Category Archives: sunset

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Waikiki explorations

21 Wednesday Sep 2016

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After the long day yesterday, we planned a “down” day today – nothing specifically planned. We woke leisurely (well, leisurely for us, at least) and were downstairs in search of coffee just after 8AM. The line at the coffee shop in the hotel was long and didn’t seem to be moving too quickly, so we headed out to the strip. The next closest also had a good sized line, so we opted for our “secret” spot inside the Waikiki Shopping Center. A small line that was moving quickly, and we soon had coffee and breakfast food in hand. As we’d already ventured outside and onto the strip, we decided to wander down a few streets we’d been meaning to visit. 

We wandered around the side streets near the hotel, then made a trip to the UPS Store so D. could ship items home. (Her Christmas shopping is done, I think.  I have made a very large dent in mine.) We opted for lunch at Duke’s. We have grown to like that place! This time we ate in the dining room, and had a beautiful view of Diamond Head. 

With no other plans for the afternoon, we set off exploring again. One of the stores we passed had license plates lining the stairs and walls up to the store.                                                                               

We walked further off the strip and found some fun little gift shops, including one that sold sorbets and gelato. Pineapple coconut gelato?  Don’t mind if I do!

There are a lot of fun little shops and buildings once you get off the main street in Waikiki.


A trip back to our hotel to drop off purchases and figure out the plan, if any, for the remainder of the day. We rode up to our room in an overcrowded, overheated elevator, which did not help my energy level. Before I knew it, and despite my initial efforts, I was soon taking a short afternoon nap.  D. went out to explore further while I caught some Z’s. 

We knew the hula show at Kuhio Park was on again tonight, and we both definitely wanted to catch it. A quick text to friends, and we had plans to meet up at the park. On our way we passed the Moana Hotel, as we have several times this week. I had missed this sign until tonight.


We arrived early with our tatami mats and managed to get front row seats for the show. Definitely better than last week’s when we sat on the beach wall!

We were treated to another beautiful sunset before the show started. 

Tonight was a trio and one dancer – Joan “Aunty Pudgie”Young and Puamelia. It was a very interactive show with the audience, and very educational, too.

The traditional conch shell blowing at the start of the show.

Joan “Aunty Pudgie” Young

Hula Kahiko – ancient hula performed with chant and traditional instruments.

Hula ‘auana – modern hula danced to popular songs. She is using ‘Ulī ulī, feathered gourd rattles


A fantastic show, and they even sang one of my favorite songs. You can see the video here.  

A walk through the farmers’ market at the hotel across the street after the show where we purchased banana lumpias, fruit for tomorrow’s adventure, and a few gifts. We walked to Kings Village where we’d walked earlier in the day, and I finally found my Hawaiian quilt. I had seen one earlier in the week in a different store, and when I went back today it was gone. I saw another possibiity earlier today, but it just wasn’t the Right One. The one in this store was perfect – just the right color, and a very traditional pattern. 

Next stop was a Japanese noodle restuarant for dinner, but the line was a bit long, and the restaurant rather tiny. We ended up back at the Hula Grill as there was no wait for a table, and we knew the food was good. Tonight I had the sashimi, and I was lucky enough to get a bite of opah (moonfish) shared with me. SO good!  D. and I shared a hula pie for dessert, said farewell to our friends (they depart tomorrow), and headed back to the room to call it a day. A final check of the pedometer says I hit 19,955 steps today. I debated walking in place for those extra 45 steps to make it an even 20,000, but it was close to midnight, and my feet screamed No! That, and I was distracted by hearing geckos on our lanai for the first time tonight.

The photo really doesn’t do it justice. It was 2.5 oz of the freshest ahi, seasoned to perfection.

Tomorrow we are off to Kailua Beach and Waimea Falls. Starting the day with some R&R (because we just need a bit more!) and some exploration in the afternoon. Hard to believe we have only two more days to see, do and eat everything we haven’t yet. Fortunately, that list is rather short.

Posted by | Filed under Diamond Head, Exploring, Hawaii, Hawaii beaches, Honolulu, Hula, Oahu, sunset, Travel, Vacation2016, Waikiki

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KAH-may, HA-may, HA

20 Tuesday Sep 2016

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Today started extra early as we were up at 4:10AM in order to leave no later than 5:15AM for the airport. Our flight to Kona, Hawaii departed at 6:50AM. The nice thing is there is very light traffic at that hour. The bad news is, street signs in Hawaii are small and not where you expect them to be coming from the mainland. We have learned to look more at eye level, but when both of you are essentially still waking up and require corrective lenses for reading, well, let’s just say it makes for some funny conversation in the wee morning hours! Fortunately we have driven the route before, and we were able to find our way without any trouble.

The plane left 10 minutes early as all passengers were on board and ready to go. I have to give a shout out to Island Air. They have been phenomenal both times we’ve flown with them. Extremely friendly staff, on-time (usually early) departures/arrivals, and some of the best pilots.  Even coming into Honolulu with flash flood warnings they managed to minimize the impact of turbulence, and some of the best landings I’ve experienced. (Granted, it’s a small prop engine plane compared with a large body jet, but I think the lighter planes are harder to land. My pilot friends can tell me otherwise if they disagree.)

Anyway, we landed in Kona, grabbed brochures and maps of the island and boarded the rental shuttlebus.  The driver gave us a brief “tour” on our way to pick up the rental (well, gave D. the tour as Iwas on the phone with my other half.) He commented “welcome to the moon” and showed us the way in and out of the airport before dropping us off.  A wonderful example of island hospitality.  We opted for the convertible this time, and we were off and exploirng within an hour of landing. A quick stop in town for coffee and essetnials, and we were on our way.

We took the route across the island as we had to be in Hilo by 12:45PMfor check-in.  The Big Island is a study in contradictions. We passed obvious lava fiels, followed by lush green rolling hills.

As we drove along Saddle Road, we passed a flock of wild turkeys.  I’ve gotten used to the free range chickens, but the turkeys surprised me. We both commented along this stretch how clean and fresh the air smelled. No regrets to having the convertible so far! 

We stopped at Mauna Kea, the highest point in Hawaii. It stands at 13,802 feet above sea level.  When measured from its oceanic base, Mauna Kea is over 33,000 feet tall, making it taller than Mt. Everest. At 13,000′ elevation, it’s a bit chilly. Add to that some sprinkling rain on occasion, and it makes you happy to arrive in Hilo.

Mauna Kea

The clouds were so low we could almost touch them!

We arrived in Hilo with time to spare, so we drove around town a bit and visited the Wailoa Cultural Center and Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The Vietnam Memorial is a sacred, somber place. The inscriptions in the granite gave us goosebumps, and every tree on the walkways up to the memorial was planted in honor and in memory of those Hawaiians who lost their lives in Vietnam.

The various water levels during storms.

Why is he running toward the water if it’s an evacuation? The “End Tsunami Evacuation Area” sign has him running away from the water.

We got a good giggle on the way to the Hila Airport as the Garmin told us to turn onto “KAH-may, HA-may, HA” Road. D and I looked at each other quizzically, realized she was trying to say Kamehameha Road. It really has been an adventure listening to the different navigation systems attempt to pronounce Hawaiian words. None do well, but Garmin has probably come the closest.

We checked in for our next flight of the day right on time, got our safety briefing, and headed out to the tarmac where our helicopter awaited us. There were four of us on our helicopter, and I think we were all too awe-struck to be very talkative. There really are no words to describe what we saw. The volcano cone is where you can see the lava bubbling and boiling. The lava tube is underground, but you can see where the steam escapes as the lava flows at approximately 35 MPH out to the sea.

Macadamia nut orchards

Looking into the volcano cone

You can see the steam rising through from the lava tube as it travels out to sea.

The steam caused by the molten lava hitting the ocean.

Lava flow that has covered a road

Over 100 homes were wiped away when this lava stream occurred 20 – 25 years ago. And yet there is still green to remind us that life goes on.

From there we flew to PeePee Falls and the Wailuku River, and Rainbow Falls. Amazing to see the falls from this level!

Wailuku River and falls

Rainbow Falls

A quick pitstop, and we were on our way back to Kona, this time on the southern route.

Turtle sculptures and garden at the Kona Airport

The weather was a little iffy at this point, so we left the top up, but the windows down. Still a beautiful drive. First stop, Ka’u Coffee. Great coffee and macadamia nuts.

One of my favorite trees! The trumpet flower.

Next stop, Black Sand Beach. 

We wanted to stop at Pu’unaloa, and the green sand beach. Unfortunately we learned it was an ATV/off-road or 4 mile hike in. We also realized we were going to be cutting it very close for our return flight, so time was of the essence. Time to snap photos as you ride!

The sky looked like it was on fire as the sun completed setting. This was one of the most incredible sunsets we’ve seen.

Art work in the Kona Airport told some of the Hawaiian legends.

Our flight left early again (thank you, Island Air!) and we had an easy time back to Waikiki.  We dropped things off in the room, then headed to Hula Grill for dinner.  I had  poke tacos, and D. had crabmeat and macadamia nut wontons.  I remembered to catch a picture before I got too hungry. Both were very good, and the service was great. This is upstairs from Duke’s, and if you get a table on the balcony you can look out onto the beach. We opted for indoors tonight as we really just wanted to crawl into bed at this point.  It had been a long, yet incredibly wonderful, day.

It is beyond bed time at this point, and I can barely keep my eyes open. Fortunately tomorrow is a down day with very, very little on the agenda. Amen for that! 

Posted by | Filed under beach, Big Island, Black Sand Beach, Exploring, Hawaii, Hawaii beaches, Kamehameha, Kona coffee, Lava, macadamias, Mauna Kea, Pacific Ocean, Paradise Helicopters, Pele, Rainbow Falls, sunset, Travel, Vacation2016, volcano, Waikiki, Waikulu River, Wailoa Cultural Center, waterfalls

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Poke in the Pool…with chopsticks

19 Monday Sep 2016

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Sunday began warm and sunny, and stayed that way the entire day.  We skipped our usual morning coffee because the lines at both nearby places were extra long. Probably not the best decision, but it seemed the best choice at the time.  We found the car (we’d been parking on the same level of the parking garage since we arrived, and Friday had to go up further because “our” floor was full) and headed out to Aloha Stadium for the Swap Meet and Aloha Market. Unfortunately I didn’t get any pictures there.  I did pick up a few trinkets and a birthday present for my other half. It was mostly all the same stuff from stall to stall, and everyone was willing to give you the “best deal.” We wandered for about 75 minutes and had had enough. The sun was getting quite warm, and there wasn’t anything that screamed “buy me.” (Although I did see a Hawaiian quilt Christmas tree skirt which came very close to coming home with me.)

We were now running ahead of schedule as we weren’t due to meet up with my cousins until noon. We decided a “real” breakfast was a good idea, and we headed into Aiea to Koa Pancake House. D. ordered the short stack of banana pancakes, and I ordered eggs and corned beef hash. I opted for the side of pancakes, figuring it would be one pancake. Nope, three pancakes! There was no way I would be consuming all my breakfast.  Service was friendly and quick, and the food tasted quite good.  In fact, I did eat just about all of the corned beef hash – it was exceptionally good! Small place, and I’m guessing they probably do a lot of military breakfasts during the week. If you’re ever in Aiea and wanting breakfast, I would say this is definitely worth considering.

We got to Cousins’  house a little ahead of schedule, and they had the truck just about packed and ready to go. I quick changed into my bathing suit, we borrowed a paddle board from the neighbor in addition to the one already loaded, and we set off for White Plains Beach at Barber’s Point. This is the beach where my mom and her sister would bring the kids when the dads were at sea on patrol.  We’d rent a cabin on the beach for the weekend, and spend every day in the sand and sea. And we did go a few times when the guys were home from patrol, too.  Couldn’t have all the fun without them, now, could we? Most of the cabins are still there. 

I had taken some ibuprofen before we left the house, so after we had our little area all set up, it was time to give it a shot. I left my camera with D. so she could get photos of whatever happened.  We opted for the bigger board as it was lighter and also wider, so easier to balance and get the initial feel for the water. Cuz held the board while I got on, then I paddled while he pushed far enough out for me to “catch a good one” and see how far I could go. We went over most waves, but one or two went over us, and I managed to stay on. As I got ready to ride my first wave, Cuz says “Once the wave grabs you it will shoot you like a torpedo, so be ready.” Um, wait, what? Torpedo? I didn’t have much choice, though.  Cuz has a 100% success ratio going into today in getting all his “students” to stand up on their first day. (No pressure there, either!)  Deep breath, I can do this.  “Are you ready? Are you paddling?” Yes to both, and I was off. I opted to stay on my belly the first ride.  

I found if you are on your belly you can use your feet off the sides as brakes to slow down and even help turn. I managed to stay on, and even had one couple in the water cheering me on. Well if that’s doesn’t give you encouragement to keep going, along with the smile on Cuz’s face, I don’t know what would. Back out for ride two…ready? paddling? Yes to both, and I was off again. This time I managed to get onto my knees before the wave died out, and I took a little swim. I managed to get myself back on the board and paddled back out to Cuz.  Round three.  Would this be The Time?   By now it didn’t feel quite like a torpedo, but more like an amusement park ride.  The adrenaline rush in those first few seconds can get rather heady, and I enjoy a good challenge. Are you ready?  Are you paddling? Yes to both, and off I went. Steady, up on the knees, steady, balance…and I was standing! I’m not really sure what happened next…whether the wave died out, or if in my excitement I lost my balance. Either way, I was in the water. I had done it! Cuz’s success ratio was still 100%, and I was  grinning from ear to ear.  At that point it was time for a break, and celebratory beer. My cheering section with the cameras gave me a 10 and a round of applause as I got back. 

I rarely post pictures of myself here, but I am so proud of this moment I just have to!

A bit of rest, conversation and sun, and I was ready to head back and try out the “real” surfboard. It would have been a shame to have brought it and not use it, right? Cuz waxed it up and out we went. A whole different feel on this board – much narrower, and a lot more difficult to keep that center of gravity centered. Same drill as before…Ready? Paddling? Two rides on this board and I had to call it a day. I needed to save some strength and energy for the rest of our trip. 

Last run on the real board. I did get to my knees at least!

We stopped and bought poke on the way home. The building the store is in used to be the base commisary. Cousins had put a crock pot of chili on earlier in the day, so dinner was waiting at home. Once back at the house we took a dip in the pool to “de-salt” and cool off from the sun. Cuz was super sweet and didn’t even make me get out of the pool for pupus.  A small bowl of poke, a set of chopsticks, and I ate while in my floating chair. For those who may not know, poke (pronounced poke-ee) is a raw fish, generally ahi tuna, with fresh chopped onion and seasonings. Depending on the chef, it may or may not have seaweed or other veggies, and each chef has their own seasoning recipe.  I am eating my fill here and trying to find the best Oahu has to offer. So far, it’s a tie between last night’s at LuLu’s and today’s. Pupus were rounded out with fresh pineapple, grapes, strawberries and garlic loaded edamame. The chili was delicious, and a perfect meal for an awesome day. 

On our drive back we saw a beautiful rainbow.  Of course I had to pull over and get a picture! We got back to the hotel in time for sunset off the lanai, and I then had the pleasure of watching the cutest 7-month old guy I know so his folks could have some adult time. 

Tomorrow is an extra early day, so Iam calling it a night shortly. We have to be at the airport by 5:45AM for our flight to the Big Island. Hopefully Madame Pele is still putting on a show for us! 

Posted by | Filed under Barbers Point, beach, Hawaii, Hawaii beaches, Honolulu, Oahu, ocean, Pacific Ocean, poke, PuPus, sunset, surfing, Travel, Vacation2016, Waikiki, White Plains Beach

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North Shore revisited

16 Friday Sep 2016

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Today was an explore on our own day. We left probably a bit later than D. had hoped (I was a bit slow getting going this morning, as we had awoken to flash flood warnings on our phones. I turned on the news to catch a weather report, and well, got a little distracted with local news, shall we say?  My parents were news “junkies,” and it appears the apple may not have fallen far from that tree. The sun was shining in Waikiki, and it appeared whatever storm had blown through overnight had blown out to sea.  It was another beautiful day in paradise!

We headed out to the North Shore by way of the USS Bowfin Museum store as we’d seen something there on Sunday which we’d not seen anywhere else. Time to stop looking and just run in and get it. The only item on today’s agenda was a visit with one of my daughter’s best friends (affectionately known in our family as Daughter #2, and yes, occasionally “favorite”daughter when mine was being a typical teenager) and her son whom I had not yet met. 
First stop, Waialua Coffee Company (and tea) which was quite yummy.  They had a very eclectic collection of coffee advertisements from around the world on the walls, and a small cafe area. A more local, hipper vibe than the chain coffee stores…locals in with their laptops, visiting with friends, and us tourists thrown into the mix. (We tourists likely brought the “hip” vibe down a notch, but we did purchase a bit more than the locals, so it seemed a good balance to me.)  

A beautiful drive along the coast to Haliewa where we wandered around for a bit. I managed to find some Christmas gifts, got some ideas for craft projects, and took pictures of things that brought back memories while we waited for Daughter 2 to meet us.

This was the main “highway” around the island when I called Oahu home. One lane in each direction kind of highway!

Queen Liliuokalani Protestant Church, Haliewa, HI

Seriously, does it get much better than this?

I believe my father had this LP. (Mom will let me know if he didn’t!) If he didn’t, he should have because I have a memory of someone having it!

We definitely had a set of these…at least 6.

We had a wonderful lunch at Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck (I believe garlic will be oozing out of my pores for the next few weeks. Apologies to anyone standing or sitting close to me!) combined with a visit with Daughter 2 and the cutest little surfer dude I’ve ever seen. I could tell he was a “local” as he arrived barefoot and was walking around the rocks as if it was nothing. Flashbacks to my brother at the same age many, many (ok, maybe only one many) years ago. We got some ideas of further places to explore, said our farewells (yes, for those who know me well, my eyes leaked), and we were on our way. 

Our directions were head “that way, left at the stop sign and around,” or something like that…we were headed somewhere, and that was really all that mattered.  When you’re on an island you really can’t get too lost!

As we are driving down this road, we pass a sign…Camp Mokule’ia. Seriously?! This was my first ever overnight camp. I think I was 7? Maybe 8? I still have the shirt with my name embroidered on it. This was such a trip down memory lane – especially as I had recently scanned my father’s slides from when they dropped me off and picked me up. I couldn’t have found this place if I’d tried. But I could yell “Stop! I need a picture!” 

We kept driving and came upon another long stretch of beach. I opened the car window for a picture, and D. commented “Now this smells like the beach.” I couldn’t have agreed more. Outside of Waikiki with all its aromas mingling with the sea air, you really don’t smell the beach. On this stretch, you really smelled the salt air, the sand, the sky, the Beach. (Yes, at The Beach you can even smell the sky.)

Love the wind power in the background.

We came to the end of the road at Ka’ene Point in Molokai and headed back to see where else the road would lead. A few turns later and we stumbled onto The Old Sugar Mill in Wailua. It has been turned into shops, boutiques, and a coffee roastery. One of the wonderful things about Hawaii is how people take care of one another.  Here in the middle of the old sugar factory, which likely employed most of the community at one time, was the Community Kitchen.  Where anyone can come for a meal. How much better would the world be if we broke bread together and shared our abundance with our neighbors? 

It was still relatively early, so we headed for Waiamea. On the way we crossed Rainbow Bridge.  I immediately thought of my Auntie S. who tells the BEST stories about the heavenly Rainbow Bridge. I didn’t see any fish here, so this one was good to cross. 

We were hoping for the lighthouse, but saw signs for the Waiamea Falls and turned in there.  Unfortunately the falls were closed by the time we arrived, but they had a wonderful farmer’s market going on, and we had a great time exploring it. And we may be back next week to explore the falls and surrounding area further. Lots of Hollywood movies have been filmed here, and it definitely peaked our interest. I was able to get a few pictures from outside the entrance, though.

We started back to the hotel, but made a detour back to Haliewa Beach to watch the sun set. This is where we swam with the turtles on Monday, and it was fun to sit and watch for them to poke their heads up out of the surf.  And yes, I am my father’s daughter, and if one sunset photo is good, more are better. Fortunately I will only share one…ok, two.

WWII Veterans Memorial at Haliewa Beach

(C)DoubleAAdventures

Tomorrow the actual “work” part of this trip begins, but that doesn’t mean we won’t be out exploring. I believe there may be a mouse involved in tomorrow’s adventures.

Posted by | Filed under beach, Haliewa, Hawaii, Hawaii beaches, Honu, Molokai, North Shore, Oahu, Pacific Ocean, sea turtles, sunset, Travel, Waiamea

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