A Week in Paradise: Day 4
Thursday we took a tour of the island via bus that lasted most of the day. Our bus driver’s brain and mouth were full of interesting facts and jokes about the island.
xoxo
Our first stop that morning was at Hanauma Bay. I remembered that place well. That’s where I learned to snorkel. There were so many fish there I could practically reach out and touch them! It’s a spectacular bay in so many ways.
Hanauma Bay. Like a picture on a postcard.
Next, we stopped at the famous blow-hole in the rocks along the shore. I remembered that place too! The rocks and ocean make for an ominous but beautiful part of the island.
The Blow Hole!
Then the bus made a long climb up the mountain to Pali Lookout. That too, was just as I remembered as a child. The wind was so gusty it threatened to blow us away! But the view was awe-inspiring. The combination of greens and blues, jutting mountains and ocean, is out of this world.
Pali Lookout
We also stopped at a Buddhist temple and soaked in its dramatic green setting against a mountain. One of my favorite pit-stops was at a macadamia nut farm. We wandered around to sample all kinds of flavored nuts (more than once!) and had to buy a package to snack on. We also tried cracking raw macadamia nuts. They’re a bit more delicate than I anticipated! Then it was time for lunch at Kualoa Ranch.
Bron cracking some macadamia nuts
flowers + me = happy
Following lunch was a brief stop at Sunset Beach where the water was as calm as a bathtub, but in the winter, it’s where surfers flock to challenge the wild waves. I couldn’t resist wading into that blue-green crystal clear water! (Have I used the words "beautiful", "awesome", "incredible", etc. too much? I'm sorry! I just can't think of any more words to describe what we saw!)
Ahhh! A rogue wave!
Love those palm trees
Last, but not least, was a tour through the Dole Pineapple factory. We purchased a big cone of pineapple ice cream to try. Bron doesn’t like pineapple flavored anything, but I was in love! More ice cream for me! We saw pineapple fields from afar and saw an array of pineapple plants up close and personal. Bron ate fresh papaya from a farm stand and we wandered the premises admiring all the different trees and flowers.
Pineapples and Pineapple Ice Cream
Look at the colorful plants!
This gum tree was neat. Ripping the bark off revealed beautiful colors.
That night we attended a magic show and then meandered down the beach at Waikiki. We held hands and talked and Bron even kissed me right there on the beach in the moonlight. Romantic, right? Yeah, I’ve got an incredible husband! It was a peaceful romantic evening, a perfect end to a really great day.
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