Hawai'i (Oahu), 2009

Rooms with Views

The hotel arrangements worked out well ... two adjacent ocean-view rooms on the 21st floor. Beautiful sunsets.


On Waikiki Beach

Our home base ... this strip of beach was at the base of the hotel. Good, but not great, snorkeling.


Diamond Head

Le'ahi[note], in Hawai'ian. Diamond Head is a crater at the southern end of the island. A moderate, uphill, hike.

View of Crater (midway)

The Trail

Time to Rest

Views from the Top

On the Top!

View: Crater from the top

Diamond Head Lighthouse

Coastline & Skyline

Coral Reefs

Back Down

The high point of Vijay's vacation.

Shave Ice Truck

Shave Ice


Pearl Harbor

The USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park

First stop was the museum, which had 1940's era displays and memoribilia.

Newspaper

Varga Calendar and Playing Cards

Souvenirs

Underwood Typewriter

Mark 27 Acoustic Torpedo

Depth Charge

Poseidon C3 Ballistic Missile

Meera in the driver's seat

The USS Bowfin (a.k.a. the "Pearl Harbor Avenger"

The best-preserved WW II submarine, launched on December 7, 1942. Interesting overlap between the photographs below and the gallery at about.com

The USS Bowfin

Conning Tower & Gun

Forward Torpedo Tubes

How about I'm not all right?

Sailors' Quarters in USS Bowfin

Diving Station Control Room

Control Room Guide

Galley on the USS Bowfin

Maneuvering Room Levers

USS Arizona Memorial

The contours of the memorial are really wonderful, inside and outside, close-up and from a distance.

Inside the Memorial

Gun Turret

Map of the remains

The USS Vestal Auxiliary Repair ship was working on the Arizona when it was attacked, and so was also a casualty.

Auxiliary Repair Ship

The Ferry

USS Bowfin


Hanauma Bay

The bay is a crater, now filled with water. Gorgeous, and great snorkeling -- like being in an aquarium.

Snorkeling in Hanauma Bay

Yellowfin Surgeonfish

Reef Triggerfish (humuhumunukunukuapua'a)

Yellowfin Surgeonfish


Bishop Museum

Entrance & Planetarium Dome

Tour of the Garden

Our Tour Guide

Naupaka

Mangoes?

Hawai'ian and Polynesian Halls

Maui and Manaiakalani

Night and Day

Wearable Art

Ku

Fish Hooks

The Singing Docent

Planetarium, Volcanoes, and Feathers

Planetarium

Volcano Lecture

Volcano Demo

Feather Room


Manoa Falls

A scenic hike, and should not have been too difficult. However, the rain got progressively worse and the ground became slushy, making it much trickier.

Starting Out

Environmentally Friendly Restrooms

Hanging Roots

Creepers Galore

Wahi Stream

Bamboo

Roots and Branches

Finally, we reach the waterfall.

First view of Manoa Falls

The little puddle in the picture below was presumably the result of rain, so the mystery is how the fish got in there. Perhaps an underground stream. The cavity is caused by two adjacent trees, and if you look closely you'll see two fish.


Maita'i Catamaran Boat Ride

Ideally we should have taken the catamaran at sunset, but the seats were all sold out. We did the procrastinators' special, booked on the last day at the last minute.

Waiting

Maita'i on the Maita'i

With luck, one gets to see dolphins and whales. We had no such luck, so the guys running the boat threw some chips into the water and suddenly it was dense with fish (note joke below.)

Fish 'n Chips

Turtle

Surfers

View of hotel

View of Waikiki from the Maita'i Catamaram


Kaimana Beach

This was an unexpected bonus, Kaimana beach is great for snorkeling with tons of fish -- although not quite the quality of those in Hanauma Bay. The beach is near the aquaraium and the Natatorium/War Memorial, with metered street parking (and across the street from public tennis courts.)

Walkway

In the Ocean

Snorkeling in Kaimana Bay


Halekulani Lobby

Exquisite flowers and arrangements in the lobby and garden of the Halekuklani.


Miscellaneous Sights and Sounds

On Kuhio Beach

Eggs Florentine at Nobu

Chillin'

Duke Kahanamoku

Gandhi + Banyan Tree

At Senor Frog's

Punahou School

Mele Kalikimaka

Singha (Thai Restaurant)

Hula Dancing


Footnotes
  1. Brow of Tuna


Yellowfin Surgeonfish

December 31, 2009

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