Hawaii - Pearl Harbor

Happy Friday!  I have not yet gotten started on sharing our photos from Hawaii, so let's start with our tour of Pearl Harbor.  I somehow had not visited on my previous visits and so it was a perfect time to go with J.  It was a very moving experience and we were both so glad we were able to see the memorials and even the Mighty Mo!

Hana Hou!

Hello, friends!  J and I had such an awesome and relaxing vacation on Oahu and have had an extra treat of a whole weekend at home to regroup (you know how it is after a vacation - all of a sudden you have things to do!).  

The Hawaiian phrase hana hou roughly translates to do it again or encore and on this Monday as my body sits in my cubicle at work, my mind is still on the island... so, friends, let us travel back to Hawaii - can you feel the steady breeze, warm sun, richly humid air?  I am transported back in an instant!

For ten days we hardly did anything but relax, sunbathe, swim, eat, read, people-watch, and nap on the world famous Waikiki beach.  We did, however, see Pearl Harbour and rent a Jeep (awesome!) for two days to drive around the island.  I was able to show J the UH campus, Pali lookout, and my other favorite beaches around the island, among other beautiful sights.  

I'll be sharing more photos throughout the week - no harm in extending that holiday feeling for as long as possible!  It is just what we needed!

Aloha & Tuesday Tune

Friends, J and I are on a plane right now (or maybe we are on the beach?) heading for Oahu, Hawaii for a glorious 10 days!  So, aloha!  And see you all on the 14th!

And I have to leave you with a sweet song (somewhat cliche I suppose) from the islands:

 

Tuesday Tune & Happy Spring

Happy Spring!  Even though it may still feel like Winter... which only makes me dream of Summer!  In six short weeks J and I will be laying on the beaches of Hawaii - a decadent post tax season escape for some much needed rejuvenation!  My family was lucky enough to take vacations there when I was younger and this year marks seven years since I studied at the University of Hawaii (at Manoa) for the summer.  It was the best experience (on the beach every day!) and I even met friends from around the world.  I can't wait to return!

And so today I'd like to share a song that brings me back to the islands, and some snapshots (albeit blurry ones) from my summer away.  And check out my short hair - if you can believe it, that's after it had grown out!

My sister came to visit me while I was away, not a bad place to visit family, eh?

Remember

 

 

“Like all great travellers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen.”  [Benjamin Disraeli]

Photos from a camping trip during the summer.  It's nice to reminisce about summer adventures during this time of year!

Goa [India]

Goa - our last destination on our Indian adventure!  We flew from Mumbai and we stayed in the town of Calungute and it was a lot more low key than I imagined it to be.  It was certainly very tropical and warm and I instantly felt like I was on a vacation within a vacation - everyone else around us was on holiday, too!


It wasn't until very recently (the 1960's) that India gained their independence of Goa from Portugal.  There is still a large Christian population and we even heard some Christmas music being played at the hotel - the first sign of the holidays!  It has been strange to be away from home when the holiday season is in full swing!


We spent our last days shopping in the markets and enjoying delicious meals on the beach.  It truly was the best ending to our adventure! 

Mumbai [India]

"The heat of Mumbai hit me like a brick wall and I could not imagine how it must feel in the summertime.  We survived the overnight train and made our way via taxi from the station to the hotel (over an hour) through the streets of Mumbai.  I noticed immediately the differences - wider streets, cars staying in their lanes (more so, anyway), bigger apartments (especially facing the sea), and a general feeling of greater wealth - except for the slums.  Some of the girls went on a tour but we opted to stay behind and take a walk around our neighborhood.  Mumbai reminded me of Alexandria - of being next to the sea.

Before enjoying an awesome 5-star lunch at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel we visited the Gateway of India (seen above)."