Me and My Beard: Day Fifty Four

Dear Readers,
      I have had the pleasure of visiting Hawaii twice. Once with Raina's family and the other on our honeymoon almost two years ago. Hawaii is one of those beautiful places that can be visited multiple times to get away and relax. The atmosphere is slower and more relaxed. The food is delicious. The portions are tremendous. The views are breathtaking. The activities are endless. Even some World War II history mixed in. Great fun. Oahu once, Maui once and Kauai twice.
      Oahu was during our first visit and our first stop. We were only there for one night, but we made the most of it. Walking around Waikiki Beach. Walking miles trying to find the entrance to Diamond Head, which we had to cut short on account of Raina's mother having to make a potty trip. Visiting the Arizona Memorial and taking a tour of the U.S.S. Missouri. Which is the ship that the Japanese signed the surrender on. So much history to see and not enough time to see it all. Missed out on the Air Museum and the submarine tour. Just means we have to go back someday. The coolest part had to be the tour of the Missouri. We got to see so many cool parts of the ship and hear so many stories. To also see how complex it was to fire one of the large cannons on the ship, with the amazing accuracy they had. So many moving parts and something like twenty men to work one cannon. That is a lot of guys to rely on to get the job done punctually and accurately. They did though. All that stuff amazes me and grabs a hold of my attention. My mind gets transfixed once I get interested in something. History, especially World War II, gets me like that. Oahu was a blast, even for only one night.
      Maui, on the other hand, was a completely different kind of trip. Maui was the first stop on our second trip. It was our honeymoon. After all those months of planning and preparing and stressing over our wedding, it was finally time to relax. And relax we did. We pretty much went into a vegetative state. We did nothing but relax, take naps, take relaxing swims, take scenic drives and partake in the many delicious delicacies of the island. Including a wonderful restaurant referred to us by my boss, Mama's Fish House. It was a little bit of a drive, but definitely worth it. The view was amazing. Everything is open air and we had a window seat to a beautiful sunset out on the beach. The food was amazing. A little pricey, but the view and delicious food made it worth it. Our first night on Maui was thought to have been ruined. I booked us an oceanfront room at the Hyatt, thinking how cool it was going to be. We were detoured do to a fire blocking the one road that led in and out of where our hotel was. So the Hyatt put us up in a little hotel called the Fairmont Kea Lani. That place was so amazing. One of the best hotels I have ever stayed at. Fancy room, fancy shower and tub, fancy living room, fancy view. It was awesome. I had the best Eggs Benedict at their breakfast buffet. This place was beautiful all throughout. It made the Hyatt look like a second class hotel afterwards. Made us wish we could have just finished our stay there. The road was cleared by the next day and we shifted to the Hyatt, a little bummed. The view was still awesome, but the room was a little lacking. We felt a little like snobs, treating the Hyatt like second class citizens even though it was still really nice.
      The one thing Maui had that the other two islands didn't have was Ululani Shaved Ice. The best shaved ice hands down. It was like powder. That is how finely the ice was shaved. And so many delicious flavors. They also have Haupia Ice Cream, which was fantastic, a little coconut, a little vanilla, a lot delicious. Get a scoop of Haupia topped with shaved ice, amazing. We totally found it on accident. We had just landed and gotten our rental car and just passed the stand when Raina tells me that if I love her I would turn around and get her some shaved ice. So I did and the rest is history. Wish I could get that stuff here. Maui was great and can't wait to visit again. There are so many other things to do. Looking forward to it.

Part 2 Tomorrow. Kauai.

This Day In History: 1945

U.S. Marines raise the American flag atop Mount Suribachi, the highest point on Iwo Jima, during World War II.

Born This Day: 1685

Georg Friedrick Handel - German born composer

"Political correctness is tyranny with manners."

- Charlton Heston