holly trees. The female trees have red berries where the male trees do not. 

That wrapped up our self-guided tour of this impressive collection of native plants on this beautiful late summer early fall day.

NYC High Line

The HighLine was built by the New York City Railroad between 1929 and 1934 to eliminate the dangers of street level city rail traffic.  The elevated trains carried meats, produce and dairy to warehouses and factories at the third floor level and the route became known as the "Life Line of New York".

In 1999 a group of community residents rallied to safe the decaying structure. Today the HighLine is an urban oasis along Manhattan's West Side. The elevated track is now a city park winding its way through the trendy Chelsea and Meat Packing District where apartments go for between 2 and 20 million USD. It's tracks still remain but are now part of a mixed surface of wood, concrete and stone walk ways surrounded by lush green areas filled with grass, flowers, fountains, art installations and viewing platforms allowing visitors great views down many of the cities streets. 

We started at W 34th street. The path looped along the Henry Hudson Parkway until it went up W 30th St. We followed it all the way to the end at Gansevoort Street where we had a delicious lunch in the Gansevoort Market before making the track back to W 34th street.  Its a great venue to relax and enjoy on a summer day.

Task 51 - Create a Photo to Album for Hawai'i

Traveling to Hawai'i was a great experience, one that I will never forget.  I saw some beautiful places and did some amazing things.  Even though the flight was long it was worth every minute to check off one more box on my bucket list.  For those who know me know I love to travel. It is my biggest passion in life and I would love to have visited every country. I know the chances of that are slim given limited resources and the political climate but its a dream.

Second only to traveling is collecting keepsakes from all the places I visit. I have a huge display case in my home and proudly showcase many of the unusual and amazing things I have added to my collection over the years.

Another way that I like to remember my trips is by creating wonderful photo albums. They are almost always organized in the order in which I saw them and generally include some notes about the location or experience. I created a photo album for Hawai'i to do just that. Remind me years from now what an amazing experience I had. Below are just a few of the pages from my newest photo album.

9/11 Memorial

While the 9/11 Museum is not yet open the Memorial is and stands as a tribute of remembrance of the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

Architecturally it is an 8 acre park with 2 reflecting pools that are placed exactly in the foot prints of the  Twin Towers. Each person lost has their name inscribed on the bronze panels surrounding the two reflecting pools.  Every day white roses are placed along the names of those victims who would have been celebrating a birthday.

The park has been planted with more than 400 Swamp White Oaks which can reach heights of over 60 feet and live up to 300 years.  Among the Swamp White Oaks stands one special tree called the “Survivor Tree”.  This Callery Pear tree was planted on the original World Trade Center plaza in the 1970’s and was found buried in the rubble and severely damaged but still alive. Nursed back to health it has been returned to the WTC site standing just west of the South pool.

The reflecting pools are each 1 acre in size and have 30 foot deep black granite walls where 480,000 gallons of recycled water are pumped at a rate of 4 ft per second or 52,000 gallons per second. The flowing water creates a cascading waterfall which gives off a nice, peaceful background of sound that almost nearly eradicates the sounds of the city bustling around it. Together the two fountains make up the largest man made waterfalls in the nation and are called Reflecting Absence.

In addition to the trees and reflecting pools a new museum is being built. The museum stands today where the sphere once stood in the center of the WTC plaza. I saw the sphere in Battery Park during my visit to the Statue of Liberty. While not complete we were able to look through the windows of the museum and see iconic Survivor’s Staircase and the Twin Tower Tridents.

It was most inspiring to see the large crowds all stand in silence and look down deep into the reflecting pools as if they were looking deep into the soul of America. Each person there most definitely left with a tear in their eye and a sense of pride in their country. While I reflected on my visit I couldn’t help but remember all those years ago when my family and I visited the Twin Towers and rode the elevators to the observation deck on the 107th and 110th floors of the South Tower. I can remember feeling like were in the clouds and watched the planes fly by nearly at eye level. It makes me wonder what those visiting that day must have seen and experienced.

Later in the day I will visit the 102nd floor of the Empire State Building and I look forward to visiting the observation deck of One World Trade Center when it opens in 2015.

Hawaii - Day 7 & 8 (Fly Home)

After a great vacation so far we all woke up sad that this was our last morning in Hawaii. With a scheduled pickup by Speedie Shuttle at 1:30pm for our 4:05pm flight we decided to head out for breakfast and some last minute shopping on Kalakaua Ave.

We started at the International Market Place at the koa wood dealer where I had already picked up a few really nice items earlier in the trip. While I didn't add any additional purchases to my large pile of things I had already packed it was nice to get one final look at everything she had.

We continued walking to our goal destination being this $5 breakfast place Dan had been wanting to try all week. After waiting in the long line for only a few minutes we got lucky and scored a table with out too much effort. In no time at all our food had arrived and we were enjoying our eggs, sausage, and hash browns.

After finishing breakfast we talked about the many things we did and each picked a favorite. Everyone came to the same conclusion that the Fly-Away to the Volcano's and Ha: Breath of Life were the top two attractions.

We again talked about our disappointment in having missed the opportunity to see Pearl Harbor because of the government shutdown but agreed that the trip as a whole was a blast.

As we walked back to the hotel we stopped by one of the many Honolulu Cookie Company stores and picked up several boxes of cookies to bring home as gifts. I know my dad will enjoy them so I got him a nice box set of their coconut collection.

Chris wanted to swing by the lucky store I had hit a few days ago but on our way we found the sidewalk closed for filming. Nothing exciting and certainly not Hawaii Five-O but instead some retail commercial.

When we finally got the go ahead to continue on we found that Lucky was closed. We still aren't sure if they just hadn't opened yet or if it was closed because of the filming.

We returned to the hotel having finished everything we wanted to do and decided to relax for a couple hours. At about 11:00 I suggested we grab a pizza before checking out. Little did I know we were supposed to have checked out by 11:00. We asked for an extension to 12 Noon and ate and showered quickly.

Not wanting to hang out in the hotel lobby for 1.5 hours I called Speedi Shuttle and managed to get an earlier pickup.

By 1:00 we were sitting in the airport lounge ready to fly home. Boarding was a breeze and our long flight with a stop over in Atlanta had begun. It wasn't until the next day at 12:00 Noon had we touched down in Hartford.

Hawaii - Day 6 (Pearl Harbor, Dole Plantation, Polynesian Cultural Center, & Ha: Breath ot Life Luau)

Thanks to the government shutdown this day was a complete fiasco. We were supposed to be picked up by the tour company at 6:00am. If it wasn't for my persistent calls the night before I would have had no idea that we were actually not going to be picked up until 8:30. When we finally did get picked up it was 8:45. But here is the kicker the buss was just transporting us to another hotel where we would get picked up by the tour bus we would actually be taking.

That tour bus didn't actually arrive until 9:20. The tour guide almost immediately apologized knowing that he was late. I think he could tell from the look on the faces of the nearly dozen people that we were all less then happy.

After we were all on board he introduced himself as Kona like coffee and told us we had just a few more stops before we would be underway. Moments later we were out of Waikiki and heading towards Pearl Harbor. Even though the shutdown closed the attraction we learned that the tour company had failed to advise a group who were flying over from a different island that their tour was cancelled and we would have to pick them up at Pearl Harbor.

We arrived at Pearl Harbor at 9:50. This is where we all really got annoyed since we found ourselves sitting in the parking lot of the attraction we were supposed to be visiting waiting endlessly for another group they failed to call. After sitting restlessly and Kona telling us they were just around the corner for the last 20 minutes I told him I was going to walk down the street to try and get a picture of the memorial. Another tour guest joined me and we managed to find a decent view over a chain link fence of the Arizona Memorial and snapped a few pictures.  As I turned around Kona was driving down the road towards and it was about 10:45.

We continued on to what should have been our second stop at the Dole Plantation. We arrived at  11:15 and were only allows to spend 20 minutes since we were running behind from all the delays. I managed just enough time to buy a Dole whip, some pineapple flavored gummie bears and a Hawaiian Quilt pillow before being hustled back to the buss.

We stopped quickly at subset beach where we should have had 30 minutes for a quick photo op. Having been there already from the Circle Island tour this was a redundant stop for us and we just put our feet in the sand and waited to get back on the bus.

Still running behind we arrived at our final stop at 12:15. We were supposed to be there for a 12:00 buffet. Sadly by the time we all got our tickets it was 12:30 giving us  only 30 minutes to scar down lunch at the Island Buffet before our first presentation by the Aotearoa tribe. We arrived late and missed the first half of their presentation. Next up was tonga then the 4d movie about the Polynesian culture.

If was after the movie that I learned Kona would be leaving us behind and that he was actually running 2 different tours of his bus and that we would be picked up later after Ha: Breath of Life by a different bus. I asked if he minded if we stayed with him until they left rather then wander around. I learned that after the Canoe Parade that they were leaving but he did give us a an idea of what we should do.

The Canoe Parade was impressive and it gave each represented group an opportunity to demonstrate to the crowds their culture through traditional dance. After the canoe parade we moved on to the next village to watch a demonstration by a Samoan teaching us how to cook and survive on coconut. We also got a show and demonstration on how to climb a palm tree. It was an excellent show.

Next up was Fiji where we learned how to greet and perform a traditional song using bamboo shoots as instruments. It was interesting but very warm in the hut that provided us shelter from the sun.

Our final village was Hawaii where we played traditional village games and tour traditional structures. After a good 30 minutes playing the various bowling like games we grabbed a ride on the canoe to take us back to the main pavilion where we would be having our Ali-Luoa dinner buffet. It was a little early to eat since we ate late because of the delay but we enjoyed the presentation and the pulled pork dinner before leaving the venue.

We still had an hour before the show started and enjoyed the International Marketplace Bazaar where we explored the different handmade and mass produced products. None of us bought anything but I almost bought a hand carved tiki man.

Finally people started to queue up for the show and we joined them at 7:00 promptly they opened the gates and we found our seats.  They were excellent 3rd row side center seats that gave us a great view of all the action. The show told a story of a village and that of a man and woman who would marry and continue the traditions. At the end we were treated with an amazing fire show. It was really an impressive sight and we cold feel the heat from the torches as they spun them with precision.

When it was all over we found the mega bus that would take us back to our hotel. The ride was a good hour with all the stops to drop everyone off and we got home about 10:30. It was a poor start but the show finished our day leaving us all with a smile on our face.

Hawaii - Day 5 (Fly Away to Volcano National Park)

Our day started at 5:30am when we got picked up and driven to the airport for our flight to Hilo. After a short plane ride over the other islands we arrived at 8:00 am where we meet Our Korean tour guide named YB. I asked what the YB stood for and we learned that it was short for Young Bok.

He also gave us a quick introduction the the town we were visiting. He told us that Hilo is located on the windward side of Hawai'i and gets over 200 inches of rain a year. It is the 3rd wettest city in the US.

After a 20 minute ride we stopped at Banyans Restaurant and Bar for malasadas and to pick up a few snacks and gear at Uncle Billy's general store. We were back on the road at 8:55 heading for our first stop of the tour.

Our first stop was the Black Sand beaches of Richardson State Park. Here we learned that the sand is volcanic basalt mixed with white coral and green peridot. While here we ventured out on the volcanic rocks and made our way over a shallow section of water to reach the outer bluffs where we discovered a green sea turtle enjoying the protection of a tidal pool. We took several pictures and I was thrilled to have my water proof camera to capture this creature in his natural environment.

After seeing the turtle and feeling the black sand between our toes we moved on to the Japanese gardens. We learned that this tribute to the Hawaiian people from their last queen is the second largest Japanese garden outside of Japan. Just off the shore from the gardens is Coconut island which during war was considered a safe haven for warriors. If they made it to the island then they were given a reprieve from battle and likely death.

After getting back on the bus we moved on to the third stop of the day to witness the power of water at Rainbow Falls. The falls are 80ft tall and part of the Wailuku River system. Dan and I after taking pictures from the lookout ventured up the path and then off the path finding our way to the top of the falls. Here we could feel the power of the water as it roared past us and over the edge.

It was a spectacular sight to see the water fall from above. We ventured back to the bus and returned to Banyons Restaurant and Bar for a lunch buffet of fish, BBQ chicken, and beef stew. Dessert was pineapple and mango. It was a satisfying meal and I could have definitely used a nap afterwards.

Our next spot was the Volcano's National Park and we arrive after a 45 minute / 29 mile ride. We climbed to an altitude of 4080 ft. Here we learned that Hawai'i experiences 11 of the 13 possible the 13 climate zones.

We also learned at the visitor's center that there are 5 mountains/volcano's on the big island. Youngest to oldest. Kilauea, Mauna Loa, Hualalai, Mauna Koa, and Waimea. After that introduction we walked along the Sulphur Banks Trail where we enjoyed the aromatic smells and views of the sulphur fields. At the end of the Sulphur Banks Trail we found ourselves at the rim of the Kilauea caldera. After some pictures we moved on to the steam vent near the parking lot where we all got a steam facial.

Next we drove along the road until we reached Kilauea Iki which erupted in 1959. Here we saw people hiking on the surface of the caldera and were told that the ground is still warm to the touch.

A short walk from the edge of KilaueaIki was the Thurston lava tube. It was named after the guy who found it. He got the privilege of having it named after him because there was no indication that anyone had ever been there before him. It was an interesting walk through the tunnel and we took a few pictures as hard as it was given the lighting.

Next we visited a series of other smaller craters before heading to the lava fields. We learned that sharp jagged lava is called ah ha. The smoother is called pahoehoe. The newest lava and land is from the 1974 lava flow which is still flowing today. It was during this lava flow that the road got covered. We took pictures on what was left of the road as we meandered down the new road. As we got close to the shoreline we stopped once more to see the arches created by the ocean and lava meeting. What we didn't realize at the time was that while we admired another arch we were actually standing on another.

After enjoying the lava fields we headed back to the summit for dinner at the military camp. The food was standard military fare and satisfied even the hungriest members of our tour. Before leaving to head back to the airport we took one last trip to see the caldera glow at night. It was impressive to see the red glow we couldn't see during the day coming from the center of the caldera.

After a 45 minute ride back to Hilo Airport for the last flight of the day we relaxed to the sounds of Hawaiian music. At 8:00 we re boarded our Go Airlines for our return flight to Oahu and were back on O'ahu by 9:30. It was a long day but by far the most exciting.

Hawaii - Day 4 (Free Day)

Dan and I started our day enjoying breakfast on Waikiki beach before wandering to the other side of the beach to see the 'Art on the Zoo Fence'. At first I thought the artist who I was most eager to see was not going to show. I suggested we hang around for a bit while they all finish unpacking in hopes he might. To my luck the artist who I had specifically wanted to get a piece from arrived.

After a quick conversation with him and his wife while admiring all his amazing work I settled one of a boogie boarder riding a wave. His art work is all acrylic on canvas. The piece was unsigned but he gladly offered to sign it and had his paint brush out and on the canvas. After takings a few pictures with the artist and chatting about our experience thus far on the island we said our good byes and ventured back down the main drag too our hotel. We did a little more shopping along the way and picked up a few gifts for those at home.

When we got back to the hotel we rounded Chris up and I suggested we go down to Cheeseburger in paradise for lunch. Along the way we bumped into my friend Cody. After a quick hello we finally made our way to the restaurant. After a decent burger we headed back to the hotel making a few stops along the way for more gifts to bring home before retiring to enjoy our afternoon in the pool.

We decided since the pool was jammed with people and not a single lounge chair was free that we finally take a dip in the ocean off Waikiki Beach. It was refreshing and it was a blast working our way out to the sandbar where the waves were breaking and the surfer's were catching the waves. Dan and I spent a fair amount of time enjoying the experience before deciding to head back in.

It was too early to go to dinner so we decided to take a walk and venture the other direction to Fort DeRussy. Dan and I watched the sun set as we strolled along. The water. We were both getting hungry and went back to the hotel where we ordered a tomato basil pizza from Ingredients and then enjoyed our dinner on our balcony overlooking Waikiki beach.

With a early morning scheduled for the next day we all called it a night and went to be early.

Hawaii - Day 3 (Circle Island Tour)

After a busy travel day and day 1 on the water today's tour was picked to give us a baseline to know the island. It took us around the island to the most culturally and geographically significant areas. Our first stop was Waimea Valley. Waimea Valley is a culturally rich 'wahi pana' (storied place). The 1,800 acre valley historically was home to many priests but was given to the Kahuna Nai and got the title valley of the priests. One of the most beautiful physical landmarks of the valley is Waimea Falls (1) a 45 foot high fall where the adventurous can swim in the 30 foot deep pool. We didn't know until we got there that we could swim at the falls and as such weren't dressed to go for a swim but we did take our shoes off and enjoy the refreshing cool waters.

Our next stop was Sunset Point Beach known for its spectacular sunsets. It is also home to the Bonzai Pipeline (2) and some of the most internationally renown surfing competitions such as the Triple Crown of Surfing. It wasn't big surf time on the island so the waves while still impressive were small compared to what they experience later in the season.

Having not yet had breakfast our tour guide Josh suggested a stop at the local farm stand (3) known for its banana lumpia. It's got its origins from the Philippines where they take a banana dusted with brown sugar wrap it in a spring roll wrapper and fried it. To say it was delicious is an understatement and for $1 each I spoiled myself and had 2.

Next we stopped at La'ie Point (4). While it is part of the North Shore of Oahu its views from the State Wayside give amazing views of the Windward Coast of Oahu.

After traveling along the coast for roughly 45 minutes we ended up at Kualoa Ranch where many movies like Jurassic Park, Godzilla, Lost and Pearl Harbor were filmed. Here we picked up our lunch and ventured a little farther down Kamehameah Highway to the Milo'I Fish pond which is also part of Kualoa Ranch. There we toke a quick boat ride across its barracuda infested waters to the Secret Island (5) where we enjoyed our Chicken Caesar salads.

Next our tour took us to the Valley of the Temples - Byodo-In (6). This little known secret is located in the Valley of Temples cemetery. This Buddhist temple is held together with interlocking plates and uses no nails in its construction. It's surrounded by a large Koi pond and the main room of the temple there is a large Buddha. To enter you must remove your shoes and it smelled of strong incense.

Nu'uanu Pali (7) is a lookout above the tunnels where visitors are treated to a panoramic view of the Oʻahu's windward side with sweeping views of Kāneʻohe, Kāneʻohe Bay, and Kailua. It is also well known for strong trade winds that blow through the pass, forming a sort of natural wind tunnel. It is also the location of the Battle of Nu'Uanu where in 1795 Kamehameha I forced 400 of Kalanikūpule's soldiers off the edge of the cliff to their deaths 1,000 feet below.

After the windy Nu'Uanu Pali look out we ventured back down to the coast stopping at Waimanalo Bay Beach (8) which is the longest stretch of sandy shoreline on O'ahu.

Halona Blowhole (9) while a beautiful site is also a hidden danger. On windy days when the tide is high waves roll on to shore where the rock formation shoots a geyser of sea spray high into the hair. Below the Halona Blowhole is one of the most dangerous ocean currents in the world know as the Molokai Express.

After watching the power of the ocean shooting in the air we moved on to the tranquil waters of Hanauma Bay (10) is known as one of the best places to snorkel. It's shallow waters are a protected area. It was formed when a caldera blew out its side and water from the Pacific Ocean rushed in.

Diamond Head (11) is a volcanic cone that hasn't been active in 150,000 years and is a prominent symbol of the Hawaiian Islands because of its close proximity and stunning views from Waikiki. We stopped here only briefly for a view of the the neighborhoods below.

 

Map on Google Maps



Hawaii - Day 2 (Sail & Snorkel)

Even though we had a scheduled 5:30 wake up call we all found ourselves wide awake set 4am. After a quick leftover pizza breakfast we all got ourselves showered and dressed for our morning Sail and Snorkle.

At 6:00 we headed down to Don Ho lane to meet our driver to Ko'Olina. After our pickup we had a few more guests to round up before making the 30 minute ride to the leeward side of the island.

When we arrived at Ko'Olina (M) we headed towards their 43 acre marina where we would find our boat ready and waiting. After a quick check in we purchased a few last minute supplies (namely towels which we forgot) and had a quick snack we boarded the 53-foot Holole'a kai catamaran. It's name means "to sail freely and with adventure on the ocean"

Before heading out into the Pacific we meet our crew. Todd would be our captain, Daniel his first mate, and Asia would be our photographer for the day. Once underway we traveled by sail 5.22 miles up the coast zig zagging a little bit before stopping at our first snorkel spot.

Map on Google Maps

Not expecting any additional costs other then drinks we each only brought $40 bucks with us. I wish I had brought more, since I would learn that we could have scuba dived to the bottom for an extra $69.

When we got to the first snorkle spot (1) they handed out all the snorkel gear which included masks, snorkel, flippers, and a life jacket. After a quick explanation of what we would see we were off the boat swimming in the warm pacific waters watching the fish and two green sea turtles enjoying a symbiotic relationship. The fish clean the turtle shells for them by eating all the algae they collected. We spent roughly a hour here and were amazed by the shear volume of fish we encountered.

Chris had stayed on board and met a pair of travelers. Wanda and Chuck Heath who were a delightful pair from Arizona who travel here often and shared some insight with us.

Next we traveled half a mile farther up the coast to our next dive spot (2) where we hunted for an elusive shark that called that reef home. Sadly we didn't get a good glimpse of him but we saw hundreds more fish and some of the coolest coral reefs around. We also got to hold a large piece of sea cucumber which first Mate Daniel joked was a piece of whale poop. Asia the photographer joined us this time in the water and captured some amazing pictures of us. Again, I wish I had brought more money with me since she would later offer the hi-res pictures to us for $60 bucks.

After another hour in the water we all got back on board for a nice early lunch of pulled pork, grilled chicken, and all the fixings made by the crew. Lunch hit the spot and we chatted some more with Chuck and Wanda. They suggested we check out a few good restaurant spots one being Jimmy Buffets for the Nachos.

After a quick cleanup by the crew we motored back to the marina at about 11:30. While sailing back the water was really choppy and we struck up our conversation with Chuck and Wanda again. I offered to e-mail some of the great shots I got of her feeding the fish and she kindly offered to send us all the pictures Asia took since she had bought the CD.

Our ride back to the hotel was fast and after a quick shower we ventured down onto the main drag to do some shopping and try out those Nachos. I picked up a nice pair of sea turtle sterling silver earrings for my mother and a jade fishing hook necklace for myself, and Chris bought a few keychains for his roommates.

Our nachos and drinks at Jimmy Buffets was a disappointment but satisfied our hunger. Still not yet adjusted to the time we went back to our room and were all out cold by 9pm.