Alaska

Alaska
Glacier Bay Alaska

Saturday, May 28, 2016

On Oahu with Dad



After a wonderful week on the island of Maui we then flew over to Oahu and drove north to Laie where we had rented another beautiful house.

The house had a pool overlooking Puehuehu Bay 

 The pool water was around 83 degrees but felt nice











By getting up early every morning I had the chance to read








Taken from the porch outside our room

Sunrise on Oahu

            
On our side of the point our house was a rocky shoreline but a 2 minute walk to the other side brought us to this beach


         
Bill and Lon catching some fish by the house

The 5 of us drove inland and toured the Dole Plantation
  It takes 2 1/2 years to grow   



Driving back we stopped at Waimea Bay
to take a look at the Banzai Pipeline where the surfers tackle the big waves. It was such a calm beach I asked a local where were the big waves and he told me we were there the wrong time of year, that it was during the winter when they surf here.


It was a short walk back to the top of the beach
 with Josie and Susan














                      


















Hawaii













Tonga














Tahiti
New Zealand (Maori)
  




Samoa













Fiji












Playing the Ukulele
means jumping flea (because of the hand movements)
adapted from the Portuguese guitar
climbing a coconut tree
Welcome to the island of the Maori
        






This palm leaf after softening was woven into many items


  
Bill's interpretation of a Fijian dance









Welcome to the Ali'i Lu'au


removal of the pig



sitting at our Ambassador table

































We drove down to Pearl Harbor but were unable to go out to the USS Arizona Memorial because of rough water in the harbor.






model of the Arizona Memorial

















Arizona's ship bell


Pearl Harbor Peace Memorial




















Punchbowl National Cemetery










View of Honolulu from the Punchbowl










Laurie at he Halona Blow Hole
















  

The Hawaii Temple at Laie built in 1919





















Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Maui Vacation with Dad



Hawaiian Vacation with My Dad

It's amazing how long it has been since we have all been together as a family, especially on a vacation together. Thank you Dad for suggesting this vacation and paying for the majority of it. I know Mom was with us as we enjoyed each others company and visited places she loved and talked about. This has been a trip Laurie and I have been wanting and have been planning for years. Thanks Josie and Susan for doing the planning and finding the two beautiful houses to rent, this allowed us to be together. With Dad, Josie, Lon, Mike and Laurie having been to the islands before Laurie, Me, Bill and Susan were insured to see places not to miss and the food to experience.



Around 7 hours of flying time with a 5 hour layover in Phoenix we arrived at the Kahului airport on the Island of Maui.













Our rental house was near the town of Haiku on the North shore.









This is the main house

             This is the view from the patio                  


















We went to church in Pukalani and then drove around. 




We found the first LDS church in Hawaii which was built in 1851. Services are no longer held here.


The Elders live in the house next to the church


























It was a little windy but we got our picture






We drove to Lahaina and ate at Mom's favorite restaurant Kimo's








It had been raining so Lon re-booked our bike ride so the next day Dad, Laurie and me decided to take a drive around the West side of the island. We should have asked more questions because the car rental map said our contract would be voided if we drove this road. It was paved but it was a single lane road with twists and turns and no cell phone service.





Our first stop was at Iao Valley

Laurie and Dad went back to the car because it was raining and they didn't want to climb the stairs.

That's the Iao Needle behind me
Kaemi Point









We missed the blow hole at Nakalele but Mike and Laurie was able to see it, they were driving in the opposite direction as we were. Notice the people to the right of it.









This is Honokohau Bay


Our first big wave surfers


Looking down on Honokohau Bay

Ready to set anchor and get to snorkeling
at Molokini Crater




Black Durgon Triggerfish
Sergeant Major
Butterflyfish
Convict Tangs
Pennant Butterflyfish
Mike and Laurie
Molokini Island
Top of a crater we snorkeled at
Sea Turtles who come ashore every evening to rest
Hookipa Beach


                   
This is where the locals and young kids surf and there
were signs that read that it was okay to feed the hippies





    Dad, Susan, Bill, Lon and myself took a tour with Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Tours



This is turtle rock
Halawa Valley on Molokai




Don't you just love these waterfalls?
This is where they filmed part of Jurassic Park
Murphy's Beach
the circles are fish ponds, there used to be 70 of them



Maalaea Bay
23 Wind turbines which provide 16%
of the Maui's power
The last of the sugarcane fields on Maui
it costs to much to harvest
they are going to start growing marijuana
Olowalu Valley



              
Yes that is a convertible Mustang I'm driving                              Laurie said I needed a new bra
We are on the road to Hana waiting for some tourists
to take their pictures of the waterfall and move on.
notice the guys behind us getting in on our picture

                                                                        
                                                                                            Dad wanted a Hawaiian Crepe
                                                                                        the start of our trip on the road to Hana


  
                                          
      
                  

Just a few of the waterfalls along the road

The Stone Church in Hana









We took a walk through the first part of the lava tube

            
   

Pools of Oheo (7 Sacred Pools)
              




Ranger Station at Haleakala Crater
Sunrise
Ranger chanting to welcome in the new day
you can see a few of the telescopes in the background
Lon and me dressed for our bike ride down the crater
The new $300 million Haleakala Solar Telescope




Mama's Fish House