Mandy shivered in anticipation as she waited to leave the ship. She and Sadie would tour Pearl Harbor while Barbara and Ellen explored the Polynesian Cultural Center. There wasn’t time to go on both tours, so the four friends had decided to split up and then share their experiences during dinner. Later on, they’d also exchange pictures.
Mandy chose Pearl Harbor because she’d studied the World War II attack and was saddened to think how many people lost their lives because of it. Sadie was also interested in history, and especially wanted to visit the USS Arizona Memorial, which she’d heard was one of the most popular visitor attractions in Hawaii.
“I’m eager to see the cultural center. The brochure I have mentions it’s a forty-two-acre lagoon park.” Ellen placed the brochures in her tote bag. “We’ll be able to see Polynesian dance, costumes, and songs, and learn how they used to live. From the pictures I’ve seen, it appears to be a special place with natural beauty, showcasing the culture of the Pacific. There will be so much to see and do, all in a single day.”
“I’m excited too,” Barbara agreed. “It will be interesting to learn about the various aspects of Polynesian culture.”
“Oh, look, there’s a beautiful reggeboge! It must be raining somewhere on the island.”
Mandy looked in the direction Sadie pointed. Sure enough. A gorgeous rainbow spanned the sky. Its bright colors pierced the clouds, captivating her as she admired the rainbow’s beauty. Looking closer, she noticed a double rainbow, but the colors were in reverse of the brighter one.
Mandy thought about the Bible passage where God placed a rainbow in the sky after the flood as a promise to never again destroy the earth by water. Whenever she saw a rainbow, she remembered God’s promise, and it made her feel closer to Him. Our heavenly Father created many wonderful things for our enjoyment, she thought. Too bad some people take them for granted or don’t notice at all.
Polynesian Cultural Center
“This is fun!” Ellen could hardly contain herself as she and Barbara sat in a canoe.
Their paddling guide led them through a lovely lagoon, slowly maneuvering from one end of the cultural center to the other. After spending most of the morning on their feet, looking at many of the exhibits, it felt good to sit and enjoy a more leisurely pace. She’d picked up a disposable camera at the first gift shop they’d visited and had already taken several pictures. Her camera wasn’t fancy like the digital one Mandy purchased before leaving on their trip, but it would capture some of the special places Ellen was seeing today. Tomorrow, she’d also have more picture-taking opportunities when they visited the island of Kauai.
She leaned back, closing her eyes for a brief time, enjoying the perfumed fragrances in the air. “Can you smell the flowers?” Ellen tilted her head farther and sniffed deeply, to catch more of the pleasant aroma.
Turning to face her, their handsome young guide spoke up. “The fragrance you’re enjoying is from the gardenia flower growing over there.” He pointed toward the bank of the man-made freshwater lagoon. “They do smell wonderful.”
Barbara smiled. “I agree. The scent of those flowers is so different than any we have back home.”
“Where are you two from?” he asked.
“Middlebury, Indiana,” Ellen replied.
“You’re a long way from home. How do you like Hawaii so far?”
Ellen’s cheeks felt hot as she murmured, “It’s amazing.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” Barbara dipped her hand into the water as they glided quietly along.
“Maybe you’ll come back someday. We see a lot of returning guests here at our center.” He winked at her.
Stifling a snicker, Ellen exchanged looks with her friend. Then to ease her embarrassment, Barbara leaned closer to Ellen and whispered, “What should we do after this?”
“I’m hungerich, so maybe we should eat lunch.”
“Sounds good to me. There’s a snack stand at the Marquesas Village inside the center.”
“They have good food, and the prices aren’t bad.” Their guide smiled and winked at Barbara again.
Ellen wondered if he was flirting with her friend. If so, she was glad Barbara wasn’t flirting back.
“Thank you for the information.” Barbara turned to look at Ellen. “After we eat, maybe we should stop by the Polynesian Marketplace, which has many handcrafted items. I bet we can find some nice things to buy.”
“They do have some interesting items,” their guide interjected.
“I need to be careful not to spend all my money in one place,” Ellen said. “We still have two islands to see, not to mention our stop in Ensenada, Mexico, before returning to Los Angeles.”
“So you came by cruise ship?” the young man asked.
Before either Barbara or Ellen could respond, he added, “I’ve never been on a big boat like that.” He paused, lifting his oar out of the water. “So, what’s it like?”
“It’s an interesting way of traveling,” Barbara replied. “There are a variety of shows to see on board and incredible amounts of elaborate food to eat. It’s like a small floating town, with shops, swimming pools, and many other things to see and do. So far, it’s been quite enjoyable.”
“Except for me getting seasick one day.” Ellen leaned closer to Barbara. “I wonder how things are going with Mandy and Sadie.”
Pearl Harbor
A lump lodged in Mandy’s throat as she stood on the USS Arizona Memorial platform, looking into the water. She could see an outline of the submerged ship. A taped narration played close by, telling about the attack. This was the final resting place for the 1,177 crew members who lost their lives when the ship was sunk by the Japanese on December 7, 1941.
“This is so sad,” she whispered.
Sadie nodded slowly, clutching her handkerchief.
Mandy could hardly fathom the horrible chaos that went on during the bombings. This wasn’t the only ship that had been attacked in the harbor. The Nevada, Tennessee, West Virginia, Maryland, Oklahoma, and California were also hit. The battleship Pennsylvania was in dry dock that day for repairs.
Since the Japanese attack had been a surprise, many of the bombs and torpedoes hit their targets. The damage to the ships was severe, causing great loss of life and many ships to sink.
When Mandy closed her eyes, she could almost smell the pillars of smoke and hear the loud booms as the enemy aircraft swept in. She shuddered thinking about the shouts of anguish from those who’d been injured and the sorrow of family members who lost a loved one that fateful day. War was a terrible thing. She wished there could only be peace.
“It’s time to go, Mandy.” Sadie touched her arm. “They’ve announced the boat that brought us here is ready to transport us back to the visitor’s center.”
Glancing once more at the remains of the ship beneath them, Mandy turned away.
“What shall we see next?” she asked Sadie when they reached the visitor’s center a short time later.
“I’d like to walk through the USS Bowfin. The submarine is docked outside the Bowfin Museum. The cost for museum admission and a tour of the sub is twelve dollars, which includes getting a digital audio player to narrate the tour.”
“It does sound interesting. It’s a good thing neither of us is claustrophobic, because from what I’ve read, submarine quarters are tight.”
“When we’re done touring the Bowfin, if there’s still time, we could visit the USS Missouri,” Sadie rushed on. “It’s famous for being the site where Japan signed the formal surrender, ending World War II in 1945.”
“You certainly know your history.” Mandy moved in the direction of the submarine.
“I’ve often wished I could have lived in the past. Course, not through something as serious as a world war,” Sadie quickly added.
On the Cruise Ship
When the girls sat down to dinner that evening, they shared their adventures of the day.
“The best part of visiting the Polynesian Culture Center was learning how to make a fire by rubbing two sticks together.” Barbara’s eyes gleamed. “It was hard work, but the Samoan villagers made starting a fire look effortless.”
“I’ll bet it was fascinating.” Mandy cut into a piece of baked chicken. “Pearl Harbor was not only interesting, but quite emotional. Too bad we didn’t have time to see the cultural center too.”
“What was your favorite part of the day?” Sadie focused her gaze on Ellen.
“I enjoyed the canoe ride, but even though it was relaxing, our tour guide made me kind of naerfich. He seemed overly talkative and flirted with Barbara.” Ellen’s brows pinched together. “But watching several skilled artisans carve some beautiful pieces from various types of wood was also interesting.”
“Oh, and don’t forget the food,” Barbara interjected. “We had a tasty lunch at one of the snack stands inside the center.” She looked at Mandy. “Where did you and Sadie eat?”
“Between the USS Arizona Museum and the USS Bowfin Museum there’s an open-air café.” Mandy paused for a sip of iced tea. “Of course, the food wasn’t nearly as good as what we’re being treated to tonight.”
“We have had some delicious meals on this trip.” Sadie lifted her fork and took a bite. “I wouldn’t be surprised if I’ve gained a few pounds. When we get home, I’ll most likely have to diet and exercise.”
“Speaking of home, have any of you heard from your family lately?” Ellen asked.
“I got a call from my mamm this afternoon,” Mandy replied. “She mentioned the weather there has warmed a bit. Instead of snow, they’re now getting rain.”
“We had some rain today too,” Sadie reminded. “Although it was a warm rain, so I didn’t really mind it.”
Barbara’s forehead wrinkled. “I almost feel guilty being here where the days and nights are so balmy, while our family and friends are dealing with pre-winter weather.”
“We should enjoy it while we can.” Mandy’s enthusiasm slowly diminished as reality sank in. “Because all too soon our wunderbaar vacation will be over.” She didn’t tell the others, but part of her wished she never had to go home. Mandy didn’t dislike her home in Middlebury—it was where she’d grown up and met her friends. But the sensation of being somewhere new made her feel like all her burdens had been removed. Of course, she reminded herself, if I lived anywhere else, I’d miss my family and friends.