Hawaii

We had a fabulous time in Hawaii! The boys swam, fished, snorkeled, swam with dolphins; we saw a few waterfalls, explored a lava tube and ate shave ice, all with lots of relatives added for good fun. We ate an amazing amount of food -- fresh papaya for breakfast, kalua pig (at least three times!). So much ono (good in Hawaiian) food! Now we're back to tacos and cheerios.... not together of course.

There were a few maddening moments, but that's gonna happen with family. These days, it's a very quick trip from indignant to compassionate (travel I do in my head anyway, so it's all good). It was a good trip, but it's always good to be home, too. I'm not really much of a traveler. I like to wake up in my own bed, putter around in my own kitchen for a cup of tea, drive my own car -- that kinda thing. Just a homebody, I guess.

In all, I took 147 pictures on my digital camera (plus a few with my phone). I won't post them all here, just some of my favorites. In no particular order, with captions, here we go...

I think this is my favorite shot of the bunch. Setting off to fish for crawdads in the ditches that run along the front yards in the grandparent's street in Hilo. Just so Hilo, RFD, isn't it?

Late in our trip, the third fishing outing started with net fishing for bait at the Japanese gardens across the road. Dan ran across what he thought was solid ground -- hey, all the dirt is solid in Albuquerque! -- but was actually black muck (to be expected in a tidal Japanese garden). When we saw him, he was knee-deep and running fast to get out of what must have felt like quicksand. No photos allowed, but it was an experience!

Here's Dan fishing at Hilo Bay (post muck).

Andy & Grandpa choosing the right bait.

Andy on his way to float and look at fish in the cove at an uncle's beach house.

Dan's first catch of this trip, our first fishing day. Locally that fish is called manini.

Andy with his first catch, a hinalea.

Dan & Andy on the inflatables at the beach house cove.

Yes, that's Gary baiting a hook! Something I never expected to see.

Namaste, the white tiger and main attraction at the Panaeva Zoo near Hilo.

Andy, hamming it up for the camera, in Kona.

Will, snorkeling -- not a great shot, but the only one of Will I have.

This could well be my favorite picture of Dan, ever. When did he get so big?!

Me, Grandma and the boys at Laupahoehoe memorial, which commemorates a tidal wave that struck a school in the 40's, killing 47 people.

For Crystal, some chickens living up the street from the grandparents' house.

Andy caught a catfish -- using cut up hot dogs as bait. Taken late in our trip.

Dan with Grandpa.

Dan caught a catfish, too.

That day, the boys fished at a friend's private lily ponds, stocked with tilapia, catfish, and koi. The fish were practically jumping onto the hooks. Dan lost count somewhere around 12 fish, and caught about 16. Andy even caught one without bait -- he put an empty hook right back in after catching a fish, and caught a tilapia.