Memorial Day

 

“No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave.”

Calvin Coolidge

Memorial Day is a day in the United States where we honor those who died while serving in the Armed Forces in our country. It is also a National holiday that is observed the last Monday of May. Originally Memorial Day was set as a day off to decorate the graves of those lost during war time. Many still spend part of their day cleaning and decorating graves by putting flowers or an American Flag on their loved ones graves. For others, it means the beginning of Summer and a well deserved day off to enjoy barbecues, family, and friends.

For some, it is a hard day where they may grieve over a lost son, daughter, husband, wife, father, mother, grandparent, friend, or comrade in arms. These honorable men and woman were of all ages, from early teens  to old men during the Civil War to older teens and men and women in some of the later conflicts. When they raised their hands pledging loyalty to our country, many didn’t think about the sacrifice they may have to make. God bless them all for protecting our country, our freedom, and our people.

Many people go to Memorial day Observances in their home towns. That is how Joe and I spend part of our Memorial Day and this morning was no exception. We headed to downtown Augusta in the Olde Town section where the war monuments are on display. We were glad to be able to finally go to a ceremony since the last two years during Covid, there were none.

When we arrived downtown, the police had blocked traffic in this area of Broad Street.  Walking up to Broad Street,  we saw the large white tents that had been put up so the dignitaries could sit in the shade. As we walked up to the venue, we could hear a bagpiper playing military music. We put our chairs in place for the ceremony which is always done well. There were wreaths set up from the different organizations near the podium.

The hour long ceremony started and ended with a prayer. All in attendance put their heads down during the prayers for all those lost. Their were service members from all services from the Fort Gordon Installation Support Detachment who presented and raised the colors while our National Anthem was played. Next they recognized all the military Organizations that were present. They also recognized Gold Star families in the area. The presiding Mayor, Hardie Davis Jr spoke for a short while as well as Colonel James Turinetti, who was the Commandant of the U. S. Army Signal School and 41st Chief of Signal. He gave a very eloquent speech. Afterwards was the 3-Volley Salute also known as the 21 Gun Salute and Taps. Both are very hard to hear without wiping away a tear or two. The bagpiper played, “Amazing Grace” at the end of the ceremony. It was a beautiful ceremony.   

The unfortunate thing about this ceremony is it really wasn’t advertised so hardly anyone was there. I hope next year, they will do a better job of  the word out.

This afternoon, we will have a barbecue and relax with friends and family as that is what those who fought for our freedom would want. Enjoy your day off but take time to say a prayer or have a moment of silence for those who sacrificed all. They will not be forgotten.

Carol Ayer creation

This well known poem was written in 1917. It was written by John McCrae.

The poem

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.


We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.


Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Till next time. Bye for now.

Survival Beach, Puerto Rico

 

“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.”

Beverly Sills

On the northwest coast of Puerto Rico, a good two hour drive from San Juan, is the beautiful and picturesque, Survival Beach. We decided we needed to check it out so off we went on our excursion for the day. The drive itself was stunning with passing by beautiful mountain scenery, passed the Indian face sculpture, driving through the quaint coastal town of Isabela, and then along to northern coast. We passed through the defunct Ramey Air Force Base which closed in 1974 and decommissioned on 30 April 1976. It was redeveloped into Rafael Hernandez Airport. The base was eerily quiet. Then we headed north to the parking lot.

We parked in Surfers Beach parking lot and walked to the end of the lot where we spotted a sign for the trail to Survival Beach. We walked over a wooden bridge and headed down the tree lined trail. We found the trail both beautiful and challenging with many natural obstacles such as trees with deep roots making lots of trip hazards and overhanging rocky cliffs. Many of the paths looked like they were water run offs from a storm.

Much of the path was in the shade and every now and then we got an amazing view of the ocean. We were fascinated by how some of the trees seemed to grow right out of the rocks. As we walked, we had to bend down to avoid hitting our heads on some of the low branches on the trees. The narrow pathway rises both up and down and took us about 30 minutes to walk. It was not a difficult walk but was tricky and we took our time as not to get hurt. The end of the path goes down to the beach.

Once we got off the path, the ocean views were stunning on this isolated beach. We walked down a long stretch of beach with gorgeous white sand and explored the many breathtaking views of the large rocks jutting out of the sand. The beautiful blue water crashing against the rocks was a beautiful site to see. There were rocks and interesting formations everywhere. There were also many caves to check out. The best time to go to this beach is when the tide is low so you have an easier time walking the beach. The gorgeous views along the beach are something to see with the rocks rising out of the sand in many shapes and sizes. There were interesting lizards climbing on the rocks running to avoid the ocean water as it rose.

It is not a great beach for swimming as when the tide is high or the surf is rough, you need to stay out of the water as it is super dangerous. After our hike to the beach and back, we understood that Survival Beach was fittingly named. This is definitely worth the hike to see. Make sure you wear sneakers, bring water, and to be careful as you walk.

The beach is not a “Balneario” meaning it has no showers, dressing rooms, lifeguards, or safety buoys. When you hike to the beach, if you want anything to drink or eat, you must bring it with you. When you leave, please pack out everything out to leave this beach as pristine as it is now.

To get to Survival Beach, take Rt 2 in Aguadilla. Take Road 107 to Rt 110 to Cliff Road which is north of the airport and follow the signs to Surfers Beach. It is located at 6 Cliff Road, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. It is not difficult to find and well worth the trip.

Till next time. Bye for now.

La Cara del Indio – Indian Face Sculpture, Isabela, Puerto Rico

 

“Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.”

Michelangelo

After our cruise was over, we decided to take an extra day in Puerto Rico before heading home. We hailed a taxi and headed to Ace car rental at the San Juan Airport. When we got to the airport, we found out we had to take a shuttle to the car rental place which was not far away from the airport. The rental car place was just a small nondescript building but they got us all set up and we took off in our rental car for the day. We were pleased with their service and our rental car.

We headed west on the highway and enjoyed the beautiful views that Puerto Rico offered us. As we headed west, the mountains rose in front of us all bright green and lush. It was a lovely site to see. We also got great views of the coastline of northern Puerto Rico. What a lovely island and we were blessed with a gorgeous day. As we were driving, out of the blue we came across this magnificent large Indian face sculpture on the corner of Rt 2 and 113 that was carved right into the gray rock cliff wall. There were lots of people pulled over on this busy road to see this impressive site. Since there were no more parking spots, Joe just dropped me off so I could get some pictures.

The carving was amazing. It was incredible and bigger than it looks in pictures. I was so impressed by the carving of the Indian with a serious look on his face. I took a few pictures and then Joe picked me up again. If you do stop and park, I must warn you that it is a busy road and crossing to see the carving can be dangerous.  Right next to the statue was a small cave where they were selling local wares. After seeing this remarkable site, my curiosity was peaked and I needed to research this man so I would know who I was looking at. I logged into Google and found some great information on this Indian hero who was Taino which is a subgroup of the Arawakan Indians from northeast South America. They inhabited many areas in the Greater Antilles which includes Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico.

The statue was of a Cacique (Chief) Mabodamaca who was a Taino Leader of the territories that are now the cities of Isabela and Quebradillas and was a fierce protector of his people from the Spanish who were fighting to get their land back in 1511. This was during the 2nd Taino Rebellion which is now referred to as the Guajataca Battle. From reading accounts of history, it was believed that the Chief was killed by the Spanish General Don Diego de Salazar during the battle. But many choose to believe that he escaped by jumping off the cliffs of Isabela and surrendering to the Spaniards. Either way, he showed great courage and strength in trying to keep his people safe and defended his land so the Spaniards couldn’t take their land. In the end, the Spanish Conquistadors won the conflict when the Taino soldiers surrendered in 1513. 

Isaac Laboy Moctezuma was the artist who carved this Cacique Mabodamaca into the rocks in 2000. Isaac was born in Yabuccoa, Puerto Rico and is a full time craftsman. He learned how to make traditional baskets, and loves carving on wood and stone. He is also a sawyer, poet, and musician. He has carved many birds, saints, and monumental-size works that are located in churches, museums, parks, and private collections. He does amazing works of art and so glad that he has shared his incredible talent for all to see. My hope is that this carving will last for years so many more people will be able to see it. It is an interesting site to see and well worth the trip.

Till next time. Bye for now.

Philipsburg, Sint Maarten

 

“Life takes you down many paths but my favorite ones lead to the beach.”

Anonymous

Our cruise ship pulled into the quiet harbor of Philipsburg, which lies on the southern side of the island of St. Maarten on a pristine morning. We sat in the dining room having a lovely breakfast as our ship docked. We were blessed with a beautiful morning and a great start to our day. The views of Sint Maarten were gorgeous with the morning sun shining on the mountains making them appear to glow. Our day on the island of Sint Maarten was about to begin.

After breakfast, we headed to the lower levels of the ship to debark. Today's plan was to have a relaxing day on the beach. When we got off the ship, we headed down the dock to the water taxi. The taxi goes back and forth to the Great Bay Beach in Philipsburg. It was a short walk from the cruise port to the ticket stand where we bought our ticket for the water taxi. We paid $7 each for unlimited trips and got on the boat when it was time to go. The boat was nice and since we got off early, it wasn’t crowded. As we headed across the water, we were amazed at how beautiful the water looked and we were excited see what the town of Philipsburg had to offer.

We were going across the bay to Great Bay Beach which is a two mile stretch of beach. Getting off the boat, we were instantly asked if we wanted to rent chairs and an umbrella. We just said no and walked on. All along the beach on the boardwalk, were many quaint shops and it is a fun place to stroll around. Many peddlers were in town that day trying to sell us anything and everything but we just said no. We spotted many nice restaurants with great seafood and fun bars with lively music and lovely views of the beach.

As we strolled around, we had many people come up to us offering to rent us a chair and umbrella for the day. The best option when you are walking on the boardwalk is to just enjoy the boardwalk and when you are ready for the beach, just head out on the beach where you will get the best deals on chairs. We met up with an elderly gentlemen who offered us two beach chairs, umbrellas, and a bucket of beer for $20. You can get chairs cheaper but we liked the man and felt we were helping him out.

Once on the beach, it was true relaxation. This was just what we needed as the rest of the cruise we had booked an excursion at each port. Since we had been on Sint Maarten before and done the island tour, we felt this was a great thing to do today. We were not sorry as it was a perfect beach day. The last time we were here, we got to see the damage that the Category 5 Hurricane Irma had done to the island in 2017. It was so sad. The island has recovered well but still has work to be done.

On Voorstraat or Front Street there are many duty free shops where you can find that something special to bring home. It is a nice but small port town to walk around. We stopped at one of the beach front bars to get a drink and something to snack on. The slight breeze coming off the ocean made sitting at this open front beach bar perfect. We sat and enjoyed seeing the waves rolling in and people watching.

Here are some quick facts about the island. The island of St Maarten is the smallest land mass that is shared by two nations being only 16 square miles. The Northern part of the island is owned by France. They own 60% of the island and call it Saint Martin. The Dutch own 40% of the southern half of the island and call the island Sint Maarten. It has the oldest officially open border between two country’s in the world. This is the number one island visited by cruise ships in the Caribbean and one of the most popular tourist destinations. There are more beaches per square mile than any other island and also more restaurants. And as far as adventure, this beautiful island brags of having the steepest zip line in the world. So if you are brave at heart, go for it.

After spending a wonderful day relaxing, we headed back to ship via water taxi. What a lovely day we had on the Dutch side of Sint Maarten. This is a lovely island and worth a visit.

Till next time. Bye for now.