Our good friends Bobby and Melissa Scott have been stationed at Hickam AFB on Oahu for the last two and a half years. The opportunity to visit them played a big part in choosing Hawaii as our next travel destination. Melissa and I have been good friends since the first grade and were bridesmaids in each other's weddings. Since I last saw her, she and Bobby had a beautiful baby girl named Savannah. I couldn't wait to meet her! They were there waiting for us at the airport bright and early with two fresh flower lei's. This traditional Hawaiian greeting costs tourists $25. It was much more meaningful coming from a friend. What a wonderful welcome into paradise!After we picked up our rental car, we met Melissa for breakfast at a cute restaurant on base. It was right on the channel leading into Pearl Harbor, so we got to watch the ships pass by while munching on omlettes and fresh fruit.
Once satified with our first of many American breakfasts, we made the customary pilgrimage to the Hickam BX, the BXtra (yes, they have two BX'es). Then we took a brief break for lunch and a nap on the Scott's couch before continueing our shopping extravaganza at Target and the Navy Exchange. Really, we should have just started there. The NEX is MASSIVE - practically a mall in and of itself. They have a huge selection of desirable itmes, especially name-brand clothing, and accessories, electronics, etc. I guess it pays to have a general stationed at your base. Wandering around in there was overwhelming! We went a little crazy, stocking up on things we can't get in Japan, plus a few necessary items for our vacation. James got some new clothes, I got a few swim suits, a beach bag and a sun hat.
The shopping was fun. But by the end of the day the jet lag was getting the best of me. I was exhausted and starving and tired and really wanted to get some sun but knew with traffic we wouldn't make it to the hotel in time... It was ugly. But my patient husband managed to navigate the Waikiki rush hour traffic with no problem, got us checked in at the Hale Koa, and took me out to the Yardhouse (one of our favorite restaurant haunts in Phoenix) for a fantastic meal. After we ate, I perked up again and was able to savor a long walk down the beach at sunset. The weather was perfect, the scenery was picturesque to say the least, and I was hand-in-hand with my love - walking, with no particular place to go, no timeline... Fantastic first night in paradise!The next day we slept in, enjoyed a late brunch, and then walked around a nice outdoor mall and finished up our shopping. The big purchase that day were some new glasses and prescription sunglasses for me. Soon after that, our credit card company called to say they thought our card had been stolen... Hahaha. We must confuse them terribly. Hopping all over the world and making strange and extravagant purchases in various countries... it definitely looks fishy to someone outside of the military community. =^)
Shopping has always been tiring work for me, so we slowed down and whiled away the rest of the afternoon by the pool with some delicious fruity drinks and a good book. The Hale Koa has two beautiful pools, plus a "barefoot bar" with live music at night, right by their stretch of Waikiki beach. We spent a lot of time out there in the afternoons, relaxing and enjoying the sunshine. After the winter we've had, I can't tell you what a difference that vitamin D made. The warmth and sunshine definitely lifted our spirits!
That night, Bobby and Melissa took us out to dinner at their favorite restaurant in China Town. Then we hung out on the beach and watched little Savannah dance with her shadow until it was time for them to head home. The night was still young, so James and I went to see The Avengers in 3-D. Movies always take FOREVER to come out in Miawa so we were excited to see this major blockbuster a week or two earlier than we normally would have been able to.
After a couple of lazy days and extravagant meals, we needed some exercise. So we got up early the next day and hiked up Diamondhead Crater. The trails, switchbacks and concrete staircases leading up to the summit were crowded with tourists - many of whom were climbing in flip-flops, which doesn't make sense to me. But the views of the island along the way made the effort and crowds worthwhile.
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| Our destination. |
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| Almost there! Look at the color of that water! |
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| At the summit, overlooking Waikiki. |
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| What a view! |
I'll admit - I was a bit sceptical. I figured he'd built this steak up so much in his mind that the real thing could never measure up to the memory. But, in spite of my reservations and the remarkably steep pricetag, I looked forward to a special evening out with my hubby. Lucky for me - he was 100% right about this place. The atmosphere was fun, the service was impeccable, and the food - oh, the food!
The meal began with a couple of massive, fresh popovers and grated mozzerella cheese mixed with seasalt and herbs. For an appetizer, we ordered the simple "mixed vegetable salad." After a couple bites of these intraductory courses, I was sold. BEST - SALAD - EVER. Then the main event arrived. The steak lived up the hype and came with a plethora of unneccesary sauces for our dipping pleasure. We also ordered a couple of veggie side dishes to share. This restaurant was unique because it was gourmet family style food - meant to be shared.
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| He could barely wait for me to snap a photo of his food before he dove in. |
At this point, we were STUFFED. But if we were going to spurge that night - we were going to do the thing right. So, I insisted we order dessert. We got a butterscotch and almond brownie with ice cream to share. It was sinfully good - which was an appropriate end to just such a decadent meal. I can't say that this dinner was my favorite meal ever. That would probably be a homecooked meal by my grandmother... But as far as restaurant fare goes, this was hands-down the best food I've ever had. If you're ever in Waikiki, DEFINITELY check it out!
On Friday night, we had reservations at the Turtle Bay Resort on the north shore. But before driving north, we toured the hostoric sites at Pearl Harbor. I was really looking forward to this. I even checked out a book from the library about the attack on Pearl Harbor so I could brush up on my history. Our tour guides did a good job of summarizing what happened on the "Day that will Live in Infamy." But I'm glad I had that background to lend some weight to what we were seeing.
Our first stop was the U.S.S. Missouri. Japan signed their surrender to the U.S. on board this ship, ending WWII. I was in awe, standing where such a major event in our nation's history occurred. But aside from a deeper understanding of WWII, I also gained a greater appreciation for the navy. I've never been near, let alone on a real battleship before. Our guide explained what all of the weaponry on board can do and what this vessel is capable of. I must say, I am impressed. I don't envy anyone on the receiving end of a blast from those massive guns...
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| Approaching the U.S.S. Missouri |
We wandered around on board until it was our turn to visit the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial. After a cinematic summary of the events of December 7, 1941, a boat took us out to the memorial site. It's a beautiful open-air monument with cut outs in the side and floor that allow tourists a glimpse of the ghost ship resting just beneath the surface. Part of the ship sticks up above the water, but the rest is concealed in the shadowy depths. It's crazy that you can stand there and watch as oil still leaks from the ship below.
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| James in front of the part of the ship sticking up above the water |
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| Shadows of the ship just beneath us. |
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| Fresh oil leaking out of the wreckage. |
