Surf boards next to the Honolulu's Moana Surfrider Hotel on Waikiki BeachSaturday we left Sophie at the Reye's, the coats in the car and prayed that the plane would take off. Outside it was COLD and it was SNOWING, (so, believe us, the catholic guilt is alive and well). We made it to our seats and jesusmaryjoseph we took off! Let's just say the ride from Detroit through SFO to HI takess long time.
Saturday night we were just like a couple of frozen Michiganders in paradise, the full moon helped. The lobby and grounds of the Moana Surfrider are beautiful. Think Mackinaw Island's Grand Hotel hedged in by skyscrapers on the beach of Waikiki (got it?)
Sunday, we hit Waikiki beach and then headed off to the Windward Coast on H1, (an inter-state [?] highway!?!). Very beautiful, old volcanic mountains covered in odd greenery, a tunnel, then . . . more ocean! We found our way into a cemetery and the Valley of the Temples. The Byodo-In Temple is an immense SCALED DOWN version of a Japanese Buddhist Temple complete with a huge Buddah statue, all backed by a few Oahu mountains. Amazing.
From there it was back in the Mustang (we only rent American!),down to the southern coast, Hanauma Bay (lots of STAIRS!), the beach from From Here To Eternity, Diamond Head, ( B calls it Black Diamond), and home to Waikiki.
Monday we drove to the infamous North Coast, the historic town of Haleiwa, the surf at The Banzai Pipeline, (cowabunga!), back down to Kualoa Point, back up to Malaekahana Beach (great little rental huts), an Epi-Pen worthy lunch a Giovanni's shrimp truck, then back to 99, a brief out of body experience, H2 to H1 and home to Waikiki.
Tuesday, Brian had to get some client work done. I tried to stay out of trouble at the Sheraton, straying little and watching the workers renovating the hotel. Today I may venture to the pool, I may venture out for a pineapple laden hamburger, but my heart and soul will stay in the verdant hills of O'ahu.- - - David
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