Island Wanderings

Today I wanted to get off base but I didn't know what I wanted to do. I didn't really want to go to the beach or go to C'sted. So I decided to take my car and camera and see what I could discover. I turned down roads that I had never driven on and stopped at anything that looked interesting.

Here is the illustrated version of what I did today. :)

My first road took me to a cemetery. Some people find them creepy but I really don't see why. As I walked around I found it interesting more than anything at first.

Some of the graves were large and covered in marble with statues and figurines.
This building that towers over the cemetery houses only the graves of three people. From this I assume that the people were rich or famous.








Then there are that graves that are marked only by handmade markers, or simple concrete headstones. We assume that these people were poor and their families couldn't afford much.





This got me thinking about how no matter what these people had, or didn't have, they all ended up in the same place. Unable to take what they had with them. You can't tell who a man was by the size or cost of his grave, but by the legacy and impact that he left behind.

Then I came to a section were the graves were only marked by metal place cards from the funeral home stating the name, year of birth, and death.



Many of them were completely unmarked; the place cards having been stolen or just disappeared with time.

     My first reaction was that it was so sad that these graves might as well have a sign that says "unknown." That no one will ever know who is buried there. Then I began thinking "Why do we mark graves?" It isn't for the dead. They are gone and no longer can care about dignity, status, etc.

   We mark them for the sake of the living. To give them some connection to their dear ones. To give them a place to put flowers on each anniversary.

I saw so many arrangement of flowers on some tombs that they resembled shrines or altars...
   

  I decided that I don't want to be buried at a place where people can come "visit" me, or in a jar on someones shelf. Once you die your body is just an empty shell, your soul leaves. I will be in heaven with God not in some cemetery...
Cemeteries bring sadness to people as it is a reminder of what they have lost. I would rather be remembered for my life, not my death!



My next stop was one that made me smile as it brought thoughts and memories of life and love!
I turned down a road that was mostly abandoned houses. I only saw one person who was waking out of the bush with what looked like marijuana plants.... Needless to say I hurried by him and kept driving!
5 or 6 turns later I found myself on a dirt path headed towards the ocean.

When I got out I realized that I was on the same beach that I had taken engagement picture on last week! I came a completely different (and longer) way, but ended up on the other side of the same beach.

Last week I took engagement pictures for Jason and Niki here. It had to laugh that out of all the shoreline I had managed to end up here. :)

So I hopped back in "Our Car." and decided to take the other fork off the road that I had just passed. 

On the way there, and on may of the roads today, I saw a lot of these plants. I am assuming that they are cotton plants but I am not sure!

 When I came to the other end of the road I found this! It seems that someone decided to dump their old cars (or stolen and chopped cars) off the edge... :)












At this point my memory card ran out as it only a 2gb card. I have been meaning to get a larger one but just never think about it when I am at the store! 

So the next stop was K-Mart to pick up a memory card and some water!!!

After inserting the new card and trying yet another unknown turn off the highway, I found a very pretty beach.

                                                        The other side

By this time I was pretty hungry so I stopped by my favorite deli (Turtles Deli in F'sted) and had the perfect lunch! Turkey Club sandwich on homemade bread and an ice cold Sunkist! Mmmm











Next I managed to actually get lost! No small feat on an Island this tiny! I knew the general area that I was in but probably couldn't get back there again very easily if I wanted to.

I found some really cool ruins right on the edge of a housing community. The smokestack closest resembles our smokestack out of  all the ones that I have seen. From what I have heard the man who built ours, built three others on island. I am going to try and do some research to see if this could perhaps be one of those three?!

And last but not least I found the biggest tree that I have seen on this island!!! It was in someones yard so I didn't get out of the car, but there were three trunks that split out of the original tree and I am guessing that it would take about 5 people to wrap their arms around each trunk!

I can totally see a tree house being built in that tree! :)

After making my way back on countless roads that I had never seen before; I arrived back home realizing that there is a lot of this island that I haven't seen yet. Maybe next free day I will have to go exploring again. :)