At the End of the Trip - Hawaii - Aug. 21-23

Wednesday, August 21
(Just noticed my page views which coast along at under 5 most of the time just spiked to 186 with yesterday's post.   Couldn't have anything to do with the photo of the guy cooking in the Samoan Center that popped up as post's cover photo in Facebook could it?   Would have like to have heard the muttering when people realized the blog was just about a bunch of old people on vacation.  Hahaha.)

After the Cultural Center on Tuesday, Brent and I had simply run out of things to suggest and there were still three days of vacation left.   So now I know why Brent always over-plans vacations, but he wanted his father to be free to do what he wanted to do.  The only thing Leo could think of, however, was that we hadn't been to the Arizona yet.  But with reservations totally booked to the middle of September when we checked in July, we had long decided that would not be part of this trip.  Even if we could get tickets, it would have meant leaving Leo and Edna for half a day at least, and we could see early on that doing so wasn't a very wise option.

So Wednesday ended up being a sleep-in day (well deserved) and a shopping day.  We went searching for Costco and Garmin brought up something other than Costco so we went in circles.  In the process of circling we did go through Chinatown again.  One main road goes right through the heart of it, so we had seen it several times, but this time I pulled out my phone camera and took a couple of photos.

No cars allowed on this market street.  I loved the lanterns strung between the palm trees.  (phone camera)

Ignore the construction signs and just look at the gorgeous columns on this Chinese restaurant.  I love the way the Chinese people adorn their architecture.  And Gold and Red are significant colors.  It's hard to tell, but the entry doors are round.  (phone camera)

Ever since I had a personal escort through Toronto's Chinatown by a woman from China, I'm no longer afraid of them or put back by the strange odors and sites.  She had explained why the grocery stores always smell fishy (they believe in purchasing live fish), and why they always have their produce set outside the door.  She talked about the Chinese philosophies regarding use of space, which explains why every nook and cranny of every store is stocked to the rafters and aisles are so very tight.  So I was excited every time we drove through the several blocks that incorporate Honolulu's Chinatown.

Chinese restaurant in the mall, next to Macaroni Grill where we were seated.  Notice the round door, once again.   I especially loved the horses.  (phone camera)

We did finally find the Costco and helped Edna get her souvenir shopping done.  They had an entire row full of Macadamia Nut products and she loaded up.  I also found a long soft skirt to purchase for myself.  Later we browsed through several souvenir shops around the corner from the hotel, as well.

Dinner was just at Macaroni Grill at the Mall.  We found these wonderful restaurants on the top floor of a big shopping mall in Waikiki.  The plus was there was (free) handicapped parking and it wasn't too far to the elevator and then just out the door to all the restaurants.  Made it much easier for Edna to get around with her walker.

Thursday, Aug. 22 
Leo was so unhappy by this point that Brent had seriously tried to get us flights out on Wednesday, but everything was booked completely and we were just "stuck" in Hawaii.  So Thursday ended up being another drive around day.  And this day was rather one spent doing things I actually suggested.

Pali Overlook:   So we began the day by driving back up the Pali Highway to the Pali Overlook.  Leo had spoken several times of the switchbacks they used to have to drive to get up and over the Pali mountains.  The road wasn't bad on the leeward side (Honolulu) but treacherous and steep on the windward side.  Extremely sharp switchbacks made it extra dangerous.  He tells a story about why they called it the Amen Highway, and we have a recording of it, but I can't remember the exact details.  We still wanted to take him to a point where he could at least see remnants of the switchbacks so we went back up the highway to the overlook.

This tree had the most unusual root structure ever.

Animals are not native to Hawaii.  Don't tell the chickens, however.  Brought over by early visitors, they can be found everywhere, even in the mountains far from any farms.

View looking north towards the ocean from Pali Outlook

View looking west.  The highway is the Hawaiian Interstate 3.

The cut in the hillside is where the switchback road used to go.  While Leo was in Hawaii, it was the only link between the north and south parts of Oahu.  It was a treacherous road even then.

Julie and Leo

Edna and Leo

Edna and Julie

Edna and Brent

Edna and Leo

More wild chickens

One proud rooster

Waimea Valley: 
We then spent the afternoon driving up to the North Shore using the road that goes back up past the Dole Pineapple Plant again.   There was a waterfall I wanted to see and everyone indulged me once again.

Turtle jam near North Shore.   We did not know that was what this was when I took the photo, however. At the Waimea Valley a sales clerk asked if we had been to see the turtles.  When we asked her where, she said it was easy.  Just go to where the traffic jam was.   Every. Single. Day.

Greeted by a wild peacock guarding the restrooms.

Waterlily gardens as part of the botanical gardens in the Valley.   I really wanted to see the rest of the gardens, but by the time we rode up to the waterfall and back, we were all ready to just head back to the hotel.

I think this was called a lollipop bush from the shape of the flowers.  Interesting.

The waterfalls were open for swimming this time of the year, and that seemed to be their main attraction.  Turned out to be a little smaller waterfall than I had envisioned (like a lot smaller).

Some of the lush foliage in the Valley.

Fascinated by the canopy these trees provide.  Now this is what I would call a shade tree!

Roofs of the shops at the entrance to the valley.  They were having a farmer's market while we were there.

Leo, Edna and Brent on their way to the car.  What?  No stopping to look at things?

Heading back to Honolulu there was a forest fire raging.  I think there was enough rain, however, to put it down.  Only a few smolders the next day as we came across the same road. 

 Back in town, with my camera still in hand I clicked on interesting architecture things just for the fun of it.  This is Honolulu:

Aloha Tower

Contrast old and new

Friday, August 23

North Shore

Friday was check out day.  However, our flight didn't leave until after 9 pm so we still had the entire day - er, afternoon - to do something.  We had to turn Edna's walker back in so that somewhat limited what we were able to do.   They indulged us once again as we took a drive back to the North Shore.  Brent and I were hoping to get a chance to see the Green Sea Turtles everyone talked about.  I had already purchased a bell with one on it in the hopes I would actually see one, too.

Surfers at the beach

 We found a shady spot to park the car, and left it running with the air conditioner on.  Leo and Edna napped while we went down onto the beach where people were standing at the water's edge with cameras in hand.

You can see the turtles at the water's edge in this photo by Brent

And this is what we found.   EEEEEEE!!!!!!  I was so excited to see these in the water.  They were feeding off the algae that grows on the rocks there.

People would take pictures with their cameras under the water.  Our underwater camera was packed deep in the trunk, so we didn't get any underwater shots.

Others were snorkeling with the turtles a little further out  (photo by Brent).

My best turtle photo.

 On the way back to the city, we stopped at the Dole Plantation for a quick rest stop that turned into a longer ice cream break for Leo and Edna, and a pineapple break for Brent and me.  It was SO good!

Honolulu

Big coconut tree next to the Costco filling station near the airport.

Final sunset in Hawaii while we were waiting for our flight.   Leo, Edna and Brent.

We had dinner at the airport.  We certainly had plenty of time for it.  And just that fast, we were at the end of our vacation.  An all night flight home seemed surreal - watching the sun set there and watching it rise as we headed towards Utah.

There were a lot of things Brent and I would like to return to do in Hawaii, and one day we hope to.  But we will never again be able to do what we did on this trip.  We felt honored to be able to walk with Leo in the areas he walked during those early adult years of his life.  We will never have this opportunity again, and we are both so grateful we had a chance to spend this time with him and with Edna.   I just pray they have some sweet memories of the trip as well.

There is an important exchange between generations when we return to the places where our ancestors walked.  That handing down of the stories and the sights, and the feel, even though changed somewhat, is a blessing we could never put a dollar value on.  For us the trip was priceless.  And we are eternally grateful we had the chance to do it.

And I'm really glad we did not return on Wednesday night.