Post of the father

2. Since my dad posted this as a comment, I'll repost it for all of you to see:

   
   

   
   

   
   

   June 28 - Waikiki beach swim in the morning followed by a thoughtful day touring the Pearl Harbour Memorial facility with our tremendous tour guide, Phong. (he was 'Ph' phat just as he was 'Ph' Phong)

   The kids, and Liz, enjoyed a beautiful swim out in the waves at Waikiki.

   We checked out of our rooms in Waikiki and headed out on our shuttle/tour bus to Pearl Harbour. Our guide, Phong, helped us all get to see the moving film with actual video coverage, somehow, of that fateful day on December 7, 1941. We all then took the boat out to the still sunken Arizona over which the Memorial is constructed. There is still oil seeping from the wreckage after all these years.

   
   

   A good tour guide can make or break an excursion and we were fortunate enough to have someone who was not only a wealth of knowledge, but also a person who obviously took great pride in ensuring his customers had an enriching experience.

   
   

   A short flight from Honolulu to Hilo on the big island of Hawaii, renting our 15 seat van, and the short 10 minute drive to our beautiful hotel overlooking Hilo Harbour last night, June 28.

   
   

   We awoke to several varieties of birds letting us know the day had begun. A short drive into the quaint old town of Hilo to check a small farmer's market where we all, nearly, sampled the local apple bananas. We walked around the old downtown, which still looks similar to a 50's movie, and found a little café which served delicious breakfast smoothies as well as some creative breakfast sandwiches.

   
   

   After a needed trip to a Walmart, sad but true, we stocked up on a few groceries and necessities before coming back to our hotel where we made our own lunches while several of the boys went out to nearby Coconut Island on the other side of magnificent park/garden the hotel overlooks and joined others jumping off a cement platform into a calm little bay. (kind of like a three and five meter platform - mucho fun for those partaking)

   
   

   Then it was off to our volcano excursion in two separate vans which picked us up right from the hotel which was terrific for yours truly.

   One of the guides was fairly new so not quite as informative and engaging as before, but the other guide, Ken, was fantastic. (Sarah trusts Ken's recommendations and may even have a picture of him to post...or Anja...or Dayna...)

   We went out to where the lava had flowed down from Kilauea only 24 years ago to completely engulf a once beautiful beach. It was hard to fathom we were walking on this solid black lava rock which was only a few years older than the kids! Where once there was a wonderful beach is now a craggy, black, cliff-like formation.

   We drove up the volcano for a medium hike which included a walk through a lava tube - no lava in it for those anxious parents reading, then a wonderful dinner in the Volcano House restaurant. From there one could see the crater steaming away in the distance. Then, as the day darkened, we drove up to the viewing point for the open crater at the Museum site with several other tourists. It was surreal to be looking at this orange glow of lava and steam coming from this giant crater while sitting/standing so close to such an awesome and immensely powerful creation which is a volcano. (I'm sure posts of pictures of this will be forthcoming)

   
   

   Tomorrow is another full day, with side excursions in constant flux. Aloha for now.