Oahu Rain Forest

Beautiful and Cozy Rain Forest and Water Falls. of Oahu

We enjoyed a few drives to the mountains and rain forest of Oahu.
The mountains are gorgeous!
I am glad we rented a car because we were able to stop and enjoy the view when ever we wanted. Driving through these mountains we coud not help to stop and enjoy the different view points. They are just are so beuatiful.

We went for a hike at a trail of the Waimea Valley. It is a botanical forest.

I love places with lots of trees so I was in heaven here.

At the end of the hike there is the Waimea Falls and swimming hole. We sat here and watched the people swim and rested some.

Beaches of Oahu

We drove around the island the days we were here and stopped at the different beaches we would find along the way. We found lots of secluded hidden beautiful beaches. We also went to the beaches where the surfers go but it was crowded in that area and were not able to find a place to park so we kept on going. Following are pictures of some of the beaches we enjoyed.

Here is Gordon at a beach on the west side the island. There are no waves on the beaches on this side of the island. The coral reef is so close to the beaches. The dark areas on the water is coral reef. It is just gorgeous!

This side of the island is not rocky but the mountains are close by.

Gordon enjoying a walk at on of the beaches we stopped on the north side of the island.

This is a beach on the north side of the island. This is the closest we got to the famous beaches where the surfers go (no place to park at the surfer beaches). See some of the waves behind me. Somehow they don't look as big in the picture as when we are actually there. I am sure the waves are better where the surfer's are.

This is the sand at this beach, beautiful small little rocks. We took some to bring to my students and for our classroom rock collection.

We decided to booked a two hour Kayaking trip.
Here at Kailua Beach is where we began our Kayaking trip to the Flat Island.
The sand was so fine and soft and the water clear. Love the light blue color of the water. The darker blue color of the water indicates the coral reef is there.
As we kayaked we saw turtles swimming by us and poking their heads at us.

This picture by our Kayaks was taken by our tour guide as we arrived to the Flat Island.
It looks like the main land is not that far but it took us half an hour to kayak to this island.

We walked around the Flat Island. It is an island made out of hard coral rock. So as we walked around it there are all kinds of beautiful coral rock holes and formations. The two islands in the distance are the islands that the four hour tour people go. They are much further. They were not taking people there that day because the water was too choppy.

Gordon having fun snorkeling at Lanikai Beach

This is the East side of Oahu. This is the rocky side of the island.
We were surprised to find that even in this rocky side there are hidden beaches.
There are great views from the different rocky mountains that stick out into the ocean.

Hanauma Bay is a bay that is partially protected from the open ocean here in the east side of the island. It is a very popular place. We tried to come here in the morning but the parking was full and were not letting any more people in. So we came back in the evening and was able to be there when the crowd was gone but since they close at 6:00 in the evening we were not there long.

I got to go in the water a little here in Hanauma Bay before they chased us out.

It is very shallow. The water here is not completely clear but I can see the coral reef and the fish from above the water. The water was a little cold when you first get in but later did not fee cold at all.

Cultures and Dances of the Polynesian Islands

One of the biggest attractions in Oahu is the Polynesian Culture Center located in the small town of La'ie, on the north side Oahu. This center was created by the Mormon church to attract visitors and help subsided Brigham Young University students from all over the Pacific Islands . They do a recreation of island life from around Polynesia. This is not a Disneyland. This is a laid-back collection of recreations from various island villages from around Polynesia. We learned a lot about the culture of the islands.

At one of the ceremonies from a tribe of New Zealand, Gordon was chosen as the chief to represent the group of people that were there, in a ceremony customary of peace welcoming. He had to pickup some green leaves (he is holding in his hands) as a symbol that he and his people are coming in peace. There is a formal ceremonial greeting where they had to shake hands and touch heads and nose. He then had come down to where I was seated in the front row and do the formal head and nose formal greeting with me too. It was very interesting.

New Zealand girls doing ceremonial singing

There was a parade of dances from the different Polynesian cultures at the canal.

There were different shows that explained about the cultures and customs of the villages of the different islands

We took a boat ride on the main canal

We were seating on the second row at the two hour evening show.
This show summarises all the cultural costumes that we had learned as we walked and did the different activities during the day. They do dances from the different Polynesian islands.
A very lively and colorful presentation.

The Valley of the Temples

We visited the Valley of the Temples located on the east side of the island of Oahu. This is a cemetery. There are various small temples there scatted around the area. In the back is the largest temple of them all. The Byodo-In is a replica of a 950 year old Buddhist temple in Uji, Japan. It was built here in the 1960s to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the arrival of Japanese immigrant workers to Hawaii. Backed by the gorgeous Ko'olau mountain range and by a pond in front filled with Koi fish and swans. It's impossible not to feel peaceful here. This temple is still in used today by worshipers.


It is customary to ring this richly toned bell before entering the temple.


Inside the Temple.

Beautiful place! Awesome mountains!
There is a atmosphere of complete serenity here. I wanted to stay here forever.

When talking and singing in the middle of this gazebo, my voice sounded loud. It was like magic!
I wished the sound of my voice was normally like this all the time. It was a little taste of how my voice could be like in heaven some day.

Kio fish and swans

Gordon relaxing in this place. It is impossible not to feel relax here.

Visiting Historical Places of Oahu

We visited some of Oahu's historical sites. We visited The U.S.S. Arizona Memorial National Park in Pearl Harbor. The line to get the tickets was long and there was a long wait, but there is a lot to see. Here we visited the U.S.S. Bowfin submarine, visited two of the museums there, viewed the dramatic film of the attack on Pearl Harbor of December 7, 1941, boarded a navy boat to the Arizona memorial, and visited the U.S.S. Missouri battleship. We ended up being here all day.
We also visited the Punchbowl National Cementary of the Pacific.

We visited the Punchbowl National Cemetery of the Pacific.
This cemetary is built on one of the volcanic craters of the island.
This picture does not show it well but it you look carefully it is the shape of a bowl, or the crater of the volcano. To learn more about this cemetary click HERE

Gordon reading the historical information by the stairs

Gordon going up the stairs of the memorial at the cemetery.
There are a lot of steps up.

All the fern trees along both sides of the stairs of the monument are shaped as a Punchbowl

Gordon enjoying the exhibit of the Pacific War here. Very educational.
They have great detailed maps that tell the history from the beginning to the end of the war.

Me at the top of the stais of the Punchbown Memorial.
There is a small chapel behind this statute use to pay tribute by visitors.
People are completely silent here.

We took an audio tour of the U.S.S. Bowfin Submarine.
Here I am after the tour with a view of the submarine behind me.

After viewing a dramatic film on the attack on Pearl Harbor of December 7, 1941 we board a navy boat to the Arizona Memorial

Me at the Arizona Memorial. While everyone still has the images from the film presentation in mind, they are completely silent and in deep thought here at the memorial paying tribute to the marines that died and are buried with the ship under the water.

Information about the Arizona battleship that is still under water here under the memorial

The Arizona battleship is visible under the water.

The memorial has a small chapel with the names of the marines buried with the Arizona battleship. Everyone is paying tribute with complete silence.
I learned that this is how Americans are patriotic.

Next we visited the U.S.S. Missouri Battleship.
This was the last battleship built by the United States.
This battleship is famous for many things, but the one that stands out the most is that on this battleship the Japanese signed the formal surrender to end the Pacific War.

The tour the Missouri battleship was very educational.

Here is Gordon at the exact site where the Japanese signed the final surrender on September 2 1945. See the signing HERE

Here are the surrender documents and an actual pen that was used