03 Feb 2012
Noumea, New Caledonia
Noumea is known as the Paris of the South Pacific. As you might guess it is very French.
Today’s plan was just to veg on one of their beautiful beaches.
Sometimes plans change.
31 Jan 2012
International Date Line
Reposted from January 30, 2010 blog
Tonight we cross the International Date Line - an imaginary line through the Pacific Ocean roughly corresponding to 180° longitude, to the east of which, by international agreement, the calendar date is one day earlier than to the west.
The concept of an international date line is first mentioned in a 12th century Talmudic commentary.
Magellan had a voyage (1519 – 1522) that circumnavigated the world and returned off a day. It made such a ruckus that the Pope got involved. I guess that they hadn’t read the Talmud.
28 Jan 2012
Lunch On The Crystal Serenity
27 Jan 2012
Sushi Nazi
It seems like everybody has seen the hilariously famous Seinfeld episode called the “Soup Nazi”.
Well, Honolulu has its own “Sushi Nazi” in a very renown sushi bar called Sasabune. They have a fixed menu called omakase that just keeps coming course after course until you give up. Kinda like dim sum but you eat what they want you to eat, when they want you to eat it and how they want you to eat it. At the end you pay (lots) by the course.
They will tell you whether and what to use for dipping or not and insist that the sushi is eaten in one bite.
The only redeeming feature for those who don’t like being told what to do, is that the food is outstanding. So much thought goes into what fish (flown in fresh from all over the world daily), paired with what rice, what sauce and what seasoning.
Don’t try ordering a California roll.
They have now expanded to L.A. and NYC.
26 Jan 2012
Maui Whale Watching
This is the perfect time of year for whale watching in Maui. We opted not to go on a ship’s tour. I found a zodiak to hire that afforded us an opportunity to go faster, farther, and get closer.
The whale here is the North Pacific Humpback which reaches 50 feet and about 75,000 pounds.
It summers in Alaska where the water is right for feeding and in the Fall starts its month or two down to Hawaii where it needs the warmer water for birthing.
