Living the Aloha Hi

Friday, February 20, 2009

2009-Feb. 20: Foster Gardens, Waikiki Aquarium

What to do?! Why not head to Foster Garden's? I love gardens and could never interest any of my other travel companions to go there with me. So I walked up to Kuhio St. and caught the #4 bus to the gardens. Upon boarding the bus, I asked for a transfer which was good for 4 hours from the time I stepped onto the bus.

It was about an hour ride to the gardens, but it was interesting seeing the parts of Honolulu that the bus took me through. The garden's are beautiful and I easily spent about 2 1/2 hours wandering around them. It's not a huge garden, but for a photographer, it had a lot to offer---like this---

and this---looks like scraps of builders concrete to me, but I'm sure it's someone's art piece.

Most of the gardens were different types of green trees,

but there was an orchid garden, too, and a small butterfly garden.

After running around the garden, I used my transfer ticket to hitch a ride back to Waikiki. But instead of getting off by the condo, I road to Kapiolani park and got off there. I walked through the park and to the Aquarium. I love sealife and, again, noone has been interested in going to the aquarium with me before. I thoroughly enjoyed the aquarium! I'd definately be a member of the Aqaurium if I lived here!

I have a special fondness for these cute little yellow tangs. I saw tons of them while snorkeling around the Big Island, but very few on Kauai or Waikiki beach.

Stripeys---the only place I've seen these guys other than at Lydgate on Kauai. Wonder how they got there.

I've seen one of these guys in real life, but it was green---frog fish

I was even fortunate enough to be there at the time they feed the 2 monk seals they have there, so I got to watch that and listen to the trainers speak about them. Here they are anxiously awaiting the trainer.

She even had them trained to let her look at their teeth

From the aquarium, I walked back up to my condo and rested until near sunset.

Then it was time to head to the beach again. To my surprise, there were tons of sailboats out. Made for some fun watching.

I sat on the grassy hill by Ft. Derussy park and watch the sail boats and sunset. Both were really interesting!

Not a dud!

After the sun set, it was time to head back to the condo and rest the weary feet again. Dinner was take out from the pizza place below the resort. It was very good---Round Table. We don't have those in the midwest, unfortunately!

It was a fun day!

Thursday, February 19, 2009

2009-Feb. 19: Walking around Waikiki, Beach, and Sunset cruise.

The first day I spent a lot of time just walking around Waikiki streets and the beach.

The famous Royal Hawaiian---It originally opened on 1 February 1927, with a black tie gala attended by over 1,200 guests, and quickly became an icon of Hawaii's glory days. During the depression, it was a US military R&R Center. After the war it was sold and became a hotel again. It closed on 1 June 2008 for renovation. It had just reopened on 20 January 2009 as a member of The Luxury Collection division of Starwood Hotels.

The International Market Place---It first opened in 1956 as a commercial retail and entertainment center. (On August 25, 2016, the International Market Place reopened as a modern shopping, dining and entertainment center)

On to the famous Waikiki Beach.

I was just chilling and sitting on the sand enjoying everything, when a guy came around drumming up business for a sunset cruise. At a price of $20, I decided why not and splurged.

the Royal Hawaiian from the water side

more of Waikiki as we were shoving off.

heading up towards Diamond Head.

The clouds were getting pretty dark off to the East.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

2009-Feb. 18: STL-LAX-HON-LIH

I left St. Louis at 8:30 am and arrived in Honolulu about 11:30 pm (Hawaiian time---4:30 am St. Louis time) with 2 long lay overs in LAX and HON. Then there was the 1 1/2 hours getting from the airport to the Wyndham---slow getting a shuttle. But I finally made it! Since my original award travel flights were to Kauai, when I rebooked, I had to use the same itinerary or pay a fine. In hinde site, maybe I should have, since I had to pay for a flight from LIH-HON. But we were penny pinching at this time and this probably saved us a whole $70.

The Wyndham is very nice. It is only about 2 blocks from the beach and right across from the new shopping center, Beach Walk. I was in a 1 bedroom unit with full kitchen. The views weren't the greatest, but the inside of the unit was very nice. I also liked that it was near the Fort Derussey Park end of town.
From the front door looking left. Bathroom and bedroom to the right.

From the bedroom to the rest of the unit.

livingroom from the diningroom

The bathroom was a walk through to the kitchen and the bedroom.

My fantastic view. At least there's a parking garage nearby!

Also on the ground level of this property is an ever fun-to-shop ABC store. But for now---it's time to hit the sack!

Monday, February 9, 2009

2009 Wyndham Waikiki Beach Walk 1 bdrm

I found this resort to be in a pretty neat location. Only a couple blocks from the beach and Ft. DeRussy Park. It was also less then a block from the Beach Walk Shoppes. No car needed here---fortunately, because parking was a lot! There was a little pizza place right by the entrance to the resort and an ABC store a block away.

I was in a 1 bedroom unit. It wasn't large, but well laid out. From the bedroom you could easily get to the bathroom, livingroom or to the kitchen (through the bathroom ).

The entrance lead into the kitchen

the diningroom was near the bedroom. Maybe a little odd, but helped cut down on noise if there were more then 1 person staying here and the other person was in the living room watching tv.