by Pa Rock
Pacific Warrior
Last night I sat downstairs at the hotel and read for awhile. Not long after I got comfortably situated, a group of airline employees (pilots and stewardesses) gathered around me to await their shuttle to the airport. Being surrounded, I listened to their chatter. One stew told of renting a bicycle for four hours and then racing off to Diamond Head, mastering the trail up and down the mountain, and then hurrying back to Waikiki where she had rented the bike - all in just under four hours. (If that had been me, a day later I would still be huffing toward Diamond Head!) She then told the others about her trip to Don Quijote's - the large Japanese grocery store. Valerie and I had also gone to Don Quijote's, one of the things any serious visitor to Hawaii must do - and, in fact, we are talking about a second trip there this evening.
Valerie and I visited Joint Base Pearl Harbor and Hickham (PHH) this morning where I got my retired military I.D. renewed for eight more years. At some point that card's expiration date will exceed my own! Will it be this time, or will I be good for another renewal? Patti stayed at the hotel recuperating from her bout with the flu. We also visited a large flea market where I bought tee-shirts and other tourist crap, and then toured "Punchbowl," the military cemetery of the Pacific. Punchbowl is located in an inactive volcanic crater. The names of more that 28,000 U.S. servicemen whose remains were never located are inscribed on the walls of the memorials at Punchbowl.
Interestingly, at least to me, the famous fictional detective, Charlie Chan, along with his wife and seven children, lived in a small home near Punchbowl Cemetery. World War II journalist, Ernie Pyle - who was killed during the Battle of Okinawa - is one of the many thousands of people who are interred there.
Tomorrow night will be our last evening in Hawaii. We have tickets for a genuine Hawaiian luau - bring on that Kahlua pig!
(I was informed this evening that the Japanese grocery spells its name "Don Quijote" instead of the literally correct "Don Quixote." The pronunciation, however, is the same.)
Pacific Warrior
Last night I sat downstairs at the hotel and read for awhile. Not long after I got comfortably situated, a group of airline employees (pilots and stewardesses) gathered around me to await their shuttle to the airport. Being surrounded, I listened to their chatter. One stew told of renting a bicycle for four hours and then racing off to Diamond Head, mastering the trail up and down the mountain, and then hurrying back to Waikiki where she had rented the bike - all in just under four hours. (If that had been me, a day later I would still be huffing toward Diamond Head!) She then told the others about her trip to Don Quijote's - the large Japanese grocery store. Valerie and I had also gone to Don Quijote's, one of the things any serious visitor to Hawaii must do - and, in fact, we are talking about a second trip there this evening.
Valerie and I visited Joint Base Pearl Harbor and Hickham (PHH) this morning where I got my retired military I.D. renewed for eight more years. At some point that card's expiration date will exceed my own! Will it be this time, or will I be good for another renewal? Patti stayed at the hotel recuperating from her bout with the flu. We also visited a large flea market where I bought tee-shirts and other tourist crap, and then toured "Punchbowl," the military cemetery of the Pacific. Punchbowl is located in an inactive volcanic crater. The names of more that 28,000 U.S. servicemen whose remains were never located are inscribed on the walls of the memorials at Punchbowl.
Interestingly, at least to me, the famous fictional detective, Charlie Chan, along with his wife and seven children, lived in a small home near Punchbowl Cemetery. World War II journalist, Ernie Pyle - who was killed during the Battle of Okinawa - is one of the many thousands of people who are interred there.
Tomorrow night will be our last evening in Hawaii. We have tickets for a genuine Hawaiian luau - bring on that Kahlua pig!
(I was informed this evening that the Japanese grocery spells its name "Don Quijote" instead of the literally correct "Don Quixote." The pronunciation, however, is the same.)
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