Giving Thanks for Work in Hawaii

Day 4

Today we took a tour to Pearl Harbor.  The tour consisted of a lot of people and we all were talking and laughing on the way out, but once we got to the site of the Arizona Memorial, everyone became silent.  It was very quiet and solemn and moving.  To look down into the water and see the wreckage.  Jason was literally moved to tears, and I've never seen him cry.  I mean that.

approaching the memorial

the sunken ship

Jason was so moved

aerial view of the sunken ship and memorial

Jason and Joe had to work, so Jody and I took the kids to a luau for dinner.

 

Then one last shopping trip so that Jade could get my mother's gift.  She selected an oyster, then had them pull a pearl from it and turn it into a necklace!

Giving Thanks for Work in Hawaii

Day 3

We got to Hanauma Bay today.  The beach is amazing, but maybe because it was closed yesterday, it was pretty crowded.  It's hard to snorkel when you are constantly bumping into other people!  The place was cool, though, and the really cool part is that there are signs that tell you what the different fish are that you will see. 

Jason had to work after, so Jade and I went back to Waikiki to do some more shopping and sight seeing.

Giving Thanks for Work in Hawaii

Day 2

We started off to go snorkling at what is supposed to be the best snorkling on the island...  a protected reef off a beach called Hanauma Bay.  But there was apparently an earthquake or something in India, so the beach was closed for fear of a tsunami!  We're going to go back tomorrow, but we could at least look at it from the hill above...

We decided instead to hit the beaches of Waikiki with the Loverros.

We hit the streets, did some shopping, ate dinner with the rest of the crew and hit the sack!

Giving Thanks for Work in Hawaii

Day 1

We landed late yesterday on the Island of Oahu. It was raining and dark, so we really didn't land in any grand style or have any spectacular arrival. It was a super long 12 hour flight and we were tired and it was raining. Yuk.

With the time change, I was up before the sun, so I sat on our balcony and watched the sunrise and was treated to quite a show. The colors are amazing here. When Jason and Jade woke up, we went for a drive to do some exploring (after the Paris incident of Jason telling me I plan too much, I left this one entirely unplanned). Along the road we saw a sign for a scenic overlook...

What a view.  Pictures just don't do it justice.  I kept telling Jason, I came to Hawaii thinking we've been to islands before, how different can it be from the Caribbean.  Well, it's VERY different.  The most naturally beautiful place I've ever been.  We stopped at a shimp car for lunch

Then hit a beach we stumbled across while driving.  The undertow was really strong, so Jason had to really keep on top of Jade, and we later found out that this was the famous North Shore of Hawaii, the surfing mecca of the world.  Just amazing.  There was this cliff off to the side that I walked to with people jumping into the water.  (Not for me.)

the road we saw the beach from

crazy jumpers!