Hawaii Trip Report, 24-Hour Interval 5: Foster Gardens, Iolani Palace, Lyon Arboretum; 24-Hour Interval 6: Pearl Harbor Memorial, Wahiawa, Wiamea

Day 5, December 14, 2012:

Hotel Ramada Plaza, Honolulu

This is our hotel room.

Comfy beds,

Our backpack amongst camera, GPS, google maps. the other bed together with the large window overlooking Hilton—we saw fireworks correct from here.

Hilton across the road—the Waikiki beach was only beyond.

Sweet corn, greenish peas, carrot sabji, rice, curds inwards casserole, fruits from the botanic garden on the plastic cover.

Nice buffet at the neighboring Chinese articulation equally role of our hotel package... muffins. eggs boiled inwards tea, pickles, nuts. Very practiced peanuts—-we had a handful amongst our fried rice daily. Excellent boundary rolls...tasty spud fry, broccoli. Noodles. pan cakes together with fried rice.

Buddha together with an aquarium.

Our tabular array all week—-just close the window watching the resident robins frolicking to a greater extent than or less equally nosotros eat...

our bluish H2O proof photographic telly camera cover—made from our onetime pelting poncho. ..essential for the rainy Hawaiian weather.

The fourth dimension on the clock—-just past times 7.

The fruit counter—had practiced pineapple.

The reception amongst cane cover

Xmas tree—and the airline hostesses who exercise the hotel equally their base. Tree ornaments are all beach stuff—bucket, spade, hoe—can build a overnice sand castle.

Gift store that was never opened upward during our 1 calendar week stay—we left early on together with returned late—the store must conduct keep opened together with closed when nosotros were out.

Kwan Yin Temple:

Foster garden opens only at 9am, We paid our respects at this Chinese temple equally nosotros had arrived earlier.

Traditional entrance. Red pillars supporting the nameplate.

The incense stand upward at kwan yin temple side past times side to Foster Gardens.

The familiar king of beasts guards on the ruby-red background.

The drum together with the bell which are beaten/rung during prayer.

Another side altar... aureate leafage covered deity.... elaborately carved wooden frames.

the donation box.

All Hawaiian heritage sights conduct keep a scream board amongst the figure of the Hawaiian inwards robe together with caput gear...

Foster Gardens:

Foster garden is i of the five main botanical gardens of Oahu. Foster Botanical Garden is a living museum of tropical plants, some rare together with endangered, collected from throughout the world's torrid zone over a menses of 150 years. 24 trees conduct keep been designated "exceptional" throughout the Garden. Criteria : Historic or Cultural Value, Age, Rarity, Location, Size, Aesthetic Quality, Endemic Status.

75,000 visitors persuasion the garden annually. The staff said it'll conduct keep an hr to consider this garden. We spent three hours.

Taaaa....ll palm trees.

This upper terrace has the oldest trees planted inwards 1853... they are huge.

In 1853 Queen Kalama leased a pocket-sized expanse of province to William Hillebrand, a immature High German doctor. H5N1 botanist equally good equally a physician, he together with his married adult woman built a habitation inwards the upper terrace expanse of the nowadays garden. The magnificent trees which at nowadays tower over this expanse were planted past times him. After 20 years inwards Hawaii, he returned to Federal Republic of Federal Republic of Germany together with produced the fantabulous botanic treatise, Flora of the Hawaiian Islands (1888).

The Hillebrand holding was after sold to Thomas (Captain) together with Mary Foster who added to it.

Upon Mrs. Foster's expiry inwards 1930, the 5.5 acre site was bequeathed to Honolulu equally a populace garden. Dr. Lyon its initiatory of all manager over a span of 27 years, introduced 10,000 novel kinds of trees together with plants to Hawaii. The Foster Garden orchid collection was started amongst Dr. Lyon's ain plants.

Colorful bromeliads.

Crown of thorns.

Awesome buttress roots of the kapok tree—-it's silk cotton... in that location are huge ruby-red flowers together with they flare-up together with unloose silk cotton... which tin live used for stuffing toys.

Bottle palm.

Our favorite cannon ball tree amongst the huge cannon ball fruits growing correct from the bark... the violet pulp is foul smelling together with eaten past times pigs together with chicken.

Saw these inwards enough inwards Rio, Brazil April 2012.

Sausage tree.

Napoleon's hat... the homo whom this chapeau volition tally must live tiny!!!

Totem pole.

Tranquil Buddha.

Elephant pes tree.

Branches taking back upward on ground.

Colorful bromeliad entrance to orchid house.

Orchids

Macadamia nut tree... picked a handful.

Why is it the costliest nut? it takes 300pounds per foursquare inch of pressure level to fissure opened upward the hard shell together with it must live done delicately without breaking the nut!!!

We took the slow agency out together with bought five bags from the famous nut farm inwards Big Island after tasting gratuitous samples to heart's content.

Bread fruits... when cooked this pulp tastes similar freshly baked bread. Hawaiians exercise its wood for surfboards together with its sap for glue.

Why are fruits left to rot on ground??

Haven't caught fifty-fifty one-tenth of these trees,

Chicle tree... its sap makes a chewing gum... its fruits are delicious.

White pulverization puff flowers. Red pulverization puff flowers.

Teak

Lemon hanging from a branch.

Kukui nut is called candle nut tree... it has high petroleum content together with is lit upward equally candles... the seeds are polished together with made into leis (garlands).

Orange tree laden amongst fruit.

These fruits odour delicious—ripe mango smell.

Coconuts within reach. dwarf kokosnoot tree.

Pomegranate—was quite tasty.

Noni again.

Christmas tree... isn't a cutting tree sort of redundant inwards a garden amongst living, growing trees??

Iolani Palace:

At noon, nosotros cutting brusque our wandering through Foster gardens together with made our agency to the Iolani palace grounds for the Royal Hawaiian band's i hr concert... however, parking was hard to find, nosotros had to common far away, together with walk.

Iolani palace grounds.. bougenvilla spot served equally practiced dejeuner place...

we caught only the lastly publish of the Royal Hawaiian band surgical physical care for equally they injure upward past times 12.30.

Iolani Palace features unique trend known equally American Florentine. On the initiatory of all flooring a grand hall faces a staircase of koa wood. Ornamental plaster decorates the interior. The throne room (southeast corner), the bluish coming together room, together with the dining room adjoin the hall. The bluish room includes a koa wood pianoforte where Liliʻuokalani played her compositions for guests. Upstairs are the individual library together with bedrooms of the Hawaiian monarchs.

It had electricity together with telephones fifty-fifty before the White House.

It served equally the official residence of the Hawaiian monarch until the 1893 overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Beside Liliʻuokalani, Queen Kapiʻolani together with other royal retainers were evicted from the palace after the overthrow. We did non conduct keep the interior docent tours but left.

Lyon Arboretum:

Here nosotros are at the picturesque entrance to Lyon arboretum close Manoa falls. This arboretum has the added flavour of pristine rainforest surroundings.

In the lower grounds close the Visitor Center, nosotros went to the herb together with spice garden, the Native Hawaiian Garden, together with the Beatrice Krauss Hawaiian Ethnobotanic Garden.

Chilean firebush—we saw these inwards Argentine Republic inwards Dec 2013.

what are these??

This is Chinese ginger—shampoo ginger—-when squeezed gives a sugariness smelling liquid which tin live used for washing hair.

Anthurium.

Chinese ginger buds

Tiny jackfruits.

Views

Hale pili... grass house.

awwww... bananas.

Noni... supposedly a cure for all diseases.

Screw pine—Often called pandanus palms, these plants are non closely related to palm trees. Vary inwards size from pocket-sized shrubs less than 1 m (3.3 ft) tall, to medium-sized trees 20 m (66 ft) tall, typically amongst a broad canopy, heavy fruit, together with moderate increase rate. The body is stout, wide-branching, together with ringed amongst many leafage scars. They ordinarily conduct keep many thick prop roots close the base, which furnish back upward equally the tree grows top-heavy amongst leaves, fruit, together with branches.

In Indian cooking, the pandanus (screw pine) leafage is added whole to biryani. Kewra is an extract distilled from the pandanus flower, used to flavour drinks together with desserts inwards Indian cuisine. Also, kewra or kewadaa is used inwards religious worship, together with the leaves are used to build pilus ornaments worn for their fragrance equally good equally decorative exercise inwards western India. fruit is eaten past times animals.

Lush inwards all corners.

White hibiscus... quite rare.

Amakihi birds: expect similar spartows but are yellow. saw several... Upperparts are yellow-green together with underparts are yellow. Lores are black, nib is dark together with decurved. http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/1130/overview/Hawaii_Amakihi.aspx

We saw plenty.

The upper grounds conduct keep the Economic Section, the palm collection, together with some other native Hawaiian garden. Such a cool together with pleasant fourth dimension ... had whole gardens nigh to ourselves.

Sealing wax palms— NOT used for making sealing wax. Also called lipstick palm. The lipstick palm is mostly grown for its brightly colored together with odd foliage. Because of difficulties propagating them together with their striking color, the palm has been offered for sale at prices equally high equally $1000 USD to collectors together with gardeners.

Bid goodbye to Lyon arboretum reluctantly... it's inwards such a stunning site!!

Wanted to trek to Manoa falls but people nosotros met on the agency said it was real slippery together with dangerous; also a painting shoot was going on together with vans were parked at the entrance giving no infinite for other cars. So nosotros decided to drive on.

Lanikai Beach:

This pocket-sized stretch of sparse beach has the most clear together with bluish water, together with amongst views of the 2 beautiful offshore islands, known equally the Mokuluas.

Water sport guys wrapping upward for the day.

Swimmers/sunbathers had left... had a few peaceful moments nigh lonely on the beach... which is touted to live the most beautiful inwards the world.

Sun was starting to set. Some concluding moments together with and thence off nosotros went ... dorsum to Ramada.

DAY 6 DEC 15, 2012:

7.40 AM: AT ARIZONA MEMORIAL.

This is the Pearl Harbor ready on site together with has the memorial inaugurated inwards 1962 for the battleships that were sunk hither inwards 1941. The memorial marks the resting house of 1,102 of the 1,177 sailors together with Marines killed on the USS Arizona during the ready on on Pearl Harbor on Dec 7, 1941 past times Japanese majestic forces .

This ready on led to the United States' straightaway interest inwards World War II The memorial tin live seen inwards the distant background.

We had collected our breakfast together with driven to the site... the memorial is gratuitous to tour but in that location are only 4500 tickets for the gratuitous boat trip together with they larn picked upward fast....we had reserved the 8am tour online together with had to collect our ticket i hr ahead, otherwise they volition live given to people who plough upward for the tickets. Since nosotros chose the Sabbatum 1st tour, nosotros banked on the fact that in that location won't live early on visitors grabbing our tickets. No bags are allowed inside, only the camera, wallet is allowed. Forgot to charge the novel batteries which were inwards our bag... thence had to purchase novel batteries from the gift shop.

Pearl harbor grounds were peaceful inwards the morning. When nosotros returned after our tour, the house was milling amongst crowds.

This bell is from the sunken battleship Arizona.

Military sites.

After the 20 infinitesimal orientation painting got on boat ride.

On the boat to the sunk battleship Arizona.

Inside Arizona memorial...the key hall contains an opening inwards the flooring overlooking the sunken decks. The shrine at the far halt is a marble wall that bears the names of all those killed on the Arizona.

The middle opening to sunken Arizona.

The rusting remains...

The "tears of the Arizona". ..Oil slick that looks similar tear drops is visible on water's surface inwards a higher house the sunken battleship....

This is battleship Missourie... the mighty Mo equally it's called... standing guard over Arizona.

There is a surfeit of info... oft amongst jingoistic pride.

This is the entrance to the memorial...

it does expect similar a crushed milk carton.

Upon the deck of the USS Missouri inwards Tokyo Bay, the Japanese surrendered, ending World War II.

The pairing of the 2 ships became an evocative symbol of the showtime together with halt of the United States' participation inwards the war.

This boat had given us the ride to the memorial.

It was nearly 9, nosotros elected to immature adult woman the tour of Missourie together with opted to purchase tickets for submarine Bowfin alone.

This is the actual painting of battleship Arizona going downward after the Pearl Harbor attack.

The flag is perpetually at one-half mast. This is the memorial walk amongst commemorative plaques... a rainbow framing the whole scene.

USS Bowfin Tour:

On USS Bowfin... the submarine which was inwards US naval service during World War II together with is at nowadays a museum. Audio tour is real elaborate together with informative.

Missourie together with Arizona memorial inwards the distance... critics experience the Arizona memorial is shaped similar a crushed milk carton... yes... true.

We are getting into the hatch. They tin unopen the door together with seal off leaks equally doors don't extend to ground.

Pantry/breakfast room here. Clock shows 10.

Should live pretty nifty to larn inwards together with out of these bunker beds.

There are 36 of these inwards i room! Imagine how hard it's to slide into together with out of these beds! The mattress together with pillow are comfy though.

Not many conduct keep the $10 tour... thence nosotros conduct keep the whole submarine to ourselves.

Virtual tour available on website is awesome equally well.

CPR nautical chart here.

After a non bad tour, nosotros came on the deck.

Really powerful telescope.

We had spent to a greater extent than than an hr on the submarine...time flew away.

Here's an anecdote worth noting... Tsushima Maru was an unmarked Japanese cargo send that was sunk past times Bowfin betwixt 10 together with 10:30 a.m. local fourth dimension on 22 August 1944 — the send was carrying hundreds of schoolchildren from Okinawa to Kagoshima. Tsushima sank unopen to the isle of Akusekijima. 1,484 civilians including 767 schoolchildren were killed; 59 children survived the sinking.

On her 6th patrol, Bowfin destroyed a pier at Minami Daito that contained a crane together with a bus. Thirteen pocket-sized vessels were sunk past times the Bowfin's deck guns... these facts are non mentioned inwards the museum.... may live they should display a tiny banking concern notation of apology.

The museum was included inwards our ticket...did a fast tour.

Here's the famous koa wood.

Submarine dive accommodate here.

We together with thence went through the memorial walk looking at the plaques.

This is the anchor(almost 20000 pounds inwards weight) recovered from the wreck of warship Arizona.

We got this personalized souvenir from Pearl harbor—$10

Wahiawa gardens:

We drove off to Wahiawa gardens next....

golden bamboos here.

Tree body has toes. Another fatty trunk... no offence.

Aerial roots.

Felt privileged to sit down inwards nature's bounty.

Red, ruby-red berries—Berries are typically of a contrasting color to their background (often of greenish leaves), making them visible together with attractive to frugivorous animals together with birds. This assists the broad dispersal of the plants' seeds.

Under the arch... photograph hasn't picked upward the beauty.

On the rustic trail...

Finished off amongst the rustic trails together with reached a terrace amongst fruit trees. Strawberry guava here/

There were lots of strawberry guava inwards the Wahiawa fence... saw enough but didn't know what they were... would conduct keep eaten them if nosotros had known... anyway, a lamentable miss.

Structured garden here.

Our fav homo inwards royal robe sign again.

All houses conduct keep a boat equally good equally a auto inwards their garage!!

Let's larn for a canvas today must live a familiar phrase inwards their lives!!!

There was non a unmarried soul inwards sight... don't know if that's practiced or bad.

These are vines... amongst low-cal bluish grapes...looked nigh plastic!!

Looked into a valley within the wahiawa garden from a span nearby.

Waimea valley:

We together with thence drove on farther northward together with reached the beautiful Waimea valley past times 3PM. 1875 acres of this ancient valley is at nowadays categorised into 41 zones representing 5000 plants/trees.

We had spent some three hours at Wahiawa together with had our dejeuner before our drive... if nosotros had known how beautiful Waimea is, nosotros would conduct keep cutting brusque Wahiawa exploration.

The pretty board is a sign of things to come... nosotros got 50% discount on the tickets equally the Waihi falls together with the current are dry out due to drought... but the whole valley is awesome together with totally worth the acknowledge price.

Hale is house... hoike is show. Historically it has been habitation to kings, chiefs together with high priests... their 'mana' (life force)... silent lingers.

Matching strides amongst a peacock.

Our peacock friend again...or is this i different?

We took several of the side trails on our agency to the falls... wished nosotros had to a greater extent than fourth dimension to relax inwards these surroundings.

Perfect specimens of heliconias,

Extreme left: Chinese ginger/ zingiber zerumbet... also known equally Pinecone Ginger or Shampoo Ginger. Zingiber zerumbet is i of the deciduous gingers that multiplies chop-chop together with blooms reliably every year. It is also known equally Pinecone Ginger or Shampoo Ginger. The "shampoo" is the copious amount of fluid produced past times the flora within the mature bloom cones. When squeezed out, the fluid tin live used equally a fragrant pilus rinse or body wash.

There was a a hibiscus—hau— department amongst thence many dissimilar colored specimens. White haus here. Very rare.

There are hundreds of colors inwards hibiscus—yellow amongst ruby-red meat here.

Tried to capture all the dissimilar colored hibiscus nosotros saw... orangish here.

Visually real aesthetically designed garden.

A lamentable tale of the loss of a lovely species of tree... amongst this tiny displayed bark... this is the argue why botanical gardens should live supported.

A 2800-year onetime tree belonging to the species of the gigantic morus bcninesis had been cutting a century agone together with was flora lying undamaged for fourscore years on a moisture jungle flooring without decaying....unfortunately only sterile trees of this species survive... tragic halt of the line!