Hawaii

With Asia and the Middle East in the rear view mirror, we're back on American soil for our first visit to Hawaii.  I've now finally visited all 50 states, and oddly left Hawaii for last, given that part of my family is from here (my great grandmother was born & raised here!).  

We arrived on Oahu at mid morning after a 10+ hour flight via Manila in the Philippines to a bright and sunny day.  After picking up a rental car, we headed to our "free" hotel a few blocks off the beach in Waikiki (we used up all our accumulated hotel points!) and settled in to begin our vacation from our vacation ;-)- 5 nights with no real agenda other that getting out and exploring a bit.  Bei g all but exhausted after the long flight, we walked down the the beach for lunch, and discovered that our hotel is on the same street as my family's old house used to be, before it was "purchased" via eminent domain (in 1904) and converted to become a US Army artillery emplacement (the Randall Battery).  There is a historical marker on the corner of the park that the battery was converted to in the 1970's --
Here's the current day view we might have enjoyed ;-)
Oh well... easy come, easy go.  

Today we got out of Honolulu and drove out to the West end of Oahu.  We got a nice walk in at the Koko Crater Botanical Garden, and enjoyed a really good food truck Poke Bowl for lunch-  but unfortunately street food in Hawaii is not so cheap as in Asia.  2 Poke Bowl s plus drinks was $40! 
Amazing landscape though, with mountains going very steeply up from the coast.

More soon, and then back to SoCal!
Cheers -

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