Reagan's Travel and Photo Galleries Update Blog

Monday, March 16, 2015

Hawaii March 2015 - Saturday and Sunday in Paradise

Surfer and Dolphin on Waikiki Beach

Saturday and Sunday in Paradise - Adventures by THE BUS visiting familiar places, discovering some places like a favorite soft frozen yogurt shop no longer in business, finding another yogurt shop right in the heart of Waikiki, finishing the latest Alex Cross mystery by James Patterson, and dinner at the Poi Bowl in Ala Moana Center filled my Saturday. Today, Sunday, I made my way to worship and Sunday School at University Avenue Baptist Church just off the University of Hawaii's Manoa Campus. Worshiped along side of my friend Philip Hasha and renewed some acquaintances and made a few new. Excellent Bible study lead by Ruby O. After church Philip took me to lunch in a favorite Italian shop further up University Avenue in Manoa. Since Philip's wife Lauren was sick we rescheduled a Saturday night dinner together to this coming Wednesday night. Actually spent several hours both days relaxing in my room watching movie BOYHOOD. Hilton Hawaiian Village now charges a service fee which includes internet and DVD movie rentals from a kiosk located in each hotel tower. You play the DVD's on a PlayStation 3 which is located in every room. I've not planned any touring this visit. I will create my own activities in a relaxing "hang loose" way. I am thinking of being brave and catching THE BUS one day to travel to the North Shore to a little town named Haleiwa just to hang out and hopefully find a shrimp truck where I ate while on a LOST tour several years ago. But mainly I am just enjoying hanging out around and near the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

Here is another 20+ photos I took Saturday and Sunday.

Sunrise over Diamond Head

My breakfast of Cheerios and Malasada

Pineapple Soft Frozen Yogurt with Strawberries and Pineapple pieces

A flowering bloom I saw somewhere

Hawaiian Queen in front of Royal Hawaiian Hotel

Lot of water action on the beach

Fort Derussy Beach with Rainbow Tower in distance

Pineapple and Strawberry Shave Ice

Rainbow Mural on my hotel tower -- my lanai is 24 stories above

More Fort Derussy Beach

Interesting lighting effects of ocean from my lanai

Sunset over Ala Wai Yacht Harbor

Saturday night sunset

Night view toward Honolulu City from my lanai

University Avenue Baptist Church

Eric and Cristy's house still unoccupied after they returned to Tennessee

Catamaran race viewed from my lanai

Sunday night sunset

You can click on any of the small photos in this blog to open a full size photo. Also, click on the "blog title" at the top to view this blog on the web.

All my photos are available to view on Reagan's Photo Galleries website.

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Saturday, March 14, 2015

Hawaii March 2015 - Two Days in Paradise - New Beach, Leonard's Bakery, Sunset, Fireworks

Reagan - View from My Lanai

Two Days in Paradise - New Beach, Leonard's Bakery, Sunset, Fireworks - A full enjoyable two days exploring Ala Moana beach, moving higher to the 24 floor of the Rainbow Tower, getting monthly sticker for my THE BUS senior pass, taking THE BUS to Leonard's Bakery for Malasadas(pastry), seeing my first blazing sunset, and watching the Friday night fireworks at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort.

The picture above is me on my lanai overlooking Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head Volcano. Below in just a sampling of the photos I took over these two days.

My first time on this beach so very close to the Rainbow Tower

That the Rainbow Tower with the Rainbow Mural

Waikiki and Diamond Head from Ala Moana Beach area

Sailboat passing in front of Rainbow Tower

Diamond Head

Fisherman

Marina with Rainbow Tower in Background

Marina from my Rainbow Tower Lanai

View of Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head from my Lanai

Starbucks Breakfast Sandwich and Coffee at the Hilton

Entrance Statuary at Hilton Hawaiian Village

Leonard's Bakery

Malasadas from Leonard's Bakery

Yummy Malasadas(Pastry)

Reagan on my Rainbow Lanai

Honolulu Sunset with sailboats in foreground

Sun almost over the horizon

Friday ended with fireworks at the Hilton

No particular plans for Saturday but do plan to attend Sunday services at University Avenue Baptist Church. Unlike my previous visits I have not scheduled any tours, sightseeing, etc.so everyday will be a new adventure with lots of "hang loose" time. I've been reading the latest Alex Cross mystery from James Patterson. It's getting pretty intense so "reading" in one of my activities on this visit.

You can click on any of the small photos in this blog to open a full size photo. Also, click on the "blog title" at the top to view this blog on the web.

All my photos are available to view on Reagan's Photo Galleries website.

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Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Hawaii March 2015 - ALOHA Hilton Hawaiian Village

Blustery First Views of the Hilton Hawaiian Beach beach

ALOHA Hilton Hawaiian Village Rainbow Tower 501 - Did not get much sleep last evening in Nashville. Awoke at 3 am and headed to the Nashville Airport about 3:45 am. Both the Nashville and Dallas/Fort Worth flight were right on time. I arrived at Honolulu International Airport right at 2:35 pm Hawaii Time or 7:35 pm Nashville time. Quick shuttle to the HHV and check in. Hotel fully booked so I will stay one night is Rainbow Tower 501 and be moved to a higher floor same oceanfront corner location tomorrow. Here are photos I took on arrival from my room. Will do a quick run to the ABC Store and then to bed early.

Here are the photos with view from my two lanais.

View of the Oceanfront Lanai in my room

Friday Night Fireworks Beach

View from the Diamond Head Lanai of my room

You can click on any of the small photos in this blog to open a full size photo. Also click on the highlighted gallery title above to open this photo gallery. Also, click on the "blog title" at the top to view this blog on the web.

All my photos are available to view on Reagan's Photo Galleries website.

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Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Hawaii March 2015 - The Night Before Departure

Symbolic Hawaiian View

The Night Before Departure - As I write this Tuesday March 10 5 pm CDT, I've completed all my packing except for the last minute toiletry and other items. I've checked in and printed my American Airlines boarding passes and early checked in to my hotel. Plan is to awake early and be on the way to the airport by 3:45 am in the morning for my scheduled 6:09 am flight to Dallas/Fort Worth and on to Honolulu.

Excited to return to my favorite vacation destination tomorrow and happy that I can share my Hawaiian 2015 adventure with you through these blog posts. I will update you on my arrival and return to the Hilton Hawaiian Village in my next blog post. Aloha, Friends!

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Hawaii March 2015 - My Two Favorite Hawaii Treats

My Favorite Hawaiian Treat - Shave Ice

Hawaiian Shave Ice and Dole's Pineapple Whip -- My American Airlines flights from Nashville to Honolulu are just days away. I thought you might like to know why I have selected Dole's Pineapple Whip as the blog posts theme photo for all my Hawaii March 2015 posts. Whenever I am in Hawaii(or mainland Disney Parks) I seek out and eat lots of Dole Pineapple Whip. The theme photo was taken at the Dole Plantation which is on the road from Honolulu to the North Shore. The pictured concoction includes pieces of pineapple with the soft frozen pineapple whip. Yummy. Here is the original photo:

Dole's Pineapple Whip with Pineapple Pieces

My other favorite Hawaiian treat is, of course, Shave Ice. I seek out and treat myself to shave ice many times on each trip. The lead photo above and the photo below were my treat in April 2009 after I conquered the Diamond Head Volcano trail to the top. On my way back I came across a shave ice truck near the entrance to the park and rewarded myself for the accomplishment. Here are photos of the Shave Ice Truck and the shave ice.

Shave Ice Truck at Entrance to Diamond Head Trail Park

Yummy Hawaiian Shave Ice

The shave ice photos are from the Diamond Head hike photo gallery. Here is the link to that gallery.

Photo Gallery Diamond Head Road, Lighthouse, and Trail Scenes April 2009

I have cancelled my Marriott Nashville Airport reservation for this Tuesday so I will be driving from my home to the airport early Wednesday morning leaving my car at my usual place Flight Park parking facility. I still plan to make a blog post Tuesday night after I have packed and am ready to travel.

All my photos are available to view on Reagan's Photo Galleries website.

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Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Hawaii March 2015 -- Only One Week Until I'm Hawaii Bound on American Airlines Wednesday March 11

Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head April 2013

Hawaii March 2015 - One Week Away -- Yes, I am excited and ready to depart next Wednesday, March 11, at the early hour 6 am on American Airlines flight 1315 from Nashville International to Dallas Fort Worth and on to Honolulu from DFW departing 10:55 am American Airlines flight 123. Arrival in Honolulu is scheduled for 2:30 pm. Of course these are all local times with Nashville and Dallas in Central Daylight Savings Time and Honolulu on Hawaii Standard Time or 5 hours difference.

Two of my favorite Hawaii activities are 1) strolling Waikiki Beach both the beach and surrounding area and 2) the Friday Night Fireworks at the Hilton Hawaiian Village where I will be staying the two weeks I am in Honolulu. So here are two photo galleries from April 2013 featuring these two activities:

Photo Gallery Waikiki Beach Area

Here is a photo and a video from that gallery:

Surfer Boy and Dolphin - One of my favorite statuary in Waikiki

Scenes from Waikiki featuring Hawaiian Hula Dancers

(If video is missing in emails, click on the blog post title and view on line)

Photo Gallery Sunsets and Nightime at Hilton Hawaiian Village

Here is a photo and video from this photo gallery:

Sunset at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort

Friday Night Fireworks at Hilton Hawaiian Village

(If video is missing in emails, click on the blog post title and view on line)

My intentions are to make regular blog posts beginning next Tuesday night after checking into the Marriott Nashville Airport Hotel throughout the two weeks I will be traveling. Some of the posts will be very short status updates without photos just to let you know progress of my trip as I travel. Others will be a longer posts containing my experiences, thoughts, and comments with photos. If you have already signed up and received this blog update via your email inbox, then look for regular emails with the latest blog posts while I am in Hawaii. If you have not signed up, you can. Just look below for the sign up link.

All my photos are available to view on Reagan's Photo Galleries website.

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EMAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS -- CLICK HERE to sign up your email

to receive each new blog post to Reagan's Travel and Photo Galleries Update Blog.