Category Archives: Travel

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Exploring Old San Juan

26 Saturday Jan 2019

When you wake up and the first thing you see outside the bedroom window is a rainbow, you just know it’s going to be a great day.

We had no agenda for the day, so we woke up leisurely and headed to breakfast at the cafe on the corner. Literally less than 100 steps from our door. Delicious latte and omelette for me, and coffee and breakfast sandwich for the young one. You really couldn’t beat the view – until it started to sprinkle!

From there we set out to explore the entire city. We started at Fort Cristobal, then walked to the Castillo San Felipe del Morro San Juan. Daughter indulged my fascination with cemeteries and let me explore Cemeterio Sant Maria Magdalena De Pazzis. We spoke with a groundskeeper at the cemetery as we were leaving. He gave us a brief history and explained the city government no longer paid for upkeep of the cemetery, only cutting the grass. They used to get funding from some U.S. organization or grant, but the “money was hidden” and never used as intended. What I originally thought was hurricane damage was a fair amount of vandalism due to a lack of security in the cemetery after dark.

Behind the arches is the columbarium. There were several niches open. I’m not sure if it was storm related damage or not.

From here we headed more towards the center of town beginning with Casa Blanca. This was the original Governor’s mansion for Ponce De Leon. Past US Presidents have stayed here when visiting Puerto Rico. It was closed for lunch/siesta time when we arrived, so we didn’t get to see inside.

We stopped for lunch at a restaurant tucked back and away from the beaten path. We finally got our mofongo!

We stimulated the economy as best we could while being mindful of the weight of our suitcases to get home. Once we were sure the cruise ship passengers had left port, we headed to the Paseo de Sombrillas. An incredible sight!

We rested a bit (it may have involved an adult beverage) before heading back to the four flights of stairs to our flat. Dinner was take-out from a restaurant at the end of the street. Too much food, but such fun to sample it all. We were enjoying a bottle of wine on our patio when we were treated to a fireworks display. Not sure what the occasion was, but we were happy to participate and enjoyed the show!

We went to bed trying very hard to figure out how we could extend our stay, and how to squeeze as much as possible into our last day.

Posted by | Filed under Mofongo, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, rainbows, Travel, Vacation 2019

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We were in Old San Juan…and the room where it happened

25 Friday Jan 2019

Wednesday dawned somewhat overcast, but it didn’t dampen our spirit or sense of adventure. We checked out of the hotel, loaded the bags in the car, then did a short walk for coffee. The hotel had recommended Pinkies, a cafe and coffee shop a few blocks away. We got almost to it, turned around thinking we’d missed it, asked a local for directions, and finally found it. A very cool, hip place with limited seating (maybe 10 or 12 people, tops?). The menu looked good, but Daughter had somewhere else in mind for breakfast.

Once back to the car and on our way, we attempted to locate the box office to pick up our tickets to the evening’s show. We didn’t realize there was a matinee performance, so traffic was horrible (easy compared to Atlanta, but still bad for the area!) We elected to bypass picking up our tickets until later in the day, and we set off for Musa for brunch. I had an omelette stuffed with meat and cheese, and Daughter had Tres Leches French toast. Neither of us finished our meal. Delicious, but definitely more than we could eat!

After brunch we headed to Old San Juan which we will call home for the next three nights. We had a few hours to kill before we could check into our AirBnB. We drove around a bit, somewhat on purpose, somewhat trying to find a place to park close to our intended location. The streets are one way with parking one side of the road. We were headed down one street and came upon a cargo van which was blocking a portion of the driving lane. Knowing I couldn’t possibly pass the van, I attempted to back up from whence I’d come to the cross street and turn down a different street. I backed up far enough to realize the cross street was one-way that dead-ended into the street we were on. There was no way to go but forward, and I now had another car coming up behind me. The voice in the passenger seat advised I would need to ‘jump the curb’ and keep going. Uh, we’re in a compact car and you want me to do what? Needless to say, I jumped my first curb, managed to get around the van without damage to anything moving or stationary, and we found a place to park.

We set off on a path to who knows where, and explored a portion of Old San Juan until it was time to check in to our flat. There are a lot of statues throughout Old San Juan which make exploring that much more fun.

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We never saw a sign describing this art installation. Wish I knew what it was intended to depict.

One of many statues throughout Old San Juan

If I could get these home, I’m sure ‘El Gato’ chairs would be a perfect addition to our deck.

After exploring Paseo De La Princessa and the surrounding area (perhaps including a refreshing beverage), we started walking back toward the center of town. We walked through the cathedral where Ponce De Leon is buried and explored many of the streets.

This brought back many memories of La Posada at St Stephen’s in San Jose

We got the OK to check in about 2PM, and shortly after made our way up to our 4th floor flat. I was grateful the stairs were what I consider “European flights” where you have 6 or 7 stairs that make a U -turn so it doesn’t quite feel like a full flight of 12 or 13 stairs. We defintely enjoyed the view from our rooftop patio!

As much as we tried to rest a bit and unwind before getting ready, excitement was building. The reason we came to Puerto Rico was a few hours away. We Uber’d to the theater, picked up our tickets and took a short walk to Lote 23. The fun think about letting the younger generation pick locations for food is you try places you would likely never go on your own. I enjoyed an incredible poke bowl made to order, and Daughter had a ‘pastelillo con carne y alcapurria con jueyes’ (per her Instagram account.) She shared a bite, and it was delicious! Lote 23 is a bit like a food truck gathering spot, but all of the kitchens are permanent. The choices were varied and multiple, and it was a fun spot to people watch. My pashmina provided adequate cover mid-meal as a rain shower blew over.

A short walk back to the theater, a shorter wait in line, and we were soon “in the room where it happened.” The show was more relaxed than what we’d seen in San Francisco. There was more ‘give and take’ between the characters, and the rap/hip-hop sections were more spoken than the rapid fire we were used to. Potentially due to the number of non-English speakers in the audience? It didn’t matter to us, the subtle and not so subtle differences were noted and greatly appreciated. And kudos and God bless Lin Manuel-Miranda for doing every performance. He’d performed a matinee earlier in the day. I don’t know how he managed to do a second show (although we are very glad he did!) His stamina was amazing, and the audience clearly appreciated it. As the spotlight hit him on his stage entrance, there was a spontaneous standing ovation for about 30 seconds. The cast has gotten to know where the applause will be longer than usual, and they held poses and notes as needed. I wondered several times if the applause and admiration from the audience ever gets old. It sure didn’t feel like it did. We got home and were really unable to speak as our brains and hearts attempted to process the evening. In days, weeks, and months to come we’ll likely find more words.

Posted by | Filed under Hamilton, Lin Manuel Miranda, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, Travel, Vacation 2019

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It’s not the yellow brick road or the yellow mustard road, Toto. It’s the canola road.

13 Friday Jul 2018

For two days we have felt like we were following the yellow brick road, but it was a beautiful crop of yellow something that stretched for acres. It looked remarkably like mustard, so that’s what we thought it was. We found out tonight from our wonderful waitress that it is canola. Yellow and blue canola is one of Alberta and Saskatchewan’s main crops. File that away in the memory bank for future reference! It was still a beautiful sight today on our way to Regina.

We started the day with a short walk through Medicine Hat. A quaint town with great shops, restaurants and public art work. It was a bit warmer than usual, so our walk was rather limited. We stumbled upon the Inspire Cafe for what we hoped would be a late breakfast, but it turned out to be an early lunch. Mom had tomato garlic soup and a curried egg salad sandwich on raisin bread. I had curried lentil soup and fried egg and cheese sandwich. We got there just before the lunch crowd arrived, and they were doing a very steady business when we left. Great art work on display and for sale around the cafe, and artists’ studios/work areas beyond the cafe.

We finally stopped at the stop light near this hotel so I could get a picture. We passed it at least 3 times on our back and forth to various places yesterday, and it made me smile. I can just picture the 1940’s – 1950’s, maybe even 1960’s, when this would have been one of the top spots in the area.

We crossed into Saskatchewan a little while later, and decided a stretch break was needed as we approached Swift Current. We parked the car and began walking down Center Avenue when I spotted a gift store. We meandered the store for a while, and I found perfect mementos for several on my list. It was early afternoon, and a rather warm day for these parts, so we opted to hit the car and continue our drive.

A bit west of Swift Current we spotted what initially loooked like a herd of goats on the side of the road. As we got closer, we both did double takes, and it took us a moment to realize it was a herd of alpacas. Given it was still 80+ degrees fahrenheit, we opted not to stop and check out the alpaca goods for sale. A short bit later as we approached Lake Chaplin, we saw what appeared to be mounds of snow. I knew in this heat it definitely was not snow, but neither of us had a clue what the piles of “white stuff” were. I surmised salt or lime as a small tractor to my left was making its way up a pile. Mark that down as something to research when we get to the room tonight…

We stopped at the Tourist Information location outside Moose Jaw for a rest stop and information on Regina. Canadian tourist/information stops are such fun. Each one we have stopped at has information about the surrounding area (think school project, state fair type displays), and a variety of local goods for sale. A great place to get a feel for the area, decide if you’ll stop and for how long, or just sample the local fare and keep going. We learned the piles of “white stuff” by Lake Chaplin were potash. Canda is the world’s largest potash producer and exporter, and the bulk of the industry is in Saskatchewan. Potash is one of the main ingredients of fertilizer.

We each picked up a few gift items, and decided it was time for a bit of local gelato. We both opted for Saskatoon berry. I still need to taste an actual Saskatoon berry before we leave – it looks a bit like a blueberry, but the gelato was definitely sweeter than that. Not sure if that was due to added sugar, or if it really is that sweet. I did buy a rather pricey jar of mustard believing that the yellow fields we were passing were, in fact, mustard. Oh well. I can make a lot of mustard sauces over the coming months if needed! A stop here is not complete without a photo of Mac the Moose.

We arrived in Regina early evening. The hotel had glasses and bottles of wine 50% off, so we opted for an elevator ride to dinner tonight. We shared a bottle of montepuliciano and a charcuterie plate, reminisced about the past 2 weeks and many decades, and had fabulous conversations with our waitress. Definitely a day and night for the memory books.

Before we head out of town tomorrow we plan to tour the Legislative Building and Queen Elizabeth II’s Gardens. We will cross into our 4th Canadian province sometime tomorrow.

Posted by | Filed under Alberta, Alpacas, Canada, Exploring, Medicine Hat, Mustard, Potash, Regina, Roadtrip, Saskatchewan, Swift Current, Travel

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Welcome to Canada!

10 Tuesday Jul 2018

Sunday dawned earlier than I might have liked, given the fun of the night before. Packed up, and breakfast in the hotel restaurant. (My review would be “meh.” There’s a reason it only has 2.5 – 3 stars. But it fit the bill for all of us.) Car brought down, loaded, goodbyes said, and momma and I hit the road.

Our first stop was Chateau Ste. Michele Winery. It was about 25 minutes from the hotel, and on our route. As we’d enjoyed many good beers over the past 2 days, a wine tasting seemed appropriate to start our return trip. The grounds are beautiful and picturesque. Manicured lawns, gorgeous architecture, families enjoying picnics…clearly a place to be on a Sunday afternoon in the summer. I wish my impression of the tasting room were as good as the outside. While the staff were helpful, they did not have time to, or did not want to, give us more than the basic description of the wines and move on to the next. At $15 a tasting (we did opt to share one), and only having 5 wines on the tasting list, we could have bought 2 bottles at the grocery store and enjoyed it as much, possibly better. But we can say we have been.

Perhaps if we’d done one of the bigger tours and tasting the experience would have been different. But the Canadian border was calling us, and we had about a 4 hour drive to our destination.

We had about a 30 minute wait at the border crossing in Sumas, WA and drove into Canada about 4:08PM. A bit of traffic along Trans-Canadian Route 1 as we started, but it soon opened up. Fortunately I remembered to set the speedometer to KPH before we crossed the border. The mountains soon loomed ahead of us, and I tried to keep at least one eye on the road as I turned my head from side to side and watched the beauty unfold before us. Unfortunately, not a lot of places to stop and take photos. I managed to get a few at a rest stop near Coquihalla. The Coquihalla Summit was 1244 M (4081 feet). It seemed much higher, but will be nothing once we hit the Canadian Rockies!

We checked into our hotel about 7:15PM in West Kelowna, BC. They had a restaurant attached, so we grabbed a sandwich and called it a night.

Today (Monday) was a short drive day, roughly 2 1/2 hours from last night’s lodging to today’s. I didn’t realize when setting the return route I was taking us right through the heart of British Columbia wine region. (Those of you who know me personally may find that hard to believe! But seriously, I didn’t until I picked up the brochure last night.) Anyway, when you have a short drive day, why not stop and see how the wine is, right? We stopped first at Sandhill Winery in Kelowna. The staff were friendly, knowledgeable, warm and made us feel right at home. The wine was far better than I had expected. One of the labels at Sandhill is Wayne Gretzky’s. We passed his winery near Toronto last October but didn’t stop. I couldn’t pass this by without at least a photo or two!

If we were staying one more night in the area, we would have bought a bottle and sat on the couch for a few hours! Such an inviting tasting room and staff.

Our next stop was Blind Tiger Winery. They are situated on a ridge overlooking one of the many mountain lakes in the area. Absolutely beautiful views, and some pretty good wine there, too.

Such fun to pass apple and cherry orchards on our way down to the highway!

We left this area and began our trek north and east. There were a few scenic overlooks today where I was able to stop and snap a few photos of the majesty around us. When we have criss-crossed the US, we can usually say “this reminds me of…” and fill in the blank. The past two days have left us at an absolute loss. Mountain lakes that are fed by waterfalls of varying size, pastures that seem to be among the clouds, and the vast expanse of space. Rivers, creeks and streams that flow alongside the road, what seem to be rolling hills but are just smaller mountains. The photos will not do its beauty and majesty justice, but it’s better than nothing.

Tonight we are staying in Revelstoke, BC. Rather quiet in the summer months compared to the winter. In winter this is home to snowmobiling and heli-skiing. Not sure that being dropped off at the top of a mountain by helicopter and skiing my way down would be my idea of fun, but it seems very popular in the area. Summer is mostly mountain biking, canoeing and hiking. Certainly a picturesque area to do any or all of it!

We are staying at the Glacier House Resort, set off from town in the quiet of the forest. We have brought all food in from the car as there were bear sightings earlier. All rooms are on the 2nd floor, so we are safe. The view from the room and the peacefulness of the surroundings should make for a restful night’s sleep.

View from the hotel restaurant patio

View from our room.

Tomorrow, Banff.

Posted by | Filed under Apple Orchards, Blind Tiger Winery, British Columbia, Canada, Columbia River, Kelowna, Lake Okanagan, Mountains, Revelstoke, Sandhill Winery, Travel, waterfalls, wine, Wine Tasting

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Rocky Mountain High – the mountains, that is

02 Monday Jul 2018

We were up and ready in time for breakfast at the hotel and on the road about 10AM. Filled up the gas tank, washed the windshield, and hit the highway. We finally saw the golden wheat fields of Kansas. The green of the corn and soybean fields next to them really made them stand out. A little research taught us this appears to be Kansas winter wheat which is planted in the fall and harvested in late June to early July. What struck us most was that it was maybe knee high or so. We’d both envisioned it much taller and really blowing in the wind. I guess that’s a lesson for us not to think about the musicals we know and love for information…or perhaps it just grows taller in Oklahoma.

We were 60 miles or so outside Denver when we spotted what has now become known as “A Brown Sign.” These are our signal that there is some interesting historical site, something whimsical, or down right odd that we may want to check out. Today’s Brown Sign said “Scenic Route to Denver.” Well, it sounded better than more of I-70 to me, so off the freeway we went onto State Route 86 through Kiowa and Elizabeth. A beautiful drive through foothills, ranches and small towns. It was the first time I had seen cows lying flat on their side, legs outstretched, in the late morning sun. We connected with I-25 into Denver, past Mile High Stadium, and eventually back to I-70. (Sorry for my Broncos fans. I was driving, and the Rockies had a home game today so traffic was a bit heavy. No place or time to stop for a photo. And a good thing I didn’t check the Rockie’s schedule before writing this as the SF Giants were in town. I might have stopped for that game!)

As traffic was heavier than we expected, we opted not to stop at Red Rocks Park and Ampitheater. This has been added to the “Next time we drive through” list. The drive over the Rocky Mountains was breathtaking. Snow was still visible on many of the mountain tops, and it felt many times like we were on a roller coaster – just when you thought you had finished the climb to the top and were heading down, you’d climb some more. We stopped for lunch in Idaho Springs, and I reported to family members we were on the westside of the Rockies. If I’d looked at the atlas, I would have realized we’d just barely started our climb. We watched white water rafters getting started, others finishing their trip, passed ropes and zip-lining courses, drove through 8 tunnels (maybe more) and continued to climb higher. We were over 10,000 feet up, maybe even 13,000 feet before we started the first descent. 7% downhill grade for 7 miles. Kept the foot off the brake as much as possible as I was not planning to use the runaway truck lane if I didn’t have to! Unfortunately, the turn-offs we passed along the way came up suddenly, or were full, so I didn’t get a chance to get pictures. Photos on the internet, in movies or on TV do not do it justice. It is absolutely worth the drive.

We had a second 7% grade descent, but this only lasted 5 miles and led us eventually to Rabbits Ear Pass and the Continental Divide. Our third time crossing the divide in 5 years. Our next crossing will be eastbound in Canada. The landscape changed from dry, almost desert-like to more lush and green as we got closer to Steamboat Springs.

We pulled into our hotel about 4:30PM, unloaded what we needed for the night, and, despite the road buzz, opted to head into town for a nosh and beverage. We stumbled upon Table 79 which had a wonderful happy hour. We relaxed, ate, drank and soaked up some fresh air. The air is a bit thinner, and it’s a bit harder to take really deep breath. The view from our room patio makes it all worthwhile, though!

Tomorrow we are off to explore dinosaur fossils and petroglyphs.

Posted by | Filed under Broncos, Colorado, Continental Divide, Denver, Elizabeth, Idaho Springs, Kansas, Kiowa, Rabbit Ears Pass, Rockies, Rocky Mountains, Steamboat Springs, Table 79, Travel, wheat, winter wheat

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Why fly to a wedding when you can drive?

30 Saturday Jun 2018

So, my nephew is getting married next weekend in Seattle. When the date and location were announced last year, a little thought bubbled in my head. We did want to get back to Montana and see Glacier National Park…I wonder if Mom would want to drive to the PacNW with me instead of fly? Surprise, surprise, she was all for it. So, here we are at the end of Day 1 on our 4th official roadtrip.

5 years ago when we started these adventures I wasn’t blogging about them, but I was posting regularly on my personal FB page. Today was a bit of a walk down memory lane, but we created a few new ones, too. GPS routed us to US Route 36 rather than I-70 this time. (No wonder I couldn’t find the spot where the very kind MO State Trooper pulled me and 5 or 6 other cars over for exceeding the speed limit! For those unfamiliar with the story, I got a warning only after he’d ticketed every other car. Today I was barely over the speed limit and on the lookout!) We enjoyed a beautiful drive through northern Missouri farmland and watched the flat prairie become rolling hills. Across the mighty Mississippi, a different view of Hannibal, across the Missouri, and on to Independence, MO where we finally got to visit the Truman House and Museum. When we came through in 2013, the museum was closed for the day. We promised to come back and see it some day. An incredible place to visit if you have any interest in politics, history, or small town America. We didn’t go to his official Presidential library, but the visitor center and “Summer White House” provided an insight into a President I didn’t know much about.

What would he think about 5,000 miles in three weeks?!

I believe I may have said similar things to my father over the years!

We departed Independence and hit Kansas City just in time for rush hour. Rush hour in KC is like driving I-285 in Atlanta on a Sunday morning. Traffic moved along smoothly, until we found ourselves on the Kansas Tollway. The speed limit was 75 MPH (normally not a problem for me), but cars zipping in and out of lanes at that speed or greater is not my idea of a relaxing drive. Tomorrow we will set the GPS to avoid toll roads and highways!

We were checked into our hotel by 5:30 or so, rested a bit (by rested I mean got the road buzz to stop), and headed to dinner. I was in the mood for a burger, and I have learned the best burgers are found near good beer. We opted for Lawrence Beer Co. near the University of Kansas campus. A fun place, although very loud if you want to sit inside. We opted for outside seating, despite the near 100 degree heat and heat advisory in effect. Live music on the patio, lots of cute kids running around, good food and a few really good beers. The sun was behind the trees soon after we sat down, and there was a beautiful breeze blowing.

Tomorrow morning we get to visit with a former shipmate of my Dad’s from Hawaii days and his wife, and then we continue west. Perhaps we will find our way to Oz somewhere along the way!

Posted by | Filed under Exploring, Independce, MO, Kansas, Lawrence Beer Co, Lawrence, KS, Missouri, Roadtrip, Summer White House, Travel, Truman House

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Kailua, Waiamea and Rainbows

22 Thursday Sep 2016

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Our first stop this morning was the Diamond Head Grill and Market. This is a hidden gem just outside the Waikiki strip on Monsarrat Street. They make cream cheese scones that are sinful – moist, flavorful and with a dollop of cream cheese in the center that you don’t find until you bite into it. D. had banana, I chose pineapple. They rotate three flavors each day of the week. In addition to the bakery, they have a take out window for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and a little market with pre-made salads, sandwiches and fresh fruit. From there we wound through neighborhoods to get to the freeway.

Second stop was the Pali Lookout. The last time I was here was June 1973, a few days before we moved back to New England. My dad took me and my best friend to the Pali Lookout to see the sunrise. He probably just wanted an excuse to take more photos of a sunrise, and I likely wanted a special last day with my best friend. I remember drinking hot chocolate, and it being very cool (as in cold). Today was windy and a bit misty, but such stunning views!

We arrived in Kailua not too long after, and the only thing I remembered was the beach. Kailua town has grown and changed so much. We didn’t go by our old house as it is no longer there…at some point after we moved it was torn down and two houses were built on the lot. I will keep my memories of what it looked like from 1968 – 1973.

Kailua Beach has suffered extensive beach erosion, or they have dug up a significant amount of sand for the construction that was being done. The beach used to be so much larger than it is currently. But the sand remains powdery soft. I haven’t found a beach yet that can top this side of the island.

Feet back in the ocean at Kailua Beach after 43 years. It was good to be back!

It was misting and windy, so we opted to drive a few miles further south to Lanikai where we found a spot to park and walked to the beach.  We pulled out the tatami mat, and sat in the sand for about an hour. I did get my legs wet, and managed to avoid the temptation of going all the way in. The last thing I wanted to do was ride to Waiamea in wet bathing suit, and the rental car did not need a wet seat, either. We watched a dog play fetch in the water, and lots of little kids learning to swim and playing in the surf. 

It was getting a bit warm, and I could tell I had had enough sun for the day, so we loaded up and headed back to the car. As we neared the car, I noticed hikers on the top of the mountain ridge. Not sure I’d make that hike, but I know others who would love it.

An easy drive to Waiamea, and we recognized much of the area as we’ve spent a good deal of time on the north shore. We pulled into the park, and there were signs for “Base Camp parking” and what appeared to be movie set trailers. There were detours along the way to the falls, and at one point we heard “OK. Quiet on the set. We’re rolling. Action.” (Or something to that effect.) Not long after we heard some blood curdling screams. I’m glad we knew they were filming! We did find out on our way out they were filming Jumanji II at the park. Several movies have been filmed here over the years, including the Jurasic Park movies. 

The walk to the falls is through the Waiamea Botanical Garden. It was fun to recall the different plants we had in our yard, and a special treat to see two poinsettia bushes in bloom!


We had to take cover just before we reached the falls as we had a bit of a downpour. It is a rainforest, so not altogether unexpected, but neither of us wanted to be drenched for the walk back, let alone the drive back to Waikiki.

Those long “lines” are the raindrops falling.

The falls were spectacular. Despite having our bathing suits on, neither of us wanted to go in for a swim. May have been the whole wet suit home thing, or the warning sign of potential bacterial infection! We listened and watched the brave souls who did venture in to swim up the falls.

An easy walk back down, and we were treated to a peacock sighting.  There were signs posted that they are aggresive and should not be fed when we entered, so I cautiously followed him down a trail to get a photo.  

We decided to do a quick stop at the coffee factory we visited earlier in the trip for an afternoon pick-me-up before hitting traffic into Waikiki.  I had to take a picture of the tip jar sign. Clever way to get people to leave their change behind! And, no, I will not say which jar I chose.  As we were leaving we were blessed with a rainbow. A wonderful reminder that the sun always comes out, no matter how long or hard the rain.

As we arrived in Honolulu we spotted our second rainbow of the day. Doubly blessed!

We stopped at the Ward Warehouse Shopping Center, just on the edge of Honolulu and Waikiki, near the Ala Moana Shopping Center as I was on the hunt for a Christmas present.  I was successful in finding what I was after, and we grabbed a late lunch/early dinner at the Korean BBQ Express.  It was quite good, and the portion size was sufficient without being overwhelming.

A shower to de-sand from the day, a bit of a rest, and we were off to explore a few items we’d seen in shop windows earlier.  We wandered into Coco Cove, a store we’d not been in yet, probably because it looked a lot like the ABC Stores that are on every corner. Probably a good thing we’d not been in sooner, as we discovered a poke bar, and all sorts of goodies…including the Hawaiian reminder that it is fall and summer can’t last forever.

We stopped for Hawaiian shave ice, but they were out of ice cream.  We decided that would wait until tomorrow, and we will have poke from Coco Cove and shave ice on our last night in Hawaii.  

Tomorrow we plan to hit the historical sites – Iolani Palace, Queen Emma’s Summer Palace and The Bishop’s Museum. 

It is going to be hard to leave on Friday…I miss my other half terribly, but I am an island girl at heart, especially if that island is Oahu.

Posted by | Filed under Diamond Head, Diamond Head Grill and Market, Hawaii, Hawaii beaches, Kailua, Kailua Beach, Lanikai beach, North Shore, Oahu, Pacific Ocean, rainbows, Travel, Vacation2016, Waiamea, Waiamea Falls, Ward Warehouse

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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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