We found an amazing place to eat off of the North Shore...Pupukea Grill. It was so good we made the trek out there twice! Given its location it is a total surfer's paradise. When we were in the area the Billabong Pipe Masters was taking place and we got to see a few professional surfers and Kelly Slater's girlfriend (I'm pretty sure it was them) helped me pick up something I dropped.
Here we are waiting for our food!
We also made a stop at the Dole Pineapple Plantation - We toured the plantation and then had some of the greatest ice cream ever. The Dole Pineapple Whip is a must have....This was on the way to the North Shore so while we were making our way to Pupukea Grill.....we stopped here twice too!
Another stop....the Zoo!!
Much of our time was just spent on the beach. We stayed at the Marriott Ko'Olina which has its own beach for its guests, which is not usual for hotels. The Ko'olina was also a beach club and the rooms were suites equipped with washing machines, dish washers, stoves/ovens, and refrigerators. The grounds had grills for use and we cooked out most evenings. We were able to settle in quite well here needless to say!
Silas was not sure about the sand!
But he LOVED the water!
Another outing took us on a boat ride to watch for dolphins. We left the hotel a bit late and then figured out that the map we had was inaccurate. We drove and drove and could not find the pier we were supposed to leave from. It was stressful for quite a while but we finally made it..within minutes of our arrival the boat left. We were so fortunate to have made it!
In Hawaii nature is very much viewed as sacred and all the surroundings and animals are given the utmost care. On this trip we took the boat out to a remote location where the dolphins are known to congregate. I wish I could share the views with you....they were like nothing I've ever seen. The most beautiful thing my eyes have ever seen (other than my family!) was seen on this boat. When we made it near the dolphins the boat had to shut its engines off so as not to disturb them. We floated along for a while and finally made our way to them. They were just swimming ..... so peaceful and beautiful. It was an experience of a lifetime and no picture I took could do the experience justice.
Here is Ellie on the boat waiting for the dolphins
Another day took us to the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park. Here we found beautiful grounds with koi ponds, a replica of a Japanese temple, a 9 foot Buddha statue and such intense beauty (did I already say that?!?). The temple was up in some mountain area and there was fog for a while which really added an extra special effect! The drive here was also spectacular...how did one place get so much beauty!
Our favorite stop was at the Polynesian Cultural Center! We spent the day here and just loved the whole experience. Our opted to get the biggest tour package that included a special guide to lead us through the Center. Here is Ellie with Rebecca, our tour guide, with they beaded lei and some Hawaiian flowers in her hair! The center is set up to educate you about the different Polynesian cultures: Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Tahiti, Aoteoroa, Marquesas, and Hawaii. Each village is set up with replicas of homes and cultural experiences you would find in each area. There were things like weapon making, cooking, games, fishing, spear throwing, making (and eating!) coconut bread, watching a coconut tree climbing contest, war dances, fire making, and boat making. We also took a canoe ride, watched the parade of nations -- again, something that I wish pictures could do justice to, but won't -- each nation had a float on a boat where they were dressed in traditional costume and shared traditional dances native to their culture.
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We also opted to have our dinner there and were able to sample some unique foods.
We tried to stay for the nightly show, Ha: Breath of Life, but the day had been long and both Ellie and Silas were quite tired. So we stayed for about half and then packed up and drove back to the hotel. It was a long day but a great experience.
