May 5, 2025

ARUBA - Miller's Departure 

To cap off our FUN week with the Miller's, Bosco suggested we go to one of his favorite restaurants in Aruba, Faro Blanco (or the white lighthouse) at the north end of island. The meal was delicious, lots of homemade pasta and it seemed every table was celebrating somebody's birthday. Not to be left out, when I stepped out to use the restroom, the Miller's and Bosco plotted to celebrate my upcoming Birthday. So upon my return to the table, I was surprised by a flaming torch in a piece of cake with singing wait staff! A nice surprise! 

The next day Scott & Callie went with me to the Miller's hotel and beach club to hang out for our final afternoon together.  We swam, joked and soaked up the sun, telling all kinds of stories! Super relaxing!

Sheri caught this photo of our Ship right before it pulled out of Aruba port around 7 pm. The Miller's ended their vacation the next day after para sailing.

THE ART OF COCONUT CREAM - AMERICAN SAMOA

By Patricia Patrick • December 18, 2025
Making coconut cream is such a big part of the Samoan culture I feel compelled to share the 4 step process we were so nicely shown. Every Samoan young and old takes part in this tradition, it is an intrigue part of their everyday lives.

PAGO PAGO, TUTUILA ISLAND, AMERICAN SAMOA

By Patricia Patrick • December 17, 2025
The tour today was focused on the National Park but we also got a lot of insight into American Samoa's history and current day life. Our guide was Nini and she is a college student studying accounting and finance and works as a part-time guide.

NATIONAL PARK OF AMERICA SAMOA, TUTUILA ISLAND

By Patricia Patrick • December 17, 2025
Today we took the National Park of American Samoa Tour. It's a unique park - the only one south of the equator and where the U.S. Government doesn't own the land. Efforts to establish the Park go back to mid 1980 over concern about the decline of fruit bats and wanting to protect the tropical rainforests. On October 31, 1988 Congress established the NP of American Samoa. In 1993, a complex arrangement for a 50 year land lease years with seven villages and the Samoa government was signed. We got lucky with our tour - we were expecting an open air bus, but because we were a small group, we got a plush air conditioned van!