Hawaiian Cruise (part 1)

At Midway Airport waiting for our plane.  We are meeting my sister Linda. She was connecting with us from Manchester, Maine.  It was fun having her on the plane too.

We flew to San Diego, on Saturday, November 12 to board the Oosterdam and begin a two week cruise.  We were too arrive in Hilo on Thursday.  The days at sea are filled with activities.  A daily schedule is given, which you can check the activities you want to participate in. Then there are the meals!! The first couple of days, the seas were rolling.  A lot of passengers did not appear until Tuesday for meals.  It did not stop us.  The three of us had our sea legs right away.

This is Linda and Dad under the Banyan Tree in Lahaina.  Looks like I have loaded the pictures backwards again!  You can get the idea.  It is hard to choose which ones to show, when you take about 100 a day on each island!  The Banyan Tree used to be considered the largest one in the world. It has grown over a city block.  It sends roots down from the branches that eventually extend to the ground, and takes hold.  It is pretty impressive.

This is our ship the M S Oosterdam.  We are anchored off the dock in Lahaina.  We had to be tendered in.  This is the largest of the Holland American ships I have been on.

Would you believe I met up with two of the crew that had been on the Rotterdam, when I sailed to the South Pacific last fall.  It was fun to see them.  The amazing thing was they remembered my Dad and I.  Not sure if that is a good thing or not!  I am hopping it is good.

This is a view toward a blowhole on Kauai.  We took a tour to see the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.  One of the stops was at this gorgeous place.

Who knew there was a canyon 3400 feet above sea level. 

 What a view.  It was beautiful.  There was 2 levels of lookouts.

Here in Honolulu, is the Punchbowl, the National Cemetery of the Pacific.  It is a beautiful setting.  Our father is a WWII veteran.  When our mother passed away 6 years ago, Dad wanted her ashes placed here.  That is what we did.  There are formalities that must be adhered to.  Her  internment was the second scheduled of seven that day.  The flag at the front entrance flies at half staff while any funeral or internment is happening.  Once they are done, the flag will then be flown at full staff.  It was a beautiful day.  The gentleman that took care of the formalities for us was so kind and caring.  We were able to decide the inscription that will be on the front of the niche where we placed her ashes. 

At the enterence to the Punchbowl.

After the ceremony at the Punchbowl we went to "Uncles" to celebrate Mom's life.  We had a wonderful lunch of fresh seafood.  We were on pier 38, right where the fish is brought in.  You cannot get it any fresher.

What trip to the island is not complete without a stop to Hilo Hatties.  This shirt is in the Guiness Book of World Records. The largest ever made.  This is Dad and I.  Oh, everywhere was decorating for Christmas.

Hawaii 5 0!  Book him Dano!!  We were right in front of where King Kamehameha's statue. It was so neat to see a real scene from the TV show.

Across the street from the statue is the "Iolani Palace"  This one side of it.  The front was being set up for a function that was going to happen on the day after we were gone.

In the Palace is one of the most remarkable quilts.   Queen Lili'uokalani was forced to step down during her reign. She was imprisoned for 8 months in a upstairs bedroom of the palace.  While there she was imprisoned she began a crazy quilt that records pieces of her history.  No pictures were allowed in the palace.  I did purchase a small book that describes this beautiful quilt.

I will write another post and show more pictures from the islands.  The only low part of this trip is only getting to spend 4 days in the island, and 10 days at sea.  There is so much more to see in the island.  I can do a blog with just scenery pictures, one with only flowers of the islands, and one with Dad, Linda and I.  I am sure no one wants to see over 400 pictures.

So on another day I will show a few more.
Thank you for stopping by!!
Mary