Hawaii-the 2nd.

Just a few random shots to sum up the trip. I can't remember what all I said in my last post, so some of this could be a recap.

Can't remember what beach this is. Right outside of Haleiwa. The night we left. BEAUTIFUL.

This is the town where we actually stayed. Waialua. Home of the last remaining sugar mill on the island. I think the sugar mill closed in the late 1990s.

Ever had this soda before? We discovered it a few months back. On our way to our house we actually saw their bottling plant off the side of the road and really close to our house. Kind of random.

We stayed in this little studio behind a house. It was perfect for us, and really affordable.

Chris surfing

While Chris surfed the first day I just hung out on the beach and i kept seeing these fins coming up out of the water. At first I thought they were seals. (Do seals even visit Hawaii??) But then I realized they were turtles. There were 5 or 6 of them together, all really near the shore. They were all swimming around me, and I felt really cool.

I showed a couple of pictures of our Stand up paddle surfing lessons in the last post. This is their van. We actually met the couple that owns the business when we were at church and we went to their house afterward for Sunday dinner. They were so nice. Their 3 little girls were so cute, too. Don't you love this van?
We went on a small hike to Kaena point, which is on the far NW side of the island. We had a wiener roast on the beach. Quite enjoyable.
This is the best picture I could get of both of us. My camera was precariously perched on a rock and it was so windy I was thinking it was going to blow off.


Later in the week we took some surf lessons. The instructor was another lady from church, although we didn't meet her there. The other couple that did the stand up paddle surfing lessons referred her to us. Before we went I was thinking, "do you really need someone to show you?" BUT- I am glad that we used her. I would totally recommend getting some basic pointers from someone who knows if you have never been surfing before. Even just basics like how currents work and where you should exit and enter the water, and basic surfing "rules" for catching waves when there are a lot of people was totally helpful, and made me realize I was (and still am) clueless. I was a little freaked out to go surfing, I'll be honest. But I am so glad that I did. I got up several times, (ok, she helped a lot) and definitely would go again.
Our dream home. O LOVE THIS HOUSE. This is my favorite look, ever. I love houses with huge porches, with steps up to the house. Something out of the 50s, maybe? If we ever build a home it will be something like this. I always wonder why there are not more homes like this in AZ?

We went on a hike to Makapu'u point as well. It is the eastern most point on the island.

Here is Chris playing the Clariflute. (I am pretty sure he made that up.)
The hike was so cool. There were tons of ruins that had dates from the 1930s and 1940s that were written in the cement. I want to do some research to see what the area was used for. While I was in Hawaii i read a first hand account from a woman that was on the island on Dec. 7th, when Pearl Harbor was attacked. I had never read an account like that, written in the first person from a civilian. It was so interesting. I don't know why, but Hawaii in the first half of the 20th century is so fascinating to me. I think that is why Chris and I both love the north shore. It seems to have retained some of the original splendor, without becoming too commercialized. I am such a tourist. But I wish I wasn't. It may sound weird, but part of me feels totally at home there. Like maybe part of me belongs there??? Is this post getting a little freaky yet?

Light house on Makapu'u hike.

View from the top. We could see two other islands from the top. Maybe Molokai and Maui?

Remember the shaved ice I told you about? This is it.

I think this church was awesome. I don't think it is really that old, but I love it because it looks like it could be.

Just behind our house we went for a walk and found this. I still am unsure of what or who it is, and I hope that I did not desecrate something in the process of walking up next to it. Isn't it cool, though? Just in case it is something sacred to someone, I am not going to post the picture of me kissing it :) Besides, Chris was a little jealous. jk.

Our next Hawaii trip is not anytime any the near future. Or the far future for that matter. But I wish it was. After this post I want to go back! I am so grateful that I could go, though. Vacations are not overrated.