Day 3, North Shore, Oahu

Duke’s

Everyone who knew I was going to Waikiki told me to eat at Duke’s––some said breakfast, some lunch, some for a drink, and some for dinner. We decided on breakfast as Duke’s had a reasonably priced breakfast buffet. Duke’s is located at the Outrigger hotel, right next door to the Moana Surfrider. Breakfast at our hotel would have been at least twice the price.

Duke’s

Breakfast was good and the view from the table to the ocean was a very nice way to start the day.

Duke’s

Another thing I liked about Duke’s were the old posters on its walls. If you are old enough, maybe you might remember some of them.

Duke’s

Another poster. Matson Lines was the steamship company that developed both the Moana Surfrider and the Royal Hawaiian hotels on Waikiki for their cruise passengers to stay at.

Duke’s

You should remember Pan American World Airlines.

Duke’s

Another poster.

Duke’s

Royal Hawaiian Hotel

Britt and I both wondered what the big pink building next to the Outrigger was: The Royal Hawaiian Hotel, built by Matson Lines in 1927. It is called the “Pink Palace of the Pacific”––its color really makes it stand out.

Royal Hawaiian Hotel

I liked the blue vases on its roof.

Royal Hawaiian Hotel

The hotel has a big garden of Hawaiian flora.

Royal Hawaiian Hotel

North Shore Tour

There are a large number of day tours that you can go on. Britt was signed up to go kayaking, but it was canceled due to today’s high winds. She took a long walk and hit the beach instead. I had signed up for a North Shore tour given by Oahu Nature Tours. This map shows you our route around Oahu.

North Shore Tour

We first drove through Honolulu. Here you can see one of the Honolulu’s hill covered with houses.

North Shore Tour

Some of the many high rise buildings in Honolulu. I knew that Honolulu was quite built up so I was not surprised that it looked much like a mainland city.

North Shore Tour

We are off the main freeway and on a highway through the Ko’olau Mountains––its vegetation was extra thick and luxurious. Oahu has many microclimates––these mountains get a lot of rain.

North Shore Tour

I don’t know exactly where we now are but somewhere on the east shore of Oahu.

North Shore Tour

We are now heading inland to the Byoda Temple through more lush landscape.

North Shore Tour

Byoda Temple

The Byoda Temple at the foot of the Ko’olau Mountains is in the Valley of the Temple Memorial Park (a cemetery). The Byoda Temple was established on June 7, 1968, to commerate the 100th–year anniversary of the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to Hawaii. It is a replica of a temple in Uji, Japan, and was built entirely without nails. It is a non–denominational Buddhist temple that welcomes people of all faiths to worship.

Byoda Temple

The Bon–sho Sacred Bell at the temple. The sound of the bell gives a “message of deep calm and peace, cleansing the mind of evil and temptation.” Its ringing is said to “bring you happiness, blessings, and a long life.” You are supposed to ring the bell before you enter the temple.

Byoda Temple

Another view of the temple and two visiting monks.

Byoda Temple

Here, not only were you allowed inside the temple (first taking off your shoes) but you were also allowed to take photos of this 9–foot Amida Buddha. It is extremely seldom that you are allowed to take photos of temple Buddhas. In the gift store, I asked why this was allowed here. I was told that the temple is for the tourists more than for religious worship.

Byoda Temple

Another view of the Amida Buddha––this Buddha is the “personification of expressing that which is incomprehensible.” I assume that the Buddha is sitting on lotus leaves.

Byoda Temple

Another view of the temple.

Byoda Temple

Entrance to the gift shop.

Byoda Temple

USS Arizona Memorial

The USS Arizona Memorial and Ford Island.

USS Arizona Memorial

Byoda Temple

A laughing Buddha for sale.

Byoda Temple

North Shore Tour

View looking toward the entrance.

North Shore Tour

Byoda Temple

View of the lake.

Byoda Temple

Some of the beautiful fish in the lake.

Byoda Temple

A black swan.

Byoda Temple

Another view of the swan.

Byoda Temple

Thick foliage near the entrance.

Byoda Temple

Mokoli’i

Back on the bus, driving north on the east shore: Kualoa Beach. The rock in the ocean is named Mokoli’i or Chinaman’s Hat. Legend has it that it is the cutoff tail of a dragon–like creature.

Mokoli’i

Closer–up view of Mokoli’i.

Mokoli’i

North Shore Tour

Farther along.

North Shore Tour

USS Arizona Memorial

More of the sunken USS Arizona.

USS Arizona Memorial

North Shore Tour

Farther along.

North Shore Tour

Still farther along.

North Shore Tour

Laie Point

Laie Point. It was drizzling while we were on the bus, but as soon as we got off the bus to take photos, we were in a downpour. I only took this photo.

Laie Point

North Shore Tour

Our next stop––we stayed in the bus to take photos. This is a shrimp farm and also where some wetland birds hang out.

North Shore Tour

An egret? It was very interested in us.

North Shore Tour

A Moorhen.

North Shore Tour

A black–crowned night heron.

North Shore Tour

A black neck stilt.

North Shore Tour

Sign for the shrimp farm.

North Shore Tour

Where you can buy shrimp lunches. We stopped here to buy our lunch––I ordered spicy shrimp with rice and a Diet Coke. Somehow, on the way back to the bus, the styrofoam container it was in opened and I had red sauce all over everything including the coke can. What a mess. Our tour guide is on the left of the photo.

North Shore Tour

Sunset Beach

We took our picnic lunches to Sunset Beach. The shrimp, though very messy, were delicious. The coke can was too coated with spicy sauce to clean but I had a bottle of water with me to prevent my mouth from burning from the shrimp.

Sunset Beach

Sunset Beach, a big surfing beach. However, there were few surfers in the water, maybe because red flags were flying.

Sunset Beach

Another view of Sunset Beach.

Sunset Beach

Seen on the way back to the bus––a memorial bench to the memory of surfer Ronnie Burns.

Sunset Beach

North Shore Tour

Onward.

North Shore Tour

Onward.

North Shore Tour

Waimea Valley Audobon Center

The Waimea Valley Audobon Center. We only drove through its parking lot. Just from this view, this is a place I would like to spend time visiting––its grounds were lush with all kind of beautiful plants.

Waimea Valley Audobon Center

Some of the grounds.

Waimea Valley Audobon Center

A peacock.

Waimea Valley Audobon Center

Hale O Lono

The Hale O Lono, an ancient temple (1470 A.D.), located off the parking lot of the center. It is dedicated to Lono, the diety of agriculture and fertility, peace, and music.

Hale O Lono

Closer–up view.

Hale O Lono

Even closer–up.

Hale O Lono

A temple chicken. You see many chickens running around free in Hawaii.

Hale O Lono

Bonzai Pipeline

I believe that this is the photo I took from the bus of the Bonzai Pipeline, where many surfing contests are held. The pipeline is at the middle of the photo, coming in around the curve of the rock. It does not extend much past this section of the beach.

Bonzai Pipeline

Turtle Beach

Next stop, Turtle Beach to see the green sea turtles lying on the beach. We didn’t see any on the beach.

Turtle Beach

But we did see one in the water.

Turtle Beach

Another view of Turtle Beach. Our bus let us off on the beach side, but then parked on the other side of a very busy two–lane road. If we waited for a break in the traffic, we would have waited all day. I just stepped out and put my hand up for the cars to stop in one lane––they actually stopped! Then I repeated the hand up thing for the opposing traffic, and they stopped again! This really says something very nice about Hawaiians.

Turtle Beach

North Shore Tour

We drove through a town called Hale’iwa, an old town with a great deal of charm, but we drove through too fast for me to take any photos of it. It looked like an interesting town to visit. From Hale’iwa, we drove through the Waialua Valley through the Dole Planation, past acres upon acres of pineapples. We also passed by acres of the Dole coffee plantation.

North Shore Tour

It kept raining on an off on our tour. After each rain, there was a rainbow. I caught a photo of this one.

North Shore Tour

Dole Plantation

Next stop, the Dole Plantation. This is the gift shop. The world’s largest maze is also located here. You can take other tours that stay longer than we did, perhaps having time to go through the maze.

Dole Plantation

Pretty plants in front of the gift shop.

Dole Plantation

A gift shop item.

Dole Plantation

Pretty pillow cases.

Dole Plantation

Macadamia nuts with Spam––ugh!

Dole Plantation

Dole Waialua coffee.

Dole Plantation

Pineapple green tea.

Dole Plantation

Macadamia nut tea.

Dole Plantation

Field–fresh pineapples.

Dole Plantation

Rainbow trees outside the gift center.

Dole Plantation

Close–up of the bark.

Dole Plantation

Waikiki

We next drove back to Waikiki. Britt and I ate tonight at the Hula Grill in the Outrigger––it is on the floor above Duke’s. She wanted to have ahi tuna, which she said was delicious. I had something with pork in it. It was okay.

Waikiki

Another photo of the Hula Grill. A very interesting day.