A Little Respite from Paradise

When visiting a beautiful island country like Fiji sometimes you have to get away from it all and head to a tiny island a few miles from the mainland for a day of relaxing and watching the blue waters curl over the white sands of the beach as well as your toes.

Wait a minute – Fiji itself is a country of over three hundred islands all straight out of a travel magazine’s article on ‘the most awesome’ beaches to visit.

So many to choose from

The tourist city of Nadi (pronounced nandi) is a locale worth spending days in visiting shops, restaurants, blue waters, and everything else any traveler could desire. It’s a city with sights, sounds and views to delight the most particular visitor.

Fiji itself is a wonderful destination and that is why this blog may seem a bit odd.

While sitting on a beach in Nadi enjoying cold libations native to Fiji J and L discussed and commented on this and that about the people and scenery of the islands surrounding them. Nine days on Viti Levu relaxing and doing business had been time well spent but what was needed was a true getaway from the busy hub bub of Nadi. As we sat on the beach looking west over the South Pacific we saw many little dots on the horizon and decided we had to visit one of the destinations off the coast.

Leaving one island to visit another made sense to us.

Bored ? Just find a more deserted beach perhaps

Not ones who love tours we knew there was no other way to visit the off shore islands without renting a boat and navigating waters we were not familiar with. This would not work since we had an early flight the next morning to glide back to LAX.

After researching and exploring (that’s what we do) we chose South Sea Cruises as our choice for the day.

The place we would visit was the South Sea Island thirty minutes west of Nadi. The entire island was only three or four acres in size and maybe ten feet above sea level and the surrounding blue waters rippling over spectacular coral beds made it seem much larger. Crystal clear water to snorkel in, catamaran sailing, a submersible to discover the mysteries of the undersea world, and a large pool were only some of the amenities being offered on this small South Sea island.

South Sea Island - tiny, tranquil and tantalizing

If all the fun in the sun activities were not enough a full bbq with fish, steak, ribs, starches and unique salads were offered at lunch with a great entertainment provided by a local dancers. Fiji beer, wine and soft drinks were part of the deal rounding off the day as pleasant as any visitor could ask for.

The South Sea Island is part of the Mamanuca Island group of Fiji west of Nadi and south of the Yasawa Islands – in other words there are a whole lot of islands in the South Pacific. South Sea Island was just one of twenty that made up the Mamanuca’s.  Of course thirteen of these islands are totally under water at high tide which made the idea of spending any long term time not very advisable.

With a back pack filled with cameras, beach towels and sun screen we jumped aboard a very handsome three decker boat of about seventy feet in length and full of excited tourists. The boat was packed.

How were all these tourists going to fit on such a small island as the South Sea? Had we made a mistake on this cruise?

A moment or two later we realized that this boat, comfortable as it was with snacks, drinks and an indoor lounge was nothing more than a very fancy water taxi.

Nice little water taxi to the islands

This yacht would be dropping folks off on various islands through-out the next three hours from day trippers to those spending a week or more on the farther islands off the coast of Fiji. We were destined to the first dropped off on South Sea and then hours later the last of the visitors would be holding up on Mondriki, Mana or Yanuya – it should be noted that Mondiki was the host island for Tom Hanks and a volley ball by the name of Wilson for the film Castaway.

It's always better with a friend

But we were only gliding over the blue waters a short thirty minutes when the Captain slowed the engines to a crawl as we approached a low lying palm treed island of white sand and somewhat rough surf. Quickly two aluminum twenty foot tenders raced out to our large boat and within minutes we were escorted off the larger boat into the smaller and tore off for a day of relaxing on another beach not far from the one we had been relaxing the previous day.

A moment by moment description of our day won’t be necessary since it may be rather boring for the reader to view a day spent laying beneath a palapa sipping on cold drinks and enjoying the slight ocean breezes. The sun filled the sky only occasionally being hidden by a soft fluffy cloud leaving the day toasty warm.

Dips into the waves were cooling and refreshing enough to give the dynamic researchers the energy to climb into a submersible for a forty minute cruise around the island and the colorful reefs.

Not completely submersible but just enough

 But with that said it is always a bitter sweet moment when that elusive thing called time slips away and reality steps in.

Sunset was not far away and it was time to climb aboard the tender and power back to the luxurious water taxi for the return trip to Suva.

Not much more to write – the photographs are proof enough of how J and L spent their last day in Fiji

Well, we hope it’s not our last day on the enchanting green islands of Fiji and the wonderfully warm people who call it home.

About that Sunset!

Lithuania Second Chance

J and L have recently invited certain explorers and researchers to share their stories to give a more broad appeal to those visiting this adventurous blog. The concept of exploring and researching was the reason this venue was begun in the first place and continues to be the focus point of every writing produced.

A relative of John’s once stated: “We had a trip of a lifetime when we went to Alaska.”

His response, as once discussed was – “Every trip is a trip of a lifetime – not one should be dismissed over another one.”

So, in regards to this we welcome the first blog written by our good friend and often videographer – Paul Bakas.

Home – Lithuania Second Chance by Paul K. Bakas

Homeward bound!

When my brother Bob suggested a summer excursion to our native land of Lithuania, I didn't hesitate this time around. In 1992 I was offered a trip to Lithuania, but with four kids under four, it never materialized for me. With my father being born there and my mother's parents immigrating from Lithuania, it was time to go home! Bob, now on his tenth trip, I needed to make this my first trip, and I had the further joy of traveling not only with Bob but another brother Dave, my sister Marija along with my in-laws Julie, Joann, Barry and my wonderful niece Courtney.

Paul (on the right) and the rest of the Bakas Team

As I left my wife Erin behind as she needed to attend to her aging parents the eight of us boarded a Lufthansa Airliner and headed for Germany and then the flight to Lithuania.

Of course, flying across the United States from LAX to Germany and then to our final stop in Lithuania didn't feel like a short flight but together we laughed and shared some fond memories thirty plus thousand feet above the earth.

One of the major attractions that has eluded me was a place called the Hill of Crosses which is just north of the city of Siauliai. Seeing pictures and hearing stories about this remarkable place made it a must see on my long lists of must sees.

It was where the people of a dominated country stood up and told the dominating country to go to hell.

And they did it with crosses!

A lot of sadness but solid Lithuanian pride

In the late 18^th century Lithuania became a vassal state of the Russian Empire which did not sit well with the citizens and they protested loudly and regularly but carefully because back then a rebel was stabbed or shot and buried secretly if at all. So between roughly 1830 and 1860 crosses were erected near Siauliai for those soldiers (rebels) whose graves could not be found. The locals would place crosses on the hill in honor of those killed during the years of the rebellion.

This tradition continued through the decades against often tyrannical and brutal governments but got particular attention during the Soviet Union occupation when the dominating force would bulldoze down the hill of crosses in defiance of the citizens of Lithuania.

Remember – Christian symbols are not liked by communist societies but symbols of rebellion against overzealous authoritative regimes really go against what the communists believe in.

The Socialist agenda – “We’re all alike unless you disagree with the power in control!”

Anyway, politics aside I wanted to see the Hill of Crosses for myself and to understand the magnitude of what the local people of not only Siauliai but all of Lithuania did in rebellion against the Soviet Union.

Three times from 1963 to 1972 the Soviets actually bulldozed the hill removing all signs of the crosses but what happened next – you got it – the people put up more and more in honor of those Lithuanians who gave their lives for an independent nation.

People around the world visit this memorial to human sacrifice

The Soviets stopped and in 1993 Pope John Paul II visited this Holy Site and declared it a piece of land that represents peace, love and sacrifice.

Pope Paul praying for peace on the Hill of Crosses - 1993

So, I finally made it home to where my family roots are firmly planted and I saw one historical treasure in a country full of them with my family.

 What a great experience and I will always be in debt to my brother Bob who started this whole idea of a family reunion in Lithuania.

Paul and his brother Bob Bakas at the Hill of Crosses

There are more stories to tell and I am sure J and L will have no problem if I start typing again.

Haunts of Slavery

Chesire Hall Plantation - Welcomes you - really?

One of the worst things humans have ever done to other humans is to own them. The entire concept of actually believing a person can be ‘owned’ goes against everything decent and just in a civilized world.

Of course, those people with such perverted thoughts that to keep someone in chains (in reality or symbolically) is fine and dandy will not like this blog and that’s okay by J and L.

According to the United Nations (2013) there are approximately 30 million slaves today! These slaves can be forced factory workers, child prostitutes, house workers, hard labor workers, and the list goes on and on.

One example is the country of Mauritania – this West African nation is believed to have one out of every four people in slavery currently. The country has tried to rid the concept of slavery by outlawing but it has not seemed to do much but find it harder to locate the slaves.

Top country dealing with slavery today

Research clearly shows that slavery is more prevalent in poorer countries than they are in more economically sound countries such as the United States. If people have the power to increase their worth economically then they do not need to hold the ultimate power of slavery over others.

Sad – criminally sad.

Plantation cannon to protect owners and slaves

Professor Louis Henry Gates researched (we like that term) and wrote that during the terrible slave trade between the 16^th and 19^th centuries nearly 12.7 million people were placed into slavery and transported from Africa to various ports around the world. Over a million people died in the transport itself but of the remaining 10 or so million poor souls the majority found their harsh life in South America and the Islands throughout the Caribbean. According to Professor Gates' studies (and this man knows his stuff) America and later the United States only received approximately 450,000 slaves from Africa.

A small percentage right but one slave is way too many!

While in the Turks and Caicos recently, J and L had a chance to visit Cheshire Hall – a former 5,000 acre cotton plantation on the main island of Providenciales. Though the current size of this historical site is just short of 4 acres, it did give an idea of what life must have been like to be a slave during the time this plantation.

Not comfortable -

A reconstructed slave dwelling - small and hot

John showing how truly small the cabin was

The plantation was the brain child of Wade Stubbs who convinced his brother Thomas to leave England in the late 18th century and come to the Turks and Caicos to start the plantation. In its heyday, the cotton and farmland would encompass 5,000 acres and be home (prison) to hundreds of slaves. It was supposed to have grown the most profitable and appealing cotton in the world - who knows - maybe or maybe not but certainly this plantation built in the Blue Hills area of TCI was well known and respected.

Some remaining cotton plants from hundreds of years ago

Unfortunately or fortunately Thomas was hit by financially hard times around 1810 and sold the plantation and all its holdings to Wade who later found the battle against boll weevils, soil degradation and hurricanes were too much to put up with. So, a few decades of cotton growing ceased.

Turks and Caicos Islands which encompasses 40 islands but only eight are inhabited are low lying (156 feet being the highest hill among them), little rainfall with an average of 26 inches per year, and hot with averages between 80 and 90 degrees year round.

That is not a great area to grow anything and being there a few times J and L have to agree. The beaches are beyond beautiful and the water so clear that seeing dozens of feet down to the coral reefs is not difficult. But beyond the beaches the islands are mostly scraggly shrubs and small trees struggling to grow out of rocky soil. The idea of growing anything of value would take a lot of work, energy, innovation and prayer.

What remains of the Great House

So, Chesire Hall Plantation fell into disuse after the cotton industry in TCI fell apart and the many decades following have been very unkind to the once thriving industry and home of the Stubbs. Today only a few crumbling stone walls depicting where the great house, cotton gins, water well, and other small buildings remain. The government allowed construction to invade the lands of Cheshire and it was only recently that it became a historical site - otherwise there may have been a high rise hotel charging lots of money for views of the British West Indies.

Looking toward the ocean from atop Chesire Hall Plantation

A small toy boat carved out of rock

History - no matter how painful needs to be preserved so the bad history reminds all of us not to repeat it.