Monday October 21, 2024

Arriving in Madrid, we cleared immigration and retrieved our luggage. We had a taxi arranged to take us to our pension (hotel). Checking in after arriving, we were disappointed to find out how small the room was and even more disappointed to see the size of the bed. It was certainly not a double. False advertising on the web page….grrrrrr.

Leaving our bags in our room, we set out to explore and found neat things here and there. Spain is all about Tapas and Sangria. We wasted no time in finding a bar that served them. Although Madrid is touristy, the area we stayed in was not really a tourist area. There were a lot of locals and we ordered three dishes which turned out to be way too much (Spanish lesson #1 – “raciones” are not tapas size!). Of course there was wine to help it down. 

Wandering around the town, we marvelled at the night life and how it seemed to be a party. 

Tuesday October 22, 2024

Our pension (hotel) did not provide breakfast, so we headed out to find a local eatery. The coffee everywhere is excellent and the pastries were on par with France. We took a walking tour and learned a lot about the history and people of both Spain and Madrid. 

For lunch, we found a new snack, pinchos. These are similar to tapas, but smaller. A tray of eight delicious snacks, with vino tinto, seated outside in an open square, was a delightful lunch.

Wednesday October 23, 2024

Our tour guide from the previous day suggested the nearby city of Toledo as a place to visit for a day trip. There are coaches running as often as every 15 minutes depending on the time of day. You just buy a ticket and get in line. When there’s room, you get on.

The drive is about an hour and once in town, we took a taxi to the centro. It was about a 30-minute walk, but it was all uphill, so a taxi made sense to us. Once there, we found a “jamon” place. There were only about 75 of them to choose from. 

Jamon, of course, is ham in English. It is an art form here in Spain. The various jamon places will finely shave the jamon and put it on a very fresh baguette or bun. You can request cheese as well. Interestingly, I never saw any mustard offered. That’s fine for me as I have a minor intolerance to mustard, but I’m sure many folks would have wanted it. The jamon was wonderful and did not need any accompaniments, other than cheese. 

Touring Toledo

Another walking tour followed, where we learned about the history of Toledo. There were battles, attacks and history. Toledo became the capital at one time, only to lose that title a few years later to Madrid.

When the tour was over, we doubled back to the Jesuit church where we were able to climb up the bell tower. It was a long climb but we were rewarded with stunning views of the city and countryside. Knowing there would be a queue for the bus back to Madrid, we decided to have a late lunch/early dinner in a traditional restaurant. The owner was gracious and our three-course meal was accompanied with local Rioja wine. 

With our late lunch finished, we wandered the town and marveled at the similarities to Sienna Italy. In Sienna, tourists, mostly from Florence, flock to town for the day. Inside the city walls, it becomes almost too crowded. Toledo was not really different and the non-stop buses from Madrid validated that. We certainly enjoyed the town more once most day-trippers had fled. If we were to come back, we would likely spend a few nights in Toledo, and perhaps day-trip into Madrid.  

Interestingly, most of the tourists were Spanish. Our walking tour was the only one, of about 25, that was in English. The rest were in Spanish.

Retuning to Madrid, we wandered around the congested city and reaffirmed our preference for smaller, quainter cities.

Thursday October 24, 2024

Today was a lighter day, in preparation for our big evening Flamenco show. There are a number of places putting on Flamenco shows. Each claims to be the most authentic. We chose the one we went to on reviews and ratings.

We were given a choice of drink at the show. Being in Spain, Sangria seemed like a natural choice. We were then led downstairs to a three-row theater with about 50 chairs. As it was open seating, we sat in the front row. Our guide gave us a 15-minute lecture on the history of Flamenco, the migration of people and instruments. Then the show.

I did not know what to expect. In the end, I was blown away. I might describe it as a cross between figure skating and tap dancing. By the end of the show, the dancers were sweating from their hard work. Their feet moved so fast you could not keep track, and all in time. It was certainly a great show. We then found a nice restaurant and had a relaxing dinner. 

Friday October 25, 2024

Leaving Madrid, we took a four-hour bus ride to Logroño, our next Spanish stop. The buses in Spain are highly efficient and very cost friendly. I’m not sure why I picked Logroño as a place to visit, but I’m really glad I did. When we arrived at our apartment, we were blown away by the size, especially after Madrid. The building was close to 200 years old. There were exposed wooden beams and brickwork. We had a small balcony, which overlooked both the Cathedral and the main piazza. That night for dinner, we cooked in the apartment and ate on the balcony, watching the comings and goings and a bit of tomfoolery. 

Saturday October 26^th, 2024

We were not able to find an English walking tour in Logroño, so we improvised. Reading multiple blogs, we crafted a plan and then went to the Tourist Information (TI) centre for further ideas. The TI was most helpful and offered a number of places to visit.  The host highlighted the history of wine and suggested a number of wine related places to visit. 

We started with the history of wine in Logroño. How the city had so many wineries and did a booming trade in wine was fascinating. As you might expect, a lot of the wine was sold “out the back door” to locals. People have been lining their pockets forever. Exploring more, we saw parks, rivers and parts of the Camino trail. There are a number of hostels in town that cater to pilgrims who do the walk. We were fortunate to be able to walk a portion of the trail.

A Pincho walking tour

As evening came, we prepared for our pincho tour. Normally we try to do an organized tour, but in this case, the tours were all starting at €150 and going up from there – and usually in Spanish. We looked at what you got and decided we would do a “self-tour”. There were a number of suggestions and we simply followed our noses. For just over $60 CAD, we were able to have some amazing pinchos’ accompanied by various wines. This also included a stop at a wine bar where we were able to try a local wine along with some local queso (cheese). 

We could not have been happier with our evening. We looked like locals as we bellied up to the bar, pointed to our selection and then added “dos vino tinto”. The host would gather our items as I pulled out my credit card. I then tapped and we munched. The food was so good. Each place had a speciality as well as other choices. You don’t go to one place, but to a few bars. The locals, when they go out, toss money to one person. That is the “orderer” and that person goes and deals with the hostess. 

We did our tour on a Saturday night and it was PACKED. We knew it would be busy and we did start early. The picture of the street shows absolute chaos, but in a good way. 

Sunday October 27, 2024

After a long pincho night, we wanted to know more about the wine they were serving us. A tour of a winery made sense. Over the years, we have likely toured more than 30 wineries. When I saw there was a winery in the centre of Logroño, I was intrigued. Arizcuren Bodega & Viñedos is a small winery producing 25,000 bottles/year. However, they do it the “old way”. Grapes are brought down from the mountain and processed in the city. This is what they did 100’s of years ago and Arizcuren is trying to bring this back. 

A city wine tour – unique but so worth while.

Having been in some of France’s most exclusive wineries, Arizcuren really struck a chord with me. The winery consists of:

Four staff (not a type-o). 

True passion. 

100% commitment. 

From crushing grapes, to aging in oak casks, to hand corking each bottle. Yup, hand corking 25,000 bottles/year. In Canada, their wines are only sold in Ontario and Quebec. If you are able to sample them, I don’t think you would be disappointed. 

The tour provided generous samples. Due to the popularity, we could only get in for the 10:30 tour. As they say, you can’t drink all day if you don’t start early. Here is their website if you are ever in Logrono. https://www.arizcurenvinos.com/en/ Feeling the effects of the wine after our tour, we walked around and exploring some local parks and monuments.

Later in the evening, we saw a huge bonfire. It is the end of the harvest and a few weeks ago there was competition of floats. The best float is selected and it gets to be burned. I’m not sure what happens to the others. Before the fire, there are fireworks and then, under the supervision of firefighters, the float is torched. To me, it is a bit counter-intuitive to win and have your float burned, but who am I to question local customs?

Monday October 28, 2024

As it was our last day, we took it easy today and decided to visit some of the sites we enjoyed. In the evening, we did a modified pincho run, stopping at only two places, but we were richly rewarded.

Monday October 14^th, 2024

After buying Cam’s Aran Island sweater, we took a roundabout route to Donegal. We lunched in the town of Westport and were very glad we did. It had been cloudy all morning. Our weather luck continued to hold as the clouds broke and sun came out as we pulled into town. Finding a park bench by the canal, we ate our picnic in the sunshine and then met a very famous Bear. 

Westport had been chosen as one of 23 towns to get a Paddington Bear bench with a statue of Paddington on it. Other towns included Paddington Station in London, Dublin and other centres. The bench, with Paddington sitting on it, had been installed that day. We were among the first to get our picture with him, complete with his marmalade sandwich!

It was then off to our hotel for the night, Locke Eske Castle. This was truly a castle that had been restored and was now a five-star hotel. Pulling up, we were greeted by staff who took our bags, parked our car and showed us to our 500 square foot room. The building, the facilities, the bed, the bathroom were all first rate. We were offered a chance to dine in the main dining room, but we thought the €150/pp price tag was a bit much.

Hoping on a bike, I headed down to the lake and toured the local area. We popped into town for dinner and a pint before coming back. The bed was comfortable and we managed to sleep in to 8:00 AM.

Tuesday October 15^th, 2024

Today was our anniversary. We are both so proud of ourselves for making it to 36 years, which was part of the splurge for the castle. Breakfast was a feast to behold. There was a menu with the usual suspects including eggs benedict, made different ways such as traditional, salmon, vegan, etc. To the side was a buffet with a full ham and omelets made to order. As much fresh fruit, cheese and cold cuts as you could imagine were also there. It was a wonderful brunch for our anniversary. 

Heading into town, we visited Donegal castle and did a tour. Fascinating history of building, raiding, burning and rebuilding. The town is not really a tourist town and the shops did not sell the typical magnets and t-shirts. We did manage to see a weaver using a 150-year-old loom to make fabric. That store had some of the nicest sweaters I had seen and I was sorry I had already bought one.

When we arrived back at our castle, we did a hike around the grounds and then celebrated our anniversary with a bottle of prosecco, which was followed by another bottle that the hotel provided us for our special day. One of the nicest things about prosecco, at least for us, is that we do not get hangovers! We had a light dinner and then lounged in the “great room” in front of a roaring fire that Cam tended.

Wednesday October 16^th, 2024

Departing the castle after another huge breakfast, we headed into Northern Ireland and the town of Derry or Londonderry. After checking into our BnB, we went to the heart of town and did a walking tour. Learning of the “Troubles”, the medieval walls and the role Derry played in WWII. It was a really well done tour. 

Although it seem a bit sacrilegious while in Ireland, we had dinner at the Spaghetti Junction. A highly rated local Italian place that was recommended by our B&B. It did not disappoint. Then we entered a pub where we ended up being kidnapped.

A True Irish Pub

Pedar O’Donnells is a pub that is written up in many books and was recommended by our host. They play live music nightly and tonight it was traditional or “Trad” music. We were lucky enough to find a table for two and after a bit started talking to the couple next to us. They were Scottish and she was there on business. Then, without warning, she got up and left, returning a few minutes later with a beer for everyone and four shots of tequila. Ummmm….what?

We thought it would be rude to say no, so we snapped it back and drank the beer. As we were chatting, the couple on the other side heard our new friends talking. It turns out they were also Scottish. Here’s where we were kidnapped. The new lady did a disappearing act and came back with beers for everyone. Being by far the oldest of the group, we wondered how this would end. The music was louder and everyone was drinking and laughing. A while later, Meg managed to pull a disappearing act and returned with drinks for everyone. 

At midnight, we said our goodbyes and managed to escape from our good-natured capturers, all of whom now have a great opinion of Canada. I mentioned earlier that prosecco does not give hangovers. Tequila and beer is a different story…especially at our age. 

Thursday October 17^th, 2024

After a slow start, we wandered into town, capturing a picture of the Derry Girls mural. Even though we had never seen the show, it seemed the right thing to do. Touring the Tower Museum, we learned more about the Derry Girls as well as the city. There is a fascinating past. 

A quiet dinner in the B&B and then back to a pub. Although we looked into some other pubs, the only one with music was O’Donnells. As our Scottish friends had all headed back to Scotland, we knew they could not kidnap us again . The music was more of the rebel song variety and the crowd was not as ‘into it’ as the night before.

Friday October 18^th, 2024

Heading down to Athlone, we encountered our first real rain. That did not stop us from visiting two historical sites. The Beltway circle is a Henge, similar to Stonehenge, but with smaller stones. The signs estimate it was built about 2,000 – 1,500 years ago. Somehow, these ancient people knew how to line things up as the winter solstice rises through two particular stones. I find it amazing that, without computers or written records, they could know where the sun would rise. Even more amazing, how often could they see the sun actually rise, versus being blocked by clouds? Ireland is green for a reason: it rains a lot!

Arriving at Athlone, we checked into a nice B&B and then wandered the town, walking along the Shannon River. We found a brewpub for dinner which, unfortunately, was likely the worst brewpub we have ever visited. A completely uninspiring beer menu and limited food. You can’t win them all.

Saturday October 19^th, 2024

Rising early, we left our B&B, where breakfast was not provided unless you paid an additional €15/pp, and we visited Clonmacnoise. This was probably the best ruins we visited. It is managed by the Office of Public Works (OPW) and there were videos, signs and handouts to guide you. The original site was dated from 556 AD and rests on the Shannon River. Over the years it was continually raided by Vikings, Irish and English. It was abandoned in the 1500’s by decree of King Henry VIII when he did away with all the monasteries. 

It is in good condition and was well worth seeing, the brilliant sunshine was an added bonus. This was followed by lunch and a hike. Our evening had us dine in a local pub and then call it an early night. 

Sunday October 20, 2024

We headed into Dublin and after checking into our B&B, we set out for our tour of the Guinness Storehouse, or brewery. It was a self-guided tour and a bit pricy for what you got. Us being us, took way longer than suggested. The tour ended up on the 7^th floor where there were sweeping views of the city. A pint of Guinness was part of the package. 

Dinner was next at a revered restaurant in the Temple Bar area. I had made reservations and we were able to pass a number of folks who were waiting for a table. As it was our last night in Ireland, we both had Guinness stew, which filled us up. We were glad for the 30-minute walk back to let dinner settle. 

Monday October 21, 2024

We returned our rental car and almost ran into a problem. There was a slight nick in the passenger tire and the first clerk said it would require a damage report. I balked and she got her supervisor who told her no, it was not reportable. 

Checking in for our flight on Iberia Express, a budget airline, we departed a bit late for Madrid and started our Spanish adventure.

I’ll post more about Spain at a later date.

Thanks for reading. Please feel free to leave any comments or contact us through the contact form below.

Cam and Meg

Arriving In Ireland

Monday October 7 and 8, 2024

Arriving in Dublin, we picked up our rental car and headed for Kilkenny. The route we followed and the sites we saw for the first 7 days is captured in this Google map.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1ygm2k0DnVa4OuRByNi_vDApEaxojXVk&usp=sharing

We had an amazing BnB for two nights with a wonderful and engaging hostess.  During our first full day there, we headed south and visited some ruins, small towns and did a short hike. The historic significance of the different ruins is amazing.

To fully capture the history of Kilkenny, we did a walking tour and learned the history of the community and how things came to be. Restaurants were plentiful in town and we dined at Kytelers. This is a pub that goes back to the 1300’s. The original owner was married four times, each time her husband died shortly after they were married. Not surprisingly, she became richer after each husband passed. Her fourth husband was a widower and his children were none too pleased he left everything to her.

Through influence, the children from her last husband arranged to have her tried for witchcraft. After the evidence was presented to local noblemen, the sentence was for her to be burned at the stake. Being wealthy, she managed to escape to England and was never heard from again. Of course, as we were visiting near Halloween, the place was decked out with witches’ garb and we took a photo in the requisite hats.

Wednesday October 9, 2024 – Heading to Killarney

Moving on south, we headed to Killarney. Here we stayed in our first Manor, the charming Cahernane House Hotel. We had a beautiful room with a small patio on the ground floor that overlooked pastures and cattle. The Manor is set back from the road by 500 meters, which limits road noise. We were encouraged to book dinner reservations at the manor, however, being tired, we politely declined.

Our first afternoon we headed into town and wandered around. The town is 100% a tourist town. There was no shortage of businesses that would sell you sweaters, hats, beer and anything else. It was very quaint. When we had seen enough, we returned to the hotel to rest and then walked to a nearby brew-pub. Both the beer and pizza were great.

Thursday October 10, 2024 – The Ring of Kerry

We were up early and had a great breakfast in the dining room. Our plan was to drive the Ring of Kerry. Leaving at 08:30, there were a few stops along the way. In the end, we drove 22km of the 175 km as we simply spent too much time at each of our stops!

We started at Ross castle. It was not yet open for the day, however we saw the spectacular early morning sun on the building. Carrying on, we explored the Muckross Friary – a beautiful, unrestored but abandoned stone building. Like so many other Friary’s in Ireland and England, it fell into disrepair after King Henry VIII shut them down. As it was still early, I managed to capture a stunning shot of the sun coming through a small window. I reflected on how many times in the past 1,000 years the sun come had come in that window.

Finding stops on the Ring of Kerry

Our next stops were at a waterfall, followed by a stone circle. We ended up in Kensame for lunch and then headed out to see a sheep dog demonstration. Both the sheep and dog know the rules. The dog runs like the mad hatter and sheep head in the direction they are told. At times the dog will nip at the sheep’s hind legs, so there is respect. A few years back, some farmers tried to get rid of the dogs and use drones. 

This worked well the first time, however sheep are not as stupid as one may think. After a few times, the sheep figured out that drone would not nip at their heels. Then, the sheep ignored the drone and went where they wanted. The dogs were brought back in and everything returned to normal.

We considered our options after the sheep dogs. Seeing as the next site of interest was over an hour away and it was 2:30, we decided to return to our Manor. It was a good call. A group who were staying at the Manor had arranged for a falconry demonstration. We watched as falcons, hawks and owls were brought out.

We dined in town at a local restaurant. 

Friday October 11, 2024 Bunratty Castle

With a bit of a later start, due to the Manor grounds being so charming to walk around, we headed off to Bunratty. Arriving at a standard B&B, we ditched our bags and headed over to the castle. It was a 1KM walk down a very country road. There we took part in the Medieval feast and celebration. It was a very enjoyable experience and well worth the money. Interestingly, some guide books say to skip it as it is too touristy. It was a bit of history of the castle, a show, a four-course meal with unlimited wine or mead and a musical presentation. We very much enjoyed ourselves and sat next to some locals.

Saturday October 12, 2024 Galway via the Cliffs of Moher

It was onto Galway via the Cliffs of Moher.  On this day the Cliffs were WINDY! Arriving around 10 AM, there were very few tourists and we wandered around. As the morning progressed, coaches continued to arrive and it was time for us to leave. Galway was next and after checking into our accommodations, we took the bus into town and wandered about, walking back to the hostel. Based on our level of activity the last few nights, it was an early night. 

Sunday October 13, 2024 – Galway

We headed into Galway to find a laundromat and caught up on laundry. Then, returning to the hostel, we returned to town for a walking tour. Normally walking tours are great and they provide a lot of history. We both agreed this one was a let down. The guide, during our 1 ½ hours together, provided only a bit of history. He focused more on pointing out his favourite bars.

There was a microwave at our Hostel and we took advantage of it to have a lighter meal from the supermarket. Then we headed out to a local pub but were not able to find any music. One pint later we returned home.

Monday October 14^th, 2024

We did another look at Galway and bought an Aran Island sweater. We had planned to go over to the Aran Islands, however the timing was too tight. The wind was supposed to pick up, which could cancel the return ferry. Not wanting to get stranded on the Aran Islands, we passed. 

We will publish Part II of our Irish tour soon.

Thanks for reading, please feel free to leave any comments below. You can contact us on the form below.

Cam and Meg

Why visit the West Midlands to see Football?

In 2017, I was selected to attend a course on crowd control in England. The course was held in the West Midlands and as part of our training, we oversaw a West Bromwich football game. I’ve wanted to go back ever since, to be a fan. They were relegated to the Championship league a few years back, however I still follow the Baggies. 

As I was putting our fall 2024 trip together, there were many moving parts. Travel switched around as new ideas were discussed. In the end, the cruise through the Panama Canal would get us to Miami and from there we would travel to Ireland. The issue became Miami to Dublin airfare – ouch! Some diligent searching found Miami to London was waaaaayyyyy cheaper. Then I got the idea to see if the Baggies would be playing around the time we would be there. 

Scheduling works in our favour!

As luck would have it, they were playing at home on the Saturday. In the end, we decided to travel to London, then on to West Bromwich. We would see a football match on one day and a tour of the country side the next, before heading to the Emerald Isle.

Then the hard part started. How to get Baggies tickets? In Canada, you just go online and reserve. The Baggies don’t usually sell out, so it should be pretty easy, right? Not so fast. Remember, the West Midlands Police do crowd control at the football matches for a reason. English football hooligans are well known throughout the world. To keep a check on fans and in order to buy tickets, West Bromwich Albion requires you to have an account. All your personal details are required.

Can Baggies fans buy tickets?

I duly opened an account and then I installed the app. Single game tickets for our match did not go on sale until September 23^rd. We were at sea at that time, on our cruise and I didn’t have wifi. When I did get wifi, I found there were no tickets available. I tried the re-seller board and other areas, but no luck.

When our cruise ended in Florida on October 4^th, I had not yet secured tickets and was getting worried. One thing did concern me. A new friend we met on the cruise grew up in the Midlands. He told us when Millwall played West Brom, it was typically a rough game, with shenanigans and fighting in the stands. Had Millwall fans bought all the tickets? Was there going to be a dust up?

Overnight travel to England

We flew Miami to London overnight, landing at 7am Saturday October 5. We then took a 3 ½ hour bus ride to Birmingham. While the train is faster, it would require two transfers (Gatwick to the Victoria tube Station then to Euston Station). After an overnight transatlantic flight, sleeping on a bus sounded better than schlepping luggage through the London Underground. 

We arrived at our West Bromwich hotel around 1:30 PM and then walked the 30 minutes to the ‘Hawthornes’ – the home stadium of the Baggies. We found the ticket sales office and I noted people were buying tickets. I went to the counter and asked to buy two tickets and was told “there were no general sales”. This seemed a bit confusing as others were getting tickets.

You have not bought tickets, you can’t buy tickets

Off to the side was a desk marked ‘ticket enquiries’. I headed over there and enquired why I could not buy tickets. I had an account, so what was the issue? The clerk told me games against Millwall were ‘restricted’ and only account holders who had purchased tickets previously could buy tickets. I tried to explain we had just flown in from North America, we were Canadians and didn’t even know who Millwall was. She just smiled, but did offer a suggestion. If we could find someone with an account, they could possibly buy tickets for us.

We need to find a fan who can buy tickets

We looked at each other and talked about finding someone to buy us tickets. Heading outside, right in front of us were two dads, each with a 10-year-old boy. I wasted no time in approaching them to tell them our storey. When they confirmed they had accounts, we asked if they would get us tickets. They could tell we were not locals, our Canadian accent stood out, and they agreed to help us. A few minutes later, under another account, I bought two tickets to the match. As we were parting ways, they suggested, if we wanted to the full experience, after the game we should go to Vines for some curry and to re-hash the game.

We then headed into the stadium. It’s a bit different than going to a game in Canada. At West Brom, you queue up at a gate. About ¼ of the fans are searched by a full “pat-down”. Then you go past the turnstile, which is truly barely wide enough if you squeeze it all in. Once inside the stadium, we must have looked like a deer in the headlights. Someone came up to us and asked “is this your first footie match?”

Locals help out first time fans

Having blank stares, he asked for our tickets and then pointed which way to go. As we were walking, another person came up and said “do you know where you are going?”. We said no and, looking at our tickets, he walked us into the stands and took us to our seats. They could not have been more helpful or polite.

The pre-game warm up was on, then there were the typical young players on the field as the teams came out. I wasn’t really paying attention, but all of a sudden, the game was on. There was no anthem. The scoreboard flashed “COYB”, as did the signs all along field level. This I learned, stands for “Come On You Baggies”. Everyone was chanting and, unless you knew what they were saying, you could not understand. 

The first 45 minutes were dominated by West Brom, with 90% ball possession, however the score sheet showed 0 – 0 at the half. The second half only had 70% possession for the Baggies, but the score sheet remained 0 – 0. The game was a draw, despite West Brom leading in all categories. Our first English League game was a scoreless affair, but was still enjoyable.

Post match pub visit

Exiting the stadium, Vines was our destination. Once inside, we learned it was a Mecca to the Baggies. We ordered drinks and dinner, listening to the locals chat about what was wrong with the game, team and how they could fix it. As we were finishing, a gent, with his grandson, asked if we were from Zimbabwe? We told him we were from Canada and he told us why he liked Canada. His Son-in-Law joined him and we talked for about 45 minutes. 

It was a great to get such insights on West Brom, its history, the back story why Millwall is a difficult team, etc. He could have easily been a tour guide with all the information he passed on. Birmingham is the UK’s second largest city and was created out of the Industrial revolution. Coal and iron were plentiful in the region, so it was natural that factories were set up there. Each community was known for an item. West Brom made springs. All shapes and sizes.

Heading back to our hotel in the dark, we were very pleased with how the day turned out. We traversed the ocean, carried on to the Midlands, saw a football match and tried a new pub. A great start to our English trip.

September 4, 2024 – Victoria, BC

The Daily Musings have ceased since we returned to Victoria back in March. My logic was that we weren’t doing anything overly interesting or different.  I have been asked however what it is that we do now that we aren’t travelling.  So, since you asked, I will tell.

Of course we needed some time to decompress after travelling for six months – and remember, we had moved into our house in Victoria shortly before we left the country last September.  Once we returned, there were many hours spent trying to locate various items we expected to have – not knowing for sure whether we had even kept them through the downsizing.  Over these past few months those moments have lessened, but they still have not disappeared.  Just this morning I was trying to locate a stress ball…didn’t find one. Our lifejackets are AWOL; shot glasses, MIA.

Besides the everyday existing, we have scraped and painted the exterior trim, replaced siding, had the kitchen and bathroom cupboards repainted, and built garden beds.  The house is 75 years old – some projects need doing, but are kind of terrifying.  I’ve watched enough home renovation shows to know that there are always issues when big projects are started in these older homes.  For now, painting is about as much work as we want to take on. We will tackle the interior painting at some point in the not-too-distant future. This is not our long-term home, but for now it is a great landing pad for our inter-travel time. 

Around all this work, we have spent a lot of time exploring and experiencing our new city.  We have hiked, biked and walked a lot.  Attended festivals, concerts, parades and markets.  Supported local theatre and galleries.  Explored parks and historic buildings.  Tried rowing, explored the intertidal zone, taken a few dance classes (many more needed!), I even won an e-bike at “Go by Bike Week”.

On July 31, I managed to break two bones in my right hand.  Five weeks in a splint ended today.  Thankfully, two of those weeks were on a cruise ship with someone else doing the cooking and cleaning.  I did find that more passengers talk to and remember you when you are wearing a huge splint – and most wanted to know whether I had injured myself on the boat.  I guess they were worried that it could happen to them. 

I have been amazed at how many mundane tasks require the use of two hands.  Many I managed to find work arounds for (like putting toothpaste onto the brush), some I just decided not to do (like type posts for this website) but some proved impossible to ignore or adapt.  Cam has had to tie my shoes and zip up my jackets for the past month.  

Despite all this activity, we have found time to plan another lengthy trip.  Not six months, but almost three.  We will be home for Christmas.  Stay tuned for Musings starting mid-September – Meg

A continuation of my (Cam’s) time in Pearl Harbour

July 4th – the United States Holiday

July 4^th fell on the harbour phase and that was a “day-off” for most people. We were told to enjoy the local area because when the exercise started we would be 24/7 with very little time off. Hawaii is a special place, however they have many of the similar issues every other community has. As we were shy of things to do on July 4^th, we reached out to a number of local organizations and asked if they had any need for a large work party. In the end we spent ½ a day at Maunawila, which is a traditional Hawaiian place that had fallen into disrepair.

About 25 of us drove an hour north to the small village of Maunawila. We were given a tour of the ancient grounds, then learned some of the traditions and cultural beliefs. After doing this, we pitched in and spent 2 to 3 hours, moving a load of gravel and rebuilding a wall in a traditional house. It was a lot of physical work but an truly amazing experience and extremely rewarding. The head of this organization told us it would’ve taken them two months or more to complete what we did and they were most grateful for our efforts. The picture is of me sitting on the wall we built from scratch that morning. I did ask and it was perfectly fine to sit on the wall. 

Stopping to enjoy the ocean

On the way back to the base, we stopped on the North Shore and went swimming in the ocean. We were back on the Base in the evening, and of course, the fireworks on the military base were exceptional. It was a great way to spend the Fourth of July as a guest in America. 

RIMPAC goes “Live”

The operational tempo picked up after July 4^th, and did so daily work load. We went through a “crawl, walk, run” program that allowed us to develop the skill set needed to accomplish our mission. On July 8^th the ships started to sail, it took three days for all 39 military vessels to leave Pearl Harbour, including the aircraft carrier with its 60+ combat aircraft.

I managed to get a few days off during my time in Hawaii. Snorkelling, hiking and wandering were the ways I found to pass my days. There is usually someone around who will also be looking for something to do, so finding a friend to tag along with is pretty easy. I was able to tour the Battleship USS Missouri, which is docked along Battleship row. The Missouri is docked in front of the USS Arizona memorial. The Arizona was the only Battleship not raised after the Japanese surprise attack of December 7^th, 1941. 

It wasn’t always fun and games…

Now, before you judge and think “wow, that’s a paid vacation”, I should point out some of the not so glamours things that took place. My normal start time was 06:00, however that got changed after a few days when things were adjusted. My new starting time was 05:30 which means a pretty early start to the day. I would usually be done by 1 PM, however sometimes I was there as late as 4PM. During the day I was working on Ford Island, the focal point of the December 7^th, 1941 attack. 

The Pacific Warfare Centre was my workplace and I was inside a large building with no windows. Cellular phones and other similar devices such as smart watches, iPads, cameras, etc. were not allowed inside due to security. I would sneak outside once in a while to see the sunshine and the water around Pearl Harbour. Our location provided a first-class view of ships entering and leaving harbour when we could get outside. 

Evening relaxation

In the early evening, I would often go for a swim at the outdoor pool or the beach on Hickman side of the base. The beach may not have had the views of Waikiki, but it lacked the throngs that were on Waikiki and was safer than being on a military base. 

Having a sunset dinner on the beach at Pearl Harbour

In less than a week, my time in Hawaii will come to a close for this trip. I can’t believe I’ve been here for over five weeks already! I’ve learned a lot but I’ve also missed a lot. Summer is the best time to be on Vancouver Island. Missing the festivals, concerts and outdoor activities was not ideal, but necessary to be on this deployment. 

Thanks for reading and stay tuned. Our fall trip is coming up where we’ll be heading to some fantastic international destinations!

Feel free to reach out by the contact form or leave a comment.

For those who know us, it is no secret that the Navy is pretty important to us, more so to me than Meg. It’s where we met some 40 years ago. No, that 40 was not a type-o. 

Cam is going to Hawaii!

When we returned from our six-month “Grand-Adventure”, in March of 2024, there was a message waiting for me from the Navy. In short, they were asking if I would be willing to go to Hawaii, for RIMPAC, the largest naval exercise in the world. It would be for about six weeks, from late June to early August. It sounded too good to be true, but it was in fact true.

When I reached out to confirm I was available the staffing person laughed and told me I was already going. So much for volunteering. In the Navy, we call it being “volun-told”. The timings and date of travel changed a few times and eventually I headed to the land where palm trees sway on June 24^th. Myself and about 200 of my newest closest friends were flown on the Air Force’s new (to Canada) Airbus. It was a pleasant flight with in-service meals and in seat entertainment. In case you were wondering, there was no bar-cart. Once we landed and cleared our in-routines, we were driven to our accommodations. I was billeted on the base at Pearl Harbour.

My Accommodation while in Hawaii

The US Navy, who run the base, have a number of hotels on the base for use by in-transit personnel. I have a large bed with a fridge, microwave oven, dresser, wardrobe and desk. It is functional. 

The building is called Hale Alli and it is a Hawaiian word meaning “House of Chiefs”. There is a large Bar B Q area at the building with a number of picnic tables. We often gathered in the evening to have a joint Bar B Q and some adult beverages. Many team building functions were held here and the best part is most of us live in this complex so no one has to drive. 

The building I’m located in is near Pearl Harbour’s “Destroyer Row”, where frigates, destroyers and light cruisers berth. Within a five-minute walk there is a McDonalds, a Navy Exchange store where you can buy various items such as clothes, snacks and alcohol. A 30-minute walk, or 10-minute drive is a large grocery store and various restaurants such as Panda Express, Subway, a poké place and others. All of the above is located on the base. To counter the effects of the above noted restaurants, there are a few gyms, with excellent facilities, a 50-yard outdoor pool, tennis courts and other fitness activities.

Starting Our Work

Our first day was an “adjustment” day. We settled in and explored the surroundings getting sorted for the exercise. The next day we had an “all-hands” meeting where we learned the objectives of the exercise and our expectations. Then we started to get ready with computer account creation, access passes, etc. Somewhere along the line we were issued a number rental cars for the group. There were various work sites, mine was about 3 km from the accommodation and was on Ford Island, requiring exiting and entering at another gate.

RIMPAC involves 29 nations and over 40 ships with 180+ aircraft. In total there are around 25,000 people who are participating. Canada sent three ships as well as aircraft and about 600 people, 300 on ships and 300 ashore. I am in the latter group.

To coordinate something this large, there is a formal Sequence of Events or SOE. This overarching document was developed through numerous meetings over two years and details where and when things happen. My colleagues and I reviewed the SOE and noted there was a reception every night, held on board a ship and hosted by a different country each night.

July 1st – Canada hosts RIMPAC nations on our newest ship

Not surprisingly, Canada’s reception was on July 1^st. I was invited to that reception, which was held on the newly Commissioned HMCS Max Bernays. In all there were likely 600+ people at the reception and a delightful assortment of food and beverages were put out for guests to enjoy. For myself, it was the first time I had been on this class of ship and, similar to a new car, it had a new ship smell. In reality, the diesel fuel simply has not had the time to seep into every crevice. 

I was fortunate enough to attend receptions held on Chilean, Indonesian, German, French and Japanese ships. Each country put on a good spread and had libations to encourage discussions. Naturally the German beer was very good and the Chilean wine was delightful. The Indonesian food was great and Japanese had set up tempura stations where they made fresh tempura for guests. The highlight, for me, other than making the connections I did, were the French deserts. There were out of this world. 

The Exercise in Pieces

The exercise, which is the reason why we are here, has three phases, 

1. Harbour, 
2. Build up and 
3. Live.

When the harbour phase finished, the ships sailed to their respective operational areas, joining Task Groups. This is when the exercise started in earnest. From the landside, where injects and scenarios are created and implemented, events were simulated that require taskings. My team and I would make recommendations to direct a ship to carry out tasks. For security reasons, I’m not going into details. My role was within current operations and I supervised staff that focused on events from “now” until 48 hours out. Beyond 48 hours was future operations. 

I’ll post more shortly.

Thanks for reading!

Feel free to ask any questions or leave feedback.

Live theatre is something that we both enjoy. We’ve seen three plays in the last three weeks. Being close to performing companies was one of our draws to Victoria. While Vancouver and Toronto have the headliner shows, they do eventually come to Victoria, sometimes while they are in vogue, and other times when they are winding down. 

Of course, live theatre is only possible with a few key ingredients. Support from patrons and sponsors; these shows need to be funded. Another key is the numerous local, amateur and grass roots companies that perform purely for passion. Some of the shows we’ve seen have been amazing while others may have been less wonderful. The ‘knock your socks off’ ones more than make up for those that lack.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Three weeks ago, we went to see everyone’s favourite nanny – Mary Poppins. The play was tweaked from the Disney’s version, most notably, there was no women’s suffrage. There was another nanny who replaced Mary Poppins during the play for part of Act II. The script has her as a ‘holy terror’, which she was. There were also a few other on-stage adaptations. The play was held at the McPherson play house in downtown Victoria. We bought our tickets some months ago and had good seats. 

Rise and Fall of an Empire

Two weeks ago, we saw the Lehman Brothers trilogy. From the time Brian Markinson, playing Henry Lehman stepped onto the stage to open the play, I was mesmerized by the acting. While I roughly knew the story of the bankruptcy in 2008, after all, they were one of the stars of the 2008 financial crisis, I didn’t know how they started some 150 years earlier. This was a production with only three actors, all of whom played many roles. One of the actors was a female, who starred as the youngest of the Lehman brothers. 

I was skeptical when I heard there were only three actors, even more so when I learned the play had three acts, each one a full hour. There were two 15-minute intermissions. If you have a chance to see this play, I would highly recommend it.

We were fortunate enough to see it at the Belfry Theatre in Victoria. It was our first time there and we are now selecting our tickets for the 2024/25 season.

British Humour

Our third play was Jeeves, a British comedy at the Chemainus Festival. We’ve been going to the Chemainus festival for years as it’s only 45 minutes from Nanaimo. It’s a bit further from Victoria, which gave us a reason for an overnight trip! We packed our bikes so we could do some exploring before and after the play. Then, the day before, our friends from Texas let us know they were in Nanaimo. We told them about the play and they managed to get tickets. We had a blast together over dinner and then the play.

The concept behind Jeeves is simple. He’s a butler who tries his best to keep his ward, a young aristocratic gentleman, out of trouble. This is the fourth ‘Jeeves’ Chemainus has done, each one different. Watching the previous Jeeves was one of the few times I burst out laughing aloud. If British humour is not your thing, you may not appreciate Jeeves’ dry, almost arid sense of humour. For us, it is a way to let loose and enjoy the moment. 

This version was a bit different than the previous ones. It was more of a slapstick comedy and lacked the wit (sarcasm) of previous ones. There were a few chuckles, but none of the big laughs we had previously. 

Hiking and Biking on Vancouver Island

The next day, with brilliant sunshine, we took advantage of being mid-Island for some outdoor activities. We started with a one-hour hike around Chemainus Lake. As it had rained heavily two days earlier, everything was green and fresh. For me, there is no better time to walk in the woods than early morning on a crisp, sunny day.

As we headed south down the Island Highway, we went to the Kinsol Trestle. At 187 metres in length and standing 44 metres above the salmon bearing Koksilah River, the Kinsol is an incredible structure and one of the highest railway trestles in the world. It is constructed out of old-growth Douglas fir timbers and has dizzying views when you look down. 

You can take a foot path from the end of the trestle down to the river. There are picnic tables, both at the top and bottom. The trestle is part of an old railway that was used to transport lumber “back in the day”. The rail line was abandoned in the late 70’s and is now an amazing trail, and part of the Trans Canada Trail. Being an old rail line, the grade is gentle, allowing us to do a 21km round trip bike ride. The scenery through the valley was superb. During our ride, we only encountered two other people once we left the trestle. 

Visiting a Cidery

After our bike ride, we headed to the Merridale Cidery, which was only 15 minutes from the trestle. We had hoped to take a tour, but they weren’t running any on a random Thursday in late May. Meg wandered around and managed to speak to the head Cider Master who graciously took us on a complementary VIP tour. We learned a lot about cider and the process is basically identical to wine making. You crush the fruit, add yeast and magic happens. 

In the fall, when the apples are picked the cider making process begins. Once it is blended and stored, it is aged. There was cider being aged in French oak casks, producing a very dry cider. There were numerous stainless-steel vats, most of which were filled with cider waiting to be bottled. Various types of heirloom apples, mostly from Brittany, Normandy and England, are used in the cider making process, all of which make great cider. Skilled cider makers ensure consistency and quality.

When the tour of the production and bottling facility were over, we walked around the orchard. For the most part, they grow their own apples, and it was interesting to see the various trees that made up the orchard. Now that we had completed a 21km bike ride and walked around an apple orchard, the only appropriate thing to do was sample some cider!

Tasting the Cider – Happy Times Indeed!

There were various flights of cider for trying, and we chose the “dry” flight. Sitting in the sun, looking over an apple orchard, drinking fresh apple cider on Vancouver Island – is there any other place one would rather be? When we finished our “flight”, we headed into the shop and bought a 1-liter bottle of fresh, unpasteurized, apple cider to take home. It will help us relive the memory when we open it up this weekend.  

As with all trips, this one was now winding down, and we headed back to Victoria, to unpack, store our bikes et al. We’re now planning for our next adventure, although we don’t know what it will be! 

Thanks for reading, feel free to leave any comments or reach out with the contact form.

Cam and Meg

Many people have asked us if we are bored with so many sea days. In reality we don’t have the time to be bored. Between enrichment activities, planned events such as dance classes, trivia, tours et al, we have to pick and choose what to do so as not to over do it. What seems to happen to us, is many activities are slated at the same time, forcing us to pick and choose. 

When we’re not at activities, we’re reading, resting or eating. We both took e-books and enjoyed the time we could have, gazing out the window at the ocean while turning the page of a good read. Then there’s the food.

Enrichment and Learning at Sea

Celebrity put on an enrichment series consisting of three different lecturers. There was naturalist, an artificial intelligence speaker and a physics talker. The latter also did a night talk on the upper decks where you could look at the stars. The naturalist was the same one who was on the ship last fall from Vancouver to Japan last fall and we really enjoyed her talks. We didn’t attend the other two speakers as their topics were not of great interest to us.

Here’s what the five days at sea looked like for us.

Wednesday May 1, 2024

Our first sea day – warm weather, slight breezes and plenty of sunshine. We spent most of the time up top in the open air, either in the Solarium or walking around the upper decks. Our lunch was grilled hamburgers and continual snacks which made for a festive day. 

Thursday May 2, 2024

The ship plodded along the North Pacific Ocean, steaming at 20 knots. The weather today was pleasant, sunny and a light breeze, although it was cooler than yesterday. Today was much the same as yesterday, lounging around the Solarium, snacking and enjoying life. 

Just before dinner, there was a “Mixology” event. One of the bartenders demonstrated how to make a Manhattan, A Pimm’s and a Mai Tai over a 45-minute period. The bartender was quite the showman, tossing bottles, mixers and ice cubes in the air and catching them with ease. He made it look easy, however I’m sure here was certainly a lot of practice that helped him hone his skill. If tried that two things would happen. 1 – there would be drinks and ice all over the floor and 2 – Meg would not be impressed. It’s the latter that would worry me the most. The best part of this event was, after showing us how to make each type drink, we were offered complementary samples.

We also met a delightful couple from the Netherlands who have cruised a lot, including 9 transatlantic cruises. 

Friday May 3, 2024

We knew we were heading north. Today’s weather was much cooler. There was no one scrambling for deck chairs around the pool. The Solarium on the other hand, which is enclosed, was a different story. Despite the cooler weather, I still wore shorts. This caused Meg to think I was losing it, but I was comfortable.

We decided to have hotdogs from the grill today and went to order. Our assistant waiter at dinner also works the burger gill at lunch. Hailing from Zimbabwe, he was dressed in a jacket, touque and long pants. He recognized us and asked how we were doing and we told him we were cold. His immediate reply was “I’m colder”. I’m sure he was colder. He has never seen snow before, I hope he does OK in Alaska this summer as that is where the ship was heading. 

Star Wars Day

Saturday May 4, 2024

May the Fourth be with you. The warm temperature was certainly not with us any longer. It was 10C and cloudy today. Another sea day with enrichment lectures, fitness classes, lounging around the Solarium and of course eating. The naturalist did a lecture on whales today where we learned a lot of interesting facts. The whale population, that was almost decimated in the 1970’s from over harvesting and random hunting, is bouncing back strongly. Orca’s still struggle; however, many more species are doing well.

The naturalist also told us the Blue Whale is the largest mammal in the world and obviously eats the most food, up to 2 tons per day.  She quickly added that this almost matched by cruise ship passengers. I’m not sure if she was being serious or not. Based on the size of many of the guests on board she may have been. The saying “more truth is spoken in jest” rings true.

Booking Another Cruise

We have very much enjoyed our cruise so far and with that in mind, we headed down to the future cruise sales office. Our fall and summer have a number of confirmed activities as well as some placeholders. We were not ready to book a major cruise for the fall/winter of 24/25, however there was a short six-day pacific coastal cruise that aligned with our September schedule.

Of course, they try and upsell you and suggest you book a high category cabin with wi-fi and the beverage package. They refrain from using “booze” package. We decided an inside cabin with no beverage package and no wi-fi would suit our needs and booked. There are some advantages to booking onboard including an additional credits, reduced deposits and in-category room upgrades that, for us, make it worth-while.

This evening we attended a Senior Officers party, where the Captain and his top mucky-mucks were there, handing out drinks. There were also yummy appies, however as this event was between the two dinner seatings, we did not have any appies, having just eaten a lobster and beef wellington dinner. Such is the life of food on a cruise ship. 

Sunday May 5, 2024

Today is our last sea day. Waking up to swells that made the ship rock, we were greeted by rain and 7C. This made us miss Hawaii even more. There was more lounging, a galley tour, fitness classes and of course eating. Just before 11PM, in Canadian territorial waters, we turned north from the Strait of Juan de Fuca and headed toward Victoria. The view of the city, with all of its lights is always impressive. Race Rock’s light house was flashing and ocean was calm. The ship embarked a pilot and started the final leg for Vancouver.

Arrival in Vancouver

Monday May 6, 2024

I was up at 5AM and went up top to see us abeam Point Atkinson light house which marks West Vancouver. The ship carried on towards Canada place, passing under the Lion’s Gate Bridge at 5:37 AM. The view of the bridge from the water never gets boring. The ship berthed at 6AM. The last morning is always a rush, people trying to get their last meal before heading home. They want to stuff themselves and get their money’s worth. There are long queues for the lifts and difficulties finding a seat at the buffet. 

We had been warned the previous night, that getting ashore would be a challenge as there were three cruise ships in port. That increases the strain on Customs, taxis, etc. We had decided to take our luggage off ourselves and as we walked off at 8AM, we were on the sidewalk at Canada Place at 8:05 AM. The Customs agent simply took our card, gave it a cursory scan and said “you’re good to go”.

I checked in with my Mom, and she was just leaving to pick us up. We then sat on a bench in the warm sun, catching up on a week worth of emails with the free wi-fi. While there were a ton of emails, the digital detox was great. In the end not much happened that needed our immediate attention. Shockingly, politicians were still being fools, governments were overspending, special interest groups were rallying people for their causes, conflicts were taking place in parts of the world, the stock market was doing its thing. Very similar to when we left. 

Recap

This was a short trip, two weeks. We loved it. Warm air, good food, interesting sites and new experiences. Cruising is one of our happy places. It’s not for everyone, but for us it’s great. 

It’s no secret costs have gone up in the past few years. Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last two years, you know restaurants have also raised their prices, sometimes by huge amounts. Increases in wages, food, rent, taxes, et al, have made dining out a luxury for many. The food on Celebrity is very good. Of the eleven nights we were onboard, nine of the dinners in the main dining room were outstanding. Two were meh and on those nights, we chose to eat in the buffet as the selections there were great. Some of the highlight meals were lobster, beef wellington, prime rib and lamb chops. There were curry dishes, vegetarian choices, fish dishes and chicken. Soups, salads as well as deserts. That is evening dining. 

During the day there are burger bars, various sandwich choices, salads and everything else. There is a lot of variety and if you don’t like something you’ve been given, you can send it back and get another dish. In the evening, we often struggled between two dishes. That’s not a problem on a cruise ship, they’ll bring you both. Portions don’t tend to be overly large, so it’s not as “piggish” as it seems. 

We are now looking forward to our September cruise and seeing the sights along the way, including San Francisco, where we spent part of our honeymoon some 35 ½ years ago.

Thanks for reading, feel free to leave a comment or reach out with any questions via the contact form.

Cam and Meg

Sunday April 28, 2024

Our plan for today was to check out the black sand beaches near the ship. Heading away east and then south from the ship, we stopped at two beaches which were only about a 15-minute drive away. We found them to be rather uninspiring.

Changing gears, we headed out of town to explore and Meg navigated us to a one lane road that seemed like was leading to no-where. Despite her protests that the map showed it to be a “real” road, I was grateful to have All Wheel Drive as I dodged water filled potholes. It really felt like we were in the middle of the jungle. The views were impressive and seeing countless mongooses (mongeese?) running in front of us confirmed we were in an area with minimal human inhabitants. There were a few view points along the way where we stopped as well as some impressive rock formations and parks. 

Exploring State Parks – always something interesting.

One of the highlights Sunday, after getting back on “real” roads, was the Lava Tree Loop trail at Lava Tree State Park. We came across this park by accident as it is not on all the maps. Within the park, there were a number of trees that were encased in lava from a volcanic eruption. They look rather haunting. During a volcanic eruption, most trees spontaneously combust in the lava flow. There are a few that do not and they become rock formations, encased in lava which hardens to rock. The loop trail walks you past some of these and provides an interesting insight. 

As we headed back to town, we carried on our quest for the ultimate brew pub and stopped at the Hilo Brewery. It is truly a working brewery and you find yourself in a warehouse, standing on a concrete floor, surrounded by large vats. There was loud pounding music and some not so comfortable looking chairs. We decided to grab two cans or beer and head to a park to sample them. 

The park, around the corner from the ship, provided great ocean views as well as a glimpse of the ship. As we sampled our adult drinks, we concluded that Honolulu brewing was still the winner so far on this trip. 

Once we returned the car, we embarked on the ship and took advantage of the ship’s happy hour. Dinner and a show followed and the ship sailed overnight for Kona.

Monday April 29^th

Kona was the second port on this cruise and we were tendered here. The queue to get a tender was not too bad at 8 AM, likely because it was an overnight stay, so not everyone was rushing to get off the ship. As this was a last-minute booking, we were not able to get a rental car in Kona itself, instead we ended up reserving one from the airport. We took an Uber to the airport and after getting the rental car we headed away from town to the ocean views at Waipi’o.

Waipi’o is supposed to be a “must-see” place with a great view. We drove the one-hour route, mostly uphill, and, while the view was nice, it wasn’t really worth the drive. One interesting fact is the valley below is where King Kamehameha was raised. I have a fondness for the King, based on what I have read and seen. Lunch was poke in the historical town of Waipi’o.  

Another State Park

As we headed back to Kona, we found a wonderful sand beach. Spencer Beach state park has a number of historic monuments and after seeing the plaques, we headed to a well-equipped beach area. Showers, change rooms and a long sandy beach with numerous trees for shade, and not very crowded. Pretty much perfect. Sandy beaches are a bit rare on the Big Island as it is so volcanic. I went for a swim and found the water warm. There was one main entry into the ocean from the beach, around the coral and, as I swam out, I saw various fish. 

It was an hour ride back into the city and we headed for Kona Brewing for happy hour. We’ve been to this brewery each time since we found it a few visits ago. Happy hour has pints for $4.75, which was the cheapest we saw in Hawaii. The brewery tied with Honolulu brewing, in our opinion, for best brewery in Hawaii. We stopped after one beer because we needed to move our car and “real” beer packs more of a punch. 

Keeping our car overnight came with the problem of needing to find a safe place to park it. We drove around a bit looking at some parking lots, but they all had signs saying they would tow. We weren’t willing to risk the possible tow and bill. Eventually we decided to park on the road where there were no “no-parking” signs and hoped for the best.

Tuesday April 30th

After getting up and having a light breakfast, we headed out to see if our car was still there. Our tender ride was uneventful and we walked over to the car, which was still there. Heading out of town in the other direction, we were going to a beach where the dolphins sleep during the day. 

The wrong beach, but a better choice.

We had been to this beach a few years ago and enjoyed the nature and fish we were able to see while swimming. The drive was about 45 minutes and we managed to find a parking spot, but the area did not look familiar. Speaking to the park host, we realized it was not the place we were looking for. This area had a grassy area with large trees providing shade along with some well-placed picnic tables. We unpacked and thought it was fine. I went for a short swim and saw a number of fish. Meg recalled being able to see fish from the shore at the other park. As she was not really interested in swimming, we decided to head out and find our original beach.

Once we got to the other beach, which was a 15-minute drive, we parked on the road and walked the final 100-meters to the beach. There was a State Park parking lot which was $20, but was pretty much empty as most people were parked on the road. Walking around the area, there was no beach, just coral and lava and no shade. The vendors, which were there a few years back, were gone, so there was really nothing there. The good news was Meg could see a number of yellow fish from the shore. With the lack of shade, we decided to head back to the first park. We spent the rest of the day lounging and swimming until it was time to leave. 

Another opportunity to spend at Costco

When we left, we headed to Costco, just to see what they had. There were high-quality Hawaiian shirts and other clothes, so we added to our collection. We then took the rental car back to the airport and tried to book an Uber to take us back. As noted on our arrival post in Honolulu, I do not understand the pricing algorithm. The starting cost for an Uber was $85, so we decided to take a taxi. The car rental shuttle was offsite from the airport and, after it dropped us off at the terminal, I checked Uber again and the cost was now $50. Checking taxi fares, it was $50 – $60. Meg went to the bathroom and when she returned, I checked Uber one last time. The fare was now $22. The drop from $85 to $22 took place in less than 10 minutes.

The Uber took us to Kona Brewing again, where we partook in their happy hour again. A ten-minute walk from the brewery took us to the tender. That tender turned out to be the last one of the day back to the ship, so we totally maximized our time on land!

We set sail at 5:00 PM and started our five-day transit for Vancouver. 

Another successful Hawaiian trip!

Thanks for reading, feel free to leave any comments or reach out with the contact form.

Cam and Meg