Two weeks on two islands: Oahu and Kauai
Elvis Presley brought fame to the PCC with the film “Paradise, Hawaiian Style”. The PCC is a toned-down mini Epcot center, displaying all the Polynesian islands and their cultures in one area. It was a fun and interesting day, learning how to make coconut oil, taro and dance the original forms of hula!
This ancient site was the setting for many films and TV Series such as Jumanji – Welcome To The Jungle, George Of The Jungle, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Lost.
Early human existence is found throughout the valley such as the Temple dedicated to the god Lono, the village and the agricultural terraces. It was known as the Valley of the Priests, home to the Kahuna (experts in all spheres – whether prophets, healers or fishermen). From the late 1970s to 1998 the valley was transformed into an arboretum and botanical garden with the help of Keith Wolliams, a graduate of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, his focus being on the conservation and preservation of endangered plants.
The short walk up to the waterfall took us much longer than expected, as at this time of year, the abundance and variety of flora is too captivating to miss. For those who love botany, this photo selection is for you! Sorry we do not know all the names of everything depicted.
Waimea in Hawaiian means a reddish-brown colour (murky?), which the river and the pool beneath the waterfall certainly are.
We started our tour at the USS Arizona Memorial, a shrine to the 1,177 marines who died in the surprise attack by the Japanese on 7thDecember 1941 and are entombed in the battleship in Pearl Harbor. A very moving film explains the background and the events leading up to the bombing and the bombing itself. In silence we were then taken out by boat to the Memorial near Ford Island .The shrine was designed by Alfred Preis in 1961, its shape a metaphor for US pride before the war, the shock and tragedy of the sinking battleship and the US might and power rising again after the Second World War.
The Black Tears of Pearl Harbor describe the oil still leaking from the ship. The seepage is not environmentally hazardous and represents the tragedy of the event. It is said that the seepage will not stop until the last survivor of the USS Arizona has died. Pearl Harbor Memorial is generically used for all the military and civilians who lost their lives on that day.
USS Bowfin Submarine
This memorial is dedicated to those in “silent service”, those serving on submarines and to the 3,500 personnel who died during World War II. The Bowfin , also known as the “Pearl Harbor Avenger” was launched one year after the attack on Pearl Harbor . The submarine retains all of its characteristics from when it was in service and gives you the experience of what living in a “steel pipe” must have been like.
USS Battleship Missouri
It was on the “Mighty Mo” that the surrender of Japan, and the end of World War II, formally took place in Tokyo Harbor on 2ndSeptember 1945.The USS Missouri was commissioned in June 1944 and was prominent in the victory over Japan. She was in service in the Korean War, decommissioned in 1955 and re-commissioned in 1986 and amazingly served in Operation Desert Storm.
Spot the ship’s doughnut bakery!
The submarine museum displays not only many submarine artefacts but also an intact Poseidon C-3 missile.
Tips:
Pre-book your visit with the regular Pearl Harbor day pass online and arrive before 10:00. We took 6 hours to visit the USS Arizona, USS Bowfin Submarine and Battleship Missouri but did not visit the Pacific Aviation Museum (we were also suffering from information overload by then).
24 hours before your visit, purchase the USS Arizona ticket (1 USD) online – this is not possible earlier.
Check at the USS Arizona ticket desk if your regular PH day pass covers the self-guided audio tour before purchasing it – if not, the audio tour is still well worth it.
Heed all the information on the website of the NO bag policy.
Today was a reunion day: we last saw Bobbie (Steve’s second cousin of 96) and Matt, Bobbie’s son and Steve’s second cousin once removed, 22 years ago. Bobbie remembered that my brother-in-law is a priest!
Despite interminable rain, we enjoyed a short car ride to Mill Valley, a very upmarket and quaint village on the North Bay.
Jack Knowles was an older brother of Steve’s paternal grandfather who emigrated to the USA. Jack was a musician and joined the John Philip Sousa band, composer of American military marches. His children Ruth and Walter ventured to Great Britain to visit Steve’s parents, unbeknown to them, back in the 1960s and family contact was re-established.
Hawaii is the most remote set of islands from any mainland in the world – not the reason for the title.
We encountered a little drama the day prior to travelling and during check-in at the airport for our first leg to Oahu but we made it. After torrential rain when leaving the San Francisco hotel (apparently unheard of in May), we departed on time in good weather and were greeted at Honolulu airport by sun, sun, sun!
And this is our hotel:
A trip out in the jeep took us further along the North Shore to the Banzai Pipeline, famous for real hardened surfers and surfing contests: at this time of year, the swell is relatively tame, compared to the waves in winter which can reach 6 metres and more.
This is our third trip to San Francisco and we finally managed to visit Alcatraz.
We were both ignorant of this island’s history, assuming it was “only” for convicts. The first lighthouse on the west U.S. coast dating back to the 19thcentury, a military base, military prison and then a federal prison were built and established here.
It is odd to hear that wardens and officers’ families lived here leading “normal” lives in extremely close proximity to some of the most dangerous criminals in U.S. history. We chose the basic self-guided tour: the audio tour is one of the best we have experienced, narrated by former wardens and inmates who not only guide you through the prison but also relate their stories and memories of this gruesome place.
As one of the wardens said, what else do you need? The view from the island is breathtaking!
Thanks for your interest in our blog! We are happy for you to read our diary over the next three weeks whilst we re-visit San Francisco as a stopover before flying on to Hawaii.
Today, 15th May, we departed from a wet Munich and arrived 12 hours later in an even wetter San Francisco – the droughts over the last years are now well and truly over for this region of California!
We are staying in Marin County, north of the bay (Marin being home to the inventor of the mountain bike), and near Steve’s 96 year-old cousin.
Today will just have to be a shopping mall day…and trying to stay awake.
Haole on Hawaii 