Sweet
Honolulu
Sunset @ Lanikuhonua
The endangered and endemic nene (Hawaiian goose) at Waikoloa, Big Island
Winter sunset @ Hawaii Kai
Sunset @ Lanikuhonua
HOLOHOLO
In Hawaiian, holoholo means "to go out, especially for a ride for leisure."
Whenever my parents had the same days off from work, we always went for a drive to Kona, Waimea, the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Saddle Road, or when we had enough time, the entire Big Island. I have many wonderful memories of our "road trips" and believe that's one of the reasons why we're such a close-knit family. Now that I have my own children, I'd like to do the same for them. Here are some of the places we holoholo:
Grand Central Market was packed with a variety of food vendors that served Filipino rice bowls to pupusas to currywurst to fresh oysters. We leisurely walked a lap around the market to see what our dining options were, and along the way we made an observation that the majority of the vendors had these bright pretty neon signs that drew you into their spaces. But nothing prepared us for this massive Bulleit Frontier Whiskey neon sign lit up against one of the walls. It's definitely a work of art.
I freaked out when I saw an Ellenos Real Greek Yogurt stand! I fell in love with their yogurt when we visited Seattle's Pike Place Market a few years ago, and no other yogurt I've eaten since then has come close to how delicious Ellenos' yogurt is. I'd eat their cherry pie yogurt or key lime pie yogurt over any dessert out there. If you ever come across an Ellenos' Real Greek Yogurt stand I recommend you try it.
The main reason for our DTLA trip! The girls had a blast at the TXT concert, and couldn't stop talking about it when they got back to our hotel afterwards. I didn't go, I walked to El Cholo for takeout and enjoyed a few hours alone in our air conditioned hotel room. Overall, we really enjoyed our time in DTLA. There are dangerous areas to avoid, but most of the people were nice or didn't bother us. A neat place to visit, just be aware of your surroundings and belongings.
Grand Central Market was packed with a variety of food vendors that served Filipino rice bowls to pupusas to currywurst to fresh oysters. We leisurely walked a lap around the market to see what our dining options were, and along the way we made an observation that the majority of the vendors had these bright pretty neon signs that drew you into their spaces. But nothing prepared us for this massive Bulleit Frontier Whiskey neon sign lit up against one of the walls. It's definitely a work of art.
July 20 to July 24, 2022
Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA) totally exceeded my expectations. My daughter and I, along with 2 of her friends, spent a short 4 days in just that area alone. Our main purpose for this trip was for the girls to attend a K-pop concert at the Microsoft Theater, but the inner psycho sightseer in me just had to create a detailed daily itinerary for us to check out as many cool places in DTLA that we could.
There was so much to do, see, and EAT within 3 miles of our hotel that we never had to venture far. We rode the world's shortest railway, visited The Broad, saw amazing architecture all over DTLA, ate the best birria tacos I've ever tasted, and even shopped at the most majestic Apple store I'd say, in the United States, maybe even the world? Take a look at the photos and you decide.
4 days wasn't enough time though, and I didn't get to see and eat everything I wanted to. I'd definitely plan another trip to DTLA!
This bigeye emperor was easy to spot because of its big dark eyes and thick lips. Emperors have pointy teeth in the front for grabbing, and molar-like teeth along the sides of their jaws to help them crush the hard shells of sand-dwelling invertebrates like crabs.
This emperor was just hovering near the sand and to me looked completely motionless. However, each time I tried to get closer, it somehow mysteriously was able to keep the same distance from me without moving its fins.
I thought watching the eel chase would be my last adventure of the morning, but as I headed back to shore I spotted something weird in the shallow water. I had to really look closely to confirm that what I was seeing was a lizardfish partly buried in the sand. I don't like lizardfish much because they have large mouths and sharp teeth. They even have teeth on their tongues! 😱
This bigeye emperor was easy to spot because of its big dark eyes and thick lips. Emperors have pointy teeth in the front for grabbing, and molar-like teeth along the sides of their jaws to help them crush the hard shells of sand-dwelling invertebrates like crabs.
July 20, 2019
My morning snorkel at Hanauma Bay felt very different from usual. The brightly colored graceful schools of fish I normally see grazing on algae were replaced with lurking camouflaged carnivores. Don't get me wrong, I was stoked to observe some of these skilled hunters in action. I just wasn't expecting to see so many of them in a span of 20 minutes in one area of the reef!
After my swim as I towel dried myself off on the beach, it dawned on me that these hunters are definitely out there all the time. I just happened to notice them today!
The quiet and serene walking path on the way to Mendenhall Glacier's viewing spots.
It was raining, foggy, and cold when we arrived in Ketchikan, but I think it added to the charm of this quaint little town.
Our cab driver told us we were fortunate the weather was nice enough to view a gorgeous white-capped Mount Rainier!
The quiet and serene walking path on the way to Mendenhall Glacier's viewing spots.
June 8 to June 18, 2019
Before I could tap into my inner Netflix binger for the summer, my entire family and I took our first cruise ever with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law to Alaska's Inside Passage. Alaska was breathtaking! Literally breath.take.king. The air is so frickin' clean there! I was inhaling so much more oxygen than normal (about 18% more, according to our ship's Naturalist), it totally invigorated me. I was walking 6 laps around the Promenade Deck, I would walk up the stairs instead of using the on board elevators (never mind that it was on my way to the lunch buffet), and I was out and about doing everything from Photography Class to Napkin Folding when I thought I would be too pooped to leave my stateroom. Alaska was definitely the most naturally beautiful and pristine place I've ever been to. I loved it. The ocean, wildlife, stunning landscapes, and even some of the ports we visited felt so untouched. I didn't see one Walmart. I hope Alaska never changes.
My daughter and I are huge fans of Hayao Miyazaki, so of course we had to visit the Ghibli Clock near the Shiodome Station. However, we didn't get to see it move because it was under repair at the time, but we weren't too disappointed. Just seeing the clock's intricate details in person was worth the visit.
On Sundays, Chuo Dori (the main street of the Ginza district) is closed to vehicular traffic and becomes a large pedestrian zone. After hours of shopping at Hakuhinkan Toy Park and UNIQLO's massive 12-story store, it felt nice to take a short break under the perfectly placed umbrellas lining the middle of the street.
We had fabulous accommodations at the Hotel Century Southern Tower, a few minutes walking distance from Shinjuku Station. At night we would stroll around the station to admire the many terraces of Christmas lights and decorations.
My daughter and I are huge fans of Hayao Miyazaki, so of course we had to visit the Ghibli Clock near the Shiodome Station. However, we didn't get to see it move because it was under repair at the time, but we weren't too disappointed. Just seeing the clock's intricate details in person was worth the visit.
November 21 to 29, 2018
I have 2 words to describe Tokyo - FRICKIN' AMAZING! Oh I bet everyone's heard from someone about how awesome Tokyo is, but when you experience it yourself, it leaves such a lasting impression on you.
My family and I traveled there this Thanksgiving to visit close friends of ours that moved from Hawaii a couple of years ago. We got to spend 4 out of the 7 days sightseeing with them, which made this trip even more memorable for us. We went to numerous temples and shrines, lost more than we won at the SEGA arcades, spent most of our yen at Tokyo DisneySea, hiked up hundreds of steps to the top of Mount Takao, ate too much street food, ate too little sushi, played with hedgehogs, and fulfilled my daughter's k-pop teen fangirl dreams in Shin-Okubo. We even acted like locals and bought ourselves SUICA cards, and rode the subways and trains everyday and everywhere. We navigated Shinjuku Station like a boss. What awed me the most during our time there you ask? It was the Japanese maple and gingko fall foliage, and winter decorations all around the buildings and streets. Japanese people go all out!
This is my favorite parrotfish in Hawaii. Partly because it's the largest type of parrotfish and I love the blue and green colors of the supermale. But the main reason why I like them is because they remind me of my son! If you notice around the parrotfish's beak, it bears a "mustache" of the algae it eats. Exactly how my son's mouth looks after he eats anything! They both need a napkin, LOL!
I just had to take a picture of this blackspot sergeant damselfish. It kept swimming in my view giving me the stink eye, probably because they are a solitary fish and are territorial.
Bye-bye! Thanks for making my day!
This is my favorite parrotfish in Hawaii. Partly because it's the largest type of parrotfish and I love the blue and green colors of the supermale. But the main reason why I like them is because they remind me of my son! If you notice around the parrotfish's beak, it bears a "mustache" of the algae it eats. Exactly how my son's mouth looks after he eats anything! They both need a napkin, LOL!
May 20, 2017
"AHH!! SNAKE!!!"
That's what I heard a Chinese tourist scream as I was snorkeling at Hanauma Bay this morning. I'd been trying to snap a decent picture of an ornate butterflyfish when a huge moray eel slithered right next to me. It scared the bejeezus out of me at first, but as the marine geek in me took over, I couldn't stop thinking that this was the coolest thing I've ever seen at Hanauma Bay. A moray eel on the hunt for food! YAAAS!
Although she was totally off the mark, internally I was thanking that tourist for yelling "SNAKE!!!" because it sure made it easier for me to follow that eel. While all the other snorkelers rapidly swam away from it like Jaws was after them, my path was cleared to observe it foraging. Don't worry, I didn't get too close to it and I don't smell like a fish (I hope I don't!), so I knew it posed little threat to me. Unfortunately I lost sight of it within a few minutes though. It swam too fast and hid within the reef again. But just watching it up close for that short period of time sure made my day!
My sister-in-law treated us to her favorite restaurant in San Fran - Crustacean. She ordered both the Drunken Crab (left) and The Roast Crab (right), and a few other seafood dishes. I preferred The Roast Crab, along with a side of An's Garlic Noodles. Everything tasted amazing!
A couple blocks from Crustacean was Bob's Donut & Pastry Shop, known for The Big Donut Challenge. You see that humongous donut on top? You gotta eat that in 3 minutes. If I hadn't just eaten dinner at Crustacean I think I would've accepted that challenge! Instead I ate a scrumptious Apple Fritter, another donut they're famous for.
There were many other delicious desserts and restaurants we ate at while in San Fran, but I just forgot to take pictures of them. There's so many more places I want to try too. I can't wait to go back!
My sister-in-law treated us to her favorite restaurant in San Fran - Crustacean. She ordered both the Drunken Crab (left) and The Roast Crab (right), and a few other seafood dishes. I preferred The Roast Crab, along with a side of An's Garlic Noodles. Everything tasted amazing!
Oct. 9 to Oct. 15, 2016
I totally left my heart in San Francisco! During my kid's Fall Break, my family and I spent a week there with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law, and like so many people, we all fell in love with the City by the Bay.
There is just so much to see and do in this unique city! From the landmarks to the diverse architecture, the topography, the crisp weather and fog, the museums and parks, the history. And that's not it! How can I not mention the cable cars and streetcars which rivaled any ride at Disneyland! Okay, is it weird that I was super impressed with the San Francisco Muni System? Well, I was! But everyone, what really surprised me the most was how amazing the food was. Everywhere we ate topped my mental list of personal favorites. I cannot wait to visit this beautiful city again!
July 10 to July 15, 2016
My kids and I just spent the week with my dad, taking it easy in quiet Hilo. My kids say that no summer break is complete without a short vacay to the Big Island. I totally agree! I love going home. I get to see my family and visit my mom's grave, plus everything slows down in small town life and I feel so relaxed. Ahh, just the pick-me-up I needed!
Usually when we visit my dad he likes to take us sightseeing around the island. This time he drove us to Kalapana and Pohoiki, two places I haven't been to since I was in high school. It hasn't changed a bit! Another day we went to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and had an okazuya picnic lunch under the ohia lehua blossoms. And of course we always have to save one day to visit Coconut Island and Lili'uokalani Gardens, my kids favorite Hilo parks. When we were there it was crowded with local people of various ages - from young children to seniors, all on their cell phones playing Pokemon Go!
There are gorgeous views of Koko Crater and the Kaiwi Shoreline as you walk up the western side of the ridge.
As the trail switches direction and somewhat levels out, you get a peek of the blue ocean between the two green summits.
The topmost viewing area of the trail was closed today due to construction, but luckily this one wasn't. Here you see the breathtaking views of the windward coast of Oahu.
There are gorgeous views of Koko Crater and the Kaiwi Shoreline as you walk up the western side of the ridge.
June 14, 2016
There's a 4-letter word that everyone is absolutely forbidden to say in the presence of my 16-year old niece. Just a slight hint of suggesting it will earn you the stinkest of eyes. What is this 4-letter word, you ask? ....HIKE. Yes, you read it correctly...hike. I used to laugh at her displeasure of that word until my niece told me of a hike she did with her P.E. class in Utah - miles of narrow switchbacks up mountain slopes, steep rocky ascents and descents, and TONS of snakes! Yikes! Now I understand her aversion.
Well, my niece is here now visiting us for her 2-week Hawaii summer vacation. Knowing how detestable the h-word is to her, I bravely asked if she would take a leisurely "walk" on the Makapu'u Point Lighthouse Trail. Roundtrip it's a short 2-miles up and down on a paved one-lane road with gorgeous views of the Kaiwi Shoreline. At the top are equally magnificent views of the historic red-roofed Makapu'u Lighthouse and the windward coast, with its white, sandy beaches and offshore islets. I promised my niece we would stop at the multiple rest benches and viewing areas along the trail, and I gave her my personal guarantee of NO SNAKES! She happily agreed to go, especially when I promised to treat her to a bubble tea from Kokonut's right after.
While waiting for our ferry to arrive, I took in the gorgeous view of the Kualoa Ridge Mountains and Chinaman's Hat.
It's a short 25-minute ferry ride to Coconut Island. Enough time to bask in the sun, appreciate the fantastic views of Oahu's windward side, and of course, troll for plankton samples!
Remember the TV show Gilligan's Island? Although none of the scenes were filmed on Coconut Island, the pictures during the opening theme song are of Moku O Lo'e! Heading back to Oahu on the ferry, I thought "Which character would I have been?" Definitely Mary Ann!
While waiting for our ferry to arrive, I took in the gorgeous view of the Kualoa Ridge Mountains and Chinaman's Hat.
April 25, 2016
When I received an invitation to tour the secluded "Coconut Island" in Kaneohe Bay, believe me, I jumped at the chance to go! For one, you can't just hop on your kayak and drop by anytime you like. Currently this 28-acre island is home to the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, a renowned marine research and learning institution, so you need permission from them to visit. Sounds pretty fishy to me, but who knows what top secret experiments they're working on!
For another, I really wanted to go because I've always been intrigued with one of the past owners of the island, Christian Holmes II. He was the heir to the Fleischmann Yeast fortune and he bought the island in the 1930's for $50k. He basically turned it into his own private paradise and party central. He more than doubled the original acreage of the island and also added fish ponds and a huge saltwater swimming pool for his famous movie star guests to enjoy. He even had a small zoo with exotic animals. In fact, you can still see the little elephant enclosure today, along with many other unique reminders of the island's interesting history.
This spectacular Halloween "Tree-T" Cake was displayed in the Grand Californian Hotel's 6-story lobby.
Oct. 3 to Oct. 8, 2015
I have the Disneyland blues. It's so hard to come back to reality when you've just spent a jam-packed fun-filled week at The Happiest Place On Earth! I miss the magical place where I would wear my R2-D2 Mickey Mouse ear hat and be considered normal. I miss the churros, the hefty weight of my Disney pins secured to the lanyard around my neck, the fried chicken at the Plaza Inn, and the giddy excitement of seeing Darth Vader, Mary Poppins, or the both of them in one day!
Since we visited during the month of October, the Haunted Mansion was taken over by Jack Skellington from Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. The decorations were awesome which made this my favorite attraction this trip! I took too many pictures of everything, so I included only those from the Haunted Mansion Holiday and a few others of some special Halloween ornamentation and 60th Diamond Celebration treats we spotted during our stay.
From when we landed in Salt Lake City there were amazing views of the mountains, even from this Sizzler restaurant parking lot.
Looks like the sun just set over Hawaii. What a gorgeous welcome home!
From when we landed in Salt Lake City there were amazing views of the mountains, even from this Sizzler restaurant parking lot.
May 23 to May 27, 2015
My sister, niece, brother-in-law, and their two loveable Boston Terriers live in the beautiful state of Utah, about 30 minutes away from Salt Lake City. Before you ask, no, they aren't Mormon! Their jobs just happen to be in Utah. Nothing against that religion, but I get asked that question almost every single time I mention where they live.
Anyway, my family and I, my dad, and my brother traveled all the way from Hawaii to support my niece as she received the sacrament of Confirmation (yup, we're Catholic!) It was one of my mom's last wishes for our whole family to be there for this very special celebration. There's no doubt in my heart that her spirit was with us that weekend. After all, my mom was the one who always brought family together.
The starting point of the trail and location of the bathrooms and information booth. If you're going, get a map and brochure to make sure you look at all the points of interest on the crater.
You can see the switchback trail going up the interior slope of the crater. From this point on, no more switchbacks, we now head up 74 concrete steps to reach the first narrow tunnel.
Views of inside Diamond Head crater, and in the distance - Koko Head and Koko Crater.
The starting point of the trail and location of the bathrooms and information booth. If you're going, get a map and brochure to make sure you look at all the points of interest on the crater.
April 27, 2015
This morning a friend and I hiked at a leisurely pace to the top of Diamond Head, the most recognized landmark in Hawaii. Out of all the hiking trails I've trekked on Oahu, this one is in my Top 5. Because Diamond Head was purchased by the Feds in the early 1900's and designated for fortification to defend Oahu against attack, the military features you encounter when hiking this trail are super cool. There are steep stairways (the longest one consisting of 99 consecutive steps), narrow tunnels, bunkers, and a spiral staircase which accessed the 4 levels of the Fire Control Station. The coolest part is when you reach the end of the trail at the summit of Diamond Head, and you're rewarded with gorgeous panoramic views from Koko Head to Waianae.
What a gorgeous sight of snow-capped Mauna Kea (left) and Mauna Loa (right) from our airplane window. My son said the clouds look like endless marshmallows. No surprise there since he always has to stir that in his hot cocoa. Good thing my Dad keeps the Marshmallow Lover's packets in stock!
View of Diamond Head, Waikiki, Kaka'ako and the Reef Runway from our airplane window.
What a gorgeous sight of snow-capped Mauna Kea (left) and Mauna Loa (right) from our airplane window. My son said the clouds look like endless marshmallows. No surprise there since he always has to stir that in his hot cocoa. Good thing my Dad keeps the Marshmallow Lover's packets in stock!
March 16 to 21, 2015
My two kids were on Spring Break, so we took a short 45-minute airplane ride to Hilo and spent the week with my dad. You probably noticed that when my kids are out of school we like to travel to the Big Island more than any of the other islands, like Maui or Kauai. Well, what can I say? Although the other islands are beautiful in their own way, the Big Island is my favorite island. I grew up there and most of my family still lives there, so of course I'm biased. Besides, what other island in Hawaii boasts an active volcano that spews lava, has lush rainforests, not one but two majestic snow-capped mountains, white, black, AND green sand beaches, the tallest waterfalls in the state, acres and acres of untouched land, and uniquely, hot spring ponds heated by the volcano? Ha! Yeah, there is no other!
Our main purpose going on this trip was to spend time with my dad and relax, and although my daughter got sick halfway through our visit, we did manage to take a road trip at the beginning of our stay to the northern "thumb" of the island, to the small town of Kapa'au. There we visited the original King Kamehameha statue and checked out Holy's Bakery, open since the 1930's and locally famous for their frozen buttery double-crusted fruit pies.
My morning at the Refuge was just what I needed. I learned a little about the wetlands and waterbirds of Hawaii, it brought me away from the city and to the country, and it's sereneness gave me some peace.
February 28, 2015
Whenever I need to lift my spirits I turn to nature. Sometimes just being outdoors weeding my yard will do the trick, but what really comforts me is being near the ocean or anywhere with water. So when I got invited to go on a walking tour at the James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge, I RSVP'd yes right away.
The Refuge is located near the North Shore, between Turtle Bay Resort and the Kahuku shrimp trucks. Since I was coming from south Oahu I took the scenic route through Kamehameha Highway. It was pouring rain the whole drive there, but I still enjoyed checking out Chinaman's Hat and all the different mom and pop general stores along the highway. It wasn't until I passed Kahuku High School (go Red!) that the heavy rain cleared up and some sun finally peaked through the dark clouds. Just in time for the tour!
The Refuge itself is just beautiful, located on natural wetlands to provide habitats for endangered Hawaiian waterbirds and plantlife. It's only open to the public during non-breeding season, making this the last tour before the Refuge closes for the spring and summer, which is when the Ae'o (Hawaiian Stilt) nest.
Displayed outside the museum is a U.S. Light Tank M24 (seen here), a Prefabricated Steel Pillbox, a Japanese Light Tank, a Howitzer, and a Monarchy Cannon.
A Prefabricated Steel Pillbox. In war, you would only see the gun turret (top portion) above ground. The bottom portion of the pillbox would be placed underground and connected with other pillboxes through buried pipes.
My kids call this the "secret" passageway. It's a very long, narrow passageway leading from the rooftop stairs next to the replica gun to the first gallery in the museum. They call it "secret" because we always see visitors using the elevator to go back downstairs. To my kids, it seems like we're the only ones who use this exit.
Displayed outside the museum is a U.S. Light Tank M24 (seen here), a Prefabricated Steel Pillbox, a Japanese Light Tank, a Howitzer, and a Monarchy Cannon.
July 23, 2014
Since my niece is flying back home to the mainland tomorrow, we headed to the Hawaii Army Museum to play Puka Shell Tour Guide one last time before she leaves. We decided on going there because: (1) the museum is air-conditioned, and (2) it's free! Plus we learned so much about the aviation side of World War II yesterday, we figured we'd continue the history lesson by understanding the types of artillery used in the war.
During our visit we discovered that the Army Museum doesn't just display weaponry from World War II, but also artifacts of ancient Hawaiian warfare, and heat from the Korean and Vietnam Wars. I thought the museum did a great job in explaining how military events and technology has affected Hawaii and its people. But my kids weren't that deep, they just liked the tanks, the guns, and the "secret" passageway at the end of the museum.
An authentic MitsubishiA6M2. Nickname = Zero. In the 40's, it was the best carrier-based fighter in the world. This type of aircraft is what controlled the skies on December 7, 1941 on the attack at Pearl Harbor.
A Curtis P-40E Warhawk (Nickname = Kittyhawk), the Air Force's foremost pursuit-fighter in World War II.
View of the Control Tower outside Hangar 79. A Boeing B-52 (Nickname = B.U.F.F.) sticks its nose out of the hangar's doors. Inside the hangar, climb a few steps and you can see inside the Boeing's cockpit.
An authentic MitsubishiA6M2. Nickname = Zero. In the 40's, it was the best carrier-based fighter in the world. This type of aircraft is what controlled the skies on December 7, 1941 on the attack at Pearl Harbor.
July 22, 2014
Now, this was one of the places on my kids' list that I was excited to visit! If you're a history enthusiast like me, you'd definitely enjoy the Pacific Aviation Museum at Pearl Harbor.
Since air power was big in World War II, Hangar 37 in the museum houses many aircraft used during that time, the most interesting to me being an authentic Japanese Zero, which controlled the skies during the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Here you can see the flight path and the types of bombs the Japanese used on December 7, 1941.
Hangar 79 is equally cool, it's where you can see more modern military jets and helicopters up close. When we were walking around Hangar 79, was it just me, or was everyone hearing the song "Highway To The Danger Zone" in their head?
The temple was still picturesque, although the large reflecting pond in front was being drained for maintenance.
The Bell House.
The temple was still picturesque, although the large reflecting pond in front was being drained for maintenance.
July 20, 2014
My niece, two kids and I are back on Oahu after having a relaxing and fun visit with my mom and dad in Hilo. Now that we're back home, my daughter and son want to play tour guide again and continue where they left off with their list of things to do with their cousin before she leaves to go back to the mainland. On their list were a few unusual tourist destinations. One of those places caught the attention of my niece, so we decided to go there today, to the Byodo-In Temple.
The Byodo-In Temple on Oahu is a smaller scale replica of the over 950-year old Byodo-In Temple in Japan. The grounds are meticulously landscaped, and because of its location at the foot of the Ko'olau Mountains in Kahalu'u, it's very peaceful and lush. It's easy to imagine yourself being transported to Japan, especially when you smell the burning incense in the temple and when walking around the Japanese gardens all you hear is nature and the calming tone of the bon-sho (sacred bell) being struck by visitors.
Our first stop once entering the national park was to see Kilauea Iki Crater, which erupted in 1959. My dad was a teen back then and said he remembers watching the lava fountains reach over a thousand feet in the air.
You can see a well worn trail at the bottom of the crater for thrill-seeking hikers, and behind the cinder cone you can see the plume of volcanic gas from Kilauea's lava lake within Halema'uma'u Crater.
What an awesome sight to remember as we leave the park and head back to Oahu!
Our first stop once entering the national park was to see Kilauea Iki Crater, which erupted in 1959. My dad was a teen back then and said he remembers watching the lava fountains reach over a thousand feet in the air.
July 18, 2014
It's our last day on the Big Island, and luckily for my kids and niece it stopped raining and the sun has finally peeked through the clouds! Not missing the chance to be outside, my dad took us for a short drive to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to check out Kilauea, an active volcano which has been continuously erupting for over 30 years.
Growing up in Hilo, my parents would always take my siblings and I to see Kilauea erupting, so it was very commonplace to us. As kids we pretty much took it for granted that the volcano was only about 30 minutes away from home. It wasn't until I became an adult that I noticed at the national park all the people of different countries speaking their native languages looking at the erupting volcano in awe. These tourists traveled so far and spent so much just to see her. Makes me appreciate my childhood memories even more and recognize how fortunate I was to grow up on the Big Island.
As you enter 'Imiloa, there is a huge mosaic on the foyer floor depicting their mission: to honor Mauna Kea by sharing Hawaiian culture and science to inspire exploration.
The Astronomy Origins Tunnel.
This photomural shows the location of the 13 observatories located at the summit of Mauna Kea and which country they belong to.
As you enter 'Imiloa, there is a huge mosaic on the foyer floor depicting their mission: to honor Mauna Kea by sharing Hawaiian culture and science to inspire exploration.
July 17, 2014
It's been raining day and night since we arrived in Hilo, but as you already know it doesn't bother me. I love the rain. Makes my parents house feel all the more cozy and helps me sleep like a log, even when I'm sharing the mattress with my two kids and their feet are nudged in my back all night long. It also gives my kids and niece more time indoors to challenge my mom to the Japanese picture card game, Hanafuda. You should see the way they slam the cards on the table and trash talk one another. All learned in fun from my mom, who has always liked to play any kind of card games, taught us all how to play cards, and who I believe is the "Mastah of Hanafuda".
Since it was raining non-stop and my parents had to run errands, I took my kids and niece to the 'Imiloa Astronomy Center. We always learn so much from watching the different movies in the planetarium about space and the Hawaiian islands. And because my kids love to touch everything, they really enjoy the interactive exhibits and computers there.
Since it was declared the World's Largest, we had to try the Pineapple Garden Maze. I didn't know the botanical maze was planted over 3 acres. No wonder it took us a little over an hour to find the eight secret stations!
We devoured the Pineapple Split in record time. This is what was left.
June 29, 2014
One of the places on my kids' list of things to do with their cousin was to visit the Dole Plantation. My family (myself included), brother, and niece had never been to the plantation before, so we woke up early and drove away from the city to the north side of the island. It felt good to be in the country, almost like being back on the Big Island!
When we got there some of the attractions we did were the Pineapple Express train tour, feed koi in the garden, and navigate through the 3-acre Pineapple Garden Maze. Since it's a labyrinth of botanical paths, it took us a little over an hour to figure out where the eight secret stations were. So it was hard for me to believe that the fastest time to complete the maze on record was 10 minutes! There's no way! Now, if they had a contest for how fast you could eat the Pineapple Split from the restaurant, we would beat any record hands down!
Because the Aquarium has glass roof panels, live corals in each exhibit thrive from the sunlight. One of my favorite types is the Bubble Coral seen in the right side of this pic.
I call this the Nemo tank. Ever wondered why the clown anemonefish doesn't get stung by the anemone?
Because the Aquarium has glass roof panels, live corals in each exhibit thrive from the sunlight. One of my favorite types is the Bubble Coral seen in the right side of this pic.
June 27, 2014
It's the first full day of my niece's visit in Hawaii and I should've known that she would want to visit the Waikiki Aquarium foremost. When she was younger she attended the Summer By The Sea weekly day camps there for two years in a row. Since then she's aspiring to become a Marine Biologist and also study Ocean Engineering. Everyone knows how much I love the Waikiki Aquarium and how often I've visited there over the years, but I think she's more of a marine geek than I am!
After viewing every single marine life possible at the Aquarium, we walked next door to check out the Waikiki Natatorium War Memorial, a World War I memorial built in the form of an ocean water swimming pool. It's closed to the public due to deterioration and safety issues but I still love to look at the facade and peek through the locked gates. When I do, I can picture in my mind how splendid it must've looked as Olympic Gold Medalist Duke Kahanamoku dove into the saltwater pool in front of a cheering crowd when the memorial first opened in 1927.
The Honolulu Zoo is located at the end of Waikiki, near Kapiolani Park, the Waikiki Shell and the base of Diamond Head.
These tortoises might move slowly but they sure are frisky. Almost every time we visit the zoo, they're mating. Not this time though!
The Nene (or Hawaiian Goose) is Hawaii's State Bird. It's the world's rarest goose, an endangered species and endemic to Hawaii.
The Honolulu Zoo is located at the end of Waikiki, near Kapiolani Park, the Waikiki Shell and the base of Diamond Head.
June 4, 2014
My two kids love going to the Honolulu Zoo so much that we've bought annual family passes ever since they were babies. We can spend hours there observing and learning about the animals and plants. We try to go at various times during the day on each visit because we always see different animals out in their habitat doing different things. For example, if you go in the early morning, you can hear the loud, patterned calls of the Siamang Gibbon and see them swinging around their structure, but you won't see the Indian elephants or African lions out. I'm probably wrong, but my crazy hypothesis is that the animals are like people, some are early risers and some like to sleep in late.
This time we went to the zoo around noon, and although it was a scorching hot day, we enjoyed ourselves. The primates always do something to make us laugh, my kids counted how many animals they saw pooping, and I was very lucky this time, we didn't see or hear any animals mating, which would've started the 20 awkward questions from my kids.
The view of Hanauma Bay at the top entrance. Before heading down to the beach, this is where you have to watch a short film on the rules of snorkeling at Hanauma Bay.
Hanauma Bay is a MLCD (Marine Life Conservation District) meaning fishing and the removal of any marine item (empty seashells included) is prohibited.
What a great way to end my snorkeling adventure today! This Hawaiian Whitespotted Toby just swam into my view before I was about to get out of the water.
The view of Hanauma Bay at the top entrance. Before heading down to the beach, this is where you have to watch a short film on the rules of snorkeling at Hanauma Bay.
May 29, 2014
Today is the last day of school for my two kids. They start summer break tomorrow which means my vacation is over and I'll have them home all day, every day, for two months! Since my husband took off from work today, he suggested we go snorkeling at Hanauma Bay before we pick up the kids from school. He is so awesome, he knows how much I love snorkeling!
Although we were there for only an hour, it was worth it. I got to see so many different fishes! However, since it was a short school day, we barely made it back in time to pick up the kids. I did feel a little guilty when they saw my wet tank top and shorts from my bikini underneath. The first thing out of their mouths were an accusing, "You went to the beach without us?!"....Uh-oh, busted! Next time we need to leave enough time to go home and change before picking them up.
There's parking that's close to the beach, lifeguards, picnic tables, restrooms, and showers.
A last peek of the beach before we leave to head home.
May 25, 2014
There were thunderstorms forecasted for this weekend's weather, but that didn't stop my family, my brother, and my in-laws from enjoying our Memorial Day weekend at the beach. Despite that the sky was overcast all morning, we chose to cool off at Waimanalo Beach Park, instead of suffering with the high humidity at home. It was the perfect condition for the kids to go swimming. There were basically no tradewinds at all so the ocean was flat. And the clouds blocked out the sun so it wasn't unbearably hot.
However, after we were there for about an hour, we did hear thunder and see dark clouds in the distance, but no worries, it never reached us. Unless there was lightning, I don't think it would've mattered much. The kids were having too much fun and by then we were too far gone in our beach bum modes to pack up all of our stuff and head home.
View of the back of Manoa valley.
View of downtown Honolulu, Kaka'ako and front of Manoa valley.
The whole time there I was waiting for my wiseguy brother to make a Forks (Twilight) reference, & right when we were leaving, he didn't disappoint! LOL!
View of the back of Manoa valley.
April 5, 2014
Usually our Saturdays are occupied with my son's baseball games and running errands. Since it was sunny and his team finished an early game on time, we spontaneously decided to go on a picnic lunch right after. My brother jumped in our van with us, we then picked up some okazuya from St. Louis Delicatessen and headed up St. Louis Heights to Wa'ahila Ridge State Recreation Area.
The trek to get to the park was an adventure itself with the steep hills and winding roads. And when you get there you find yourself in a Norfolk Island pine forest, surrounded by trees. It's so serene. The only noises you hear are the bird songs and the chirps of baby chicks. Hard to believe the bustling city of Honolulu is only 10 minutes down the ridge!
Colorful charms being sold at one of the street vendor's tents.
Beautiful and decorative good luck bamboo plants being sold at another street vendor.
Walking back to our car, we passed by the "Pride of the Pacific", the Historic Hawaii Theatre.
Colorful charms being sold at one of the street vendor's tents.
January 25, 2014
The Chinese New Year begins on January 31 this year, which means this weekend there are lots of events going on in Honolulu Chinatown. One event we enjoy going to is the annual street festival.
What happens is two main streets in Chinatown are closed to vehicular traffic and vendors line the streets selling dim sum, other different ethnic and local food, Chinese good luck charms and plants, jade bracelets, Chinese lion puppets, lai see (red money envelopes), Year of the Horse t-shirts, etc. All through the evening you can hear the constant pounding of drums and cymbals from the lion dance performances. We always have lots of fun walking around Chinatown, and I think it's a great event for my family and I to experience and learn about the foods and traditions of a culture different from our own.
The Aquarium is hosting 6 threatened honu hatchlings until they're large enough to be released into the ocean. They're so cute!
Green sea turtles surface to breathe in about 15 minute intervals. During the night when their metabolism slows, they only have to surface once every 2 hours.
Because of it's long snout, this hawkfish will never be mistaken as any other hawkfish species.
The Aquarium is hosting 6 threatened honu hatchlings until they're large enough to be released into the ocean. They're so cute!
December 9, 2013
One of my absolute favorite places to visit on Oahu is the Waikiki Aquarium. A lot of people consider it to be tiny, especially for an aquarium on a tropical island. Surrounded by the Pacific Ocean. Where there's tons of fish. Yeah, yeah, ok, it's located in a small building on a compact, prime piece of real estate in Waikiki, but if you take the time to really look at the exhibits and learn, you'd be amazed at all the interesting marine life living there!
Usually the Waikiki Aquarium is closed at night, but there was a special event going on this evening. I think some of the diurnal animals (day active animals, for you non-marine geeks) thought I was the paparazzi, since they were awake and posing for my camera.
You can see Manana (Rabbit Island) in the background.
October 26, 2013
Today we visited the Waimanalo Country Farms' Pumpkin Patch to pick up some pumpkins to carve for Halloween. Usually we get our pumpkins from those big cardboard pumpkin pits at the supermarket, so being out in the country on a farm was a real treat for us. It even brought out a little bit of redneck in my Honolulu-born husband when he had to maneuver some off-roading in our truck to get to the farm.
There was plenty of fun activities when we got there. There was pumpkin picking, a sunflower maze, farm animals to pet, tractor pulled hayrides, a cow train for the keiki, pumpkin decorating, and my kids' favorite, a pumpkin cannon!
The main oar that steers the canoe.
Koko Crater in the background.
October 22, 2013
Starting early 2014, the Hokule'a and her crew are embarking on a 4-year voyage around the world to share the Hawaiian culture and their knowledge and skills of traditional voyaging. Before they start their worldwide journey, they've been touring the Hawaiian Islands to show their gratitude and to honor the Hawaiian community. Can you imagine how excited I was to hear that her last stop in Hawaii was in my neck of the woods (or should I say marina), and that we could actually board her?
Although I feel like I grew up with the Hokule'a, this was my first time seeing her up close. It was amazing to see how she was built, where the crew sleep, and learn how they traditionally navigate without instruments similar to extinct Polynesian methods by studying the stars and ocean swells. However, since she is a replica of a traditional voyaging canoe, we didn't find a bathroom on her, and my kids and I were too embarrassed to ask one of the crew members where they go #1 or #2. We did come up with some imaginative and gross scenarios on our own during the car ride home though!
I wish the Hokule'a and her crew a safe and successful worldwide journey!
The view of the break wall as we crossed the footbridge to Coconut Island.
The view of the Hamakua Coast from Coconut Island.
The Naha Stone is located right in front of the Hilo Public Library.
The view of the break wall as we crossed the footbridge to Coconut Island.
October 11, 2013
Every time we're in Hilo my two children insist on going to Coconut Island and Lili'uokalani Gardens. It's our last day here and luckily for them it stopped raining, so we loaded the car with some folding chairs and a cooler full of drinks, and picked up some cone sushi and shrimp tempura from Kawamoto Store. My parents dropped us off so we could cross the footbridge to Coconut Island and watch the local kids jump off the tower into the ocean, then we walked across the street and met them at Lili'uokalani Gardens to have a picnic lunch.
In the garden, my kids have a blast exploring the stepping stone paths, looking through the Japanese stone lanterns, and crossing the different bridges. Their favorite place to hang out, get some shade, and watch the fishes in the pond is in the red pagoda bridge. Sometimes during high tide, water from the ocean covers that bridge and the red pagoda looks as if it's floating in the pond. I once saw someone walking across that bridge during high tide and I had to look twice, it looked like he was walking on water!
When we arrived in Hilo, it was overcast and raining, so we weren't able to see the rainbow at the bottom of Rainbow Falls. It's usually there on a sunny day.
There's a pretty impressive statue of King Kamehameha right in Hilo town, if you don't want to drive to Kohala to see the original.
To me it looks as if King Kamehameha was asking the gods to blow away the rain clouds for us.
When we arrived in Hilo, it was overcast and raining, so we weren't able to see the rainbow at the bottom of Rainbow Falls. It's usually there on a sunny day.
October 8, 2013
We arrive in Hilo and it's raining and cool, just how I like it. Call me weird but the rain makes me happy. Yup, I'm a Hilo girl.
My two children however, were born and raised in Honolulu, so they're kind of bummed about the weather. They've been formulating all sorts of plans for Grandpa and Grandma to take them sightseeing. Little do they know that rain has never stopped Hilo people from doing anything, especially when it's my parents trying to please their grandkids. When we see a break in the rain clouds, we hop in the car and take a short drive to Rainbow Falls and then head to the bay front to see the King Kamehameha statue. Now everyone's happy.