June 14th, 15th, & 16th

So I'm probably cramming a lot in one post, but sheesh I've got WAY too much to blog about!

June 14

We took our sweet ride back to the car rental. It was bitter sweet letting her go, she was such a good time! We decided to check out a different part of Waikiki beach so we start our trek from the car rental office. This part of Waikiki was beautiful, a lot more real estate & less crowds. Some people were having a volleyball tournament, which was cool to watch.

June 15

Since Nana, Papa, & Tia were arriving we decided to not go to far from home. We went to the Honolulu Zoo & later the beach (of course). That zoo was really awesome with some many exotic animals. We saw lions, zebras, giraffes, baboons, hippo. It was really fun & I know Lilianna loved it because she still asks to see pictures of the "monkey's with the red bums" :)

June 16

Nana & Papa finally made it! Lili was so excited to see everyone. Since we finally had transportation, we were able to take investigate the island even more. We first made a trip down to Chinatown, an area I've never been to nor has my family. We heard that Chinatown was where you went to get beautiful, handcrafted leis & it was true. So many lei shops, so many to choose from it was hard. But we finally narrowed it down to some pretty incredible leis. (we were using the leis for our memorial for Nana Dorothy). We also found an extraordinary Hula Implement store. It was heaven for Tia & I! We both bought new pau skirts to dance hula in, as well as flowers & other implements. Lilianna got a pau skirt as well.

From Chinatown we drove to "our family's side" of the island, Waianea & Makaha. We ate plate lunch at the local L&L, we explored the Waianea beach, & then drove up to Makaha. Apparently the beaches have really been cleaned up; cleaned up from the homeless. The homeless live in these tent cities in the forest. They were once overtaking the beaches, until they enforced them to go elsewhere & they did. It was such a humbling experience to see that people were living under tarps. It made me truly grateful for EVERYTHING that I had & have been given.

Later that night, Lili & I went back to stay with Nana, Papa & Tia in Kailua. Tia & I needed to practice our hula for Nana's memorial. Can I just tell you how incredibly rusty I am?! Aw it was embarrassing, but with a great teacher I was "better" & I learned the hula to "Aloha Oe" in one night.

Chinatown Tia & my dad are picking out the leis.

I don't know what happened to this picture...anyways the flower & lei stands were beautiful!

Tent cities.

Makaha Coast

Waianea

playing with Tia in Waianea

Here is the cliffs at Waianea beach park. This pile of rocks is some one's house. crazy!

Pokai Bay