Surfing is HUGE in Hawaii!
Duke, a native Hawaiian, was a five-time Olympic medalist in swimming. He is also known for popularizing surfing as a sport.
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| Duke Paoa Kahanamoku Statue |
Wendy and Penelope are not surfers but they are definitely beach bears!
On a more solemn note it is important to understand the role Hawaii played in our U.S. history - particularly with regards to the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7. 1941. Hawaii was not even a state of the U.S. We had a treaty with the king of Hawaii that allowed us to build a military presence. Visiting the Pearl Harbor National Memorial provides a better understanding of the impact of the attack by the Japanese as related to the entry of the United States into World War II. Even more importantly is gaining a deeper understanding of the impact the attack had on the native Hawaiians.
In addition to the musuem at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial, we visited the USS Arizona Memorial.
Within a volcanic crater called the Punchbowl resides the remains of thousands of servicemen and women. The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific honors Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.
We arrived just as volunteers had finished placing wreaths on several of the graves.
Our drive along Diamond Head road provided some lovely views including this one of Diamond Head Lighthouse:
Wendy and Penelope love sitting on our lanai and looking at the view of Diamond Head.
This ends our fabulous Hawaiian vacation. 🙁 We're headed back across the ocean to the mainland and Texas for the holidays!
How exactly do you get from Hawaii to Texas?
By crossing the specific ocean. 😂
