(Blogger’s note: because this is taking me forever to post, I’ll just have to do a little bit at a time. It maybe posted in several different posts.)
Since we have been back from vacation, everyone wants to see pictures. We’ll sorry folks, I had to come back to reality from my vacation which means, schedules, kids, diapers, house, church, work, cleaning, etc. So I am going to do my best to get them posted today so you all can see about Hawaii. ( I am going to write a lot, because I need the jot down the details so that I’ll remember too.)
First of all, Saturday (2/27/2010), we spent a little bit of extra time in San Francisco, because of the Tsunami that was headed for Hawaii. After putting extra fuel on the plane (so we could fly all the way to Hawaii and back, if needed) we got to go. While in the air, we were told that the Tsunami was a non-event. The waves ended up being about 4 feet higher than normal, which was not a problem. So the vacation was still a go!!
We landed, retrieved our bags and went to the car rental place to pick up our reserved car and… they were closed. No sign, no call to let us know. They just weren’t there. Everyone else was open, so we ended up getting a car from a different company, and wasting a little more time.
So FINALLY, we got to the hotel and all was well there. We were exhausted so we grabbed some quick dinner and hit the hay.
Here is the picture I took of our first day there—view from our room, right before Zzzzzzzzz.
It’s a canal that ran right behind our hotel and a popular running/walking path.
The next day was Sunday (2/28/2010). We attended church at the Honolulu tabernacle, that was built right before WWII. Cam’s dad told us that the building was built before the war and many thought it was way too big for the time. Most of the members of the church that were in Hawaii, lived on the north side, Laie, rather than in Honolulu. But after the war started, it was the main building that the soldiers attended since it was close to their bases. Cam’s grandfather attended there during the war.
Here is just a tidbit I found out about it.
The tabernacle was dedicated Sunday, Aug. 17, 1941, less than four months before Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. In his dedicatory prayer, President David O. McKay, then-second counselor in the First Presidency, blessed the edifice that no missile would strike it in any war.
It was noted that during the Dec. 7, 1941, attack: "There was extensive bombing all around the area, and there's a large light on the tabernacle. At that time it was the second tallest steeple in Honolulu, yet the building was never targeted or damaged in any way."
Pretty cool.
It is a beautiful building with a large reflecting pool in the front.
We then spent the rest of the day at Pearl Harbor.
We got to see the Arizona Memorial, the Battleship Missouri and the USS Bowfin Submarine. We spent 6 hours there looking at everything. I’m sure Cam could have spent even more time.
The USS Bowfin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Bowfin)
There was also a really neat memorial just outside of the sub (you can see some random guy looking at a plaque in the pic above). It has a plaque for the 52 subs that were lost in WWII, a list of the men on board and how they were lost. (many say lost at sea)
It was windy, that’s why I look funny
I thought this was funny. It is the instructions for the old school CPR. Put the person face down, push on their back, pull up their arms and lift by armpits or something.
Proof that we were there together.
Cam took pics of all the pieces. He loved it.
The memorial of the USS Arizona
In the inside, is a HUGE shrine to of all those that died (1,102), when the ship sunk. I did learn that there were a few survivors too (only 75).
"To the Memory of the Gallant Men Here Entombed and their shipmates who gave their lives in action on December 7, 1941, on the U.S.S. Arizona"
Service members who were assigned to the Arizona at any time during its service history are permitted to have their ashes scattered in the waters above the memorial. Service members who were actually aboard the Arizona on December 7, 1941, and survived the attack, are permitted to have their ashes entombed within the remains of the ship itself (from wikipedia)
On our tour, they told us how they had a dive team that would place the ashes of the service members who survived the attack entombed with in the Arizona. It is considered a military cemetery. There is still a lot of oil on board and there is a small leak that you can see on the surface. Considered the tears of the Arizona. The survivors say it will continue until the last survivor is buried there.
There was also the ashes of a baby girl on board that was supposed to be sprinkled in to the harbor that day. So she has been buried along with the other servicemen inside the ship.
It is really an amazing place. Truly a feeling of respect and humility.
The USS Missouri
Now I know why it is nicknamed the “Mighty Mo’” It’s really huge, and they don’t even let you see a few of the decks that are below water. Really an awesome boat. Cam was in military nerd heaven :)
The plaque that shows the spot of formal surrender of the Japanese to end WWII.
We took this picture to show the kids. The three high bunk beds. There was a large room filled with these beds. You got a small locker and the storage space under your mattress to keep your stuff (see on the right side the bunk propped up)
I have always felt a lot of respect for the military, but this was really an amazing day to see so much history.
Monday (3/1/2010) we headed out first thing to hike Diamond Head.
It’s a hike up a crater build by volcanic activity. Not too crazy of a hike, 3/4 mile up a trail, then up 50 steep steps then another 99 steps to get to the top. I was glad that I had been doing some cardio conditioning before I hit those stairs.
The 99 stairs (and some random person coming out of the tunnel)
View from the top, looking out across where we hiked to get there. Also show the rim of the volcano.
Us, at the top. Pretty cool, huh!
We then spent the rest of the day touring Honolulu and nearby areas on scooters!!! It was fun. Once I figured out how to turn it without almost dying, it was really neat.
And this is how we found out where we were going most of the time we were in Hawaii. Google maps saved us!
We rode the scooters up in the hills to see the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl National Cemetery)
Its a really amazing cemetery, the feeling of it reminded me of Arlington Cemetery.
Each of the above pillar/walls have names engraved on all 4 sides.
All the grass is filled with headstones.
Looking out from the top where the large monument is.
It says “The Solemn Pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom”, a quote from a letter President Lincoln wrote to a mother who was thought to have lost her 5 sons in the civil war.
There were many of these mosaics that pay tribute to the battles fought throughout the pacific.
Again, a very humbling place to be.
We also visited the Bishop’s museum/HawaiĘ»i State Museum of Natural and Cultural History (mostly b/c it was free with the passes we had). It was a neat museum, but at this point, we were kinda tired of sight seeing so we didn’t stay too long.
Then hopped back on the scooters and cruised through downtown Honolulu. We nearly got brushed off by several city buses, but survived. I had a good time, Cam couldn’t stop smiling—not that it was a motorcycle, but the closest that he would come to one while we were on vacation. Also, he was really impressed that I drove my own scooter, heck, I was impressed!
