Category: Earth

Occurrences in nature, like earthquakes, newborn baby pandas, the San Andreas Fault, the beauty of wildlife, and volcanoes are what I’m thinking of here. In each instance, the age-old question arises, “Has nature been the predominant influence or humankind?” Earth would be just fine without us, but we can’t survive without a healthy Earth.

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Hawaii

I visited Hawaii Feb 2023 and left with a new reverence for its history, a gift from the people I met. The town I was most eager to see again someday was Lahaina, Maui, with an atmosphere created by its residents that impressed me like few others. Aug 2023, I was shaken by news of the fire that burned the city down and the fallout of this tragic event. I believe Hawaii and Lahaina will rebound simply because of one characteristic; cultural resilience. Not only will Lahaina need to heal from the loss of lives. homes, and property, but they need to rebuild without unethical characters, from looters to land development companies, taking root.

This video was recorded one week before I visited Walking Tour Before the Fire | 2023

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Alaskan Cruise Day 1 Norwegian Encore Seattle

Norwegian Encore Balcony Stateroom

Note: Day 3 of the cruise is where the nature scenery begins

Norwegian Encore Balcony Stateroom
Our cruise route was Seattle, Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, Glacier Bay (cruising), Victoria, BC, and back to Seattle. Entering the stateroom, I felt like I was in for something different. The guy cleaning the exterior was a nice touch, like Norwegian went that extra mile. A bottle of distilled water requested was delivered pronto and an extension power strip appeared before I even asked for it. Attention to their customer’s needs stayed that way the entire trip.
We spent time lounging and sleeping on observation deck 15. Chairs, couches, and recliners were comfortable to varying degrees. It was tough, to stay awake 🙂 . In the evenings, a piano player sang movie themes (Against All Odds) to pop tunes (Happy).

Norwegian says the observation deck has a 180-degree view. I say 270. There is more on both sides that I did not get into this video because I chose not to move from my spot. So, to avoid over-exaggeration, I will call it 180, but I know it’s more than that.
I went to The Beatles Invasion tribute performance thinking I would listen for a few minutes and leave. The band was good! For the duration of the cruise, I watched them play numerous sets in two venues; the main Encore Theater and The Cavern Club. The sixth night of the cruise was the band’s 100th and final performance. They closed with Hey Jude.