Day 23 – Sail the Pacific Ocean

The ocean swells caused the ship to rock and roll a bit more today, but, once again, Tim and I were fine. Because I woke up later than planned, I opted to watch the first lecture of the day live on our TV, waiting until afterwards for breakfast.

Captain Tom Anderson spoke on “Tropical Coral Reefs,” and he showed images of the most beautiful corals, as well as the colorful fish found on these coral reefs in the Pacific. I’m afraid that this is as close as I’ll get to these marvelous creatures since I don’t snorkel or dive. Glass bottom boats could be an option, but I’m not sure how much I’d really see. Captain Tom suggested a submarine ride as the best way of experiencing this underwater world. I’ll have to check and see if there are any slots available on any of those excursions.

Coral Reefs of Oceania

The culinary team planned three separate special events today, and the first was a Donuts Station. Although I didn’t sample one, they certainly looked yummy.

So Many Donuts!

I returned to the room in time to watch Patrick Goodness’ presentation on “The Gods of Polynesia,” where we learned the incredible myths of Polynesia’s colorful gods. Patrick started by defining myths as sacred stories that explain the world and man’s experience. He continued by explaining that the subjects of myth reflect the universal concerns of man throughout history, including birth-death-afterlife and the origins of man and the world.

The Gods of Polynesia

Although I have learned a lot from all the lecturers, Patrick’s talks make me think. I’m not religious, despite my Christian upbringing, and I’ve never given much thought to religion and its origins. Patrick made thought-provoking comparisons between Polynesian and Hebrew creation stories. And he continued to emphasize that “Faith and religion reflect and express the values of a culture in any given period and at any given place and time.” I’ve included two of his slides below because I think they offer such valuable insights into the subject.

The Evolution of Faith

Let's Hope Our Stories Reflect Truth, Kindness, and Shared Respect

One additional lecture completed our morning education. Captain Paul Eschenfelder’s talk on “Pearl Harbor” examined the events leading up to the attack and discussed the role of a Japanese spy, as well as the clues that were missed by the U.S. Navy. I recently watched a Roads Scholar online lecture on Pearl Harbor, but I learned even more about this event today. Since we’ll be visiting Pearl Harbor tomorrow, the talk was quite timely.

Pearl Harbor - What Happened and Why

Lunch today was another culinary event, a Dan Dan Noodle Bar. This iconic, spicy Sichuan noodle dish typically consists of noodles tossed in a spicy sesame sauce with pork, although we were able to control the amount of spice today. Although I had never tasted this dish, I really enjoyed it.

Dan Dan Noodle Bar

I finished the afternoon with a Guest Workshop with Jan Cadieux entitled “Gratitude Journaling to Enrich Your Travel Experience.” Although I consider this blog to be my journal, I typically focus more on facts than feelings. Jan explained that including gratitude, thankfulness, and mindfulness in a journal is linked to longer life, better health, and less anxiety. She offered practical tips, which I am going to try and incorporate into my writing.

Gratitude Journaling Workshop

Our final culinary event of the day was a Poke Bowl Station. Since I am not a fan of raw fish, I did pass on this one, but I admired the display. The carved watermelon was a fish under the sea, and the tulips were made of sugar, with green onions for the stems and leaves. The pastry team continues to outdo itself.

Poke Bowl Station