December 7, “a date which will live in infamy” – those immortal words from President Franklin D. Roosevelt after the surprise attack on the US Naval Base by Japanese fighter planes in 1941.
Well here we are at that very spot 73 years later. And to think that my Mum, as a young teenage girl, actually listened to that news on the wireless all those year ago !
Hanauma Bay
But more about that later. Our first destination was the lower east coast area. At first we headed along the beach area – Waikiki and then the neighboring area known as Queens Beach. We then headed into what looked like the “classy” end of town. Big houses, most gated, right on the waterfront or within feet of it. This area is pretty much below Diamond Head and winds around the coast. There is also an exclusive golf course here called the Waialae Country Club where one of the early 2015 rounds of the PGA Tour is played. Costs a bomb to be a member there !
Beyond this was mainly residential for a while before we came to Hanauma Bay which is a beautiful bay, extremely popular due to its protected spot, aqua blue water and coral and fish to snorkel through. It has become so popular that they have had to limit the visitors and it is closed completely on Tuesdays and limited to numbered parking. There is a fee to park (only US$1) and also a separate admission fee to use the beach. We were able to stop and get some photos from above the bay in the top car park.
Halona Beach
The road beyond this sticks to the coast and there are some lovely views. The Halona Blowhole is on this stretch also but it wasn’t blowing today. Nearby Halona Beach Cove is the place made famous by that roll in the sand and surf by Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr in From Here to Eternity.
This part of the drive was very scenic. After travelling along the beaches here, we headed inland slightly over a point, briefly stopped at a lookout – Makapuu Point – but were unable to get a parking spot, then headed down along the Waimanalo Bay Recreation Area past more beautiful isolated beaches.
The last part of the drive, before we joined up with yesterday’s loop near the Pali Lookout, was through Kailua and on to Kailua Bay and Lanikai – more stunning beaches. Adrienne’s app told us that the homes in this area – many looking nothing better than humpy shacks – were worth millions of dollars ! The beaches were certainly beautiful but at a hefty price. The place was also full of cars parked or looking for parking so no stopping here.
Pearl Harbor Military Cemetery with Diamond Head in the background
We headed back into Honolulu and went to the Punchbowl, an area up the hill behind Honolulu where the Pearl Harbour National Military Cemetery is located. Here is the final resting place of over 33,000 military personnel who lost their lives in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. It is a big circular area – being in the top of an old crater. The lawns are immaculate and unlike most other military cemeteries we have seen, has plaques in the lawn rather than the distinctive white headstones or crosses. So the expansive lawns are dotted here and there with a little american flag or bunch of flowers left by loved ones. There is also a memorial on top of the hill with information about the various theatres of war and the names of all listed on the memorial walls.
We were back at the hotel in the early afternoon so we grabbed some sandwiches, fruit and drinks from a nearby ABC Store – the convenience store chain located on every corner and then some ! – and sat on our verandah taking in the view.
Waikiki Beach
After lunch we walked along the beach shore, behind all the hotels and through the crowds on the sand as swimmers, snorkelers, surfers, stand up boarders, canoeists, and boats of all kinds filled every available spot – so glad we are here in the quiet season ! The afternoons are particularly spectacular when everything is either bright red and glowing or a Japanese bride !
Adrienne said we couldn’t come to Waikiki and not actually swim at the beach so we headed down to the back of the hotel and had a swim to fulfill the obligation 😉
1941 veterans
That afternoon there were a number of Pearl Harbor Memorial Day activities. Having said that, the organisation and scheduling seemed to be a bit ordinary – obviously civilian organisation and not military ! Almost next door to our hotel is the US Army Museum of Hawaii and Fort DeRussy where there was supposed to be a Pearl Harbor Day ceremony – listed as starting at 5pm. We were in our room about 4.30pm when suddenly there was an almighty blast – followed by a number more. Heads were turning, people rushing out onto balconies and the numerous birds hovering about to pick on crumbs took to the sky. So we decided to go down to the park to see what was happening. It appeared people were waiting for something to happen but then we realised in fact it already had and they were now packing up ! It had actually started at 4pm and not 5pm as widely advertised.
A 1941 veteran telling his story
We spotted a couple of groups huddled around and as we got closer we realised a few original survivors from 1941 were holding court to the mostly military crowd at this point. After grabbing a couple of photos we decided to move down to the main street where the parade was supposed to start at 6pm – well that was the advertised start so we thought we better not take chances.
Crowds gather on the parade route
At this stage there were a few starting to line the streets and they were starting to block traffic from using the parade route. We decided to fill in time walking through the hotel foyers and shop fronts which lined the main street. About 5.30pm the crowds started building so we found a spot and settled down a couple of blocks from the starting point. It was about 6.15pm before any action started when the first group walked past and headed down the parade route – followed by…….. a big gap ! It was probably another 15 minutes before the next arrived and we were worried this could be a long night if there was this sort of gap between each group ! But not to worry as first cars containing the surviving veterans came through to rapturous applause from the crowds and then the bands, led by the US Marine Corps Forces Pacific band came through one after another – mainly school bands who apply years in advance to participate (we had seen various busloads of the school groups at the Dole Plantation yesterday).
US Marine band
A bit after 7pm as the parade was finishing we headed back to the hotel and then out to find dinner. Across the road from the hotel is a Roys restaurant – a US chain – and as we crossed the road a busload of the veterans arrived – Roys was to be their dinner venue and I bet many a tale would relived ! We moved on to Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse where we were told we might get a table in about an hour ! So we headed back to the hotel to try the Shorebird Grill. It was grill your own meat and all you can eat salad. It was very nice but the smoke from the grills was pretty overpowering and we went back to the room smelling pretty smokey !
So tomorrow is our last day and we will see what that brings us then.