Hawaii

[runner]

Has anyone gotten to stay at the Royal Hawaiian? That hotel looks so cool, and obviously stands out from the others since it's painted pink. It's O'ahu's 2nd oldest hotel.

Or how about the Hilton Hawaiian Village that sponsors the show? That place is huge. We went there once and got lost. Ended up taking the very long way around, when what we wanted to see was only 40' from where we started. We were given bad directions, to say the least.

We didn't stay at either place, but our hotel did have a Hawaiian singer and dancer every morning at breakfast, which was very nice. One morning they asked all of us seated around the pool if there were any special occasions. There was a couple there celebrating their 50th anniversary, so the singer dubbed them the 'Hawaii Five-0 Couple'. Hubby and I were dubbed the 'Hawaii Three-0 Couple', which was cute and all, but just didn't sound quite right. Guess we'll just have to go back in 20 years.

[hawaiifive02012]

I stayed in one of the cheaper hotels...my Grandma went to Hawaii sometime in 1930s. She stayed at the Royal Hawaiian and even went to a dinner on the USS Arizona! She wrote about Hawaii and called the weather "liquid sunshine." I think she said she remembered looking out of the Royal Hawaiian at fields on the side away from the ocean (which is now the craziness of Honolulu) She also took some classes at the University of Hawaii and got married on December 6, 1941. (not in Hawaii)

[rita162]

I was in Hawaii 7 to 22 October this year on a tour of all the islands. Stayed on Oa'hu 3 whole days went to the north shore walked on sunset beach no surfers that day the water was a bit too dangerous. Went to Pearl Harbor. Moved onto Maui and did the road to Hana trip. Mved next to Kaua'i then last of all the Big Island. Alex stated in an interview it's his favorite island. Must admit it is mine too. Went above the clouds over 13000 ft and saw the most beautiful sunset ever. Still look at my photos and I'M THERE . I'm very lucky as I can get to go next year. This time staying on Oa'hu as I want to do the things I didn't before and possibly back to the Big Island. I love their kona coffee but not the poi

[runner]

Nov 25, 2012 8:57:40 GMT -5 hawaiifive02012 said:

I think she said she remembered looking out of the Royal Hawaiian at fields on the side away from the ocean (which is now the craziness of Honolulu)

Your grandmother was lucky to be at the Royal Hawaiian and be able to see west of it at what would become the 'craziness of Honolulu'. It sure has changed.

My Grandmother went there as well, but not until the 60's. I believe she stayed at some guest housing/hotel at Pearl Harbor.

[runner]

Nov 25, 2012 12:58:37 GMT -5 rita162 said:

I was in Hawaii 7 to 22 October this year on a tour of all the islands. Stayed on Oa'hu 3 whole days went to the north shore walked on sunset beach no surfers that day the water was a bit too dangerous. Went to Pearl Harbor. Moved onto Maui and did the road to Hana trip. Mved next to Kaua'i then last of all the Big Island. Alex stated in an interview it's his favorite island. Must admit it is mine too. Went above the clouds over 13000 ft and saw the most beautiful sunset ever. Still look at my photos and I'M THERE . I'm very lucky as I can get to go next year. This time staying on Oa'hu as I want to do the things I didn't before and possibly back to the Big Island. I love their kona coffee but not the poi

That's a nice long stay, Rita. We were only on O'ahu for a week, which just wasn't long enough.

I hear ya about the photos. They bring back such wonderful memories and almost instant warmth.

A friend of ours owns a coffee plantation on Kona (the East side of the Big Island), and another friend's son is going to move there soon to work on that plantation.

We didn't go to TBI, because we were told there were no nice beaches there and not much to do besides snorkel and kayak, so I'm curious what you did while there.

[rita162]

Stayed 2 days in Hilo at the hotel where the ironman competition starts 1st day was a tour of the island going into the volcano national park seeing Kilaua steaming away went through an extinct lava tube at Thurston. You could smell the sulphur in the air. See PL's photos when he went scouting the other day I have exact same ones. 2nd day went to Kona coffee couldn't leave without bringing some home. Hope they export to the UK.
I'm into star gazing and the trip up Mauna Kea was what I really went for. After the sunset we went below the visitors centre and had a few hours seeing the stars making the signs of the zodiac saw Mars and plenty of satellites moving across the sky. This is where they trained for the moon landing. The scenery above the clouds was beautiful. Also the red glow from Kilauea could be seen.

[runner]

Nov 25, 2012 20:35:11 GMT -5 rita162 said:

2nd day went to Kona coffee couldn't leave without bringing some home. Hope they export to the UK.

Rita, did you visit Sacred Ground Coffee? It's a coffee plantation on the Kona side of TBI, just above Kealakekua Bay. They have a gift shop and even a pottery barn there, too.

There is a guess house they rent out, so we're thinking about staying there next time we go to the islands.

[runner]

Did anyone make it to 'Steve's house'? a.k.a. Bayer Estates

We were in the Diamondhead area, but Bayer Estates was too far out of our way to the south, so we didn't even try to go. Plus, I didn't find any 'open to the public' hours on their website.

[Leni]

We didn't. It was on the list but there was so much to do that we had to let some things go. The kids were not very interested in that anyway.

[runner]

We had to cross off a few things on our list, too. There was just so much to do. We even blocked out a day just to do nothing. Spent most of it at the beach. Our hotel was right across from where they host Sunset On The Beach.

Hubby would have gone, just because I wanted to. Was hoping to see --- of all things --- Steve's kitchen. It just looks so cute on camera and we recently remodeled ours.

[rita162]

Didn't get to Sacred Ground Coffee. We mainly saw things on the Hilo side. Although coming from the UK and driving on the left to driving on the right I did lose my sense of direction a couple of times

[runner]

Dec 2, 2012 11:12:32 GMT -5 rita162 said:

Didn't get to Sacred Ground Coffee. We mainly saw things on the Hilo side. Although coming from the UK and driving on the left to driving on the right I did lose my sense of direction a couple of times

LOL

Well, Rita, that is what tour buses are for. But they probably don't have many of those on The Big Island.

[runner]

Did anyone get to stop by Hilo Hatties and have their picture taken with Kamekona?

No, not the real Kamekona, but there is a giant(!) larger-than-life-size cut-out of him in their store.