Hawaii - post number one of like a bunch

We went to Hawaii for my parents' 50th wedding anniversary over the holidays (Christmas 2016 and New Years 2017).  I've been to 48 states by my count, and this was the 49th, literally 25 years since the last one I think I added.  I might never get to number 50.  If faced with the choice of Alaska or Iceland or Scandinavian, I think Alaska ranks third.  Maybe for my parents' 75th anniversary.  It was my folks, my sister and her family, my brother and his family, and us.  13 total.  We spent the first 2/3 of the trip on the big island (Hawaii) just north of the Hilton Waikoloa Village.  And the last few days in Honolulu on Oahu.

Right about there...  That pool on the western edge by the three buildings is where we swam.  The beaches weren't so good for swimming.  Pretty darn rocky - even at the curated beach down the road.

The Big Island is pretty relaxing.  This is what the Christmas holidays look like.  I walked the beach or the road from the house we stayed in with my sister's family to the coffee shop almost every morning, taking a slightly different route when I could.  They are really into jogging in Hawaii.  I did not jog.  I've never stayed quite so far from a coffee shop while on vacation before.  Made me appreciate how much I enjoy a place to sit and read where I don't have to brew my own cup.

Mele Kalikimaka Makahiki Hou!  I think that's what the entertainment reporter on KQ used to yell at the end of the Aloha Friday song every Friday.


So just to give you an idea of how homey and unrushed it was, here's Allison scrubbing shoes in the rental.



And here's what folks expect when you say you're going to post about Hawaii.  This was the pool near the beach at the complex (pretty professional looking picture on my part, but it was hard to take a bad picture).  The girls spent a lot of time swimming right into the evening (it got dark!).  I was chaperone, trying to decide if $9.00 for a beer made any sense whatsoever, even on vacation.