Review: Wicked at San Jose Center for the Performing Arts

On a spur of the moment, I purchased two tickets to see Wicked at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts. Inna was always interested in seeing Wicked, though I was more ambivalent.

Summary:

With exceptional costumes, unique sets, and spectacular special effects, Wicked was entertaining despite the weak musical score and easily forgettable lyrics. The plot is quite simple:  Elphaba - the Wicked Witch of the West (the Green Witch) - is really the "good" witch (despite her green skin and unattractive appearance).

I especially enjoyed two songs: "Popular" and "Defying Gravity." The rest of the score is easily forgettable.

Here are more details on the show, courtesy of Wikipedia:

Act I

In the Land of Oz, the Ozians are rejoicing over the demise of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. Glinda the Good Witch talks about Elphaba's past, where her mother was seen having an affair after Elphaba's father, the governor of Munchkinland, went out of town. As her mother has this affair, she drinks a green elixir. She then gives birth to a baby girl with green skin ("No One Mourns the Wicked"). An Ozian asks Glinda if she and Elphaba are friends. She reluctantly admits they were, leading Glinda to tell them how they became best friends. A flashback starts with a scene at Shiz University when Elphaba arrives with her father and younger sister, Nessarose ("Dear Old Shiz"). Due to her green skin, Elphaba's father resents her and showers his affection for Nessarose, who is physically disabled and uses a wheelchair due to a birth defect. As their father says goodbye, he gives Nessarose a pair of silver slippers. The headmistress, Madame Morrible, takes Nessarose under her protection, leaving Elphaba and the beautiful and popular Galinda as roommates to their chagrin. Elphaba attempts to take back her sister, and her anger manifests physically in an explosion. Madame Morrible recognizes that Elphaba has extraordinary powers and decides to teach her sorcery. She tells Elphaba her powers might allow her to one day work with the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, something Elphaba has dreamed of her whole life ("The Wizard and I"). All this attention does little to endear Elphaba to Galinda, and the feeling is mutual ("What is this Feeling?"). They fight constantly, even in their classes, such as their history class with Dr. Dillamond, the only animal Professor (an intelligent goat) at the university, who is beginning to suffer from discrimination. He tells Elphaba a conspiracy is afoot to stop animals from speaking, and she wants to let the Wizard know, for he would undoubtedly prevent it ("Something Bad").

Later, the Winkie Prince, Fiyero Tigelaar, arrives at Shiz and gets the other students thinking about his philosophy of just 'dancing through life.' They all decided to have an orientation party at the Ozdust Ballroom that evening. Boq, a Munchkin who has developed a crush on Galinda, tries to invite her to the party, but she convinces him to ask Nessarose out of pity, leaving Galinda free to go with Fiyero. Nessarose, who has a crush on Boq, is delighted and tells her sister how Galinda made it happen. When Galinda gives Elphaba an ugly hat to wear at the party, Elphaba takes it as an act of kindness. At the evening party, Boq tries to tell Nessarose why he invited her but is too nice to hurt her feelings ("Dancing Through Life"). She continues to fall for him. At Elphaba's obliging request, Madame Morrible arrives to tell Galinda she can join her sorcery class. Elphaba arrives wearing the witch's hat, only to find the other students laughing and staring while she awkwardly dances alone. Galinda feels regretful and goes dancing with Elphaba. Soon, everyone joins them, and the two girls look at each other in a new light. Back in their room, they continue to bond. Galinda decides to give Elphaba a makeover ("Popular").

The next day in class, Dr. Dillamond tells the students that he has been excommunicated. Elphaba wants to help, but no one will stand up to her. Afterward, the students are introduced to the cage, which will keep animals controlled so they never learn to speak. The cage being shown contains a tiny lion cub. Elphaba's fury cannot be stopped, and in the ensuing chaos, she and Fiyero steal the lion cub in the cage and escape. They share a tender moment before he leaves to free the lion cub. Elphaba reminds herself how pointless it is to wish for something to happen between them ("I'm Not That Girl"). Madame Morrible comes to tell her that the Wizard has decided to meet her. Nessarose and Galinda come to see her off, and Fiyero meets her, too. Galinda tries to win Fiyero's respect by changing her name to 'Glinda' in solidarity with Dr. Dillamond, who always mispronounced her name. Still, Fiyero is not impressed, saying goodbye to Elphaba instead. Elphaba invites Glinda to the Emerald City ("One Short Day").

The girls meet the Wizard of Oz, who turns out to be less intimidating than they thought ("A Sentimental Man"). He promises Elphaba that he will grant her request if she proves herself. Madame Morrible appears, the Wizard's new 'press secretary.' She gives Elphaba an ancient book of spells called the Grimmerie, which only the magically gifted can read. Elphaba is asked to try a levitation spell on the Wizard's monkey servant, Chemistry. However, the spell does not go the way Elphaba plans when Chester sprouts wings, and she realizes that the Wizard is behind the suppression of the animals. Elphaba realizes the Wizard has no powers and he is merely a fraud. She runs away, and to prevent the truth from getting out, Madame Morrible spreads reports that Elphaba is a 'wicked witch.' This only reaffirms Elphaba's belief that she must not let anyone hold her down. She performs a spell on a broom and flies away from the Emerald City, never to return ("Defying Gravity").

Act II[edit]

Sometime later, Elphaba's opposition to the Wizard's regime earned her the title"' the Wicked Witch of the West.' Glinda has become the positive public front of the Wizard's regime, given the title 'Glinda the Good' and positioned by Madame Morrible as the nation's defender against the witch ("No One Mourns the Wicked (Reprise)"). A press conference celebrating Fiyero's appointment as guard captain (a position he accepted to find Elphaba) is hijacked by the crowd's panicked rumors about the witch, including a story that she will be melted by water. Fiyero is incredulous and not convinced by Glinda's insistence that Elphaba does not want to be found. He is further angered when Madame Morrible announces his engagement to Glinda and runs off. Glinda attempts to keep a cheerful front for the press, but clearly, she realizes her dream life has come at a great price ("Thank Goodness").

Elphaba pays a visit to Nessarose, now the governor of Munchkinland, following the death of their father. Nessarose has taken away the rights of the Munchkins in a desperate attempt to keep Boq at her side. Elphaba tries to convince her sister to side with her against the Wizard, but Nessarose is more concerned with her own problems. Elphaba tries to help by giving Nessarose the power to walk, turning the silver slippers into the 'ruby slippers.' Convinced that Boq must love her now, Nessarose calls for him, but he only sees this as proof that she no longer needs him. Hurt, Nessarose takes Elphaba's spellbook and tries to cast a spell to make Boq fall in love with her. However, the spell backfires, making her the 'Wicked Witch of the East' and shrinking Boq's heart ("The Wicked Witch of the East"). Elphaba works another spell to save his life, if in a different condition. When Boq awakens, he is disgusted at his new state as a man-made tin.

Elphaba returns to the Wizard's palace to free the monkey servants and comes across the Wizard himself. He tries once again to convince her to work with him, telling her that he is not evil - just an average man who came into his position by chance, and he offers to redeem Elphaba's reputation ("Wonderful"). She is almost won over until she sees Dr. Dillamond, who has lost the power of speech. Angered by this, Elphaba accuses the Wizard, but he calls the guards to arrest Elphaba for fraud. In response, Fiyero and the guards enter, followed by Glinda. However, Fiyero helps Elphaba escape and leaves with her. Although broken-hearted at Fiyero switching sides with Elphaba ("I'm Not That Girl (Reprise)"), Glinda suggests to the Wizard and Madame Morrible that the way to apprehend Elphaba is to use her sister as bait, allowing the officials to recapture Elphaba once and for all.

Elphaba and Fiyero are both surprised by the strength of their feelings for each other and promise to always be together ("As Long As You're Mine"). Their happiness is interrupted when Elphaba suddenly sees Nessarose being in danger. Before Elphaba leaves to investigate, Fiyero tells her about a castle, Kiamo Ko, that his family owns and where she can stay.

Glinda and Elphaba meet again at the site where Nessarose has been crushed by a house with a girl named Dorothy Gale inside. Fueled by the rivalry over Fiyero, the two have a heated argument. The guards arrive to arrest Elphaba. Fiyero arrives and holds Glinda,, hostage until Elphaba is allowed to go free. Glinda pleads for the guards not to harm him, but they do not listen, as they escort Fiyero to the field where they can interrogate and torture him (by crucifixion). Elphaba tries to cast a spell to protect him but is crestfallen by the limitations of her power. She decides that from then on, she will live up to her reputation ("No Good Deed").

Later, all its citizens unite back at Oz's capital, declaring war on Elphaba due to Madame Morrible and Boq's testimony against her. Meanwhile, Glinda realizes that Madame Morrible, who can control the weather, is responsible for Nessarose's death, but Madame Morrible simply reminds her that blood is on her hands, too. Glinda flees in horror to warn Elphaba as the angry mob sets out to take Kiamo Ko ("March of the Witch Hunters").

Elphaba has already captured Dorothy back at the castle, refusing to release her until she relinquishes Nessarose's slippers – the only things left of her dead sister. Glinda travels to Elphaba's castle to warn her of the danger and persuade her to let Dorothy go. Elphaba refuses until she receives a letter saying that Fiyero has died. The two women forgive each other, acknowledging they have both made mistakes. To help her in the future, Elphaba gives the Grimmerie to Glinda. The two friends embrace each other for the last time before saying goodbye ("For Good"). As the mob arrives, Elphaba tells Glinda to hide, and she watches helplessly from the shadows as Dorothy throws a bucket of water on Elphaba, who appears to disintegrate. Shaken, Glinda sees that all that remains of her friend is her hat and the bottle of green elixir.

In the Emerald City, Glinda confronts the Wizard with Elphaba's bottle, which he recognizes as identical to his own. He was Elphaba's biological father and the cause of her green skin. He breaks down in sorrow, and Madame Morrible surmises that Elphaba's powers are strong because she was a child of two worlds. Glinda banishes the Wizard of Oz and sends Madame Morrible to prison.

Meanwhile, back at Kiamo Ko, Fiyero (now a scarecrow) comes to where Elphaba was melted. Making sure that no one is watching, he knocks on the floor, and out from a trap door steps Elphaba, very much alive; the entire thing was a ruse to convince her enemies of her death and to ensure her future with Fiyero, who was transformed into the scarecrow by her spell. Before leaving, Elphaba regrets that she will never see Glinda again and tells her they are alive. Simultaneously, returning to the musical's starting point, Glinda promises the people of Oz to properly earn her title as Glinda the Good. As the people celebrate and Glinda mourns, Elphaba and Fiyero leave Oz ("Finale").

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Blasting at Sherman Island

With a heavy wind forecast for Sherman Island by iWindsurf.com, I was eager to experience the strong summer winds (primarily absent this summer season).

iWindsurf.com predicted 20-25 knots of westerly wind throughout the day. It was already quite windy when I arrived, but only kiteboarders were blasting in the water. I rigged my Fanatic 105 FreeWave Stubby and my Ezzy Elite 4.5 sail (after talking to a few windsurfers who have been out earlier).

When I launched at around 14:00, the wind was quite gusty but not overly strong, and I was able to get planing, but I rigged my Ezzy too tight, and it was not providing enough low-end power. After a few runs, I re-tuned it for a more significant draft. I also switched to the 30" fin, as I was getting too much spin out.

With the new setup, I was windsurfing much better. Though overpowering many times, I could handle the robust and gusty wind on my Elite 4.5 sail.

Here is a video recorded on my GoPro Hero7 Black:



It was the best windsurfing day of the year! I windsurfed for 3 hours and had fantastic runs!

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Foiling at Sherman Island

I arrived at Sherman Island at around 14:05, with the light traffic. At first, I parked by the power lines, but then I re-parked in Sherman Island County Park to enable easier foil access to the playpen area.

Initially, I rigged my Ezzy Elite 5.7m sail, intending to use it with my Exocet RF81 foil with the Slingshot Infinity 76 wing.

At around 15:45, I launched my Exocet RF81 and blasted about an hour at Sherman Island. However, the wind continued to increase, and I decided to change gear. I was seriously overpowered on the foil. In heavy winds, I prefer to windsurf.

I took the Fanatic FreeWave 105/Stubby out of the van, attached a True Ames 36' fin, and was back on the water. Much better! I was having fun, blasting at Sherman Island on my Fanatic board. After the Exocet, it feels positively tiny!

Here is a GoPro Hero7 Black video I recorded of my session:



I enjoyed my two hours of sailing and was exhausted afterward. Windsurfing is definitely more tiring than windfoiling.

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Review: Hamilton at Orpheum

Winning multiple Tony awards, Hamilton has been one of the most talked-about musicals of the early 21st century. I had wanted to see it, but I could not usually afford the exorbitant prices charged on Broadway in New York City. However, I decided to see it for myself when reasonable tickets became available in San Francisco's Orpheum Theater.

Characters

• Alexander Hamilton: Vincent Jamal Hooper
• Eliza Hamilton: Julia K Harriman
• Aaron Burr: Donald Weber, Jr.
• Angelica Schuyler: Sabrina Sloan
• George Washington: Darnell Abraham
• Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson: Simon Longnight
• Hercules Mulligan/James Madison: Brandon Louis Armstrong
• John Laurens/Philip Hamilton: Ruben J. Carbajal
• Peggy Schuler/Maria Reynolds: Darilyn Castillo
• King George: Rick Negron
• Philip Schuyler/James Reynolds/Doctor: Christopher Henry Young
• Samuel Seabury: Andrew Wojtal
• Charles Lee: Christophe Campbell
• George Eacker: Alex Swift

Summary

Having read Alexander Hamilton by the acclaimed historian Ron Chernow, I was familiar with the exceptional and somewhat tragic life of one of America's founding fathers. I wanted to know if I would like this American history transformed into a hip-hop rap-musical. Although Lin-Manuel Miranda, the author of Hamilton, took quite a few liberties with Hamilton's biography, he made it more engaging for the younger audience.

I can't say that I liked most of the music or the lyrical rap, but they were intelligently written and not completely horrible. Three particular songs remained ingrained in my memory:

• Alexander Hamilton
• The Room Where It Happens
• Dear Theodosia

Would I see it again? Perhaps on Broadway, but I wouldn't place it in my top 20 musicals. It's not Chicago, Kiss Me Kate!, Cabaret, or Anything Goes!

Here are the details of the Hamilton Musical, courtesy of Wikipedia:

Act I

The orphan Alexander Hamilton lives on the island of Nevis ("Alexander Hamilton"). After arriving in New York in 1776, Hamilton met Aaron Burr, John Laurens, Marquis de Lafayette, and Hercules Mulligan ("Aaron Burr, Sir") and impressed them with his rhetorical skills ("My Shot"). They affirm their revolutionary goals to each other ("The Story of Tonight"). Angelica, Eliza, and Peggy are introduced ("The Schuyler Sisters"). Samuel Seabury warns everyone about the Congress, but Hamilton disagrees and tries to counter Seabury ("Farmer Refuted"). King George then insists on his authority ("You'll Be Back"). During the New York and New Jersey campaigns, Hamilton accepted a position as George Washington's aide-de-camp ("Right Hand Man") instead of field command.

At Philip Schuyler’s ball ("A Winter’s Ball"), Hamilton meets, falls in love with, and marries Elizabeth Schuyler ("Helpless"), as her sister Angelica suppresses her feelings for the sake of their happiness ("Satisfied"). After the wedding, Hamilton, Laurens, Lafayette, and Mulligan drink together while the three poke fun at Hamilton for getting married. Burr walks in on the group, unexpected by Hamilton to be attending. Burr congratulates Hamilton on his position as aide to the camp of Washington; Hamilton confesses that he would much rather have Burr's position on the battlefield ("The Story of Tonight (Reprise)"). Burr reflects on Hamilton's swift rise while considering his own career as more cautious ("Wait For It").

Conditions are worsening for the continental army, and Hamilton's constant pleading to Washington for a command continues to be shot down. Washington grants a command to General Charles Lee, who is unfit to lead one. After being fired by Washington, Lee goes on a tirade against Washington, claiming him unfit to lead. Though Hamilton wishes to challenge Lee, he is commanded not to by Washington. Since Hamilton is unable to challenge Lee, Laurens does ("Stay Alive") and thus duels Lee, with Hamilton and Burr as their seconds. Laurens injures Lee, who yields ("Ten Duel Commandments"). Hamilton is temporarily suspended by Washington ("Meet Me Inside") over the duel and is sent home. There, Eliza reveals that she is pregnant with her first child and asks Hamilton to simply slow down to take in what has happened in their lives ("That Would Be Enough"). After Lafayette convinces France to get involved on the colonists' side ("Guns and Ships"), he urges Washington to call Hamilton back to help plan the final Siege of Yorktown. Washington agrees but explains to Hamilton—who is convinced he should die a martyr and a hero in war—that he should be careful with his actions because whatever he does will be known for ages to come ("History Has its Eyes on You"). Hamilton agrees to join and reflects that he now has something to live for (a wife and a child on the way) and will give up on his efforts to die in war. At the Siege of Yorktown, Hamilton meets up with Lafayette to take down the British, revealing that Mulligan was recruited as a spy, helping them figure out what to do to trap the British and win the war ("Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)").

Soon after the victory at Yorktown, King George asks the rebels how they will succeed in governing on their own (“What Comes Next?”). Hamilton's son, Philip, is born, while Burr has a daughter, Theodosia ("Dear Theodosia"). Hamilton receives word that his friend Laurens has been killed in a seemingly pointless battle and throws himself into his work ("Tomorrow There'll Be More of Us"). He co-authored The Federalist Papers and was selected as Secretary of the Treasury by newly-elected President Washington. Angelica moves to London with her new husband ("Non-Stop").

Act II

Thomas Jefferson returned to America from being the U.S. ambassador to France ("What'd I Miss"). 1789 Jefferson and Hamilton debated the latter's financial proposals at a Cabinet meeting. Washington pulled Hamilton aside and told him to figure out a compromise to win over Congress ("Cabinet Battle #1").

Eliza and her family and Angelica, who is back from London, travel upstate during the summer, while Hamilton stays home to work on the compromise ("Take a Break"). Hamilton begins an affair with Maria Reynolds, making him vulnerable to her husband's blackmail ("Say No To This"). Hamilton, Jefferson, and James Madison created the Compromise of 1790 over a private dinner, exchanging Hamilton's financial plan for placing the country's permanent capital on the Potomac River. Burr is envious of Hamilton's sway in the government and wishes he had similar power ("The Room Where It Happens"). Burr switches political parties and defeats Philip Schuyler, making Hamilton now a rival (“Schuyler Defeated”).

In another Cabinet meeting, Jefferson and Hamilton argued whether the United States should assist France in its conflict with Britain. This decision is not subject to congressional approval, and Washington ultimately agrees with Hamilton's argument for remaining neutral ("Cabinet Battle #2"). In the wake of this, Jefferson, Madison, and Burr decide to join forces to find a way to discredit Hamilton in Washington's eyes ("Washington on Your Side"). Washington decided to retire from the presidency, and Hamilton assisted in writing a farewell address ("One Last Time").

King George received word that George Washington would be replaced by John Adams in the President's spot (“I Know Him”). John Adams became the second President and fired Hamilton, who published an inflammatory critique of the new President as a response ("The Adams Administration"). In the face of accusations of speculation of government funds by Jefferson, Madison, and Burr—and out of fear that his affair with Maria Reynolds would be used against him in his political career ("We Know")—Hamilton chooses to publicize his affair ("Hurricane") in the Reynolds Pamphlet ("The Reynolds Pamphlet"), damaging his relationship with Eliza ("Burn"). George Eacker gave a critical speech about Alexander Hamilton. Philip confronts Eacker and challenges him to a duel. Philip, instructed by Hamilton, raises his pistol in the air, hoping Eacker to stand down. Still, at the count of seven, he gets shot ("Blow Us All Away") and dies in the hospital ("Stay Alive (Reprise)"), causing a reconciliation between Alexander and Eliza ("It's Quiet Uptown").

Hamilton's endorsement of Jefferson in the presidential election of 1800 ("The Election of 1800") resulted in further animosity between Hamilton and Burr, who challenged Hamilton to a duel via an exchange of letters ("Your Obedient Servant"). Hamilton writes his last letter in a rush while Eliza tells him to go back to bed (“Best of Wives and Best of Women”). Burr and Hamilton travel to New Jersey for the duel. During the duel, both Burr and Hamilton fire at each other after ten paces, with Hamilton intentionally missing his shot. Hamilton dies as a result, with Eliza and Angelica at his side. Burr laments that even though he survived, he is cursed to be remembered as the villain who killed Hamilton ("The World Was Wide Enough"). The musical closes with a reflection on historical memory, showing how Eliza kept Hamilton’s legacy alive ("Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story").

Musical numbers[edit]

Act I "Alexander Hamilton" – Burr, Laurens, Jefferson, Madison, Hamilton, Eliza, Washington, and Company "Aaron Burr, Sir" – Hamilton, Burr, Laurens, Lafayette, and Mulligan "My Shot" – Hamilton, Laurens, Lafayette, Mulligan, Burr, and Company "The Story of Tonight" – Hamilton, Laurens, Mulligan, Lafayette, and Company "The Schuyler Sisters" – Angelica, Eliza, Peggy, Burr, and Company "Farmer Refuted" – Seabury, Hamilton, and Company "You'll Be Back" – King George III and Company "Right Hand Man" – Washington, Hamilton, Burr, and Company "A Winter's Ball" – Burr, Hamilton, and Company "Helpless" – Eliza and Company "Satisfied" – Angelica and Company "The Story of Tonight (Reprise)" – Laurens, Mulligan, Lafayette, Hamilton, and Burr "Wait for It" – Burr and Company "Stay Alive" – Hamilton, Washington, Laurens, Lafayette, Mulligan, Lee, Eliza, Angelica, and Company[a] "Ten Duel Commandments" – Laurens, Hamilton, Lee, Burr, and Company "Meet Me Inside" – Hamilton, Burr, Laurens, Washington, and Company "That Would Be Enough" – Eliza and Hamilton "Guns and Ships" – Burr, Lafayette, Washington, and Company "History Has Its Eyes on You" – Washington, Hamilton, and Company "Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)" – Hamilton, Lafayette, Laurens, Mulligan, Washington, and Company[a] "What Comes Next?" – King George III "Dear Theodosia" – Burr and Hamilton "Tomorrow There'll Be More of Us (Laurens Interlude)" – Laurens, Eliza, and Hamilton[b] "Non-Stop" – Burr, Hamilton, Angelica, Eliza, Washington, and Company Act II "What'd I Miss" – Jefferson, Burr, Madison, and Company "Cabinet Battle #1" – Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, and Madison "Take a Break" – Eliza, Philip, Hamilton, and Angelica "Say No to This" – Maria Reynolds, Burr, Hamilton, James Reynolds, and Company "The Room Where It Happens" – Burr, Hamilton, Jefferson, Madison, and Company "Schuyler Defeated" – Philip, Eliza, Hamilton, and Burr "Cabinet Battle #2" – Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, and Madison "Washington on Your Side" – Burr, Jefferson, Madison, and Company "One Last Time" – Washington, Hamilton, and Company[c] "I Know Him" – King George III "The Adams Administration" – Burr, Jefferson, Hamilton, Madison, and Company[a] "We Know" – Hamilton, Jefferson, Burr, and Madison "Hurricane" – Hamilton and Company "The Reynolds Pamphlet" – Jefferson, Madison, Burr, Hamilton, Angelica, James Reynolds, and Company[a][d] "Burn" – Eliza "Blow Us All Away" – Philip, Martha, Dolly, Eacker, Hamilton, and Company "Stay Alive (Reprise)" – Hamilton, Phillip, Eliza, and Company "It's Quiet Uptown" – Angelica, Hamilton, Eliza, and Company "The Election of 1800" – Jefferson, Madison, Burr, Hamilton, and Company "Your Obedient Servant" – Burr, Hamilton, and Company "Best of Wives and Best of Women" – Eliza and Hamilton "The World Was Wide Enough" – Burr, Hamilton, and Company "Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story" – Eliza and Company[a]

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Relaxing on Oahu's North Shore

We have been away from Hawaii and especially Oahu for so very long. The last time we visited Oahu was during the week of July 4, 2010. While in Oahu, we always stayed in the Waikiki area (Hilton Hawaiian Village).

This time, Inna found excellent ticket prices on Alaska Airlines, but we stayed in the Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu's North Shore. We also rented an Alamo Car Rental (a midsize SUV) to help us transport surfboards to all of the various beaches (using Costco.com Travel)


Tuesday, August 6, 2019

On Tuesday, August 6, we woke up at 4:30 a.m. PST, dressed, and ordered UberX. We arrived at the San Jose Mineta Airport around 5:20 a.m. and went straight to the security checkpoint. Unfortunately, my pre-printed Alaska Airlines tickets did not scan appropriately in the security section, so Alex and I had to return downstairs and re-print our tickets. Eventually, we returned to the security section and passed through.

Our Alaska Airlines Flight #837 departed San Jose at 7:00 a.m. PST and arrived in Honolulu at 9:20 a.m. HST. We took the Alamo Rental Car shuttle to the Alamo Rental Car facility.

I hoped to rent a Toyota RAV4 midsize SUV, but all Alamo had were Nissan Rogue SUVs. I chose a grey Nissan Rogue, and we quickly started driving to Haleiwa, on Oahu's North Shore.

We decided to eat lunch at a small shack called Farm to Barn. While Inna and Alex selected Avocado Toast, I chose Fried Rice with Sausage. It was alright, but nothing to write home about.

We saw various food trucks on the way to our Turtle Bay Resort. These are very popular in Oahu. Since Alex had a sore throat, we stopped by a small grocery store (Celestial Natural Foods) to purchase some honey and lemon to help him with his throat.

We arrived at Turtle Bay Resort at around noon. After checking in, Alex and I decided to rent some surfboards for the week while Inna would explore the resort and enjoy swimming on the beach (and in the pool).

I would like to rent shortboards at a reasonable price. Our Turtle Bay Resort was charging $350 to rent a surfboard for one week, which seemed excessive. Eventually, we found the North Shore Surf Shop (near Shark's Cove), which rented shortboards, SUPs, and other gear. Alex and I selected two Firewire Pyzel shortboards: one was 6'6" with 39 liters of volume for me, and the other was 6'0" with 30 liters for Alex.

Since waves were non-existent at the North Shore, the surf shop told us to try surfing at Goat Island, which is accessible through the Malaekahana State Recreation Area. We arrived there around 4:00 p.m. when Alex and I started surfing. The waves were 1/2 a mile away, and it took a long time for me to paddle there. When I finally floated there, I was exhausted and decided this was not an appropriate surfing spot.

The waves were coming from multiple directions and were disorganized. I paddled back to shore while Alex continued to surf until 6:00 p.m. I took a few photos with my Nikon P900 superzoom, but all the surfers (including Alex) were far away. It was hard to capture quality photographs from such a distance.

After returning to room #433 at Turtle Bay Resort, I rested while deciding where to eat dinner. Since Inna developed a horrible migraine, she thought it would be best if we ordered takeout and ate in our hotel room. I drove to nearby Kahuku and ordered a few entrees from the Seven Brothers at the Mill eatery. I ordered two plates of Coconut Macadamia Nut Shrimp, while Alex ordered the Grilled Herb Ahi Steak entree. All of the entrees were quite tasty and relatively inexpensive. Alex especially enjoyed his chocolate-peanut-butter milkshake, which he thought was the best in the world.

Since we were tired, we returned earlier, falling asleep around 9:00 p.m. HST.


Wednesday, August 7, 2019

Waking up early, we took a shower and decided to eat breakfast. At first, we took a close look at pastries in our Turtle Bay hotel lobby and were quickly disappointed. They looked like they came straight from Safeway. We then decided to drive to the famous Ted's Bakery nearby to try breakfast there.

When we arrived, I ordered the Corned Beef Hash and Eggs breakfast plate while Alex and Inna decided to try the Croissant Sandwich. We also tried an almond pastry, and I also tried Hawaiian pineapple juice. The corned beef breakfast plate was not wrong, and Alex and Inna liked their croissants. While the food was decent, the dining environment was unacceptable. The tables were dirty, and chickens were running all around. Ordering the food at Ted's Bakery but eating elsewhere might be more pleasant.

After breakfast, we dropped off Alex at the Malaekahana State Recreation Area so he could surf until noon. Inna and I decided to spend the morning at the famous Waimea Bay Beach.

First, however, we needed to rent an umbrella and beach chairs so we would not get sunburned. We stopped by on the way to Waimea at the North Shore Surf Shop, where we rented 2 Tommy Bahama beach chairs and one umbrella.

We arrived at Waimea Beach around 10:00 a.m. (finding parking eventually) and set up our umbrellas and chairs. The weather was beautiful, and Waimea Bay looked picturesque.

We went for a few swims, enjoying the warm Pacific ocean water and the beautiful sand beach. Many people were jumping off the nearby rock. I jumped off it a few years ago but decided against it this time.

I continued to read Three Days in Moscow: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of the Soviet Empire by Brett Baier. It was a fascinating non-fictional account of the ending of the Cold War, with many details behind Ronald Reagan's biography and speech-writing.

At around 11:40 a.m., we drove back to Malaekahana State Recreation Area to pick up Alex. We were about 15 minutes late, and he was already finished. He had a much better day of surfing, catching a few waves and getting more confident about his surfing ability.

We decided to stop by for lunch at Kahuku and eat from one of the food trucks. After exploring the various dining options, we settled on Auntie's Lil Green Hut. Alex wanted to try Giovanni's Shrimp Food Truck, but it had a long line, and peeling shrimp did not appeal to Inna or me. As most food trucks accept credit cards, I did not have enough cash. This time, I had to walk to the nearby Hawaiian Bank to use the ATM and pay for our lunch with cash. All other food truck vendors accepted credit cards.

Inna and I ordered the Mediterranean Plate (a salad with feta cheese), while Alex decided on a Waffle crepe. I also tried cherry-flavored Kombucha, which I really liked. The dishes took a long time to be made, as only one person was working. We waited about 30 minutes for our food, during which a short but heavy rainfall started (and eventually ended).

After lunch, we stopped to sample shaved ice at Wili Wili's Shaved Ice Heaven. We ordered the most popular flavor - Tigers Blood, and enjoyed it a lot.

After eating lunch, we returned to our hotel to enjoy the pool and see whether there were enough waves for me to surf on the west side of Turtle Bay. I paddled out in the bay, but there were not enough waves (or large enough) to catch any waves.

I returned to the pool for some rest and relaxation. It started to rain at some point, and we returned to our room.

When the rain finished, Inna and I decided to stroll through the hotel's grounds, finding multiple hammocks on the western side of the property. We enjoyed our walk and received a better understanding of the size and scope of the Turtle Bay Resort.

We decided to try our luck at the resort's Lei Lei's Bar & Grill for dinner. Inna made reservations for 7:45 p.m. We followed the main road to Lei Lei on poorly lit streets. I expected a sidewalk, but it wasn't always there. I am surprised this kind of fancy resort did not design sidewalks for nearby restaurants.

We sat down and ordered our entrees when we arrived at Lei Lei. I selected the Caesar Salad with grilled Ahi Steak. Inna and Alex set the Daily Fresh Fish selection - Ono. Both Alex and Inna enjoyed their freshly prepared Hawaiian fish. We set the Macadamia Nut Pie a la mode with vanilla ice cream for dessert.

It was delicious, but Alex did not try any. While we liked the restaurant, the ambiance & the atmosphere were not comparable to the fine restaurants in Maui's Four Seasons or Kea Lani Fairmont Hotel. Overall, the food was a bit overpriced.


Thursday, August 8, 2019

Waking up early, we took a shower and decided to eat breakfast at the famous Ted's Bakery nearby and plan our day. This time, we ordered 3 Croissant Sandwiches and a couple of pastries. The apple turnover tasted like a Safeway reject, but the other pastry was delicious.

Since Alex still had pain in his throat, all three of us decided to spend the day at Waimea Bay Beach.

We arrived at Waimea Bay Beach Park around 9:00 a.m. and spent a few minutes searching for parking. Even at this early hour, the parking lot was packed! We eventually found a parking spot and set up our Tommy Bahama umbrella on the beautiful sandy beach.

We immediately went for a swim, enjoying the beautiful, refreshingly cool ocean water of the Pacific. I tried using the snorkeling gear and was surprised by the clarity of the water.

Here is a video I recorded using a GoPro Hero4 Silver of swimming at Waimea Bay:

 I could see all the way to the beautiful, sandy bottom. I saw a few fish but no turtles or other marine life.

Alex also swam for a bit, eventually deciding to try diving off the tall rock. Here is a video I recorded using my iPhone:



He attempted multiple jumps from various heights.

We spent almost five hours swimming and snorkeling at Waimea Bay and were reluctant to leave. It was such a fantastic beach.

From Waimea, we drove our Nissan Rogue to Haleiwa, where we decided to eat lunch at the No. 7 Japanese Food Truck. Alex and I selected Original Poke, and it was a delicious treat! Inna's Poke Combo was also quite tasty. The poke was the best food we have eaten on Oahu so far!

After lunch, we stopped by the Island Vintage Coffee to try the famous frozen drinks. Inna and I ordered the frozen Vintage Kona Mocha. The frozen coffee drink was delicious!

While sipping our frozen coffee, we stood in a long line at the Matsumoto Shave Ice to sample the multiple flavors of the world-famous shaved ice. The line moved fast, but ordering our shaved ice took us 20 minutes. I selected 3 flavors for my shaved ice: Green Tea. Yuzu (Japanese citrus) and Ume (Japanese Plum). Besides, I also picked condensed milk and Azuki beans. I liked the condensed milk, though the beans were not needed. The combination was delicious, but it became a bit too sweet at the very end. Inna liked her Tropical Shaved Ice Combo of Lilikoi, Guava, and Papaya.

After finishing the frozen ice, we stopped by the nearby store to purchase some T-shirts and a bag. From there, we started our drive home to Turtle Bay. On the way there, we noticed a considerable commotion of people on the beach, so we pulled over and discovered a few sea turtles!

They were a small crowd of people taking photos, and we joined in. Inna and I both took many pictures of the famous Hawaiian sea turtle.

We decided to pick up dinner from one of the food trucks after returning to our hotel. We decided to try the Fish Tacos and ordered  3 surf taco takeouts. I selected the chicken and shrimp combo, while Inna chose shrimp and fish. Alex liked the beef & shrimp combination. The tacos were quite delicious (when we ate them later that evening).

When we returned to our hotel, we dropped off all of our beach items in our room and then returned to the beach to enjoy the coming sunset. The beach by Turtle Bay is not as sandy or beautiful as Waimea Bay, but it is still quite good.

We swam around for a while and then walked back to the pool to enjoy the last minutes of our fantastic day. Once we returned to our hotel room, we took showers and ate our surf tacos (followed by hot tea).

Friday, August 9, 2019

Waking up early, we took a shower and decided to eat breakfast. We decided to drive to the famous Ted's Bakery nearby to eat breakfast and chose our plan for the day. This time, we ordered 3 croissant sandwiches and a couple of pastries.

After finishing breakfast, we continued our drive to Honolulu. Alex and I decided to try surfing at the famous Ala Moana Beach Park. We arrived at about 9:00 a.m. and quickly found parking. The waves look very lovely in the distance. Alex promptly changed into his swimsuit and rashguard and took out his Firewire Pyzel 6'0" shortboard, fast paddling for the surf break.

After setting up the umbrella for Inna, I changed into my swimsuit and waxed my Firewire Pyzel 6'6" 39-liter shortboard. I also paddled out for the break. It took my long paddles to reach the proper area for catching incoming swells.

When I caught up with Alex, we tried catching multiple incoming waves. I was able to ride 2 waves while Alex saw many more. The difficulty at Ala Moana was in returning, as the waves would come in rapid succession, with 10-12 waves rushing in non-stop. Returning to the starting lineup was tiringly slow, even with quick duck diving. After 90 minutes of surfing,  I was exhausted and returned to shore. I changed into shorts and a T-shirt and used my Nikon P900 to try to capture photos of Alex. I could capture just one photo of Alex surfing, but many other surfers and one SUP foiler.

Alex returned from surfing at 1:00 p.m., thoroughly exhausted. Four hours of surfing at Ala Moana can be challenging.

Since Inna made lunch reservations for 1:45 p.m. at the Hula Grill Waikiki, located inside the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort, Alex quickly changed into his dry clothes. We promptly packed our car with the two chairs and umbrella. After a short drive from Ala Moana to downtown Waikiki, we parked our car and walked briskly to the Hula Grill.

At the Hula Grill, Inna and I ordered the Coconut Seafood Chowder. Alex decided to try the  Chef's Burger and Fries.

I selected the root beer for drinks, while Inna tried the Lilikoi Coconut Spritzer. The entrees were delicious, and the view of surfing on Waikiki was unbeatable.

After lunch, we stopped by for shaved ice at the Island Vintage Shaved Ice stand. While Inna enjoyed her Tropical Island ice, I munched on the Green Island shaved ice.

With the shaved ice eaten, we decided to stop by the Island Vintage Coffee shop to purchase coffee for Alex and rest a bit. Inna made dinner reservations at the fine Orchids Restaurant, but none of us were particularly hungry, so we canceled dinner.

Instead, we walked to the beach in front of Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Resort to watch the 8:00 p.m. fireworks scheduled for every Friday. Many people were on the beach, prepared to see the fireworks.

The fireworks were fantastic! I took lots of photos. After the fireworks, I saw a live fire show on the beach. Here is a short video I recorded using my iPhone:

Saturday, August 10, 2019

We showered later (7:00 a.m.) and ate breakfast at Ted's Bakery. Like the day before,  we ordered 3 croissants (ham & cheese) sandwiches and a couple of pastries. I also tried the hot Mocha coffee while Inna selected the latte. I noticed numerous pickup trucks with dirt bikes heading past Ted's Bakery. I found a famous Motorcross track nearby - Kahuku Motorcross Track. I wondered how the riders handled Hawaiian heat and humidity.

Since Alex was feeling unwell with his cold (he has a sore throat and runny nose), we drove to  Waimea Bay Beach Park, arriving around 8:40 a.m. We spent a few minutes trying to find parking. We eventually found a parking spot and set up our Tommy Bahama umbrella on the beautiful sandy beach. Since it was a windy day, the umbrella kept falling off.

We immediately went for a swim, enjoying the beautiful, refreshingly cool ocean water of the Pacific. First, Inna went for a long swim, followed by a snorkel, where she used the GoPro Hero 4 Silver to record some underwater marine life. After she returned, I followed in her footsteps and snorkeled to one of the farthest rocks. I saw a few school fish but no turtles or other marine life.

We spent almost five hours swimming and snorkeling at Waimea Bay and were reluctant to leave. It was such a fantastic beach. Many boats were dropping anchor at Waimea Bay, and many paddleboarders were out. Also, a Hobycat catamaran started sailing later in the day.

After 5 hours at Waimea Bay, it was time for us to eat lunch. We drove our Nissan Rogue to Haleiwa, where we decided to eat lunch at the No. 7 Japanese Food Truck. I selected the Spicy Poke, and it was a delicious treat! Inna's Poke Combo was also quite tasty. The poke was the best food we have eaten on Oahu so far!

After lunch, we stopped by the Island Vintage Coffee to try the famous frozen drinks. Inna and I ordered the frozen Vintage Kona Mocha. The frozen coffee drink was delicious!

We stopped at Ted's Bakery to pick up the famous Chocolate Haupia Cream pie. We ate it on Sunday (the next day) with hot green tea, which was delicious.

When we returned to our Turtle Bay Resort, the Inn and I spent time swimming in the ocean and marveling at the sunset. Inna took many beautiful photos.

Two weddings were going on at the same time. We saw the bride and groom at one of the weddings (on the beach near Roy's Beachhouse). It looked like a fun wedding with music from the '70s and '80s (including Abba's "Dancing Queen" and Eric Clapton's "You Look Wonderful Tonight").

For dinner, we decided to try Roy's Beach House, which has an ocean view. Alex selected the Fire Roasted Chicken, while Inna and I chose a couple of rolls: a T&C Roll and a Tempura Roll. We also shared a Nalo Salad.

I ordered a frozen Strawberry Margarita with Patron Tequila for drinks, and Inna tried one of the non-alcoholic Elixir drinks. For dessert, we selected the Pineapple Upside-Down cake.

The dishes were quite well prepared, but nothing that would rival Michelin-rated restaurants. The service was excellent and swift!

Sunday, August 11, 2019

Waking up at 6:30, we showered and ordered breakfast for Alex using room service. Since Alex had a lot of homework (reading Biology and preparing for SATs, in addition to nursing a cold), he stayed in the hotel room while we enjoyed the rest of Oahu. At first, I thought about driving to Diamond Head in South Oahu alone, but I did not want to leave Inna alone.

We drove to Ted's Bakery for breakfast and ordered 2 croissants (ham & cheese) sandwiches and a couple of pastries to eat at Waimea Bay. Inna was eager to arrive at Waimea Bay early to catch the pod of dolphins that frequently visited the site.

After setting up our chairs and umbrella at Waimea Bay beach, Inna and I went for a short swim in the beautiful green-blue waters (before the sun was too hot). Then, a bit later, someone called out that dolphins were spotted,  and Inna rushed out with her snorkeling gear (mask & breathing tube) to try to catch the spinner dolphins. Although she swam a mile out, she never got close enough.

While she was chasing dolphins, I continued to read Sophie's Choice by William Styron on my Kindle. It was an engaging book, well-written, and I found it difficult to stop reading.

We spent almost five hours swimming and snorkeling at Waimea Bay and were reluctant to leave. It was such a fantastic beach, and we enjoyed our time there.

At about 2:00 p.m., we decided to drive our Nissan Rogue to Haleiwa, where we decided to eat lunch at the No. 7 Japanese Food Truck. I selected the Super Chirashi, and it was a deliciously prepared treat! Inna's Poke Combo was also quite tasty. The poke was the best food we have eaten on Oahu so far!

After lunch, we stopped by the Island Vintage Coffee to try the famous frozen drinks. Inna ordered the frozen Vintage Kona Mocha and an Acai Bowl. I was not so hungry, so I tried the Matsumoto Shaved Ice. I chose the flavors of Cherry, Green Tea, and Yuzu (Japanese Citrus).

We decided to stop at the Ali Limo Food Truck near Shark's Cove (where we also rented our two shortboards) for dinner.

Ali Limo was selling poke and various fish combos, and we ordered Pupukea Salad with Shrimp, Sesame Salad with  Salmon, and Banzai Tacos with Steak.

Both Inna and I liked our salads, but Alex was ambivalent about his Banzai Tacos.

Monday, August 12, 2019

Alex and I woke up early and rode the elevator downstairs to eat a quick breakfast at Turtle Bay's Lobby Lounge. Alex selected a muffin and a hot, black tea croissant, while I selected coffee and an almond-covered croissant.

Inna stayed in the hotel and visited the Turtle Bay Spa while Alex and I drove to Ala Moana Beach Park near Waikiki. The surf was predicted to be 3-4 feet high, and we were eager to surf the waves. Since it was low tide, we had to walk a long way on sharp coral to the part of the bay where waves were breaking. It was unpleasant. I surfed for about 90 minutes and did not catch any respectable rides. The waves were too big for me, and returning to the proper launch location required duck diving through dozens of incoming waves, so progress was slow.

Alex surfed much better and could ride on multiple waves, carving nicely. He had a fantastic time.

At about noon, Alex returned to the Nissan Rogue, changed, and we started our return trip to Turtle Bay Resort, stopping at Shark's Cove to purchase a couple of burgers from the Cove Cafe for Alex, Inna, and me:

• 2 Classic Burgers (one for Alex and one for Inna) 
• 1 Frenchman Burger (with mushrooms) for Boris
• 1 Strawberry Milkshake for Alex
• 2 Fries to share

For some reason, the Cove Cafe prepared the burgers but forgot to make french fries, so we had to wait a bit for our entire order. We reunited with Inna at about 2:30 p.m. in our hotel room #433, and ate lunch there.

Since Alex wanted to study, he stayed in the room while Inna and I decided to visit Laniakea Beach (where Hawaiian Sea Turtles are common), followed by a visit to Shark's Cove.

There was a lot of traffic to Laniakea Beach, as many visitors liked photographing Hawaiian Sea Turtles. Eventually, we arrived there, and I set up an umbrella and chairs so that Inna and I could stay in the shade.

Since there were a few surfers out, I decided to try my luck surfing there (the spot is also called Dolores Beach).

A few small swells were coming through, and I was able to catch and ride a few waves. It was much easier than catching waves at Ala Moana.

After about an hour of surfing, I returned to Laniakea Beach. Inna was resting, and she chose to photograph the Hawaiian Sea Turtles. She snapped one of the sea turtles quite closely. Since there was not much else to do, and the beach water was too murky for snorkeling, we decided to drive to Shark's Cove to explore further.

Inna snorkeled around and found many exciting marine life (many species of tropical fish). She said the number of fish and the clarity of seawater reminded her of her time in Bora Bora. It was that good!

After she finished snorkeling, we ate dinner at the North Shore Tacos Food truck. I ordered a Salad with Ahi, while Inna selected the Shrimp Quesadilla. My salad was incredibly delicious!

After dinner, we returned home to watch the sunset and rest by the pool.

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Alex and I woke up early and rode the elevator downstairs to eat a quick breakfast at Turtle Bay's Lobby Lounge. Alex selected a muffin and a croissant with hot black tea, while I selected coffee and a slice of delicious banana bread.

Inna decided to stay in the hotel and enjoy the pool while Alex and I drove to Ala Moana Beach Park. The surf was predicted to be 4-5 feet high. Since it was low tide, we had to walk a long way on sharp coral to the part of the bay where waves were breaking. I surfed for about 90 minutes and did not catch any respectable rides. The waves were too big for me, and returning to the proper launch location required duck diving through dozens of incoming waves, so progress was slow. Alex surfed much better and could ride on multiple waves, carving nicely. He had a fantastic time.

After we finished surfing, Alex and I drove back to Turtle Bay Resort for lunch with Inna. Unfortunately, there was a lot of traffic at Laniakea Beach (Turtle Beach), and it took us longer to return home. Besides, we had to stop at our North Shore Surf Shop to drop off our Firewire Pyzel surfboards. My board was OK, but Alex's Firewire had two new dents (from being hit by another surfer). We had to pay $100 for two ding repairs to Alex's Firewire Pyzel surfboard.

We decided to eat at the resort and try their poolside dining at The Point. I ordered the North Shore Fish Tacos, while Alex and Inna ordered Fresh Island Fish & Chips. The fish entrees were delicious but more expensive (about 2x) than the food trucks we recently frequented.

We rested by the pool, but Alex returned to our hotel room due to a horrible headache. After he swallowed two Tylenol tablets, his condition improved, and he returned downstairs by the pool to join us on our last full day in Oahu. I continued reading Sophie's Choice novel while Inna started re-reading Pride & Prejudice.

At around sunset, we all came out to watch the beautiful sunset and the few remaining surfers on the water.

I recorded a video using my iPhone of one of the surfers:

Inna made a dinner reservation using OpenTable at the Pa'akai Restaurant for dinner. The restaurant is very beautifully decorated but also costly. I ordered the Pumpkin Ravioli, Inna ordered the Seared Sea Scallops, and Alex tried the Cedar-roasted Bay Salmon.

We really enjoyed our dinner at Pa'akai, but it was pretty expensive!

Wednesday, AugustAugust 14

In the morning, we woke up early and started packing our clothes. After packing, we rode the elevator downstairs to breakfast at Turtle Bay's Lobby Lounge. 

Alex selected a muffin and a croissant with hot black tea, while I selected coffee and a slice of delicious banana bread. Inna also ate a pastry with her foamy latte.

After breakfast, we decided to enjoy the last few hours of Oahu's North Shore on the beach at Turtle Bay. Inna and I went for a quick swim, followed by a snorkel. Snorkeling gear was free for one hour at our hotel.

Since I saw several waves in the distance, I thought about renting a couple of longboards from the on-premises surf shop - the Hans Hedemann Surf School. Unfortunately, even though the shop had multiple boards, it refused to rent them because a lesson on the water was already in progress! Alex and I were very disappointed to hear that news since we had to return to Honolulu for a flight to San Jose at 11:30 a.m. We could not wait until 10:45 to rent boards.

We decided to enjoy the few remaining hours by staying at the pool and watching the other beginner surfers on the water.

At about 10:30 a.m., we returned to our room to shower and pack our belongings. After we checked out at 11:00 a.m., we drove to Honolulu airport, first stopping to get gas at Nex Gas Station and dropping off our car at Alamo.

When we arrived at the airport, we quickly printed our boarding passes and decided to eat lunch at California Pizza Kitchen. Alex selected his usual Margherita pizza. We also purchased a milkshake for Alex and a small cup of ice cream from Coldstone Creamery to share.

Although our flight was delayed 35 minutes, we departed Honolulu at about 3:00 p.m. HST, landing in San Jose at about 11:20 p.m. PST.

While the flight was uneventful primarily, Alex developed a severe headache (due to his congestion) and vomited on the plane. He had to change his clothes and do a lot of cleaning but felt slightly better.

We took UberX home and returned quickly to bed.

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