LAPTOPS IN THE SAND

Dream 61

We returned to Hawaii for a second visit.  This time we stayed at Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort and SPA  After three nights, we boarded Norwegian Cruise Lines Pride of America. From there, we took a 7 day cruise from Honolulu, for two days in Maui, one day in Hilo on the Big Island, One day in Kona on theBig Island, two days in Kauai to return to Honolulu.  When we returned to Honolulu, we took an all day excursion to include, the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, the U.S.S. Missouri, the Punchbowl cemetery and back to the courthouse.  It was King Kamehameha's birthday celebration. King Kamehameha's staue was decorated in full length lei's.

We stayed at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort and SPA for 3 nights.  The hotel was on Kalakaua Avenue across the street from the beach.  We would get a coffee and walk along the beach every morning.  We took an outrigger canoe ride one morning.   We hit a good wave and did not have to paddle and were moving pretty fast.  What the boat captain did was to steer the canoe perpendicular to the waves and flooded the canoe.  We had to paddle the canoe back the shore submerged. 

We had a matsubi (which is SPAM,rice, oyster sauce, soy sauce wrapped in sea weed) for a snack and the took "The Bus", fare is $1.00 with a Medicare Card, to the Iolani Palace, The Courthouse which had an excellent exhibit on the history of Hawaii.  We had Kalua Pig with Lomi Lomi at the Aloha Grill.  We wanted something that the locals ate rather than a restaurant that catered to tourists.   From there, we walked to Chinatown and took "The Bus" back to the hotel.  Two blocks along the beach, we ate at the Tiki's Grill.

On the next day, we rented a car and drove to Haleiwa. One the way, we stopped that the Dole's Plantation.  We had shave ice at Matsumoto's.  We spent a lot of time at Wyland Galleries Haleiwa.  We took a drive up to the North Shore but there were no waves.   Winter is big surf time.  From there, we drove back to Haleiwa to Giovanni's Shrimp Truck. We arrived back in Honolulu in time to return the car without hassle of trying to do this the next morning, checking out of the hotel and taking "The Cab" to the ship. Photographs of the Pride of America can be found at  Cruising

On our last day of the cruise, we took and excursion to the U.S.S. Arizona, U.S.S. Missouri, the Punchbowl Cemetery and back to downtown Honolulu to see the statue of King Kamehameha I decorated for his birthday.

ALOHA

View from Hotel Courtyard	Our Hotel Room	View from Our Balcony
Duke Kahanamokoku Statue	Waikiki Beach 4	Rainbow at Waikiki Beach
Waikiki Beach in The Evening	Backpacking atWaikiki Beach	Obama's Neighborhood
Big Wave Dave Outrigger 4	Big Wave Dave Outrigger 1	Passing A Surfer
Court House	King Kamehameha I Birthday	Iolani Palace
Iolani Palace Throne	Iolani Palace Grand Stairway	Iolani Palace Diningroom
Aloha Grill Lunch	Aloha Grill Special of the Day	Hilo Hattie's at Ala Moana Mall
Chinatown 1	Chinatown 3	Chinatown 4
USS Arizona Memorial	USS Missouri BB63	Punchbowl National Cemetery
Haleiwa -Dole Plantation	Haleiwa-Matsumoto Store Sign	Haleiwa-Matsumoto Tee-Shirt
Haleiwa-Matsumoto Shave Ice	Haleiwa-Anahulu Stream Paddleboards	Haleiwa-NorthShore
Haleiwa-Giovanni Shrimp Truck 3	Haleiwa-Giovanni Shrimp Truck 4	Haleiwa-Giovanni Shrimp

We tied up at Kahului Maui.    Kalului is a residential/industrial town.     On the first day, we went to King's Cathedral church.    The worship was to Hawaiian dance.    It was very friendly.    We stopped by Queen Ka'ahumanu Shopping Mall for lunch.    There were some local musicians playing.    The farmer's market was closed because it was Sunday.    It was a walking tour of how people lived.

On the second day, we took a bicycle ride down the Haleakala Volcano.   The trip started above clouds.   Maui Downhill Bicycle Adventure.   After the bicycle ride, we stopped at a glassblowing studio and  a geedunk truck for snacks and drinks.    When we returned to the ship, there was a Hawaiian dance show.

Kahului Harbor	King's Cathedral Church	Worship at King's Cathedral
Van ride to Haleakala	Above the clouds	Below the clouds

We made two stops on Hawaii, Hilo and Kona.  Hawaii Island is the largest of the Hawaiian Island, is the home of King Kamehameha and the  island where the Polynesian first settled.   The island of Hawaiʻi is built from five separate Shield volcanoes that erupted somewhat sequentially, one overlapping the other. These are (from oldest to youngest):[

• Kohala—extinct
• Mauna Kea—dormant
• Hualālai—active
• Mauna Loa—active, partly within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
• Kīlauea—active: has been erupting continuously since 1983; part of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

In Hilo, we went on an excursion and toured Kilauea with stops at the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Plantation and Rainbow Falls   We went inside of a Lava Tube.  The lights were out because of flooding so some of us used out cell phone flashlights.   We could not see much, only where to step next.    We got underway for Kona earlier enough to see the large flow from the lava tubes at night.  It was spectacular.   The Hawaiian Islands were by shield volcanoes which means that lava flows through lava tubes rather Composite volcanoes where the lava shoots out of the top.   By the way, we learned this on a Sapphire Princess  Scholarship@Sea Seminar when we went to  the South Pacific in 2013

We did not take a tour on Kona.   The ship was at anchor and we took motor whaleboats to the pier.  We walked along Alii Drive toward the Kona Oceanfront Fine Art Gallery. Kona Oceanfront Gallery.   On the way, we stopped for ice cream and an open air marketplace.  After along visit at the Fine Art Gallery, we stopped at the Kona Coffee and Tea Store.  There we have an Iced Kona Coffee.  The drink was made from frozen Kona Coffee Iced Cubes, a practice that we have brought home with us.   After roaming around, we stopped at the Pacific Fine Art Gallery.   For lunch, we went to the Kona Brewing Company.   They had a great menu.   What lead me to the Kona Brewing  is their commercials.   Kona Brewing, "Single Tasking" Mahalo, One Life, Don't Blow it.

Hilo-Bus ride to the volcano	Hilo-Kilauea Volcano Crater	Hilo-Kilauea Volcano Lava RockBed
Hilo-Kilauea Volcano Lava Flow at Night	Hilo-Rainbow Falls	Hilo-Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Plantation

Kona - AliDrive	Kona - Ali Drive Food Market	Kona - Artist at Work
Kona - Kona Brewing Company	Kona - Kona Brewing Company Flowers	Kona - Kona Brewing Company Hawaiian Pizza
Kona - Kona Harbor	Kona - View from the Coffee Shop	Kona - Oceanfront Gallery

Kauai is an island in the Central Pacific, part of the Hawaiian archipelago. It's nicknamed "the Garden Isle" thanks to the tropical rainforest covering much of its surface. The dramatic cliffs and pinnacles of its Na Pali Coast have served as a backdrop for major Hollywood films, while 10-mile-long Waimea Canyon and the Nounou Trails traversing the Sleeping Giant mountain.   This has to be my favorite tropical island.   We had been to Nawiliwili Kauai before but only saw, Anchor Cove, Walmart and the ABC store.  This time we took an excursion.  Discover Kauai & Luau

"Enjoy the beauty, culture and tastes of Kauai, from sacred sites, waterfalls to the heart of the island, followed by a traditional Hawaiian Luau at the historic Kilohana Plantation. Drive along the coast and visit Hikinaakala Heiau, where ancient Hawaiians worshipped. Continue up to Opaekaa Falls, one of Kaui’s major waterfalls. You’ll pass through the town of Lihue and through Koloa Town, the birthplace of the sugar industry in Hawaii and enjoy a light lunch at Poipu Beach.
A highlight of your tour is a visit to Waimea Canyon, it will greet you with a spectacular array of colors created by the reds and browns of exposed volcanic rock, make sure to have your camera to capture this stunning sight. A stop will be made at Kauai Coffee Company where you can shop for coffee and souvenirs.
Complete your day at a traditional luau and immerse yourself in Hawaiian culture. At Luau Kalamaku, gather around the fire pit and watch the roast pig emerge to accompany the lavish buffet of local delicacies. While torches blaze, graceful hulas and energetic fire dances will entertain you and the ancient sea voyages that brought the original Hawaiians to these islands from Polynesia will be brought to life in story and song." 

Nawiliwili Harbor	Nawiliwili Beach & Park	Our Bus on Kauai
Poaekaa Falls	Waimea Canyon	Lydgate Beach
Kauai Coffe Plantation	Inside Kilohana Mansion	Kilohana Mansion
Kilohana Plantation Hibiscus	Kalamaku Luau Emu	Kalamaku Luau Pig, Lomi Lomi, Tropical Fruits
Kalamaku Luau	Kalamaku Luau Dance	Napoli Coast

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