San Antonio was a lot of fun. It rained most of the trip and we had to stay a bit on the bundled up side, but yesterday's weather was great...it was in the 70's before we left and it was nice and sunny. We took the River Walk water taxi tour which was a nice send off for us.
Well, now for some great news! My good bloggy friend The Rambler is graciously acting as my guest blogger for the day! You may remember that she and I have been working on putting together virtual trips where she takes me to Hawaii and I bring her to Texas. Please read on so you can learn of our wonderful virtual bloggy-friend date from one side of the Pacific Ocean to the other! Be sure to visit her site later today as she'll be posting my guest blog.
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I can't tell you how excited I am that Shorty and I are virtual vacationing at each others home town. I have my bloggy suitcase ready with all my bloggy boots, bloggy cowgirl hat, cowgirl shirt and some Wranglers...(Too much? Shorty? Stop shaking your head :)
But before I tear outta here I have to tell you about HER trip HERE.
Here?
When?
Yes. To Bloggy Hawaii. We are bloggy stealthy like that.
Can you believe it?
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In true bloggy fashion I sent a jet to Big Ol Texas to pick up my pal....
Look, it's all they had alright!The pilot and flight attendants are very attentive and perky....a little plastic but Shorty's not complaining. She's fed Mai Tai's and Lava Flows all the way over.
Finally, while waiting a whole....um, long bloggy time. Her ride pulls in.
And you know that if you EVER come to Hawaii and someone is here to greet you there SHOULD always be this...
Totally not me....but maybe on the good dream days I look as pretty as this. Shorty and I squealed, hugged, squealed some more, hugged again like a bunch of school girls that just got their boy crushes to look at them.
Because we will be too busy talking, drinking coffee, Mai Tai's, and such I had to make sure we were driven by a special hunky Hottie that I just know Shorty will die when she sees him....
Because we will be too busy talking, drinking coffee, Mai Tai's, and such I had to make sure we were driven by a special hunky Hottie that I just know Shorty will die when she sees him....
Um, look. He asked if he needed to dress more "professional" and I was like....uh NO.
After she shakes Mr. Hottie Limo Driver's hand for about....forever, we take off on our first stop. Our first stop is the MUST DO when in Hawaii.
We take our bloggy selves into the Arizona Memorial. We check out the museum first to see photos, and artifacts from both the American AND Japanese side. We stand in line for our turn to watch the movie that tells the story of that day. After our movie, and a tear or two, we leave out a different door that leads us to the boats operated by the Navy that takes us out to this photo above. When we step off the boat and walk up and in the memorial that sits over the sunken ship of the USS Arizona, we sense the quiet respect that all seem to be abiding by. We see the wall with all the names that lost their lives that day and reflect a little of the many lives changed that day, of a country that changed that day.
We peer over and maybe will get a glimpse of the oil that drips upwards toward the surface from the ship.
And it's our time to go back to shore. Riding back on the boat most of us are silent but you see the reflection on just how this day is, being in this same harbor where many ships were on fire, and that Japanese planes were zipping in and firing. It's very humbling.
Shorty and I leave this place.
But the place and it's history really stays with us.
I decide to put my body through hell and tell HottieLimoDriver to take us to Diamond Head Crater. Yup, a dormant volcano folks. Don't you want to go home and say you went INSIDE a volcano. Without sacrifice of a virginal male? (Isn't that what they ask for?)
Shorty enjoys anything to do with fitness and of course in her bloggy suitcase had packed her hiking shoes and hot looking hiking outfit...(I think she ESP'd that special someone was gonna be our ALL DAY Driver).
What?
Of course I hike!
Like almost everyday....(I quickly brush away the cobwebs and promise the spider family that has made my hiking shoes home that it will be back, this using them thing is only temporary.)
And we take off, together at first, until Shorty & HottieLimoDriver decide they'll go jogging UP Diamond Head.
I mumble grumble (to myself) that I need to work out more.
SHOWOFF'S!
I mumble grumble (to myself) that I need to work out more.
SHOWOFF'S!
I have reached the top, FINALLY, out of breath, swearing like a sailor, and thanking whoever that I can, and sit for a second to catch my life.
It apparently left me halfway down the crater.
It apparently left me halfway down the crater.
But..... Shorty and Hottie Limo Driver are all ready to go down and on to the next stop.
DAMN. :)
We bloggy drive to Haunama Bay. A beautiful beach reserve that is a natural aquarium of all types of sea life. And I do mean EVERYTHING. (insert Jaws Theme song)
This island girl is....(don't gasp).... scared of the ocean past my knees.
(Again, insert Jaws Theme music)
This island girl is....(don't gasp).... scared of the ocean past my knees.
(Again, insert Jaws Theme music)
I wave at Shorty and Hottie Limo Driver from shore as she enjoys the water and what's below.
*Shudder*
We scurry along to another Must See location. The Old Pali Lookout. Check out my old post I did on my Halloween Ghost Hunt in Hawaii which has some background on this great place to visit.
Gosh, I need a small snack......wonder if Shorty will be OK with this?The Hawaiian Plate. It varies from place to place but the standard (in my book at least) should be
Poi (Taro), Kalua Pork, Laulau, Lomi Lomi Salmon and Haupia (coconut dessert)
Or if you want something fast....The Ever Faithful SPAM MUSUBI
It's fast, its quick and it yum. Rice, Spam and a little Nori (Japanese Seaweed)
I know, I know...you all are like. SPAM? Really?
Like 95% of Hawaii has a can in their cupboard. That's not an official fact, but my official opinion.
Fine, how about something like this cone of yumminess?
The Shave Ice.
Wiping mouth and burping like the lady I am....we head off.
We do a bloggy drive by past all the popular beaches on the North Shore.
Shorty's camera goes off like she's got Paparazzi in her blood.
I decide to show her 'Iolani Palace real quick for some Hawaiian History.
The official residence of the last ruling monarchs of Hawaii.
King Kalakaua & his sister Queen Lili'uokalani.
And then quickly over to the Bishop Museum. A place that holds artifacts of Hawaii's people and it's past. A place to learn more about this island in the middle of the Pacific that is more then beaches, luaus and shave ice. A place to learn about the people that inhabited this place long before our grandparents were thought of.
There are so many things I want to share more with Shorty, but our time is short (no pun intended Shorty! Okay, maybe just a little bit).
So to end our time together, please enjoy this video of a hula performance taken from the yearly Merrie Monarch Festival. My real life BFF recently danced to this song at her grandmothers funeral.
The song, Ka Nohona Pili Kai, is sung by Kealii Reichel
Thank you Readers of Securityville! For joining Shorty and I on our journey through my hometown. Hopefully you will stop by my place to see MY adventures in the big state of Texas.
This local girl is turning Cowgirl....Yeehaw!
ALOHA!
This local girl is turning Cowgirl....Yeehaw!
ALOHA!
