January 12, 2007

The Oceanarium Restaurant is really unique with a two story aquarium. The room is surrounded by mirrors and you feel like you are in the center of the water to enjoy breakfast. Our rented the car, again the Dodge Stratus, brought us to pick up Justin first. Today we headed to the National Cemetary of the Pacific, burial ground for World WarII, Korean and Vietnam War victims. This lava tuff cone, "Hill of Sacrifice" is a unique place to reflect and is the No.1 visitor attraction in Hawaii. We paused at the burial site of one of the space shuttle Challenger astronauts. The views from the Overlook were spectacular. From the sumit we drove around to the south side of the island past Diamond Head. The road here os on a bluff above the ocean. We stopped at Halona Blow Hole, a rock where the wave pushes up through a hole resembling the blow hole of a whale.We continued up the east side of the island. It is here at Hanaluma Bay where Maria almost lost Jessica when we came to Hawa!
ii with Kathy's Mom. They had gone down the bank to the horseshoe bay. Others were in the water. The waves were pushing had into the rocks and the undertow was strong. Jessica, then eight, could not get back to shore; Maria was too far and could not get to her. Kathy ran down the hill and got a man to safe Jessica. It was an adventure! This trip we left Maria at at Makapuu Point just past Sandy Beach. She spent the day there laying on the beach,looking up at the lighthouse, swimming and walking around. We continued on. At Waimanalo Beach we paused for about an hour. Sueann layed in the sun, Justin and Kathy took a walk, Carmine enjoyed the view from the tree shaded picnic table. In Kailua we walked aaround the Coral Factory and had lunch at the Subway. We made it to the 150 year old Kualoa Ranch for a Movie Set Tour. The ranch is on the windward coast and goes from dramatic mountain cliffs to sparkling ocean. We took an old beat up green school bus into the breathtaking hills to locations movies have been filmed such as: Lost, Godzilla,Jurass
ic Park, and Karate Kid. Justin and I want to take the ATV rides next time. We had to rush back, pick up Maria,make our way through rush hour, find our way getting lost around Hard Rock Cafe lost, and drop off car as we had a seven o'clock show to attend. We made it! Back at our hotel we changed and walked up to Outrigger Waikiki Hotel where Society of Seven was presenting a dinner show. After hurry hurry we stood in line for 45 minutes. The buffet was yummy with fish, beef, chicken, fresh fruit, salad and desert. The show was spectaular with impersonations of Elvis, The Beatles, The Three Stoogies, Sammy Davis Jr, Dean Martin and Frankie to name a few. During the show Justin recieved a text message from Melissa:"Tsuami waring". Justin went out to check at the hotel. The warning was to be updated at nine; it had hit in Japan. At nine the warning was lifted. After the show Justin met up with Melissa, Carmine and Maria walk back to hotel and Kathy and Sueann walk up to Tiffany's then back to hotel.





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