  |
There were some other interesting plants in the same garden, including Norfolk Island pine trees (my favorite tree) and a pineapple-like plant with tiny purple flowers.
  |
They also have the world's largest maze, but it wasn't that interesting to photograph from the inside - just lots and lots of tall green hedges.
Kukaniloko was once the birthplace of kings. At the center of Oahu, the mothers were carried in and never allowed to touch the ground. Drums announcing the birth could be heard anywhere on the entire island. Now it's a quiet copse of trees and boulders, right next to the highway but very hard to find (on purpose). The mountains to the east are said to resemble a pregnant woman lying on her back. It's holy ground. People still bring fruit offerings there.
  |
The Iolani Palace was where the last of Hawaii's royalty lived. It's a three-story mansion with a lot of history.
Modern luaus aimed at tourists seem to be showcases of dances from several different Polynesian islands. The best known kind, with the fast-shaking hips, is actually Tahitian.
Beach of the day:
  |
This is somewhere on the North Shore, west of Waialua. We were actually trying to find Haleiwa but got lost. The rocks under the sand are black.
(Video, Iolani photo from my mother. Rest are mine.)
3 comments:
Cool! My old stompring grounds...I was stationed at Wahiawa.
I hope you and your family enjoy the rest of your trip!
How gorgeous! I have really enjoyed Hawaii every time we've visited - we've been to Oahu, Kauai several times, and the big island. For geek fun, I like the big island - astronomy AND geology! For pure gorgeous relaxation, I like Kauai.
Now I want to go again, and it's a very expensive place to visit.
I hope you had a great time!
We drove past the Schofield barracks entrance a number of times while looking for other things - a botanical garden, a lake, etc. - none of which we actually found.
I definitely want to go to the Big Island the next time there's a chance to visit Hawaii. We didn't have time to go anywhere other than Oahu this trip - in part because of how much time we spent being lost, I think. ;) But yes, very expensive - I'm not looking forward to finding out the bad news when the credit card statement arrives.
Post a Comment