Hawaii (Oahu Island) Part 1
Day 3: Hiking Diamond Head Crater, exploring Iolani Palace and the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
On day 3, we decided to hike the Diamond Head Crater. We woke up promptly at 5 am, to skip the usual bathroom rush hour, and were out by 6 am, waiting for the bus that never arrived because it was a Saturday. After waiting for an hour, we took a cab and reached the trailhead. We did see why it is best to start hikes early, it can get extremely hot and uncomfortable even by 8 am. This is where we started from while the tiny structure at the top was where we had to reach.
Base of the trail head
As we hiked, the topography and the views kept changing.
About 30-40 minutes of panting and sweating later, we reached on top. While hiking, we saw arid, barren land. But once at the top, we saw the whole of Honolulu, including the beach line, spread right in front of us.
Downtown Honolulu
I have a thing for lighthouses, honestly. I spot one and I’ll try out every means to reach it. If I cannot, I will just take lots of light house pictures.
How we wished we drove something like this too. This was while waiting for the bus.
After lunch we went to the Iolani Palace, the only royal palace used as an official residence by a reigning monarch in the U.S. Given that I hail from a country of kings, palaces, and places of historical interest, I was especially interested to check it out.
Iolani Palace
Iolani Palace
A palace is a palace – with all its grandeur. Huge doors and windows made of carved wood. Ornate carpets and decorations. We did the audio tour of the palace and found many interesting facts. We even had to were these blue shoe covers, lest we dirty the floors or the carpets.
Next we did a brief tour of the University of Hawaii campus at Manoa, a very Indian looking campus.
And guess what – Govinda was here too.
My friend was interested in checking out the campus because she used to live there about 26 years ago. As for me, I have always been fond of visiting different campuses. So I just tagged along.
I wonder why these abstract structures are found in front of most of the engineering departments in the US, and what do they mean. I found something abstract like this in Princeton too.
Another discovery- I haven’t seen so many china roses (hibiscus flowers) ever since Saturday evenings as a kid in India when dida (grandma) would do Kali Puja and ask me to pick the red variety from the garden. And of course the ICSE 9th grade biology dissection classes where we were expected to separate every organ of the flower, including the male and female components in its entirety.
On day 1, we were recommended a food place which we never found, even after an hour of walking and looking and asking around. On evening 3, we were generally strolling by the Waikiki beach, undecided what to eat for dinner when out of the blue, our dream destination for day 1 cropped up. Fate !!
After hogging our hearts on sushi, we returned to the hostel, full and happy and sleepy as ever. We intended to go to bed early. Day 4 had more in store for us.
Another well written post. The supporting pictures are simply amazing.
For a first timer your posts would be very handy.
Thanks for sharing.
So Devasmita do you feel in one of the births you were among those ill-fated sailors whose last wish was to discover a light house :-)
What are these? open mini cars ???? I too want to add my name to the list of those who will like to drive them.
About the Palace I was expecting you to share those interesting facts. I would suggest do write them, else you will forget. And if you worry about the length of the post, you can write it in comment section :-)
Govinda’s -> Sometimes lifeline for those who wants to eat vegeterian food without garlic and onion. Thanks to Hare Rama Hare Krishna “Govinda” is among the very popular bollywood star.
Abstract structures -> Well, today I have to take an interview and it seems that the candidate is good, so I am preparing at least one question that otherwise even I could not have answered. Arts and Engineers, generally two things don’t go hand in hand. So these structures are done to make engineers realize that there are somethings they should always look forward to understand.
A close French friend of mine is puzzled that why in the Musee de Grenoble they have a painting with E= MC**2 written in capital and how much they might have paid him. I wonder if this Einstein equation is known/clear to an artist shouldn’t he be rewarded.
:-)