Day 10; Visiting Kona (Instead Of Maui)

As is my routine,  I woke up early and saw the Moon descending in the western sky.  It was very bright and was dropping quickly as we sped for land.  I behaved and didn’t do what I might typically do.  I decided mooning is very ASStrological.

I’m currently obsessed with the Moon.  Although I think it’s just a phase.

5 am and the moon was shining against the western sky!

Will we hear the hissing when the Moon drops into the ocean>

Mary asked me to go out in the blizzard for coffee and breakfast.  I navigated the buffalo grazing area, narrowly escaping harm from a wild-eyed passenger who saw fresh donuts being delivered.  I barely escaped with my life!

I came back carrying coffee and a selection of breakfast items, including sweet rolls, salmon, onions, and cream cheese bagels.

I love it when the coffee kicks in, and I realize what an adorable badass I’m going to be today.

After cleaning up our room, Mary took a shower.  Then we went to the DaVinci Dining Room on the seventh floor for our second breakfast.  We arrived just in time, and the restaurant manager allowed us in because I looked famished; I hadn’t eaten in almost 90 minutes.

We had more coffee.  My birthstone is a coffee bean.

Mary has made her selection.

After breakfast, we went to the spa so Mary could make some appointments, and then we went to the room to get ready to leave the ship.  We needed our tote bags and hats as the sun would be blazing today.

The boats had already made 35 trips to the shore.  We pulled out our “priority” card and took the next available ride to the beach.

The lifeboats were busy all day.

We arrived in the city, obtained a map, and spent a few hours exploring various shops selling authentic Hawaiian souvenirs made in Indonesia.

“How inappropriate to call this planet Earth when it is quite clearly Ocean.” – Arthur C. Clarke.”

Welcome to Hawaii!

The shuttles were busy throughout the day, with the final departure at 5:00 pm.  We watched them go back and forth as we strolled the frontage street.

It was a 15-minute ride from ship to shore; 14 minutes back because it was downhill!

We walked for an hour in one direction and then walked back for another hour.

Mary got many compliments on her pineapple outfit.

The shopping center looked beautiful despite the 84-degree temperature and 80% humidity.  We stopped at several small stores along the road.

The ship was quite a distance from the shopping area.

Mary was looking for treasures.

She found it!

The place was adorned with exquisite flowers all around.

I told Mary, “Once you’ve seen one shopping plaza, you’ve seen the mall.”

We shopped.

We needed a drink, so we stopped and had a glass of wine at “Da Shark,” a landmark amongst the shops.

We desperately needed a drink by the end of all the shopping.

The bar was so colorful I had to take a picture of it.

Mary descended the street and snapped a picture of my innocence; imagine that!

I was innocent!

We met some folks from Phoenix and asked them to join us for dinner this evening.

We met new friends.

We scampered across the street and had a passerby take a photo of us with our ship in the background.

Just like a postcard.

We blew it up, the photos, that is, and it revealed the true us!

Just us.

Back on the runabout, we spend 20 minutes bounding up and down on our way to the ship!

Snuggled together, we are off for a twenty-minute ride to the ship!

Upon arrival, we were shocked to see the Emerald Princess towering 18 stories above our small putt-putt.

Back to the ship; we seemed so small next to the Emerald Princess.

We went straight to the hamburger bar for lunch back on the ship.  Then, we headed to the 18th floor, where we played Crazy Eights.  Mary won all three hands, and I suspected foul play.

We had a hamburger and played cards in the lounge on the 18th floor.

We took a quick nap before dinner and then proceeded to the Grille, where we enjoyed a delightful dinner; Mary attacked the New York Strip, and I did the Surf & Turf.

The manager popped over and let us know that at 3:00 pm tomorrow, we are to be at the medical center for a private tour of the engine room.  onboardoard doctor and ship’s captain arrange this for us.  It will be exciting.

Another fantastic meal at the Grille.

After dinner, we went to the 5th floor and danced a bit before the band folded their tent and went home.  We quickly moved across the dance phase with the ship’s slight motion.  I love dancing with Mary; how she can guess what I am doing is magic because most of the time, I do not even know.

We know where to go for dancing tomorrow!

We headed for our room at around 9:00 pm as it had been a long day.  Tomorrow we rest!

About Paul

Just an old retired guy trying to finish out my last years on this planet. I lost my best friend and wife in early 2020. I was blessed again by reconnecting with Dr. Mary Côté, a long-time friend. Mary and I got married July 28th, 2021, and are enjoying life together and plan to spend the rest of our lives being a blessing to our friends and family.
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