The Rave

Wow,
I've never seen anywhere so beautiful before; and we spent a week there! There it is; the Marshall Islands (yes, I took that myself; it's not stolen from a website or doctored in any way). My sister-in-law, Paula, and her husband Paul live there and put us up in their apartment. They showed us the most beautiful spots on the island of Majuro, and we travelled to a private island called Eneko (unbelieveable snorkeling; I will never be impressed by an aquarium again) as well as another island in the neighboring atoll of Arno. At low tide, you can literally walk from one island to the next without getting your feet wet. At high tide, all that stuff you just walked over (coral) comes alive with color and marine life. God knows how to do beautiful; I've got to give Him credit! It stays hot there year round, as it is darn near the equator; even the water is warm!

The locals are about 90% Christian, so church was a blast. They asked me to play a couple songs, and it was very encouraging to be with people that get the meaning of the music (aka not Japanese) and agree with the message. The Marhsallese are also a modestly dressed people (no two piece bathing suits for the ladies, and no bare shoulders or upper chest in public), so there was no eye strain on my part; what a welcome treat after staying in Honolulu!

Even with only a few restaurants on the island, I was quite satisfied with the food. The Marshall Islands Resort has, hands down, the best quality and variety. Their burger is fantastic, and the pizza every Tuesday night is the hot spot in town for a reason. There was also a church-run barbecue not 3 minutes walk from Paul & Paula's place that had some of the best chicken and steak I've eaten, and it was only $3.50 a person! Also, the local seafood and Chinese restaurants are great.

If you go to the Marshalls (you absolutely must), then go to Robert Reimers Hotel and ask to rent Eneko island for the day; you can stay the night there too, if you wish. This was the climax of our honeymoon. For $46, you get transportation there and back, 10 fresh coconuts picked and cleaned when you get there, a bedroom and bathroom for resting and changing, a screened-porch-like kitchen area to prepare whatever you bring, and best of all, your run of the island! It was gorgeous!!! I was initially afraid to go snorkeling; I didn't want to get hurt on the coral. After the tide was high enough, however, I ventured deeper into the lagoon. There before me stood amazing barrels of coral and schools of fish darting around. I could have stayed there all day if my arms didn't get so tired. Renata loved the swimming and the coconuts too; I've never had coconut juice that fresh and that good before.

What a privelege to share such an unforgettable experience with my wife. I hope we have many more just as phenomenal.