Aloha

Today was our first time in Hawaii. We were going to do the hoho (hop on hop off) but new friends lanny and sandy rented a car and asked us to join them. What a blast! We went right over to pearl harbor after getting the rental car. We were blown away by how well done the memorial is. It reminded me of the holocaust museum in Washington DC. Though completely different in so many ways, they shared the common element of delivering difficult, sometimes heart breaking information is a way that was both respectful and reverent. That's a difficult balance to provide the quantity and quality of content while not succumbing to sensationalism, like all our US news outlets. But I digress. I did a geocache there as well as my first adventure lab. I learned a bit from both.

After that, we went to chinatown for lunch. Quite different than the NY and SF versions I'm used to. Much smaller for sure. Not as adorned. I was surprised by how few people were around, albeit it was a Tuesday at 2 pm. Lunch was great! Lanny and I got chicken and pork in a garlic sauce. The ladies got a shrimp dish. Lanny and I challenged each other to a spicy food competition. He won. He had chili oil with some chicken. He must have a stomach of steel......not to mention downstream.....

We walked around chinatown afterward and went into the market place. Again, almost deserted. Some great deals but nothing we needed or wanted. Their markets were stuffed to the brim with packaged and unpackaged goods. It was quite the sight and smells.

We then went to diamond head before heading back to this ship. On the way, I found this funny. It's an island, for Pete's sake.

Diamond head was beautiful. We needed a reservation, so we parked half way up and took pictures. Please see the ports of call tab to see more. Suffice it to say, it was the Hawaii we saw in Hawaii 5-0 episodes and the special episodes of the Brady bunch and Modern Family. So interesting that those latter 2 shows popped into my head. In the 70s, the Brady bunch was the modern (blended) family. But I digress. The port and even where pearl harbor is doesn't capture classic Hawaii. So I'm thrilled we ventured out further.

We then went to Waikiki Beach and dipped our toes in the water, something I do in every beach town. It was a fun atmosphere, very beachy, very expensive, somewhat exclusive. Given the choice, I'd choose hualtuco, Mexico.

After a light dinner at the buffet, (good but nothing noteworthy), we went to the princess theater where a group of hawaiian dancers performed. It occurred to me as I watched them dance that even their fingers were choreographed. Such an expressive form of dance it transcended art to become language.

It's now 8pm ship time and this cowboy is in bed. My body clock says it's midnight. I'll post the ports of call entry in the morning as I need my laptop for that. Also tomorrow is Kauai, where we'll join Lanny and Sandy again. Hasta manana!