More Adventures

So we have had some fun adventures the past couple of weeks but not many pictures, so we'll tell the stories. A week ago yesterday, Cory and I went to town (Honolulu) on Saturday to the Sony Open professional golf tournament. We had tickets to the Skybox on the 17th green and saw some great golf and they fed us food all day. It was a great day but they wouldn't allow cameras on the course so we didn't get any pictures other than the entrance.

Linda and Brandon went to the Chinese Acrobatic Circus and watched an amazing show. They rode the bus down from Laie and had an exciting adventure. When the show was over, Cory and I picked them up and we all rode home together and shared our stories.

On Monday, we went over to the Polynesian Culture Center and watched a few of the shows. We went to the Samoan Village and got a picture with the performer after. When we walked up to him, he said he needed someone shorter so Brandon came up and joined us for the picture. (Notice he is standing on his tiptoes so he is taller).

This week, we washed and waxed the car and then went out to the beach. Cory gave surfing another shot and almost got up a few times. Then we started boggie boarding. There were great waves and we had a good time catching the waves. After coming home and cleaning up, Linda wanted to go back to the beach for a BBQ. We took a little portable BBQ grill out but it was a bit windy when we got there. Obviously, we were the only ones at the park on the beach cooking...makes you wonder what the others knew that we didn't. One of the neighbors came with us and told us we needed to go at noon during the "winter" months so it wouldn't be so windy. It was rather cold and after I grilled the salmon and chicken, I put it on Linda's plate which blew out of her hands so the salmon ended up on the ground. She was sad and wanted to wash it off but I just cooked her another one. By the time we got everything done, we were rather cold so I carried the BBQ grill home (with the coals still hot) and put it in the driveway so Linda and Brandon could roast marshmallows. I then went in the house and ate my dinner!!!

On Sunday, we took our Temple Preparation class on a field trip to the temple visitors center to see the Eternal Families presentation. It was a lot of fun. When we came out, we ran in Reece who had just given him mission "farewell" in the ward. They have a great tradition here. Whenever someone leave (especially missionaries), after the closing prayer in Sacrament Meeting, everyone stands and sings Aloha O'e (Farewell) in Hawaiian and go up and put leis on the individual leaving. In the case of missionaries, many of the leis are in the form of ties for them to use on their missions. Reece still had a bunch of the leis on his neck and a few more he was carrying. We took a picture with him and Brandon.

It is a great tradition. You can't really see the individual leis here but some of them are extremely intricate and really neat. Reece had come over to the visitor's center to say goodbye. It was a lot of fun to see him.

Well, things have been good here. The weather has been a little chilly (comparatively). It got down into the high 60s and everyone had to break out their hoodies to wear with their shorts. This will pass too and we can put the coats away for another year.

Inspiration

This week we visited some points of inspiration. We went to Waimea Valley with some friends, the Marcums, where there is a waterfall with a pool where you could swim . It was a bit chilly but the dip in the cool water was enjoyable.

We're pretty sure we found Pride Rock while we were there!

The hike up to the falls and back was also really enjoyable. I'm sure we found some of Dr. Suess' inspiration during the hike. There are some really interesting plants and flowers here. Take a look and see if you agree.

The Philidendrum on the left is just like your house plants at the bottom of the tree but as it grows up the tree, the leaves get bigger. These were about 2 feet across. 

Linda picked this flower up off the ground under a tree. It was called a blue jade and grows on a vine in the trees.

Above is a tree that has been taken over by a vine.

 Can't you see these crazy flowers in some Dr. Suess book?

Well, it was fun seeing all the flowers and plants as we hiked.

On the 7th, we drove down to Pearl Harbor to see the monuments there. That was also very inspirational as we looked at the memorials and listened to the stories of the war. What a solemn time in history that was.

Here we are on the deck of the USS Missouri looking at the spot where Japan surrendered to the Allied Forces.

Looking from the battleship Missouri to the USS Arizona Memorial under which lies the remains of the USS Arizona and over 1000 of the Sailors and Marines that still lie in the ship from the day it was sunk during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Standing on the Arizona Memorial.

Looking from the shore to the Memorial.

Linda goes hiking with a group of women from the ward every Friday and gets to see other fun things but she never remembers the camera. It's been a fun couple of short 4 day work weeks that have allowed us to go see some of the sites but now we will be back to a normal work schedule. We are really enjoying the island and the inspiration it brings in so many ways. 

Happy New Year 2012

Happy New Year to everyone!!!

Our adventures this week included a trip to Pali Lookout, then to the world's largest maze (almost 5 acres) at the Dole Pineapple Plantation, and to Waimeia Bay.

The Nuuanu Pali Lookout ("Cool Height Cliff") overlooking the 985 foot cliffs of the Koolau Mountain Range, is one of the best views on O'ahu. It was here in 1795 that King Kamehameha and his warriors defeated the O'ahu armies by sending them over these steep, forested cliffs and claiming his victory and uniting the Hawaiian Islands. There are incredible winds that pass through the Pali and you may be swept off your feet - literally!

 Looking to the Northwest toward Laie which is up around the point.

 Looking west toward Kaneohe.

Linda standing in the wind at the top. The real wind was just down from where she is standing.  This video shows a little of what the wind was doing that day.

After the lookout, we hiked down the old highway completed in the late 1890's. It is basically 8% grades for about 600 feet to get down. We hiked down the old road and under the new highway and across to an old stone highway and then up to a waterfall. We were in our slippers (flip-flops) on the hike which was good because it got pretty muddy along the way. There were some crazy trees too.

 The old stone highway used to take their produce to the ports to sell (pre 1890).

 Crazy trees on the hike.

At the falls.

The old road (being reclaimed by the jungle!

For New Years Eve, we went to the Dole Pineapple Plantation to the worlds largest maze (as certified by Gueniss Book of World Records in 2008). They have 8 stations hidden throughout the maze and you have to find them and mark your map. It took Brandon and I 1 hour and 2 minutes to find all 8 and get back to the start.  We beat mom and Cory by 8 minutes!!!

After successfully negotiating the maze, we settled in to enjoy a pineapple split with pineapple ice cream. Needless to say, we only bought one!!! 

After the ice cream break, we headed to the beach, Waimeia Bay to be exact. It is an interesting beach because it looks very calm and then it swells and this huge wave comes in. Hard to explain but the video shows it better.

Here are a few pictures if you can't see the video.

 Waves splashing out of the cave.

 Cory got caught by this one!

 But he got through this one.

We then hung around to watch the sunset. There are certainly beautiful sunsets in Colorado but they have them here also.

Well, hope everyone has a great New Year.