Our week at Waikoloa part II

I had been wanting to swim with a sea turtle, but hadn't been snorkeling by the waterfall where they like to hang out because Eva was afraid to go in that deep area. So one evening when we had the whole lagoon practically to ourselves, Max and Lucas stayed with her in the shallows so that Marc could show me where they were. I saw two of them and was so excited! I swam with them for a few minutes, but it was a little bit difficult because they are protected and you aren't supposed to touch them, and they were getting so close, it was hard not to!

The next morning, this one swam right up next to the shore. I quickly called Eva over, and we followed it for about 100 yards or so. It was amazing.

Mim with two of her great-grandchildren. I can't imagine knowing my great-grandmother!

Mim swimming with Genevieve. 

Eva playing in the sand with Genevieve, whose swim cap kills me with its cuteness.

Marc and Lisa, having a rare (mostly uninterrupted) chat.

A view from the boat canal.

The tiniest wedding chapel in the world! We saw a wedding in progress while we were there.

The kids enjoyed feeding bread to this swan, but we all agreed it was very sad to see its wings clipped.

The view right below our room.

I left Hawaii two days before everyone else so that I could go to Emily's wedding, and on my last day, I realized that I hadn't taken a boat ride (mahogany boats take you around the resort). I had just enough time to squeeze one in before leaving for the airport, and Marc and Max joined me.

African Crest Crane

Max documenting.

And this is what my hair looks like in Hawaii. Fabulous.

Another island sunset!

People are always sabotaging our self-portraits.

Incidentally, when I told Eva that I was leaving for the airport soon, she raised her fists in the air and shouted, "Yeah! Party!!" I was completely unsurprised by this blatant show of disregard.

On Friday, after I was gone, everyone went to this beach, which Michelle informed me was the greatest beach in the world. Rats, I missed it! Eva and I had both gotten pretty bad sunburns on Thursday, so Marc had to buy her the very expensive, but very cute, rashguard and shorts. I'm told there was boogie boarding and fun galore.

On Saturday, everyone had to check out at noon, but the flights weren't until 9:30 p.m., so I guess they spent most of the day playing games in the lobby. Marc was on his own with the kids on the red-eye flight home. Ouch. (He told me that a fellow traveler complimented Eva on being so well-behaved on the long flight. What that person didn't realize was that Marc was conversing with her the. entire. time.)

To sum up: the Hilton Waikoloa was amazing, by far the nicest resort we've ever seen. It was even more fun to be there with so many family members. I can't believe the things we have experienced this summer and hope my kids will always remember the memories we made. Definitely the trip of a lifetime!

Hanauma Bay

On Friday, we took a shuttle to Hanauma Bay to go snorkeling. (Our driver talked to us the whole time and was hilarious. He was a Harley Davidson guy who speaks Japanese and grows out his hair and donates it to Locks of Love every year.)

I went to Oahu with my parents when I was 16, and Hanauma Bay was way bigger than I remembered. And more crowded. But still really beautiful! Since I was there last, they have built a visitor's center and added a mandatory video about preserving the coral reef with some of the cheesiest songs I have ever heard. It was good for some laughs.

Family shot just before we got all our snorkeling gear on.

Eva was super happy at first. 

Then she discovered that fins are hard to walk in, the mask feels weird on your face, the water is cold at first, and she is not really a fan of fish swimming right next to her.

Fortunately, Mim and Bob didn't snorkel, so Eva mostly played in the sand while they sat on the beach. (How they could stand to be fully dressed and sitting on the beach for a couple of hours is beyond me. I can only stand it if I'm getting wet.)

Marc and Max went out together, while I stayed with Lucas and tried to help/console him. He could still snorkel pretty well without getting his head fully submerged. We discovered that Marc and Lucas took to snorkeling quite naturally, while it made Max and I feel slightly panicky. (I already knew this about myself.) I think it feels so strange to be breathing underwater.

A couple of times, I forced Eva to go out just a little ways with me, where we could see fish even without the mask, but some people next to us spotted a small snake (I thought it was an eel, but whatever), and then it was all over. The rest of us loved Hanauma Bay!

After our snorkeling adventure, Bob & Mim took Eva to the aquarium (the boys were too tired).

Eva prefers seeing the fish through a glass tank.

After a short rest, Marc went to see a movie, and the boys and I walked around for awhile.

Don Ho Street was right next to our condo. It cracked me up every time I walked by.

We decided we had to return to the shave ice place. This time, I got the tropical trio: mango, papaya, and haupia (fresh coconut milk). It was amazingly good, especially the coconut milk section. I was pretty much in heaven. (Lucas got peanut butter again, and Max got strawberry milk, also delicious.)

FYI: this shave ice has finely shaved ice in the bottom of the bowl, then vanilla ice cream, then more ice patted around the ice cream to form the volcano shape, then the whole thing is doused with homemade syrups and condensed milk. Delicioso!

We all went up to the owner's lounge for a prime view of the Friday night fireworks show. I love fireworks.

I was surprised by how early the sun sets in Hawaii. It seemed like every night around 7 or 7:30, it would be dark already! It took me aback every night. In Utah, we have to wait until 9:30 for it to be dark enough for fireworks.

We went out to get some dinner after the fireworks and we were right in the middle of the Pan Pacific Festival. The main street was closed to traffic and there were people and booths everywhere.

Eva did not enjoy these loud drummers, but I thought they were cool.

Polynesian Cultural Center

Bob rented a car on Wednesday to take us to the Polynesian Cultural Center.

Bob and Mim had some missionary friends who were able to provide free passes and meal tickets for us all! I enjoyed it much more knowing that they didn't have to spend $1000-ish on the experience.

As you enter the cultural center, everyone is handed a lei for a photo op.

We ate lunch at an island buffet and then started visiting the various villages.

This guy was hilarious. He talked about starting fires, climbing coconut trees, etc. and did it in such an entertaining way. He would repeat various words in about 10 different language, to comic effect. I could have listened to him for another hour. It started raining during his presentation, and some people were searching for umbrellas or rain ponchos. I was thrilled for the relief from the heat.

(I want to say that this presentation was from Samoa, but I can't be certain anymore...)

Thanks to Mim's hustle, we snagged a great spot for watching the parade on the canal.

I loved that there were kids on this float! They were good, too.

This guy tied for my favorite entertainer at the cultural center. He was so funny and so good at extemporizing with audience members. (I think this was from the Tongan village, but again, I can't say for sure!)

Grandma and Eva watching the show.
(Eva picked out this hibiscus flower clip at Sea Life Park, and wore it for the rest of our stay in Hawaii.)

Max and Grandpa took a canoe ride.

The way they wrap palm tree trunks with these dried fronds was one of my favorite things about the park! So cool.

We bought some fish food from a gumball-type machine and it was endlessly entertaining.

Hungry fish.

Beautiful landscaping!

I loved these seashell lights in the restaurant where we ate dinner.

After we left the PCC, we drove by the temple. 

I love the landscaping. That row of hibiscus plants is stunning!

swimming with dolphins!

We took a bus to Sea Life Park to swim with dolphins!

The kids and I were way excited about it, but, inexplicably, Marc just wanted to watch and take pictures. I wasn't about to pass up this one-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

(The look on Eva's face is a good predictor of the way she handled the experience.)

First up was Eva's dolphin encounter. Kids her age have to be with an adult, and I was nominated to go with her. As excited as she was to interact with a dolphin, the reality proved to be much more frightening than she expected.

The water was cold, the dolphin, Mikioi, was really close, and pretty large. There were many reasons (in her mind) for her to be stressed. She cried through much of it. The trainer was very understanding and didn't push her to do anything that made her uncomfortable. She touched the dolphin, but did not want to give him a kiss.

By the end, I was able to talk her into dancing with the dolphin, as I was afraid she would have regrets if she did not. Now, she only remembers the positive parts of the experience, and tells everyone she danced with a dolphin! Whew.

After witnessing all of her upset, the Aussies next to us were thrilled for her success as well.

We had some time before our next dolphin encounter, so we caught the sea lion show. This one painted with a paintbrush in her mouth.

And this one danced.

They were just all-around pretty adorable.

The boys and I went off for our turn with the dolphins. I enjoyed it much more without having to hold Eva! 

Max kissing Lupita.

Lucas's turn. We teased the boys about their first kisses being with a dolphin!

My dolphin ride! It was truly amazing to feel the power and energy of the dolphin as he pulled me along.

Lucas's turn

Max's turn

This is one adventure I am happy not to have missed!