http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Hawaii/Oahu/Waimanalo/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from North America , United States , Hawaii , Oahu , Waimanalo en-us Sun, 12 Oct 2008 19:13:43 BST Sun, 12 Oct 2008 19:13:43 BST Since my brother sister and brotherinlaw live in Waimanalo I feel a familial obligation to make the trek at least once a year. Their house in the country is set on 34 acres and surrounded by lush plants on two sides and a neighbor's stable on the third. The true charm of their home is the Lanai. A covered enclosed porch from which one can sit and enjoy the sounds of donkeys roosters an http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Hawaii/Oahu/Waimanalo/blog-317786.html Die Baby Mietzen in der Arbeit sind nun ziemlich genau 2 Wochen alt und haben vor kurzem ihre uglein geffnet Wir knnen kaum abwarten bis sie endlich richtig laufen knnen und wir mit ihnen spielen knnen Die sind ja soooooooooooooooooooooooo s DThe baby kittens at work are now almost exactly 2 weeks old and recentl http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Hawaii/Oahu/Waimanalo/blog-314122.html Eine der Katzen in der Arbeit die uns zugelaufen ist hat kuerzlich 4 winzig kleine suesse Babies auf die Welt gebracht... Viel Spass mit den Bildern One of our new rescue cats at work recently gave birth to 4 adorable little baby kitties. Enjoy the pictures http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Hawaii/Oahu/Waimanalo/blog-311901.html Another day in ParadiseVentured futher around the island today. It's easy driving once you get out of Waikiki which is mostly one way streets.Feel quite at home really what with McDonalds KFC Burger King all within walking distance. However we have resisted so far Ate at planet Hollywood last night al fresco. Went to the Sea life park as seen in 50 first dates. Not huge but still ent http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Hawaii/Oahu/Waimanalo/blog-275864.html The people of Hawaii can be described as racially diversified though the population of the mainland U.S. is beginning to appear so too. However though the racial makeup of the rest of the U.S. seem to be predominately Caucasians Blacks and Hispanics and a minority of Asians in Hawaii is seems more to be East Asians Southeast Asians Hawaiians and other Polynesians Caucasians including His http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Hawaii/Oahu/Waimanalo/blog-241197.html Yesterday we finally made it to the beach. I wanted to go again today but the sunburn just won't allow me to do that. It's not too terrible but it's enough to keep me off the pretty beach. We went out to Bellows AFB which during the week is for military families only. Absolutely gorgeous view And there were maybe twenty people along the mile or so of coastline. I read and enjoyed the sun and http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Hawaii/Oahu/Waimanalo/blog-183142.html This morning Judy and John left our group to go off on a tour of the other Hawai'ian Islands we we were on our own for the remainder of the trip. At this point we didn't feel like we'd spent enough time at the beach so we decided to do just that for our morning activity. I had decided that I was going to try this boogie boarding thing I'd heard so much about and surprisingly Laura and Barb http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Hawaii/Oahu/Waimanalo/blog-100148.html After Pearl Harbor we set off for the north shore which during the winter months has some of the best surfing in the world. You've heard that song Pipeline by the Chantays Well I'm pretty sure this is what they were playing about. The Banzai Pipeline is up on the north shore.On the way there we stopped at the Dole Plantation. Apparently you have to stop at the Dole Plantation. They'v http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Hawaii/Oahu/Waimanalo/blog-99927.html Today was Pearl Harbor day. When one goes to Oahu for the first time one must go see the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial. I believe it's a sort of a civic duty. People my age do not understand at all what it was like on December 7th 1941 and the days following. The terrorist attacks in New York and DC do not really shed any light on what it was like to be attacked by a foreign military for military http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Hawaii/Oahu/Waimanalo/blog-99859.html Today was a partial day of rest. We've been go go go since we got to the island and it was a welcome change of pace to have a little down time. I slept in this morning 645 a.m. and spent some time relaxing and then we went down to the beach and played in the water some. After that I worked on the photographs that I'd taken burning them to CDROMs just in case the worst were to happen to http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Hawaii/Oahu/Waimanalo/blog-99442.html Here we are at Tuesday already. We decided last night to try to have a big breakfast around 900 a.m. or so and then head north to the Polynesian Cultural Center. Were we at home I'd have rolled out of bed around 800 a.m. taken a quick shower and been ready in plenty of time. However on Oahu the sun comes up at 600 a.m. Every day give or take 510 minutes. All year. Apparently all http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Hawaii/Oahu/Waimanalo/blog-99382.html We took the scenic route from Hilo Hattie's in Honolulu back to Waimanalo and stopped here and there to take photos from various lookout points. The first stop was along Maunalua Bay to take pictures of the Hanauma Bay crater though I originally mislabeled these particular photos as being of Diamonhead. The next stop was an overlook looking down on Hawai'i Kai and back over Maunalua Bay back http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Hawaii/Oahu/Waimanalo/blog-99374.html Today the folks headed out to other islands. They'll continue on in Kaua'i Maui and the Big Island for another week.We all suited up and devoted our morning to better beach pails chairs umbrellas towels boogie boards and not really enough sunscreen. We Continentals have to make a conscious effort not to need to be running off to do the next thing but it was well worth it We spent a g http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Hawaii/Oahu/Waimanalo/blog-98474.html Today was the day of golf. Cheryl and I got up early and drove about 10 minutes to Olomana Golf Links for our 740 a.m. tee time. The lady who checked us in asked where we were from and when we answered Seattle she said something to the effect of Oh that's too bad. and when we inquired further as to just what that was supposed to mean she said Oh you didn't hear about the Seahawks whic http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Hawaii/Oahu/Waimanalo/blog-98422.html Today is Laura's birthday which could have been kind of a drag for her I'm not sure I'd count riding in an airplane for fiveandahalf hours as a good birthday present. However given that Hawai'i was on the other end of that flight she took it pretty well in stride. Cheryl had arranged for a surprise to be waiting for Laura at the beach house. When we arrived it had been decorated with ba http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Hawaii/Oahu/Waimanalo/blog-98371.html Normally I'm not the type to bounce out of bed near dawn but this morning I woke up just before 600 a.m. and since I was up I grabbed my camera and headed for the beach figuring I'd see if the sunrises here are as photogenic as I'd heard. It was warm at six in the morning. Not too warm but warm enough to remind me that I was in Hawai'i and not in Washington state. After the sunrise light http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Hawaii/Oahu/Waimanalo/blog-98262.html Golf dayToday Greg and I got up early and headed to Olomana Golf Links for our 740 tee time. I was extremely apprehensive since I haven't touched a golf club in about three months and my knee is acting up lately. We made a pact in advance to ignore our scores and concentrate on the amazing experience of golf in Hawai'i no matter how play goes. This was of course a good idea. Objectively w http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Hawaii/Oahu/Waimanalo/blog-98013.html In honor of my first trip off of the continent of North America I hereby inaugurate this travel blog. We are in Hawaii. Specifically we are in a beach house in Waimanalo on the island of Oahu and we are two houses away from the beach. Well that's what the literature said but I'm a mathematically rigorous type of fellow and by my count we are three not two houses from the beach. There's http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Hawaii/Oahu/Waimanalo/blog-98010.html According to Wikipedia Waim257nalo is Hawai'ian for potable water. I can confirm that the tap water here is not only potable but tasty. We're refilling our storebought bottles.If you're still seeing Waim 257 nalo for the location of this post that's my fault for getting cute with the 257 when I added the location to the database. Fixrequest is in.This town is absolutely the p http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Hawaii/Oahu/Waimanalo/blog-97505.html We arrived at the Sea Breeze beach house after dark on Saturday night having discovered why it takes 45 minutes to go less than 20 miles. It's a small island and they're all residential roads.The house is simply amazing. We initially couldn't find the third bedroom honestly how hard should it be to find a bedroom but discovered that it's a semidetached master suite with separate entrance http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Hawaii/Oahu/Waimanalo/blog-97481.html