Dragon's teeth

After seeing Dragon's teeth, we continued our drive north to the Nakalele blowhole. It was a bit of a hike down to the actual blowhole, but you could still see it even up at the parking pull-off.

Lots of people here, and just as we were leaving, a huge wave came up and blasted over the top of the protective rocks around the blowhole, SOAKING the people perched there for close-up pictures and a great view. No one got hurt, and most had waterproof cameras, but that was sure a big sneaky wave! We were in the drier, more careful part, so we remained dry..

From here, we put the top of the car down and drove our windy way home. The speed limit was 25mph in most places (15 in others!), so we had a great preview of what was to come on the road to Hana

Thursday--road to Hana

We headed out around 8am on our journey to Hana. 46 one lane bridges and 620 turns......each way. We stopped several times to take pictures or hike to waterfalls. All in all, it made for a long day, and we ended up just wanting to go home. It was pretty, we had an entertaining and informative road to hana CD to listen to, but we were pooped. Maybe if we had done it on the front end of our vacation it would have been better for us, but we were just thinking of going back to our hotel and snorkelling.

But...we can say we did it, and we DID have fun along the way.

Upper Waikani Falls

Taro fields in Wailua.

Black rocks pounding in the surf on Ke'anae Peninsula. We stopped here for pictures, and also bought some banana bread from a little shop to snack on (and some potato chips that Ethan swore tasted like funions and refused to eat)

Hawai'ian vacation...pictures from the little camera. (Oahu)

Okay. Honolulu here. A lovely shot of the sunset our first day there (Wednesday), Waikiki Beach and a view of Diamond head. MUCH more of Diamond head later...

We had a $50 burger dinner and booked a trip for the next day--Pearl Harbor with a North Shore tour. The tour was from 6am to 330pm, because we already booked a sunset cruise on the Ma'i Tai.

Our tour guide was great--picked us up at 6am and drove us to Pearl Harbor. He had great commentary along the way and played music and audio clips pertinent to Pearl Harbor. We got there early and lined up outside (they don't hand out tickets until 745am, but they run out and it is best to be there early). We were actually in the first group of the day to take the shuttle out to the USS Arizona memorial.





The USS Missouri (now a museum you can tour through), and Aloha Stadium, with the Pearl Harbor museum in the lower right hand corner.

The model of the flagship of the Japanese fleet that attacked Pearl Harbor

The shuttle out to the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor

The Memorial wall with all the names of the entombed sailors was a powerful monument that really put the sheer numbers into perspective. The oil slowly ascending to the surface, called black tears, was pretty amazing too.

The USS Arizona Memorial.




These pictures were all taken by Ethan. I generally stick to the bigger camera, unless it is likely to get wet, then I leave it home and man the little one in it's protective baggie.

Ethan and I on a North shore Oahu beach

All the pictures of us together are on the little camera--it is the only one Ethan can use to reach his arm out and take our picture, and the only one we can hand to other tourists to take our pictures (they simply CANNOT figure out the other one...we have learned our lesson)

Ethan and I at La'ie point with a cool rock arch formation.

Ethan and I at the Pali lookout over Kane'ohe. There was an old story about king Kamehameha defeating his enemies here by driving them off the cliff...thought to be just a story until they began constructing the freeway through the mountain and found over 800 skulls at the bottom of the cliff.

After our island tour, we refreshed in our hotel room then headed down to Waikiki to catch our sunset cruise. (These pictures mostly taken by me, since I wasn't trusting the big camera not to get wet out here).

The cruise was very nice. Lots of nice vacationers out having a good time, a beautiful sunset, great crew, free-flowing Mai tai's....what more could you ask for??

This girl was waiting to catch a wave and surf into Waikiki....our captain threw her a long rope, and we towed her along. When we got close, she reeled herself in and he gave her a beer, then left her out along the surfline while we came ashore. Pretty cool!

The actual sunset on the sunset cruise...

Monday, we went on a tour with Atlantis submarines. I think I mentioned that we ran into a guy who recognized Ethan when we were in Costco?? Anyway, he is the pilot of the submarine and we got in for about 75% off. Pretty cool. Lots of fish, a cool planned shipwreck that will eventually be a reef, great times. And a cool picture at the end (that I do not have in my camera and therefore will not show up here)


Here are pics of the sub rising and sinking, and one of an anchor with some coral. I will do my fancy photo filter to remove some blue and put back in the reds and make it much nicer...but later once I get home.

Okay, we are here and having lots of fun.

Saturday, we hung out around the resort, played in the ocean a bit, checked out the pool

Sunday, we woke up EARLY and watched NFL football. Sadly enough, the Seahawks got stomped and my starting fantasy QB got knocked out for the SEASON in the first quarter of the game. Not good.

Sunday evening, we went to the Old Lahaina Luau, supposed to be one of if not *the* best luau around. We had lots of fun--great food, fancy drinks, and a great show. We switched from sitting on mats to sitting at a real table, because I think my hips and Ethan's knee would have all fallen off if we tried the mats. I am SOOOO going to the doctor about my stupid hips when I get home. But, I digress...

Here are a couple pics....the sunset on our first night in Maui.....the stage for the old lahaina luau, and the imu pig being removed from it's pit.

On Maui

Yesterday, we caught a short 45 minute flight from Honolulu to Kahului on Maui. From there, we rented a car, headed to Costco then Safeway to stock up on supplies for the week, then drove through TERRIBLE traffic the ~25 miles to our hotel.

So, we are here at the Westin. Due to an unfortunate problem with our reservation, we had some check in problems. I will not tell you why we had problems because it makes me look like a complete idiot. We are supposed to have a studio facing the parking lot or a garbage can or something, but we ended up in a one bedroom suite, oceanfront. OCEANFRONT!! We have a square lanai with a view of the water and some palm trees. VERY cool. About 250 square feet bigger, with a little kitchen and a whirlpool tub and all sorts of neat litle touches. I have taken pictures with my small camera, but didn't bring the cord to connect it to my computer, so you must wait until I get home to se the pictures from that one. I have some awesome shots from our sunset sailing cruise on Oahu Thursday that are very nice. My goal of getting at least one picture nice enough to frame and put up on our wall is already realized....

We also had issues with our rental car. We paid $125 for a full week for an economy car (the cheapest we could find) Due to circumstances beyond our control....we now have a silver Mustang convertible. So sad that all our plans have gone awry. Have not yet taken the top down, but I am sure we will figure that out.

Our poor vacation plans have all been torn asunder. Can you find it in your hearts to send us some sympathy???

Just a small taste....

We arrived Wednesday noonish, wandered town a bit, and got acclimated. Thursday morning, we headed out at 6am to the Pearl Harbor USS Arizona Memorial. Very cool. Awe inspiring to see. Then off for a tour of the north shore, including La'ie. Several Mormon jokes were told (by the driver). Beautiful scenery everywhere we looked. Drove back to Honolulu, went on a Mai Tai sunset cruise, came back to the hotel and crashed.
Today we fly to Maui for a week.

Here is a picture of a cool rock arch off La'ie point. Cannot even express how beautiful it is here. We knew even before looking at the pictures we are taking that the beauty couldn't show up on film.

I feel compelled to make a political statement, although I suspect the readers of my blog lean differently than I do. But I still feel compelled.

If the Republicans win this election in November, womens rights take a hit. I am concerned. I do not think abortion is a great thing, I do not think it should be used as a form of birth control. But in cases of rape or incest?? When there is a diagnosis of something like anencephaly (no brain present, dies at the moment of birth). They are pushing a platform which allows for NO exceptions. Not when the life of the mother is at stake, not ever. This bothers me. There was a case in Mexico months ago with a 13 year old rape/incest victim who left her country to go to neighboring Guatemala to have an abortion, since it was illegal in Mexico. Really?? We want to go along with that?? We want to make a 13 year old victim endure a pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood?? That is fair??? We are re-victimizing that poor child.
There was news a few days ago about a new Washington law that gives more prison time/stronger sentencing to rapists whose act results in a pregancy--they say that this is deserved because the victim must now endure either the agony of abortion, childbirth, adoption, etc. A man now faces much extended sentencing in these instances.

I know that the governor from Alaska is a staunch pro-life supporter. But to give no respite to women and girls who have been victimized already is just plain wrong.

So. I know I am voting in this election. I know whose ideals most closely resemble my own. I know the changes I am hoping for in the coming years. I am ready to start celebrating this country again, rather than being ashamed of the decisions that have been made. Just remember this issue when you go to cast your ballot.

Look What I Found!!!