First Days on Oahu

On our first full day after checking out the goods on Waikiki beach the previous evening, Michael and I took bus #52 through the center of the island and into the surfing capital of the world - Oahu's North Shore.

We got off the bus at Haleiwa (Ha-lei-eve-a) and, after our first taste of delicious garlic spicy shrimp (purchased from the van below), we went to Waimea Bay. The Bay had beautiful black sand and lots of fishermen and surfers in the cool and clear water. Michael jumped right in, and the strength of the riptide filled his pockets with sand. It was here where we got our first taste of Hawaiian weather. Talk about bizarre!! The rain came slowly at first, then suddenly...BOOM! It let loose. 5 Minutes later there were clear skies. For those of you back home, you know when the rain comes... it stays, even long after it's worn out its welcome.
Here is Michael giving the Shaka sign. Hangin' Loose!

We rode the bus all the way to the northernmost tip at Turtle Bay and all the way down the windward side along the coast, flanked by razor-sharp mountain cliffs and the clear blue Pacific. It was definitely stunning, and the landscape made it easy to see the volcanic past of the island, one of the older ones in the Hawaiian chain.

Upon returning to Honolulu, we ventured into the downtown area (probably around a mile from Waikiki Beach) to see Iolani's Palace , the residence of the last rulers of Hawaii, before it became an American state. Now it is considered the only royal palace on American soil.


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We ended our day with an authentic Hawaiian meal at Ono Hawaiian Restaurant. Typically, you have pork of some kind, traditionally wrapped in taro leaves, poi, raw salmon mixed with chopped tomatoes, sweet coconut jellies, and raw sweet onions with salt. The goal was to taste a little of everything in each bite, the poi being the palate cleanser. Of course, you also had to dab your bites in chili sauce mixed with a type of soy sauce, for a bit of kick to the flavor. Delicious! Of course, I struggled with the poi..