Hale Koa – Dust Bunnies and Dog Toys

Near the end of our trip I went on a garden tour at the Hale Koa and the view from the balcony that morning indicated it would be the perfect day for a bit of flower gazing in the shade.

Although the plumeria was out of season and the birds of paradise that were blooming weren’t well positioned for photos, we did see Hawaii’s calling card – the hibiscus. There were several varieties of them around the grounds. This one was called Hula Girl.

We also spotted bright red and yellow hibiscus in full bloom. There were also a dwarf variety of white hibiscus, which I never would have thought was related if it weren’t for the guide pointing it out. This one had a sign below the shrub describing it.

I had seen several ladies around the hotel wearing these spider lilies tucked behind their ear just like many do with the hibiscus, but the gardener warned that the stem should be washed before doing so because they put off a type of sticky fluid that can be toxic.

Another common flower around the hotel was ginger. While not the edible type of ginger there were several colors of it including these red and pink types.

I believe the gardener said that this was another variety of ginger.

I really loved the look of the coatan plants used in several of the pathway boarders but know full well they would never survive Alaska’s winters.

The guide also pointed out this banana tree that we had walked by countless times and never noticed.

There was a massive variegated Hala tree that has been named Harry the Hala and is almost as famous as Gus the banyan in the courtyard.

I don’t remember what these flowers were but they were a lovely shade of coral.

These lobster claw haliconias were extremely unique and positively tropical.

We also spotted flower varieties I was familiar with like these purple morning glories.

The hubs and I had spotted these trees on the big island and loved their large size and interesting branches. During the tour I learned they are called Monkeypod trees, which seems very fitting.

The gardener also pointed out this noni tree, which bears fruit that has been used for medicinal purposes by natives for centuries. While you don’t eat the fruit, which I thought looked a bit like a caterpillar it’s extracts are used to make tea. Today they also use the extracts to make pill supplements, which we purchased at local retailers to ease the hub’s arthritis.

I’m not sure which type of palm this base was from but I loved the strange formation of scales created along the stalk. It looked almost alien to me.

The final stop of the tour was the luau garden where we’d been earlier in the week. It was nice to get an unobstructed view of the area and the roasting pit which was already going for the luau scheduled that evening.

After the tour we headed out to do some shopping and stopped at a local chain restaurant called Fatboyz. We both enjoyed our menu choices and the Aloha brand drinks available. Another of our favorite local chains was Teddy’s Bigger Burger which had a plethora of burger options that all sounded delicious.

While out shopping we stopped by the joint base PX or military Exchange. It was massive – as in the size of a mid-sized mall, complete with a beautiful mural ceiling! They also had the best priced souvenirs, which meant we bought a bit more than we expected.

That evening we walked a few blocks from the hotel to the trendier area of Waikiki, where we found this crazy crosswalk. All of the traffic lights would turn red and the pedestrians would all cross at the same time in every direction! We think it was based on Japanese cities where there are large crowds.

Once we navigated the odd crosswalk intersection we located the Mexican restaurant we’d come in search of on the rooftop of one of the shopping plazas. It was a beautiful view of the city and had a great vibe. We heard that the corner we were sitting in had been used earlier in the day for a photo shoot for the chef, which I could totally envision.

On our last day in Hawaii we made plans to meet up with a friend for dinner and arrived a bit early. Luckily the restaurant was directly across from the Island Princess warehouse, where we sampled several items and I got to pose as a Hula girl.

After we bought several taste test approved treats for the flight home we enjoyed a final chance to catch up with our friend over sushi. Located in the industrial park near the airport, Mitch’s didn’t look like much from the outside, but we quickly learned why this was the local’s favorite sushi spot. Everything was super fresh because Mitch’s is also a fish market! It made perfect sense that they would expand into the sushi business since they have the best stock already. It was the perfect way to end our trip.

We said our final goodbyes and headed over to the airport to make it through customs and security. By the time our flight took off evening had arrived and Oahu gave us a glowing aloha.

I’ll share some tips for planning a trip to Hawaii in my next post so if I’ve inspired you to visit the Aloha state check back for the inside scoop before you make those reservations.

Today I’m sharing our visit to Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial. This was my number one must do while on Oahu and the hubs was in total agreement. We tried to buy tickets in advance online but they were sold out for the date we wanted. Luckily, after some research the hubs learned that they give out free tickets each day to the first 1,000 people in line. The catch is that although they open the gates at 7:30 am, the line starts forming around 6 am. So we made plans to get up super early and ended up being numbers 4 and 5 in line. It was one of the few days we had to get up early during the entire trip and was completely worth it because it meant we were in the first group of the day to visit the memorial. I highly recommend doing the first tour because you get to enter the memorial while it’s empty rather than fighting the departing crowd of the group before yours who are trying to board the boat you just took across. Here’s the view of the memorial and the USS Missouri as we approached and docked at the memorial.

Once aboard the memorial you can see the remains of the ship just beneath the surface although some portions are above the water line. Oil spots are visible on the water all around as the vessel continues to seep these fluids, which they expect will continue for another 50 years.

At one end of the memorial there is an opening over the ship for viewing. This is the spot where divers add the ashes of former USS Arizona crew who choose to join their shipmates upon death. To date, not one of the eligible veterans has refused this opportunity. The day we visited someone offered a lei in honor of those entombed here.

Beyond the opening is a room where the names of the entire crew are displayed on a wall. It’s powerful to see just how many there were. Those who perished with the ship or during the attack are listed on the main wall divided by service – Navy or Marine, while those who rejoined their crew upon death are listed on the smaller walls in front.

As we prepared to leave the memorial I happened to look up and see the flag against a bright blue sky. It was a striking scene as I thought about the attack, the lives lost and the countless acts of heroism that day and in the months following.

There was also a beautiful view of the USS Missouri docked just a short distance away. It’s a fitting addition to the memorial park given it’s rise from the attack and return to service including being the vessel where Japan’s surrender was accepted. And it’s placement next to the USS Arizona is a quiet salute to the costly victory. Across the channel in the other direction is today’s active joint military base, where usual activities were in progress, including a ship heading out of the harbor.

Back across the water at the park we walked the trail of reflection, noting important landmarks along the way. This sign showed a great aerial view of the memorial which gives a better sense of it’s positioning over the vessel.

Along the walkway of viewpoints were signs with quotes from those present during the attacks, but the most moving was this poem Eleanor Roosevelt kept in her wallet during the war. It’s one we should all consider daily, especially these days as many forget the sacrifices military service men and women give to allow their countrymen to safely enjoy their rights back home and around the globe.

This map depicted the layout of the harbor the morning of the attack and next to it was a list of the vessels present, indicating which were destroyed or damaged.

We toured the various displays in the museum area which showcased stories of those present in a variety of ways. One of the most memorable for me was this one about the recovery efforts after the attacks.

Experiencing the memorial and exhibits was something I’ll always remember. While the environment is somber, it’s also a perfect showcase of America’s pride and ability to overcome. That evening we attended a much more lively “must do” activity – a traditional Hawaiian Luau. We decided to go to the luau at the Hale Koa where we were staying just because it was convenient, but I hear it’s one of the best around. After seeing the show I’d agree. The evening began with a welcome to the luau garden where musicians played traditional songs, guests enjoyed drinks and learned how to do Hawaiian activities like making lei’s, weaving palm fronds and swinging rhythmic balls.

As the other activities died down one of the cast members came out to show how natives climb coconut trees. This guy was a total hoot! Full of energy and quick wit he was certainly the star of the show all night. With a cloth tied around his feet for gripping he quickly hopped his way up one of the taller trees in the garden.

He went almost all the way to the top!

And he had jokes from way up there too! Noticing that we were all taking pictures he decided to give a variety of poses.

After the tree climbing there was a short fashion show on how long pieces of cloth were tied in different ways to create a variety of looks for both men and women. And next was the call to dinner, via traditional conch shells.

The men pulled the large roasted pig out of the underground oven and welcomed us into the seating area which was decorated with banana leaves and fresh pineapples – cut and ready to eat next to Hawaiian appetizers. The seating area was a large area with both covered and open air sections. Since the weather was nice we used the open air portion and had seats right up front next to the stage. Our table was in the second row on the left in the photo below. If you look closely you’ll see the hubs next to my empty chair.

The cast performed a variety of dances using gourd moroccos and sticks to accompany the beat of the musicians.

As we enjoyed the dancing showcasing each of the cultures around the Polynesian islands dinner was served. There was a good helping of the roast pig, local beef, rice, a fried banana and sweet potato all topped with a pretty orchid. We also tried Hawaiian poi which is a traditional local food. I can’t say I’m a huge fan, but I did try it.

The final act of the show was a champion fire dancer, who is only 17 years old! It was such an amazing scene I only got this one picture as he began.

Enjoying both of these activities on the same day was good planning and gave us quite the sense of living Hawaiian. In my next post I’ll share our visit to China Town for the Chinese New Year celebrations, shopping at the swap meet and hiking to the ruins!