Well this has been a super productive day, though perhaps not without more than a little, okay a lot of driving. Lisa and I got off to a slightly later than planned start, not heading out until closer to 8:45 than the 7:30 originally planned. I decided to head to the north shore, to Hale'iwa. Lisa wanted to go sunbathing and I wanted to do some sightseeing. We eventually found a beach for her that was acceptable as far as crowds went and beach. The water was perfect for surfboarding, but not for swimming without surf shoes. However, it take a little bit of driving around since the first two public beaches were filled with homeless tenting and surfers, and the second with a vast party under a tent. After driving about for 15 minutes, we eventually found a third beach, and Lisa was at least satisfied.
I drove back up the mountains to head to Schofield Barracks and the 25th Division museum. It was small, located in the old post library, but there was an interesting walking tour that I did about half of. I found the barracks used in the film From Here to Eternity, and the actual barracks where the unit was stationed. (Block C and Block D respectively). I then drove back towards the beach, and stopped at the Dole Plantation. It was massively crowded and really just a giant souvenir shop. I did pick up some t-shirts and souvenirs, and then drove to get Lisa around 12. We were both hungry, so we drove into the historic town of Hale'iwa. We found a little surf restaurant that was recommended in guidebooks. It was quite good, but service was really slow...I mean I understand "Island time" but this was siesta time. The food though, was really good. I had a Kalua pork sandwich and Lisa had a teriyaki chicken sandwich.
After lunch, knowing we had been here for two weeks and that this upcoming week would be busy, we began to search for souvenirs. I think I am mostly done, but Lisa has hardly started. We looked around the shops and I eventually bought a pretty nice Hawaiian shirt for 25% off and some cool postcards. Lisa, despite going into ten shops, found nothing. LOL We then began to drive back over the mountains towards the airport where we had to pick up Lisa's boyfriend who was flying in around 3. Since we got back in the area of the airport by 2, and not wanting to waste time there, I drove to Pearl Harbor and took a quick visit of the bookstore and some pictures towards the Arizona Memorial. I picked up a brief overview book on the attack and a flag that flew over the Arizona Memorial on July 4, 2010. It was the last one (and I know it flags are flown up and down the pole every 2 minutes each day) for that date, and I have a certificate to prove it. It wasn't cheap, but it will remain wrapped and probably put in a display case in my office.
We then drove to the airport to pick up Graham. He was exhausted by starving, so we stopped in Chinatown for a late lunch/early dinner. it was the same restaurant we had eaten in last night, so it was quite good and I had something different this time around. Steamed wontons from Northern China with hot oil...and they meant frigging spicy hot oil. Graham had soup, so I stole a laddle of it and put in my bowl to dilute the oil. They were edible and damn good, but boy were they spicy. By that point, everyone thought it would be best to head back to the dorm, but we gave Graham a brief tour of the Manoa neighborhood.
Graham took a nap, and Lisa and I went in search of a gift for the person who recommended us for this program. So far, we haven't come up with what we were looking for, but we will find it. Tacky is ease, but tacky and tasteful not so easy. We drove back down to Waikiki and wandered about looking for anything. Lisa bought some shirts for herself and two gifts, and I bought another gift from a t-shirt shop. Two hours later, at 8:30, we decided to head back to the parking lot at the zoo where our meter was about to expire, and we drove back towards the university. However a brief stop at Safeway (since we have a car) turned into a fiasco, but we eventually returned back home about 9:30.
Tomorrow we plan on heading out to the Polynesian Cultural Center around 9 am. We are going to drive back around the eastern end of the island again, hopefully in the afternoon once the Tinman Triatholon has ended. I pre-paid for a tank of gas and I am more than half way through the tank, so there are no worries there. I may even have to put in a little bit of gas before I return the car on Monday. I have to make a decision: Monday we have two sessions, but the car is not due back until 2 pm. If I go to the morning session, I will have to move the car to the lower lot at 6:30 am, then pick it up and return it at noon time. I don't think I would make it back in time for the afternoon session. Or I could return the car in the morning at 6:30 and try to make it back to the morning session and the afternoon session. I don't think I will make a decision until Monday morning.
Anyway enjoy the pics...there are a lot this time.
Aloha!
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