March 30, 2010

It's been a wonderful Trip. Here are some parting shots of beautiful Hawaii.

March 27, 2010

Today was the celebration of Prince Kuhio Day. Prince Kuhio was one of the last of the Hawaiian Royalty, and later became a prominent American politician. We were treated to a lively parade on Kalakaua Avenue.

March 25, 2010

A disturbance in the Pacific caused an unusual storm surge on the south shores of the Islands this week. Waves reached 10 to 15 feet on Oahu which the local weatherman described as " they don't get any higher than this" (on the south shore). There were hundreds, maybe thousands of surfers on the water off of Waikiki on Sunday. These photos were taken at Waikiki and Ala Moana Beach Park.

March 23, 2010

There are several restaurants outside of the Waikiki area that have become our favourites as well. Carl's Jr in Kahala Mall serves a delicious teriyaki burger enhanced with a slice of juicy, ripe pineapple or you may prefer their spicy jalapeno burger. The Kona Brewing Company in Hawaii Kai has a great selection of pizza and you will also love their pulled pork sandwich. But best of all is their fine selection of beers, brewed here in Hawaii. You can dine outside on the deck overlooking the marina. Sam Choy's in the dock area of Honolulu, is housed in an old warehouse that is adorned with a small yacht. Their selections are wonderful, especially the seafood and chowder. One of Hawaii's most prominent chefs, Sam Choy has published several books, one of the most popular being "The Choy of Cooking."

March 21, 2010

There are numerous restaurants here in Waikiki. Duke's has an extensive salad bar and is located right on the beach. If you choose the early evening, it's a great spot to see the sunset. The Cheesecake Factory has a huge menu of great food. The portions are huge also. Ask for "a box" to take home leftovers, a doggie bag means something else here. When we first came here in the 1970's, a couple of hours on the beach was followed by a trip to McDonald's for their great refreshing Hawaiian Fruit Punch. McDonald's is still in the same place on Kalakaua and they still serve the same punch.

March 19, 2010

We have been enjoying the beach here as there are a multitude of activities available. Catamaran sails, Outrigger Canoe rides, and surfing are just a few of the choices. So far we are just spectators.

March 17, 2010

Happy St Patrick's Day

March 15, 2010

When we first visited Hawaii back in the 1970s our preferred beverage was Primo, Hawaiian Beer. In our recent visits, it was nowhere to be found, but now it is back. After being out of production for ten or more years it is now being produced in California and is once again available in Hawaii. A key ingredient is Maui cane sugar, still a part of the process. There are a few other local brews that are excellent as well.

March 13, 2010

There is a great variety of bird life in Hawaii but none of them want to be photographed. The moment you stop, they take off. But I have managed a few photos while they weren't looking.

March 11, 2010

The North Shore of Oahu is the surfing capital of the Islands, where waves can sometimes reach 50 feet. This was not the case on Tuesday as the waves here at Sunset Beach were only about 5 feet and attracted only two surfers. Even the famous Bonzai Pipeline failed to materialize in the wimpy surf. However the scenery was spectacular as always. Further along, a pair of Green Sea Turtles had come up on the beach to sun bathe and attracted a sizeable crowd. Volunteer Rangers ensured that the turtles had adequate space and that no one disturbed them. Heading back to Honolulu through the pineapple fields we were treated to a crew planting one of the few remaining pineapple fields in Hawaii. My little camera's telephoto is somewhat blurred but you get the idea. It is back breaking work for 17 dollars per hour. Planting and harvesting are all done by hand and no one wants to do it any more. Our last stop was at the Dole Pineapple Plant where they have a pond with dozens and dozens of koi. For 25 cents you can buy a few pellets of food to throw to them. The frenzy created is hilarious as they climb up onto the backs of those below them, then realize that they can't breathe and try in vain to fight their way back down into the water through the mass of bodies.

March 10, 2010

Yesterday we took a trip around the island, one that we have taken a couple of times before but each time we see something different. The first photo is the beach opposite the Hawaii Kai golf course. Next we visited the Pali Lookout. It's been quite windy here this month and the strong winds that crash into the Pali cliffs are compressed and forced upwards producing gale forced winds at the top. Our driver warned us to leave everything on the bus that we couldn't afford to lose, including wigs and false teeth. He wasn't kidding, it was impossible to stand in one spot in the face of the wind as Sharron demonstrates. Once back down in the valley below, the almost vertical cliffs are an impressive sight.Further along is the unique little island called Chinaman's Hat. (No protest here, unlike Chinaman's Peak in Canmore). A fisherman netted about a dozen fish with one throw of his casting net. More from our Circle Island Tour tomorrow.

March 7, 2010

A couple of weeks ago I posted some flower photos on our Blog but I somehow only picked the purple ones. Of course there are all colours of the rainbow displayed in Hawaiian flowers. Here are some non-purple ones.