It's Saturday night here in Honolulu -- a town known for an active night life --- it's not quite 8 and we're headed to bed. Victor is likely asleep as I write this now...it was a fun day, so I think he's just tuckered out.
Today we started by waking up at 6:30 ---- what a treat! It was the first day we weren't showing Victor that it was still dark out & time for sleepy at 3am. Simple pleasures for simple people.
We went to the Dole Plantation & Gardens --- it was interesting. We learned all about pineapples & how they grow (one fruit takes over a year to grow and they are all harvested & planted by hand!) They had a little train we got to ride on and that was a big hit! Victor was so happy to ride it around -- tears were shed saying goodbye to the train. We then went to feed the fish -- lots of smiles for 4 quarters. It was nice because it was a large area he could run around in -- and he was smiling at everyone, so he was happy to get smiles back too. We went to the garden area, which was a little harder for him -- he wanted to run in the gardens, not on the grass -- so that the gardeners wouldn't come and thunk him, we tossed him in the stroller -- which he wasn't impressed with. I did still manage to take some pictures of the really beautiful flowers. We went to the North Shore to have lunch & then slowly made our way south -- Victor could snooze & we got to take in the views. When he did wake up - we were near Waimanalo Beach Park so we got to splash around for a little while. Because of the full moon there were Portugese Man-of-War around - but we watched out for them and didn't get stung. They would wash up on the shore and the kids around would pick them up with a stick & put them into their collection bag. There were some strong undertow currents, so we didn't splash & relax as much as we had before. I did see a sea turtle swimming around in the surf - likely eating the jelly fish.
Tomorrow we'll have breakfast with friends I knew when I lived here -- it will be fun to catch up and hear about their adventures. The conference for Yuri starts tomorrow & his presentation is on Monday -- so we'll have to put on the work hat before long.
We've made it. Phew. It was a long trip -- 6,000 miles (+/-) 3 flights, lots of bags of preztels and 3 in-flight movies --- but we're here and enjoying the island way of life alreay.
You can feel it as soon as you get here -- even if Honolulu itself is a large city -- there's a feeling of relaxation here in Hawai'i.
We are staying right across the street from Wakiki at an Surfer/Elvis 1950's kitch hotel (Wakiki Beach Hotel) -- I love the lime green walls, surf boards & aloha print bedspreads.
We went to the beach this morning -- Victor's first ocean water. He loved the sand and enjoyed playing, digging and enjoying the water. He's napping now -- tuckered out from the water play & the trip I'm sure.
Hawai'i is really a magical place -- I had forgotten how beautiful it is -- the mountains, the misty clouds, the beach - it's very cool. I also love how the different cultures mix together here -- Asians of all types, American's, Indian's and of course the native Hawaiian people too -- it's all combines to make beautiful people. The food here is a terrific fusion of Asian, Hawaiian, American -- but heavy Asian influence -- I have to take the guys to have mochi ice cream, which was a favorite of mine when I was here -- so strange to remember it was 1995 -- how can so much time have passed!
The Hawaiian culture really respects children & the elders -- one example of that is during the local news - they celebrate kids turning one (and I love the traditional Hawaiian names too!! Example --- Ronin Nogami Kekoakukehakehaikaliani Souza who's birthday was May 28th) Across the newsbar this morning was scrolling Happy Birthday and when they did the spot for the kids they described the whole family & explained that the kiddo likes to do -- very sweet. Keiki (or children) are really special here -- people say hello to kids with a genuine happiness. Men are Kine -- women - wahine. Hawaiian language pops up all over the place.
We're going to rent a car so I can take the boys to the other side of the island, which I remember as being so beautiful.
We'll have photos to post before long I'm sure.
