Paradise Cove Luau

[ √ ] Luau

Last Friday Rob took me (along with a friend from the ship and his wife and his brother) to a luau!  It was great fun!  We went to the Paradise Cove Luau in Ewa Beach.

I was super upset at myself for forgetting my camera, thankfully with our deluxe royal luau package we got two photos. One with a sexy Hawaiian Lady in a coconut top and a sexy muscular Hawaiian Guy...

... It'd be better if their tanned bodies didn't make me look so pasty white!!!

I think this is a pretty good one of Rob and I!  Especially since we're spoiled with technology and digital camera and didn't get to look at it or do any retakes, lol

When we entered Paradise Cove, we were greeted with an Aloha and a Lei.  Mine was a beautiful Plumeria Lei and Rob's was an awesome Kukui Nut Lei.  

Little History:  Brought by the early Polynesian settler, the Kukui Tree became very useful to Hawaiian People.  Once used as a source of light at night by early Hawaiians, the Kukui Nut was nicknamed Candle Nut.  This was done so by breaking the shell in half.  Leaving the seed intact and was strung on a wooden stick and was let to burn overnight.  Kukui Nut, also with its unique shape, size, and color are hand picked and hand polished, strung into a beautiful lei worn by Hawaiian Royalty, which symbolizes high honor and nobility.  

We then enjoyed some Mai Tais, virgin ones so it was basically just a delicious mix of fruit juices.  The luau had such fun things like lei making, temporary Hawaiian tattoos, and spear throwing!  We were able to walk along the beach and watch the sun set.  There was even a market place with shops selling native Hawaiian art and jewelry.  

Rob bought me a beautiful silver plumeria necklace!  I LOVE IT!

They had fun shows on how to hula, how to tie your sarong, how to open a coconut, and climbing a palm tree to reach the coconuts.  

They even showed us the ancient tradition of bringing in the fishing nets at sundown.

After that, they lead us to the outside amphitheater for the Royal Procession and presentation of the pig.

But the best part... dinner!  We had a tasty salad, potato salad, macaroni salad, then delicious meal of pulled pork, white fish with macadamia nut sauce, fried chicken and green beans!  I even tried Poi.  

Poi is a Polynesian staple food made from the taro plant (known in Hawaiian as kalo). Poi is produced by mashing the cooked taro (baked or steamed) until it is a highly fluid. Water is added during mashing and again just before eating, to achieve a desired consistency.

It was... interesting.  Bland and a different consistency than I'm used to, for sure.  But not horrible!

And after I was sufficiently stuffed, they brought out dessert!  Coconut cake, chocolate cake, pineapple slices, and Haupia.  

Haupia is a traditional coconut milk-based sort of gelatin dessert.  It's pretty good.  :)

After a delicious dinner, we had an amazing show.  Learning the culture of the island and surrounding islands.  Watching hula dancers and the best...

The fire dancer!  IT....WAS...AMAZING!  Best way to end the evening!

So much fun!  I can't wait to go to another one!  With my camera this time!

Makapu'u Trail & Lighthouse

[ √ ] Makapu'u Lighthouse

Today was a beautiful day for a hike!  It was hot, but there was a gloriously cool sea breeze that made it just perfect! 

On my way to the trail that would lead me to Makapu'u Lighthouse, I stopped at the lookout point

This is the view towards Waimanalo and Kailua

Man!  That water is blue!

I wandered over to Ka'ili'ili Bay and took some amazing pictures of the ocean.  It was so beautiful!

If you'd like to see a video of this, click here :)

Koko Head Crater 

Here's the trailhead! 

Here's the map of where I'll be hiking!  The solid red line is the trail I took

About half way up, I stopped and snapped a picture of Ka'ili'ili Bay

I can't wait to come back during the winter (December - May) to see some whales!

It was pretty crazy to be hiking in Hawaii and see cactus (panini - in Hawaiian) 

About 3/4 of the way up I got this beautiful picture of Makapu'u Lighthouse!

I made it to the top!

Kaohikaipu islet (on the left) and Manana Island (on the right) are wildlife sanctuaries.

Another view towards Waimanalo and Kailua

The lighthouse from the top 

This is a great piece of history.  It's a plaque that memorializes 9 naval aviators that pasted away in April of 1942.

On a clear day, you can see the Hawaiian Islands of Molokai and Lanai...

If you look directly at the horizon, you'll see faint outlines of the islands.  It might look like clouds, but they're really islands! (If you click on the picture, it will enlarge and you can see better what I'm talking about!)

Closer view of Koko Head Crater

On my way home, I passed by a market with these out front!  They made me think of my mom :)

I had a great day and it was a wonderful hike.  But, boy, I was glad to come home and put my feet up!

Diamond Head Crater & Lighthouse

[ √ ] Diamond Head Crater 

Welcome to the historic site of Le'ahi summit, also known as Diamond Head Crater.

Yesterday I hiked...

Little bit of early history:  It's given the name Le'ahi because the summit resembles  the forehead (lae) of the 'ahi fish.  And, in the late 1700s, Western explorers visited Le'ahi and mistook the calcite crystals in the rocks on the slope of the crater as diamonds.  Thus, the name Diamond Head.

The very top of that left peak is where I will be hiking!  An 0.8 mile hike that will ascend me 560 ft.

Here's a map of the hike I'll be taking.  

So let's get going!

After hiking up a switchback trail, I've made it to a Lookout point (it's about halfway up).  And man, what a view!

Here I am at the Lookout point :)

Yeah, that's right!  I just walked up that CRAZY steep set of 99 stairs!  It was ridiculous, but I made it! lol

I am at the top!  What a glorious view!

This is looking north from the top of Diamond Head is the crater

Looking east from the top is the view to Koko Head

Beautiful ocean and waves seen from the south east

To the south is the Diamond Head Lighthouse which you'll see more pictures of at the end of the post

And to the west, Andra and a view of Waikiki...

This I thought was really neat.  Gives you a bit of perspective of where I am located :)

After that long, hot hike up, I treated myself to a delicious Strawberry, Pineapple, Coconut Shaved Ice.  YUM!

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While I was at the top of Diamond Head, enjoying the glorious view, I decided that next I'd go check out the lighthouse.  As many of you know, I am a HUGE fan of lighthouses.  Makes sense, my husband is in the Navy and I'm all for things that help bring him home safely to me :)

More early history:  Le'ahi can also be translated to "fire headland" or "wreath of fire".  This name reflects the ancient Hawaiian tradition of lighting fires on the crest of the volcano to guide canoes back to the island.

I didn't realize that the lighthouse is not really accessible.  It was kind of a bummer, but I think I still got some cool shots! 

Another hike!  This one was unexpected.  While I was standing on the street taking pictures of the lighthouse, I saw many surfers going down to the beach.  I thought I'd go down as well and see if I could get a better angle of the lighthouse.  

On my way to the lighthouse I got pleasantly unexpected surprise!  A real live Hawaiian Monk Seal!  (ilio holo i ka uaua in Hawaiian)  Just napping lazily on the beach!  It was so cute!  And I was so amazed so see it!!!

I was so grateful that I stopped by to see the lighthouse (even though I was tired from my hike...and even MORE tired from my lighthouse hike) because it was a spectacular day at the beach!  

The sun was shining, the waves were crashing, the cool wind blowing...

Just beautiful!

Well, hope you enjoyed the hike up Diamond Head and the Lighthouse!  Mahalo!