FRIDAY'S FOTO--KILAUEA CALDERA

With Kilauea on a rampage these days, I keep going back to look at our photos of a more peaceful time in this part of the world.  We helicoptered over the area, and this is the amazing, steaming caldera.  
Kilauea is between 300,000 to 600,000 years old.
In my blog's search box, type in Hawaii to see other photos of this extraordinary place.

FRIDAY'S FOTO

This is a chameleon we met at the Greenwell Kona Coffee Farm
on the Big Island in Hawaii
Isn't he just too cute?!

FRIDAY'S FOTO

All this snow (as it's snowing now) makes me drool over thoughts of Hawaii and how beautiful it is--
so much so that it inspires artists.

FRIDAY'S FOTO

Nice weather has FINALLY arrived and makes me think of golf.
Here's the view from our balcony on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Those track-like marks in the background are lava flow scars.

FRIDAY'S FOTO

There's always a beautiful beach on Oahu.
No problem escaping crowds.

FRIDAY'S FOTO



This is the rear wall on the U.S.S. Arizona, sunk by the Japanese in their attack on Pearl Harbor
December 7, 1941
Memorial Day is for the men still entombed on this sunken ship and for all the
other men and women who have died to keep us free
God Bless Them
Never forget them



Standing on the Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, I can see parts of this sunken ship
and I am tremendously and tearfully moved by the thought of the men
entombed therein.
God Bless Them
Remember them and others who gave their lives for their country--and us--to keep us free.

ALA MOANA--OUR FAVORITE HONOLULU BEACH



Is this the Hawaii of your imagination?

 In a previous post, I talked about the different stretches of the 1.5 mile long beach known collectively by tourists as Waikiki Beach but known by locals by other names.  If you have to ask directions, it’s best to know those other names as they break down sections of Waikiki Beach. 

The maps you will get in guidebooks or in tourist information pamphlets will break down the sections for you, and they are easy to find.  You may want one section for your daytime activities and another section for your nightlife where you can begin with a stroll along the beach, stop for a drink and a view of a magnificent sunset over the ocean, or an oceanside dinner or evening’s entertainment.  As always, you can wander in from the beach to some of the hotels, and you can enjoy their bars and beachside dining. Walking is the best way to discover the differences.

If you’re traveling with children, you may consider Kuhio Beach next to the Moana Surfrider Hotel which is right past the center of Waikiki Beach where I took photos of the outrigger canoes and surfers. (http://www.thirdagetraveler.blogspot.com/2013/02/beach-goer-dont-miss-honolulus-waikiki.html)  This is the point of quickest access to Waikiki Beach. What’s nice about Kuhio Beach is that there are concrete walls forming two separate and vary calm swimming areas where children might feel safer.  

The area where Rob and I spent the day, in front of the beautiful pink Royal Hawaiian Hotel, is known as Grey’s Beach.  It’s canted so it catches the sun’s rays perfectly!

But our favorite Honolulu beach lies outside the Waikiki area.  It is Ala Moana Beach, a town beach lying between Waikiki and downtown Honolulu.  Ala Moana, by the way, means “by the sea,” and you will see these words used all over the islands.  Ala Moana is approximately a mile long, so there is plenty of space to enjoy.



This photo by Luna Park Coney Island was taken on

June 23, 2012 in Coney Island, New York.

This might be considered crowded by some,

but this is early in the season.  There is still room

to walk!

 Many of the guide books warn about crowded beaches in Honolulu.  Nowhere we went did we experience what we would term “crowded conditions.”  This, of course, brings me back to my theory of travel relativity.  As I grew up in New York City, I was used to Orchard Beach and Coney Island where we sometimes had to hop over other beachgoer’s blankets in search of a free spot.  That’s how I define crowd.  Waikiki Beach was certainly not empty, but there was plenty of room for everyone. I saw nothing even remotely resembling a crowd on Oahu—not even in Honolulu which is a city.  But if the pictures of Waikiki (http://www.thirdagetraveler.blogspot.com/2013/02/beach-goer-dont-miss-honolulus-waikiki.html) seemed crowded with people to you, look at these photos of Ala Moana. 

Diamondhead watches over this beach too--and the lifeguard stand.

Might things be different in different seasons or on weekends?  Certainly the possibility exists, but seeking out the differences is all part of the travel adventure.

Ala Moana can be reached by The Bus, but we had a car.  There was ample parking facilities as well as street parking.  A road runs along the beach separating it from the other areas of the park.  There are bathhouses and bathroom facilities, gardens and lawns for picnicking, palm trees and magnificent banyan trees with their twisted contours providing shade and a beautiful wide beach.  There is also a music pavilion and concessions. We did not use all the amenities of this 73 acre park, but they include playgrounds, a lagoon, tennis courts, and a yacht harbor.  It’s lovely. 

People in need of special sand navigating wheel chairs can borrow them making this beach accessible to everyone—a wonderful and important aspect of thoughtfulness.  If you’ve ever traveled with someone who had given up the beach and ocean because of the impossibility of walking on the sand, you would see how marvelous these vehicles are.  Additionally there are beach mats leading right to the water.  Follow this link to take a look at these: http://www1.honolulu.gov/parks/programs/beach/index1.htm




Fishing and just enjoying the sun.
Everyone is happy.



Paddleboarders and swimmers
enjoy this ocean here.



 Ala Moana is actually a man-made beach “by the sea.” It is wide and beautiful.  The sand is not hot beneath our feet.  The atmosphere enhanced by the palm trees close to the streetside border is incredibly inviting and relaxing.  The water is calm almost the entire year because of a lava rock reef set out in the ocean.  But at certain times of the year, the area near the reef is perfect for surfers.   People like to do long distance swimming here in a deep water channel. There is enough ripple for people to stand-up paddleboard, swim, or just float around. 

Some people say this beach is the ideal spot to watch the sun set over the ocean. 

How great is this place?

BEACH-GOER: DON'T MISS HONOLULU'S WAIKIKI BEACH



Waikiki is a slender crescent beach.
Diamondhead crater looms high above the far end.

 Hawaii doesn’t bill itself as Paradise without reason.  The beaches and beautiful waters offer more than a cool-off dunking.  Brochures advertise the splendid vistas, the spectacular snorkeling and scuba diving, and, of course, the monstrous waves that make Hawaii the surfer’s dream-come-true.  A lot of that is totally true.  If you’re the tourist here for the beaches, there is no way to sample all Oahu has to offer in one vacation. All beaches in Hawaii are open to the public.  Not all beaches are the same.  Once again, the “know thyself” advice I offered earlier (http://www.thirdagetraveler.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-tourist-in-hawaii.html) comes into play.  What are you really here for?

Beaches in Hawaii have names and personalities.  For instance, you might be luxuriating in the calmest, swimming-friendly section of beach while looking at surfers riding waves just a short distance away. 

You can leave your hotel in Honolulu, head to the ocean, face in either direction, begin walking, and you will pass through beaches with individual names and personalities.  You might not even know it.  That’s not the way to do it.  It's better to know what to look for, and I will give you some hints as I talk about the beaches.

In Honolulu if you really want to, you can walk from the Hilton Hawaiian Village at one end of Waikiki (as a neighborhood) all the way to Kapiolani Park at the other end. There are very few places where you have to leave the sand and then only for short distances.   Granted that is a long walk, but for the avid beachgoer, that may be just what you are looking for.  Though the sand remains fundamentally unbroken, sections of beach have their own names.

Chances are you’ll want to begin with one of the most famous beaches in the world—Waikiki. Every generation has an imaginary link to this beach gleaned from some incredible picture, book, movie, or even by playing with a hula hoop, and no matter what you’re looking for, don’t pass up the opportunity to spend some time on Waikiki beach and swim in the Pacific here.  Even if it’s just to say you’ve done it—DO IT!



in front of the Royal Hawaiian



If you speak with friends who have been to Hawaii over the years, you will hear that Waikiki is not what it used to be.  It used to be much wider; it used to be less crowded, etc. etc.  All well and good, but the “used to be-s” should not distress you.  The crescent that stretches out beneath the looming presence of Diamondhead is still exciting and beautiful, and you can spread out the straw rollup mat you picked up as a freebie gift or in the local market to soak in some of what the sun and surf have to offer. 



the koi pond at the Sheraton

 The hotels that line Waikiki Beach are beautiful and picturesque.  There are public accesses to the beach, but you might as well thread your way through one of the hotels if you’re not already staying there.  On the one hand, this maneuvering is truly annoying; on the other hand, you might as well enjoy the art, the koi ponds, the luxurious stores, and the beachside bars and dining.  Roll with the punches, and don’t carry too much with you. 



Yes, here we're in front of the famous "pink hotel," the Royal Hawaiian



The umbrellas and lounges that border the hotels are, of course, for their guests, but there is plenty of room in front of them, and it’s very nice to be close to the water.  There are also beach walks in front of the hotels, so you can walk on those, rinse your feet in their showers when you leave, and generally not be concerned as you stroll from hotel to hotel.  There is the Spirit of Aloha to remember, and you will fit right into that laid-back state of mind. 



Here is the view from the beach walk in front of the hotels. 
Flowers, palm trees, and alohas from the people we pass.



I was surprised that Waikiki Beach did not fit into the picture my imagination had created, and initially I was a little disappointed.  But there is such a nice feeling on that beach.  The water is exquisite.  The first time we went in the water, Rob and I stayed for about 45 minutes, floating, talking, and observing.  It’s so calm we were able to really swim without fighting waves or currents as we so often do in ocean swimming.

Almost any kind of water fun is available on Waikiki

Everywhere we look, people are enjoying themselves.  Not only are there swimmers but also surfers (although from our hotel balcony we learn that there are certain times of the day and evening when the surf is better and there are many more surfers out there), paddle boarders of all ages, boogie boarders, and wind surfers. Different double-hulled catamarans, smaller Hoby Cats, and other “tourist” vessels like outrigger canoes come to shore boarding or disembarking passengers, joggers trot along the fringe, and there are any variety of other beach activities going on.  All of this activity marks Waikiki Beach as ideal for people watching as well.  It is the hub or Honolulu, and there is always something interesting going on.  It is quite lovely. 

Frankly, although we were only two blocks from the beach, we didn’t enjoy carrying our things and weaving through the hotels with them, and with so many other beaches available, we found more user-friendly ones with no problem at all.  This was the only day we spent on Waikiki Beach, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.  And we came back on several evenings for a sunset libation and a very peaceful end of the day.

A TOURIST IN HAWAII

My introduction to Hawaiian tourism:



The biggest shirt ever made by Hilo Hattie



         

1. Chances are you will fly into Oahu and Honolulu International Airport before leaving for another island.
2.  Honolulu is often a stopover for tourists—two or three days before continuing on to another island, and each tourist type can have a great experience.  We stayed on Oahu for a week before moving on because we wanted to see and do it all!
3. There are basically three types of tourists on Oahu: the shopper, the beach goer, and a less definable kind who wants it all!  Rob and I fall into that third category.  That’s the impossible one.

Before you head to Oahu, know thyself. You have more possibilities on this small island than you have in many other places, and you will have lots of choices to make.   Have a good idea which kind of tourist you are.  Know your choices, and choose wisely.

Let me first address the shopper. As our hotel was two blocks from the beach, we cross Kalakaua Ave.—just one block from the beach—to get there each time.  360° of shopping temptation.  Most likely your hotel will be within a block or two of Kalakaua Ave.  Most are!

Shopper, you have died and gone to heaven.  Kalakaua Avenue, named after King David Kalakaua, is the Worth Ave., the Rodeo Drive, and the Fifth Ave. of Oahu.  Luxury stores including Tiffany, Coach, Gucci, Chanel, and Hugo Boss are a hop, skip, and a jump from the beach and/or your hotel, so load up and drop of the packages with ease.

But that’s not all.  The DFS Gallery (Duty Free) is the place for Godiva, Vera Wang, Prada, and Armani, to name a few. (and conveniently a pick-up spot for many bus tours so you cannot miss going there)

But that’s not all.  The Royal Hawaiian Center in front of the Sheraton and Royal Hawaiian Hotels hosts over 100 shops including Fendi, Bulgari, and Cartier.

But that’s not all.  The International Market is an open air market of artisans, carts, and shops.  You can talk to the craftspeople in a bustling friendly atmosphere.

But that’s not all.  Remember you are in Waikiki.  The Waikiki Beach Walk is eight acres of shops, restaurants and entertainment venues that feature such stores among its 50 shops as Under the Koa Tree, and Hawaiian Quilt.  Entertainment in the plaza includes Hawaiian music and dancing, and the more than 16 dining establishments assure you will not starve. 

I haven’t even mentioned the many shops that are located in all the hotels along the beach!

If you like malls, the Ala Moana Mall is only a short bus/taxi/car ride and contains all the stores + Hawaiian shops that you could possibly wish for.

And there are several other malls as well out beyond Diamond Head.

You might ask how to get to the malls if you choose not to rent a car.  The Bus, Honolulu’s system makes sure that almost every bus it runs finds its way past Ala Moana.

Tour companies run special Shopping busses to make sure you don’t feel left out.  They stop in front of the major hotels and along Kalakaua Ave. as well as each of the malls.  The hotel stops guarantee you won’t have to worry about lugging unwieldy packages.  A shopper will definitely find Honolulu a paradise.

Along Kalakaua Ave., you will see an amazing number of Asian tourists, in particular, with loaded shopping bags from these stores.  Honolulu is an Asian-influenced city and a major destination for Asian visitors.  Japanese companies run shopping junkets to Hawaii.

My favorite store, however, is Hilo Hattie.  She did get me under her spell.

Hilo Hattie was founded by Clarissa Haili (1901-1979), a schoolteacher turned actress turned entrepreneur whose company today is the largest retailer, manufacturer, and wholesaler of Hawaiian fashions and gifts.  Did you ever hear her hit songs, “Hilo Hattie Does the Hula Hop” or “Princess Pupule Has Plenty Papayas”? I giggle at these titles, but this lady used some of her money to give scholarships to the University of Hawaii for students to continue their education in Hawaiian Studies and Music.  Right there she gets my vote and piques my interest.

More than 60,000,000 visitors have come to Hilo Hattie since 1963—and the store runs its OWN FREE BUS throughout Honolulu to bring shoppers!  Hilo Hattie is a destination in itself, and I fell under the Hilo Hattie spell at both the flagship store in Honolulu and then again on The Big Island!

As you enter, you are greeted by a lovely young woman who welcomes you with a shell lei.  Inside there are complimentary tastings, Kona coffee, sarong demonstrations, a snack bar featuring Dole Pineapple Whip (yummy) and Nathan’s franks (haha), historical displays, and customer lounges and chairs (this place is big).  Outside the women’s dressing room, for instance, there are plush chairs for the men—most tapping away on phones, iPads, etc. Hilo Hattie will ship your purchases World Wide at reasonable fees. (certainly cheaper than airline luggage overweight charges)  If you buy even a postcard, you can also buy the stamp.  All the tourist magazines have Hilo Hattie specials and discounts to lure us in.  The flagship store is on the way to the airport, but there are smaller Hilo Hattie stores in the malls and on the other islands as well.

While you can pick up the little inexpensive expected souvenirs, you can pay dearly for some lovely Hawaiian outfits.  The choices are many and for all budgets and for all sizes.  Come with your family, for instance, and everyone from the baby to the grandparent can buy matching outfits and make a heck of a family portrait.  

We bought several beautiful Aloha shirts as well as some other Hawaiian clothing including a dress I later wore for a special night out.  We met helpful staff, looked at the exhibits, picked up some postcards and some gifts for people back home, and we had a grand old time.

In tour guides I’ve read both complimentary and derogatory comments about Hilo Hattie; the plusses were about the selections and fun, and the negatives blasted the incredible marketing, but the truth is I AM A TOURIST.  I want to see and do things I cannot do elsewhere.  If you have access at home to the other shops and malls I’ve mentioned, skip them in Honolulu and enjoy the Hawaiian experience.  I recommend Hilo Hatti above every place but one I’ve mentioned in this article.  On Kalakaua Ave., don’t miss the International Market Place because that, too, is unique.

ALOHA HAWAI'I



Hawaii's state flower--the hibiscus



Isn’t it Honolulu and Waikiki Beach that we picture when we dream about Hawaii? This was the picture in my mind, fine tuned by years of music, movies, TV shows, and books.  Fiction.

It is true that from our balcony at the Royal Kuhio, our view of Waikiki is often stunning, but it is not what lived in my imagination.  Putting it in perspective, picture this: Waikiki is a touch less than one square mile in size but contains more than 60,000 hotel rooms!!!  On a given day, 40% of all Hawaiian tourists sleep there.  So if I expected a laid-back beach resort atmosphere….  Actually, friends, that is what I did expect, and I had some major adjusting to do!

Here’s the real deal.  Hawaii is pretty special. There truly exists  “The Spirit of Aloha.”  Hawaiians really work at it.  Simply put, this is a friendly spirit of acceptance.  Google that phrase, and you will learn its more complex meaning. 



The Shaka sign
(courtesy of avagabonde.blogspot.com)



The Spirit of Aloha is practically palpable.  People use the “shaka” sign.  People say “Mahalo” (thank you).  People wear Aloha shirts and have a laid-back attitude.  On the busiest, most commercial street, you might pass a person barefoot and carrying a surfboard as easily as you might pass someone all dressed up for business.  People obey traffic lights (as a New Yorker, I am shocked at that), and people are friendly and helpful.  Get right into the program, and the spirit of aloha will make you quite happy, and you will thoroughly enjoy your visit despite your preconceptions.

Look at our view from the 27^th floor and a mere two blocks away from the beach! 

Mauka, Hawaiian meaning “toward the mountain,” (more on this beautiful language in a later post) we’ve the constant reminder that this island is a marvelous and ancient result of volcanic eruption.  There is an almost ever-present and impressive thick blanket of clouds hiding the peaks, and we look to them over a fantastic golf course (Hawaii is a golfing mecca) bordered by the Ala Wai Canal where people scull or walk/jog on the adjoining trail.  You forget you are in the middle of a city.

Mauka--and the Ala Wai Canal and golf course

Makai, meaning “toward the sea,” we look over the high rise buildings toward the pink hotel, The Royal Hawaiian, and the sparkling waters of the Pacific that break on Waikiki Beach.  More on this hotel—our Waikiki hangout—later.

Makai at dusk.  See the "pink hotel"? That's the Royal Hawaiian.

Straight ahead and in the distance past the other high rises looms the ever-present majestic Diamond Head crater keeping watch over Waikiki Beach and reminding us of the past.

That's Diamond Head in the distance

Looking down from our balcony to a lower floor is the Royal Kuhio’s tennis court and sports “field.”  Out of sight is the pool.  (I did not come to Hawaii to use a pool.  That seems like sacrilege to me!  I did not even go to check it out.)

Sunset from our balcony is a splendid show of changing colors of pinks, greys, yellows, oranges and red.  Sunrises are equally magnificent—enough so that I even woke up for ONE.  I’m guessing the others were memorable too.   

This is actually a SUNRISE--a miracle for me to get up for this--but
isn't it gorgeous?!

One day looking down at the street, I spy Cinderella’s coach!

Sorry this is not clear, but I was definitely caught up in this fairytale moment.

My dreams may not have been accurate, but Hawaii is kind of magical!

If you are a bit surprised as I was at Honolulu’s density, take this fact into account.  Honolulu has over 470 high rise buildings and an impressive skyline. Flying in to Honolulu, it is the big skyline and the white buildings that first catch the eye.  Spread out below is the sweet crescent of Waikiki Beach, and then the eye spies Diamond Head.  It’s exciting.

As always, Rob and I arrive ready to hit the ground running, and if Honolulu is not quite as we expected, we quickly shift gears and are ready to discover what Honolulu is today.

REMEMBERING PEARL HARBOR DAY-71 YEARS LATER

There are few places that command the solemnity felt by all who visit the Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, Hawaii.  Officially it is part of The World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument.  People whisper and stare, knowing but not quite believing that beneath them lies the remains of the sunken battleship USS Arizona.  Not only was the Arizona a casualty of Japan's attack but also it is the  tomb for 1177 sailors aboard on the morning of December 7, 1941. 

The Memorial is an awesome sight; its pure white building curved over the Arizona.  We are ferried across the harbor from the mainland, silent in expectation.  We see the Battleship Missouri in the distance and the graceful sweep of the Memorial’s lines grows as we approach. 

A ramp leads to the Memorial building. We are a hushed group as we walk through the building, most barely stopping to look out as we head, instead, to the beckoning far wall where the names of the lost sailors are etched.  Just before entering that room, we pass an opening in the floor and gaze down through the murky waters at the Battleship Arizona.  We are standing above her, safe and dry. 

The United States flag proudly flies against the blue sky above the memorial, and we see it through arched openings as we pass beneath. Here’s an interesting fact: the USS Arizona was stricken from the official register of naval vessels after she was attacked and sunk, but she was re-commissioned when the flagpole was erected on the ship.

The room that lists the names of the sailors lost is almost shocking.  The entire wall is covered with names, and it takes a moment for us to see each of those names representing one lost young sailor.  There were 37 sets of brothers assigned to the USS Arizona.  In front the memorial wall stands a flower wreath brought by visitors in memory of the fallen.  Leis also hang on some of the posts. The side walls of this room let in the sunlight. The patterns of the openings are Trees of Life, the dominant theme here and at the Museum on the mainland. 

Midway through the building is a chart showing our position above the Arizona and pointing out which parts of the ship are visible to us.  People pause, point, study, and look out to locate their discoveries.  There is virtually no discussion.

 



A National Parks Service Ranger moves through the building and explains to the visitors what we are seeing.  At one viewing point, fish swim amid the broken wreck.  Looking out from another point, we can see the names of the ships that were moored alongside; the Arizona’s still stands.

Striking and forever memorable to me is the eerie way in which the Arizona constantly reminds us of her existence.



The oil droplets that escape and rise





Each day of the past 71 years, a small amount of oil escapes the Arizona and rises to the surface.   On December 6, 1941, the Arizona took on a full load of fuel—nearly 1.5 million gallons.  Since Dec. 7, 1941, oil droplets bubble up from the ship’s interior and float above the wreck, fanning out over the water.  The estimate is approximately 9 quarts daily. I can see the oil drops spread and color the waters of the harbor before they float off into the sunlight.  But before the oil has moved very far from the ship, the sun’s warm rays hit it and vaporize it.  The oil disappears.  Constantly for 71 years. 




I wonder what he is thinking

 


While the Arizona’s veterans still live there are other reminders of the day’s tragedy.  Funerals occur aboard The Arizona. The bond between the shipmates was so strong and enduring that some survivors have requested to be interred with their shipmates.  These are funerals with full military honors.  Since returning I’ve met someone who witnessed one of these.  As part of the ceremony, a diver takes the urn and brings it to its final resting place among the man’s mates.

When we are ready, we line up to board the boat to take us back to shore.  A new crop of visitors enter just as we did, solemnly and quietly.  Perhaps they scan our faces to gather hints of our reactions.  Some pause slightly to look at a plaque or out to see the moorings of the ships that went down.  Or they look out at the Battleship Missouri.

We return to shore and continue our audio tour of the Museum buildings, and I highly recommend you make the time to do so too. 

The tour out to the Arizona takes about 75 minutes beginning with a 23 minute film on shore.  Then we are ferried out to the Memorial, have sufficient time to view everything, and then are ferried back. 

We also took an audio tour narrated by Jamie Lee Curtis whose father, actor Tony Curtis, was a Pacific War veteran.  The audio tour takes us through the interpretive museums and the waterfront exhibits.  We have an opportunity to hear survivors’ narratives on what they experienced that day.  It probably will take at least an hour to go through the different exhibits. Plan to spend the time.  It’s worth it.

The museums are very interesting.  They present background, biographies of some of the key players, and try to enhance our understanding of why, how, and what exactly happened.  In our electronic age, it is interesting to see how communications were in 1941. 

On Dec. 7, 1941, approximately 40% of the Oahu population was of Japanese descent with 124,000 American citizens and 45,000 immigrants.  The museum also deals with the hardships these people suffered as a result of the War in the Pacific.  

As always, I have the highest praise and gratitude to our National Park System.  Please support them.  There is no charge for the Arizona Memorial. 

Travel Tips for the Arizona Memorial

We did not budget enough time to see everything.  We spent over three hours in this one area.  We did not get over to tour the Battleship Missouri Memorial, the USS Bowfin submarine, or the Pacific Aviation Museum.  My suggestion is that, depending on your interest, you might need an entire day to really absorb everything offered.

The Battleship Missouri, commissioned June 11, 1944

A relatively new option is to buy tickets online.  (If you google Pearl Harbor, you will get a number of sites selling tours.  Go to the gov't site.) If your Hawaii tour book is not brand new, you might not see an online option, and buying tickets at the Memorial might lead to a several hour wait or, because of crowds, an inability to get a ticket at all.  Tours have 150 people and there is a 15 minute lag between tours. We bought online where we picked our tour time.  Online instructions prohibit backpacks and other items, so read those instructions.  We did see people with small packs.  Tickets must be picked up an hour before the scheduled tour or they are sold to walk-ins.  Honolulu has traffic, so be diligent in planning your time. 

Visit early in the morning to avoid crowds and the heat.  Or go to the beach in the morning and come here when the clouds gather in the afternoon.  The last tour is at 3:00. 

Another important point is to bring water.  Hawaii is hot—all year long—so bring water with you—here and everywhere you go in Hawaii.

FIRST THOUGHTS ON HAWAII



That's Diamond Head!

 My plane approaches Honolulu airport hours after I saw the California coast fade far behind me.  It descends toward the Hawaiian island of Oahu. Spread before me on an incredible palate are the white buildings of Honolulu.  I see the curved crescent of white along an edge that I know will prove to be Waikiki, and beyond that the looming presence of Diamond Head. 

For many of us first time visitors, Hawaii is a place fueled by the imagination of writers, artists, musicians, chefs, actors, story tellers, folklorists, and historians.  We each come with pictures we have created in our own minds and smiles of anticipation. 

Where did my imagination take me?  I grew up in the wake of Gidget Goes Hawaiian, the original Hawaii 5-0 TV series, surfing movies like The Endless Summer, and novels like James Michener’s Hawaii (+ the movie).  Talk about Great Expectations.

The Hawaii to which I was introduced had grown up--just as I had--but it offered wonderful adventures, incredible sights as diverse as one can imagine, beautiful Pacific water where I swam with the fishes (not in the mob sense!) and turtles, a myriad of water sports including snorkeling from beaches, and sunsets that caused Rob and me to take photos each night from a different site.  The first incredible moment occurred, however, when I asked to be awakened to take pictures of a sunrise!!!! Miracles do happen, friends. 

As always with us, travel is a learning experience too, and history, culture, geology, geography, and weather are just a few of the subjects we studied.  We met wonderful people and had fantastic mai tais—my new summer drink of choice.  See how travel broadens?

Please comment below the posts I will write about this trip by hitting the “comment” link, and I will comment back. I’d love to know your reactions to this very unusual place.