Category Archives: Hawaii

A trip of a Lifetime

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How does one start to tell a tale of a trip of a lifetime? Maybe I should just say that this was the 2nd trip of a lifetime for me. The first was The Big Island of Hawaii.

akaka falls

Now I can add a cruise tour to Alaska as my 2nd “Trip of a lifetime”.

This didn’t just happen overnight. This trip was in the planning and discussion and saving stages for over 2 years. We finally said lets just do it before the glacier’s melt!

A big part of it was the saving part.

piggybank

This was, without a doubt, the most expensive venture I/we have undertaken yet but Alaska is so big the task of putting together a vacation there seemed overwhelming. So after my sister and I hammered out the basics of what we wanted to do and see I turned the problem over to the professionals at AAA.

The trip I am about to describe to you is the result.

The first decision was do we cruise to Alaska or fly in and vacation like we usually do on our own. Since this was my sister’s Dream  Vacation I let her choose. She had only 2 requests; to see the glaciers and to spend 3 days in Denali National Park. A cruise tour would accomplish both goals.

We settled on a “shoulder season” because it’s less expensive and money was certainly a factor. In May the animals are just coming down out of their wintering grounds and having babies. In September they have the northern lights (aurora borealis). We  chose to go for the animals. We also  chose to go south to north to give the northern locations a chance to warm up a bit more. In Alaska a couple of days can make all the difference. As it turned out spring was about 2 weeks late this year so we had a lot more snow and cold weather than is usual for this time of the year.

I think by far the hardest decision was which cruise line to use. They all cruise to Alaska these days, even Disney, and they all offer some combination of land and sea. I was leaning toward Royal Caribbean but Sandy liked Holland America. In the end we went with the travel agent’s recommendation of Princess Cruise Lines.

island-princess

I drove from my home in Massachusetts to my sister’s in New York on Saturday May 11. I left my 3 cats in the capable hands of my long time pet sitter, still this is the longest I  have ever been away before. My fingers were crossed that there’d be no complications for Diane to deal with.

That Saturday night we took our mother out for Mother’s Day dinner and then headed back to my sisters for an early night. We had an early cross-country flight from Albany Airport into Vancouver in the morning.  By arriving a day early we sacrificed the airport transfer but got a day in Vancouver before we had to board the ship on Monday.

Our flight was uneventful and we spotted a rainbow as we flew into a misty, wet Vancouver. Our hotel , The Best Western Sands, was a block from the waterfront and very nice.

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I had been to Vancouver once before many years ago and I remember the residents being very friendly, warm and helpful. That hasn’t changed at all. I still think it is one of the most friendly cities I have ever been in. What I do think has changed is the fabric of the city. We saw a great melting pot of people of many different nationalities and ethnicities. This only serves to make an already lovely city more cosmopolitan. Vancouver has really come into its own.

Photo of the Week -Week 37

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My friend’s daughter Felicia is always willing to be my model when I want to practice my portrait skills. Here she is wrapped in my Hawaiian sarong at Nantasket Beach. Thanks, Felicia. 🙂

Pearl Harbor

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Dec. 7, 1941 The day that will live in Infamy! 

‘AIR RAID, PEARL HARBOR- – THIS IS NO DRILL’

Message sent in uncoded , Plain English at 7:55 am on Dec. 7, 1941

My visit to Pearl Harbor was on a much calmer day in Oct 2007. I am sharing my impressions from that visit. This post is a repeat because I don’t think I can say it any better now.

Pearl Harbor

During our first trip to Hawaii we avoided doing tours. We wanted to explore at our own pace. There are pros and cons to this approach. By not having a guide you can end up getting lost, miss out on side trips and miss some of the local lore and flavor that a guide can give you. On the other hand, traveling on your own gives you flexibility. There’s no one telling you to move on to the next event or attraction when you’d like to spend more time somewhere. I’m a fan of exploring on my own but find tours helpful at times. So I guess I’d vote for a mix of both. Pick and choose the tours carefully and explore the rest on your own, that’s my motto!Anyway we decided to use a Tour for Pearl Harbor. It wasn’t that expensive and it meant someone who knew their way around Honolulu would be driving us.

 The tour bus picked us up right next to our condo at the Fairway Villa so it was very convenient. It turned out that if we were looking for local color or flavor that we got both with our guide. His name was Kemo and he arrived wearing his native dress, a sarong. I forget which Polynesian Island he said he hailed from, maybe Fiji or Samoa? But he was very personable. On the drive to Pearl Harbor he explained the events that led up to the attack and pointed out the gaps in the mountains that the planes came through that Sunday morning.He did an great job of setting the mood and impressing on us the seriousness of the memorial we were about to visit. Once there, he guided us through the ticketing process before telling us he would meet us back at the bus after we had explored the Memorial.

The Visitor Center has a beautiful garden in the courtyard and the grounds are so lovely and peaceful, it gave me the strangest feeling as I walked around this Island Paradise imagining the horror of the attack. As if to drive home those events, our turn to see the movie was called. The movie is a documentary with real video & audio clips and screaming headlines. For me it was almost overwhelming. I don’t know how others who come here feel but for me there was just an incredible sadness. To think of whole families wiped out because back then brothers or fathers and sons could serve on the same ships. I don’t believe that is allowed anymore precisely because of what happened here.

After the movie we took the launch out to the Arizona Memorial, a gravesite for hundreds of young men. The Arizona Memorial is achingly beautiful, pristine white against the deep blue of the harbor.

From the Memorial you can look into the clear water and see the outline of the Arizona. Oil still seeps from the Arizona to this day.

 On the back of each ticket is the name & photograph of one of the men who died in the attack. Mine was Ensign Frank C. Flaherty of Michigan.

He was aboard the USS Okalahoma and awarded the Medal of Honor. Above and beyond the call of duty…For conspicuous devotion to duty and extraordinary courage and complete disregard for his own life…When it was seen the USS Oklahoma was going to capsize and the order was given to abandon ship, Ensign Flaherty remained in the turret, holding a flashlight so the remainder of the turret crew could see to escape, thereby sacrificing his own life.I did not know Ensign Flaherty or his family but my heart breaks even now as I copy this into this post. And he was only one of the 2,388 military and civilian personnel to give their lives that day.

I know this post is getting kind of long but there is one more item from my Pearl Harbor experience that I would like to share. When we got back to the bus, Kemo asked us if we had ever read a poem called DID YOU KNOW ME THEN? It was written by a park ranger assigned to the Arizona Memorial. I looked for a link to share but couldn’t find one so forgive me for going on and on but I have to share this:

DID YOU KNOW ME THEN
I was born in a small town in the mid-west or was it a large city back east?
I can’t remember anymore.
Did you know me then?
I remember getting the chores done so I could go to the Saturday matinee or was it the baseball game.
I can’t remember anymore.
Did you know me then?
I remember the depression of the 1930’s and Papa working so hard to care for the family,
Anyway he could with odd jobs. I especially remember Mama making ends meet.
Papa was stern with the family but, Mama sweet Mama , what an angel she was.
Did you know me then?
I remember the swimming hole that we swam in, the bicycle rides, the picnics.
Did you know me then?
I remember school, Boy, do I remember School. I remember the soda shop and the good times after school.
I remember Mary the girl next door or was it Sue the girl I met at the dance.
I can’t remember anymore.
Did you know me then?
I remember people talking about the war in Europe,
But we’re in America why worry about what’s going on there.
This is America, the land of opportunity. We would never get involved in their problems.
Did you know me then?
I remember my brother Bob and I enlisting in the Navy together.
I remember Mama insisting that we serve on the same ship together, so we could take care of each other.
Did you know us then?
I remember our being assigned to the battleship USS Arizona, she was a beautiful sight to behold.
I remember when we were told we were to be home ported in Pearl Harbor, Honolulu.
Wow! Hula girls, grass skirts, beautiful beaches. Paradise, a dream come true.
Did you know us then?
I remember December 6, we all went to Bloch Arena to watch the battle of the music competition.
The music played by the bands was great.
Did you know us then?
I remember Sunday, December 7, not too much going on, just lying around.
Then that thundering noise that broke the Sunday morning quiet. It sounded like hundreds of aircraft.
I remember the explosion, my breath and whole being taken away from me.
Did you know me then?
I can hear Mama crying, Papa hasn’t cried yet.
I want to tell him “It’s ok to cry , Papa, every tear is a prayer”
We’ve been home ported here for a very long time.
I can see our buddies aboard other ships saluting as they pass by. I hope they see me returning their salute.
Do they know me?
My buddies and I are really at peace now. Pray for us!
Did you know me?
Then if you knew us, remember us always.
 
 
John Vierra, Park Ranger, USS Arizona Memorial

　
　
Thank you

Makapu’u Point

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With no place that we had to be, we relaxed a bit and slept in a little. ..Right… we were up at 8am! While we discussed what to do for the day, I suggested we go to Makapu’u Point Lighthouse. I had seen a Samantha Brown show on the Travel Channel where she said it was just a short, 5 minute hike from the road to fabulous ocean views. Sandy also likes lighthouses so it sounded like a nice way to start the day. I had also looked it up online and the articles there described it as a “moderate” hike.

We didn’t have any problem finding the turnoff and there was a large paved parking lot. The trail was also paved but closed to automobiles. We had hiking boots and some water but not a big supply. I was wearing a baseball cap but Sandy didn’t have a hat at all and no sunscreen. Now I want to go on record right here and now by saying that if your guide books say “bring water , a hat, good walking shoes and sunscreen“, follow their suggestions!

The trail immediately begins to climb so even though it’s paved, it quickly becomes a great aerobic workout. Of course even in 2007 both of us were on the wrong side of 50. In any case we really felt old when younger people began jogging by, one was even pushing a baby stroller and here we were sweating and huffing and puffing. When we met some of the runners returning before we made it to the top it became laughable!. They were very encouraging though and told us it would all be worth it.

PS. To Samantha Brown…it’s not 5 minutes, but more like an hour! The trail continued upward and then around a bend so we couldn’t see how much further we needed to go until we actually turned that corner. That might have been a good thing or we may have bailed out!

Once around the corner we started to get the breeze from the trade winds. There was also a spot to stop and rest, sitting on the stone wall. The views here were wonderful and there was the lighthouse. It’s a really cute lighthouse, all white with a red roof. It made a terrific picture with the deep blue of the ocean behind it. The area of the ocean we were looking over is part of the whale sanctuary. The whales arrive in November and stay until spring having their calves in the safety of these warm waters. Since we were there in October they hadn’t arrived yet but it was easy to imagine sitting there and watching the whales blow and breach.


After sitting for a bit we felt like we’d recovered and we could see the end of the trail and the lookout platforms. So with a deep breath we started the last bit of our climb and we made it!

As we explored the lookouts and platforms we found a marker that referred to a plane crash in World War II. On Easter Sunday – four months after Pearl Harbor-2 planes on routine patrol lost there way “in rain, clouds, and darkness”. One crashed here at Makapu’u Point the other at the Pali Lookout where we had visited earlier in the week. I searched the internet but did not find much information about these planes but I have placed a link at the bottom of this post in case anyone would like more information.

We took a lot of pictures because the views were everything we’d been promised. The small Island we could see from the lookout platform is called Rabbit Island. We could also see Sea Life Park which was our next stop for the afternoon. The views were certainly worth the climb.

Having thoroughly explored the top and having run out of water quite awhile ago, we wrapped up our visit and headed back down to the car. The journey down was much easier than the one going up!

In subsequent research I learned that the trail is 2.5 miles and 1 ½ – 2 hours for the round trip. The elevation is 600 ft. We certainly got our exercise that morning!
　
　
　

　
http://archives.starbulletin.com/2007/04/04/news/story08.html

Polynesian Cultural Center

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After a breakfast at Smorgy’s (this was fast becoming our eating place of choice) we headed for the North Shore. Destination: Polynesian Cultural Center. Along the way I wanted to detour to see the Sacred Falls that I had read about but when we found the turn off there was a chain across the road and a “closed “ sign.

Respecting the sign we moved on to Hauula Beach Park where we could see the little island called Chinaman’s Hat (Mokoli’i) and the amazing Ko’olau Mountains.

 The morning was overcast and threatening rain but we still took time for a short walk on the beach where we saw little transparent crabs that scooted across the beach into little holes. We were told that these are called “ghost crabs”. They are well named.
There were a lot of white birds that seemed to tease you to get close enough to take a picture and then fly away again right before you reached them. Sandy thought it was pretty funny as I tried to sneak up close enough to get a picture with a little point and shoot. I wasn’t too successful.

As we progressed up the coastline we spotted another pretty park named Pupukea Park. Here we watched snorkelers and some scuba divers head into the ocean. The shore was dotted with tide pools formed from the lava rocks and formations. We arrived at the Polynesian cultural Center at 11:00 but the doors hadn’t opened yet so we decided to explore a bit further up the road.

We found a roadside vendor where I bought a necklace and bracelet for a mere $8.00, much less than I would have spent for the same thing in the Honolulu souvenir shops.

When we returned to the Polynesian Cultural Center at 11:30 the doors had opened.

The Polynesian Cultural Center was created by the Mormon (Church of Latter Day Saints) Church to keep the various heritages of Polynesia alive. Proceeds generated from the Center support the Center and Brigham Young Students. Visitors to the center explore 7 of the South Pacific Island Cultures, Fiji, Hawaii, the Marquesas, Maori New Zealand , Samoa, Tahiti, and Tonga. Each village is represented by students who are actually from these islands. They wear traditional clothing and demonstrate traditional skills.

 We ate coconut bread baked in underground ovens, watched natives climb coconut trees, and learned how coconuts were shucked. In one village we joined in a native dance class. It seemed to be a type of Hula but with vigorous hip action!

We enjoyed a canoe ride that took us past all 7 villages so we could actually see the different building styles. The afternoon wound down with the Parade of Canoes. Each village had a canoe that resembled a flat raft.

Each village was assigned a color and their traditional clothing was in that color. The rafts came into the lagoon and the native dances for each heritage were demonstrated. It was a great finale to the afternoon but the day wasn‘t over yet.

With the afternoon festivities wrapping up we made our way to the IMAX theater to see a film about coral reefs. By the time that was over it was time to head for the Luau. We had been to one last year on the Big Island and in many ways they were similar. One difference was that we were given leis of shells on the Big Island but at the Polynesian Center the leis were very beautiful flower leis such as one normally thinks of when you imagine a lei.

The evening wrapped up with a spectacular stage show called The Horizon Show. It was a true celebration of the south Pacific heritage.

We made very good time getting back to the condo after the show and didn’t even get lost this time, in spite of it being dark.

The Polynesian Cultural center was well worth the $65.00 fee to get in. We could have easily spent another 3 days there because there was so much to see and do. We saw several tour groups come through and the guides were moving the guests through each exhibit very quickly. I am sure they got to spend a few minutes at each thing but we took our time and spent more time at the exhibits we went to, granted we didn’t see everything but I think we enjoyed our way more in this case.

　
Tahitian Coconut Bread
 
 
2 cups fresh grated coconut
4 cups Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 ½ Cups Sugar
1 ½ Cups Water
 
Combine coconut, Sugar, and water.
Blend flour and baking powder together.
Mix all ingredients to a doughy texture
adding a little flour as needed so it is not
too sticky. Wrap in aluminum foil and
bake in oven at 350 for 1 to 1 ½ hours.
Makes 5 loaves.
 
J
 
Mahalo =
 

　
　
　
　
　
　Hawaiian for thank you(modernized version)