Learning on Vacation

Nathan and I were supposed to leave to go to Ecuador at the end of May to consider later moving there, but things didn't work out as planned.  Perhaps we could have simply delayed the trip several months by changing the date of our flights, and we're now wondering whether we should have done just that.  Instead, so that we wouldn't lose all that money on the non-refundable airfare, we went to St. Croix, which is the only one of the three U.S. Virgin Islands to which we had not been.  We visited both St. Thomas and St. John both times we went the previous two years. 

I met my parents halfway to transfer our oldest three to them, and Elizabeth went with us.   We learned plenty on our trip and had things to share with the kids.  They also had some learning experiences of their own while away from us.

The first day and the last day were spent flying.  We had five free days to spend there.  The first of five days we went to buy groceries, drove around, and then walked from our villa down to the beach to swim.

The second day we drove around, drove through forest, got out and took pictures of a really neat, big tree, and talked to a Rasta who was walking to look for and gather passion fruit to sell.  He opened a passion fruit for us, because we'd never had a fresh one.  Slimy but soooo good.  The seeds are even more fun to crunch than those in kiwis.  We also shared a very edifying conversation with him.  Most Rastafarians are very good persons.  We were blessed to have run into him.  He also pointed out some papaya trees that we'd have never noticed had he not pointed.  The papayas were high up in the trees.

We then ended up swimming in the pool that night (after talking to each other about how dumb it is for people to swim in pools when the ocean is right there). 

Bag of passionfruit; papaya tree; flamboyant tree we saw on drive; a pelican flying over the ocean bordering the property where we stayed (this last picture was taken a different day)

The next day we walked down to the other beach that bordered the property on which we were staying (which we had all to ourselves), which was a rocky beach, unlike the other sandy beach.  There we collected a sponge, shells, and urchin skeletons.  We then drove to the east end of the island, took pictures, then went back to the property to read in hammock and lawn chair with the ocean view, and we then swam in the pool.

Various shells, sea urchin skeletons (the white round things, though some still had spines), rocks, brain coral, and a sponge. The bottom two pictures were taken at home as I was showing the kids everything. 

The following day we went to St. John Village Botanical Garden.  I loved this!  There were so many beautiful plants.  I took a lot of pictures.  I can't share them all here.  It was a real treat, and Nathan also enjoyed it.  The only bad thing is it was pretty hot and humid that day.  We went night-swimming in the pool again at the end of this day.

Two of my favorite plants are shown at top: L is the powder puff and R is the chenille plant.  At bottom left is a...well, oh no, I don't remember, and it appears as if I've lost record.  I only took my iPhone and not my other digital camera, and it did a good job for the most part, but every time I took a picture of that flower, it appeared that way with the crazy-looking light.  It looks a bit psychedelic that way.   Then the bottom right is another one I really liked, but I never saw a name for it.  There were so, so many beautiful plants.

The Coco de Mer, which is the largest kind of seed in the plant kingdom on this earth.  It immediately gets the attention of anyone for obvious reason. This is one of those things that God (Holy Father and Salvation) must have gotten a pretty good chuckle about when they created it.

The last day we had to spend there before the flying-back day was Sabbath.  I deliberately left my prayer journal at home but took my iPad, so I typed my journal entry that morning while enjoying a mixed drink Nathan made.  We listened to two sermons that day, using the iPad.  We laid out in the sun and then later sat in the shade on the back patio while listening.  Right in front of us, a coconut dropped from a tree.  I paused the sermon so that Nathan could go fetch the coconut and open it.  He'd wanted so badly to hatchet into a fresh coconut the whole time we were there, and he got his desire.  He took the outer stuff off by chopping, and then he busted the nut open and dug the flesh out.  We both agree that it was the best coconut we'd ever eaten, though it was very small. 

We then went down to the sandy beach again to swim, and we collected rocks, shells, and plenty of brain coral so that we could give pieces away.  I wanted especially to take brain coral back to Jaden William, because he loves it so much.

There were SO many plants and animals (like crabs, lizards, and birds) that we took pictures of, but I simply cannot share them all here.

Coconut tree where the coconut fell, my drink, and Na chopping the coconut

We then walked around on the five-acre property taking pictures of ourselves with the beautiful views.

These were among pictures taken the morning portion of Sabbath.  I LOVE this baby!

To left is the neat-looking tree we got out to go see the day we talked to the Rasta man.  To right is among the many pictures we took Sabbath afternoon.

After Sabbath was over we went to a semi-fancy restaurant.  It was actually the second time.  Nathan wanted so badly to take us again.  We listened to live bands each time, and it was very enjoyable music.  Very different each time.  We ate filet mignon with a red wine demi glaće and mashed potatoes and asparagus. That was about the only fit-to-eat thing they had on the menu.  Much of the stuff was unclean/unfit, like nasty sea creatures and hog meat but all given fancy names on the menu.  The food was very good, and we followed it up by going to get homemade Greek-style ice cream made by a real Greek who actually is from Little Rock, AR which is just an hour from where we both grew up.  Nathan also learned some very interesting information from him, the real reason why things on the USVIs cost so much.  It was quite sickening, and it also shed more light on the conversation we'd had with the Rasta before.  The government controls the electricity there, and the cost is outrageous.  It's around ten times what it costs us here!  And of course we already know from being in St. Thomas how they generate the electricity--petroleum plant.  Just very heartbreaking and sickening.  And anyone who tries to change anything for the better becomes a target.

But, back to good things...

So while we were gone the kids spent time visiting their cousin Layla while going to the Little Rock Zoo and swimming in a pool my parents bought.  Jaden William also went to work with my dad as he so often does and acts as "co-manager" of the fair grounds (my dad is the manager) and impressing the trustees with his intellect.  LOL  My dad also showed him all about bee-keeping.

My dad and Jaden William suited up to see the honeybees

Jaden William with cousin Layla, Olivia, and Trusten at the LR Zoo in front of the lion habitat; Liv with goggle and life jacket in pool

I hope to post more about what we're doing this summer soon, but it's amazing I'm getting to finally post this, because our iMac is messed up.  I got the pictures ready the last time I successfully got this thing to turn on.  Nathan was able to do some work for business on it another time.  After about ten times of turning it on today I got the thing on.  You never know when it may be the last time.  I can't blog with my pictures very well with my iPad.  There's no telling when we will get the computer thing remedied, as it's pricey no matter what way you at it, and our Apple Care is up.  I'm sure the logic board is basically fried.  We didn't have it hooked to our surge protector (it's on the TV and PS3), and we forgot to unplug it before we left, and it stormed badly while we were gone.  That's life.  I'm thankful to have gotten to post this, and I hope I can post more in the near future.

Until next time...