Quote of the (Good Fri)day

Happy long weekend to all, and a happy "El Ron and Coke" Friday as well. Home in Moncton, I'll be taking advantage of the Cuban imports that the parents brought back from their vacation to Varadero last week. Sweet.

On to the quote. Courtesy of my sister's work with Westjet, I could be heading 9,000 km out to Hawaii in about two weeks time. In researching some traveling inspiration for such a trip, I had no idea that Mark Twain was considered one of the first "tourists" to those islands. Perfect.

Here's Twain's description of his arrival by steam cruiser in 1866. Magic:

"ON a certain bright morning the Islands hove in sight, lying low on the lonely sea, and everybody climbed to the upper deck to look. After two thousand miles of watery solitude the vision was a welcome one. As we approached, the imposing promontory of Diamond Head rose up out of the ocean its rugged front softened by the hazy distance, and presently the details of the land began to make themselves manifest: first the line of beach; then the plumed coacoanut trees of the tropics; then cabins of the natives; then the white town of Honolulu, ..."

(Roughing It, Part 63-LXIII)

Enjoy your Easter. And don't eat too much chocolate.