September 10, 2010

Aloha Emma!

Well, it's back to reality around here today.  My Mom left last night and although it's always hard when our number one cook, playmate, homework helper, travel companion, flower picker and house decorator leaves...we did so enjoy the visit and are thankful that she braved the day long excursion to come visit.


In between all the above mentioned duties, we did manage to play tourist a bit.  Aside from our day on the Missouri, we took a tour around the island, went to a few beaches, visited Chinatown and the Aloha Tower.  We kicked off our island tour with a morning trip to sea glass beach.  Very peaceful morning - nothing like walking along a quite beach and finding tons of treasures!



We then drove towards Waikiki and Punchbowl Cemetery.  Punchbowl is a national cemetery which is the final resting place for those lost in the battles in and around the Pacific for both World Wars, Vietnam and Korea.  It is inside an old volcanic crater and offers a beautiful view of Waikiki and Diamond Head crater.





The trees at the top of the memorial are shaped to grow in large circles like wreaths. 


Inside the memorial there are maps created out of small stones, beautifully detailed showing each major battle of the different wars.


This is a small inset on one of the maps.


We then continued around the Eastern side of the island and it was the most beautiful, clear day!  We could actually spot two other Hawaiian Islands in the distance.  Molokai is the closest one on the left side of the photo and Lanai is a bit more distant on the right. 








After lunch we ended our day at the Pali lookout which is a stop off of one of the roads that leads through the mountains taking you from the windward to the leeward side of the island.  It offers a great view of Kaneohe.  The sandbar that we boat too is the light green spot in the bay area. 

I have more to post of our weekend at the North Shore but since the kitchen isn't cleaning itself I had better get to work! 

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