Well here we are – last day (of vacation). I'm in the airport typing this. I have notes on other days I need to fill
out.
Today we left the ship a little after 8 in the morning. After storing our bags at the pier (for $5 a
pop!) we then left for pearl
harbor. My father rented a car, and we
had two GPSs. One was in the car itself
and the other was given to us and also came with the car. (I think... I mean that's what someone told
me – but it was a Garmen just like dad's so … I thought it was dads. )
Anyway we attempted to put in pearl harbor in each gps...
and couldn't come up with the exact location.
We ended up finding it by putting in Arizona Memorial. Both my dad and my brother found the location
at about the same time using different GPSs (My dad was driving). My dad put in “fastest” route on the car
GPS. Both started giving
directions. we were to move forward....
and one said to turn right – 10 second later the other said to turn left! We all burst out laughing. We turned off the hand-held GPS and just
followed the cars. Boy was that
confusing. It kept saying “bear right”
and bear left” instead of “turn”. And
it NEVER said the street name. A
typical instruction was “in .3 miles bear right, then bear left.” Then it tended to give the next instructions
when we had not turned yet. Thus we
would be just about to turn and it would go - “continue for the next 4
miles” and we all would go “WHAT?”. We did get there though- and we only had to
make one U turn.
They gave us headphones to do an audio tour. My parents had paid ahead of time so we did
not need to buy each headset. I listened
to some before and some after all the tours... just due to time. We were scheduled to take the boat over to
the Arizona
at 10:30- so I only had a small amount of time after we arrived at about 9:30
by the time we got the tickets and set up the headphones and bought our drinks.
BTW did you know – you can't take ANY bags inside. Though I did see someone with a small camera
bag. It may vary depending on where you
are in the park... but you defiantly cannot take bags onto the ship. So I had worn my jeans Capri with cargo
pockets and placed my money and license and other needed items throughout – and
wore my basic point and shoot around my neck.
We saw the sunken Arizona
first. They had built a nice memorial
over it. You can look down amoung the
remains and you can see the names of those that died – over 1000 with oer 900
still entoumed there.
That's what people didn't understand I think. I felt the urge to cross myself – like if I
warmongering grounds. And later they did
say it considered a sacred site. It is over
a graveyard—a tomb But there were people
who were admiring the view – ok I admit I was as well – but these people were
smiling and taking pictures of each other – asking strangers to take a group
photo of them smiling – like they were at the grand canyon or something! HELLO your at a TOMB! Would you take such pictures at a
mausoleum? oh granted there are people
that would – but not your average tourist.
Of course if some of the people were obviously veterans or
relatives/friends of those that had died-and they stood there all solemn while
someone marked their trip with a photo – that's different.
But to see these happy smiling couples – smiling for the
camera just like the ones at the beach – that sickened me. I really was surprised actually – that I'd
feel that way. I don't think I would have
thought about it before visiting. But
it is a tomb and you need to treat it that way.
Smile and pose on the battleship that helped win the war –
not on the sunken ship with the dead beneath your feet.
We also saw a submarine (with lots and lots of births in
close quarters – there were even bunks over the torpedoes. ) and the battleship Missouri . (look up and find spelling) nicknamed the mighty MO. It was sent to the war front and pounded Japanese
cities. Later, when Japan
surrendered, it was on its deck that the official surrender and signing took
place. The battleship was used in the 2nd
Korean war, and then “moth balled” put
into storage – only to be taken out 30 + years later, revamped with new
improved weaponry and used in Desert storm.
That surprised me, and I thought it was very interesting. They had painted the number of rounds fired
at the enemy as well as a map on each turret, during that war. The MO was attacked by several kamikaze pilots. One of which slammed into the side of the
ship – a wing and other part of the airplane taking out a gun on the deck. The body of the pilot was left behind, and
the captain (or was it admiral?) of the ship had the body treated with honor
and gave him an honorable burial at sea.
It was supposed to be an object lesson for the men. I can't recall what the guide said, but to me
– it tells us how we are supposed to treat our enemies. I know many people would not like this- just
dump the body into the sea. Truthfully I
don't know how I would have felt if I was there. But I understand that this can be used as an
example of “Love your enemies” (Luke 6:27-28)
It sends a message not only to the men on the ship – but also the world,
including Japan . The young (19!) man was just fighting for
his country and following his leader's orders – just like the young men
here. We need to be civil – even if the
rest of the world is not. This is
especially true of Christians IMHO.
There are too many people who act “un-Christian” by wanting to nuke Iran – or treat
war criminals as less then animals – forgetting that God loves them too – and
that they can be saved just like anyone else.
We could have gone to an aviation museum – which is apparently
the newest addition to the overall memorial – but we were ALL exhausted. So we just went back to the beginning, where
I did my last pearl – they had a pick a pearl there and I had not done one on
the island of O.
After this, we found our way back to the pier, picked up our
bags and headed for the airport – where I am now.
-------------------------
Ok I’m at home now.
I’ve been playing catch up and editing all my blog posts.
To conclude this one:
When we got on the plane the seating arrangement was as follows: My
parents in a row together (2 seats to a little row – window and aisle.), my
brother and his wife in a row – and me by the window with someone unknown in
the aisle.
Well I got on and my mom tells me – your by that lady over
there. I go past my parent’s seats, and
past my brother and SIL’s seats – and lo and behold, who is seating in the
aisle seat? None other then Helen… the
lady I met the day before at the hula graduation show! I actually said (out loud) No WAY!
It was so funny as I was just telling mom about her earlier. So I got to introduce the two “Helenes” to eachother. To bad it was a red eye. We talked a little bit but then both of us
went to sleep.
After I left the plane she was waiting for a
wheelchair. Then my family and I went
to pick up our luggage, use the bathroom, etc.
And here we are walking out – and there’s Helen again! In her wheelchair I guess waiting to be
picked up. So I got to say goodbye one
more time. I joked with her that I’m
going to start looking for her in stores and things. I probably will never really see her again,
but it was kinda cool how that worked out.
And it wouldn’t have happened if I had decided not to attend the hula
graduation (which I had thought about.)
Of course I’d still have met her on the plane, but it wouldn’t have been
as fun.
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