Some of you may have noticed that I didn’t post anything yesterday. Was I having computer issues. Was I too busy? Nope. I took the day off. Did you know you could do that on vacation? Well, I am here to confirm you absolutely can. After 3 weeks of constant sightseeing and moving about the Pacific Rim I pulled the covers over my head and slept til noon. Then I went to the movies. That was my entire day (except for a wee little run to a Destroyer). I didn’t even take any photos. It was a pretty excellent day altogether.
And today? More of the same? Uh uh. Back to the business of travel. I met up with a friend and took a little tour of the North Shore. Now, I don’t know about the rest of you but my visions of the North Shore are based almost entirely upon the cheesey Nia Peeples movie North Shore. Never heard of it? Shame on you it is a classic, 1987 style. It is also a bit misleading. For example, the movie takes place in the summer but the waves suck in the summer. Wanna see a big wave here? Come back in January. However, this blog has never really concerned itself with the factual integrity of pop culture so let’s just move along shall we?
I had very strict orders today to go to the Dole Plantation. I very well may have had to find a new place to stay for the rest of my time in Hawaii if I had failed in this directive. Like a good girl I stopped by Dole, had my Dole whip (pineapple ice cream), toured the garden and taunted the fish. I did not partake in the “Pick A Pearl” souvenir hustle though I was accosted by a few shills throughout the plantation. Has everything turned into just another excuse to buy a cheap bracelet? On the tourist circuit the answer is yes.
After the Plantation it was time to head someplace a little less commercial. Less commercial but still featuring a cover charge – Waimea Park. A little less than a mile into the park there is a pretty decent waterfall. As I am a big fan of waterfalls I enjoyed this particular feature. The fact that there were lifeguards at the base of the waterfall was an interesting new take on a classic. There was also a rack of little kid life jackets. I am sure they were available for rent. Also in the park was this amazing Disney-style tree that was covered in wild orchids. The way the orchids hung from the branches created these hiding spaces near the base. It was like the dry land version of the Kiss the Girls set from The Little Mermaid. Of course I went in to explore.
There is a spot just north of Haleiwa where sea turtles hang out onshore. They rather imaginatively refer to it as Turtle Beach, not to be confused with Turtle Bay which is the ritzy resort on the northernmost tip of the island. The turtles look bored yet endlessly patient. There were five partially buried in the cool sand at the edge of the beach, kept safe from tourist by a six foot perimeter denoted by what appeared to be very long jump ropes. This is interesting for about three minutes and then you are good to go. They are turtles. Bored turtles. Only so much entertainment can be mined from animals that appear to be judging you.
Have you ever heard about the infestation of pigs on O’ahu? I hadn’t either. Today I get asked if I have seen them yet. Nope. Then, at dusk, as I am driving in the low light on the black top I see a small black object dart toward my car. A suicidal pig. A suicidal pig trying to run me off the road. I much prefer the Bali beach cows if I am going to continue to have livestock run-ins on this trip.
I ended my day hoping to recapture some of the magic of the sunset in Kuta at Sunset Beach here on O’ahu. Clouds conspired against me. While I was denied the sun at sunset, I was not denied a certain kind of beauty. The clouds looked lovely backlit.
Tomorrow it is time to jet off to the big island. As Katie says, even in Hawaii I can't stay still for more than a coupld of days.
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