More views from paradise

As promised, here's just a sampling of photos from our trip to Hawaii. They are in no particular order. In order from top to bottom, they are:

1. The memorial over the USS Arizona, the ship that sank and lost 1,177 men during the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. (Honolulu) The ship is still visible underneath the memorial in the shallow waters of the harbor. The ship continues to release oil (about one quart a day), nearly 66 years after the attack, and you can see the oil slicks on the surface of the water. The USS Arizona Memorial is the most popular tourist site in Hawaii. We were there during the "off season" (if there is an off season in Hawaii), and we waited with lots of people to take the first ferry out to the memorial. There are lots of Japanese tourists there, too.

2. Mike and me at a waterfall on the Road to Hana. (Maui) This winding road (some people say it's scary, but we didn't think so) is about the journey, not the destination. It takes about 3 hours to drive about 50 miles, but it's well worth the trip.

3. Us with Mike's family. Sitting are Mike and his brother Brad. Standing from left to right, me, Mike's mom Fran, Mike's sister Ann, Mike's dad Howard and Mike's new sister-in-law and Brad's bride Marlene. (They got married the day before this photo was taken.)

4. Me and Mike with our (virgin) "Hula girls" (orange drinks).

5. Sails and boogie boards on Wailea Beach (Maui).

6. Allamanda flowers on the Road to Hana (Maui)

7. The view at Wailua on the Road to Hana (Maui)

8. Another view on the Road to Hana



9. The turquoise waters of Waimea Bay on Oahu's north shore. This is where Mike and I went snorkeling for the first time. We saw lots of colorful fish and two sea turtles. Snorkeling is a blast.

10. Wailea, Maui. Photo taken from the steps of the Marriott Resort Hotel.

11. A boat off Waikiki Beach at sunset.

12. Afterschool surfers at the Banzai Pipeline, Oahu's north shore. It's not quite surfing season yet in Hawaii, but these boys are itching for some action. The waves that afternoon had picked up, and dozens of surfers were out. During surfing season (November to March), Oahu's north shore offers world-class surfing. The roads are packed with surfers and onlookers watching them. The waves can reach 25-30 feet high.

13. The waves and volcanic rocks at Keenae Peninsula, on the Road to Hana (Maui). Amazing shot, I think. (Mike took it.)

14. A sea turtle on the beach at Haleiwa Alii Beach Park, Oahu's north shore. Haleiwa (pronounced hah-lee-ay-vah) is a great little town, a piece of "old Hawaii." We had heard that you could see lots of sea turtles on this beach. We went there at sunset and thought this big turtle was a rock at first. He sat there the entire time. We took lots of photos and enjoyed the sunset with him.

16. A surfer off Oahu's north shore. The surfers swim out off shore and wait for the big waves to come up. When the waves come, you see dozens of them get up on their boards and try to ride the waves all the way to shore. This guy's ride was obviously cut short.

17. Rainbow over Diamondhead Crater, just before sunset on Waikiki Beach (Honolulu). Rainbows happen about five times a day in Hawaii. The rain there feels lighter than running through a sprinkler. The showers last a few minutes, then the sun comes out again. Thus, the frequency of the rainbows.

18. Keenae Peninsula, on the Road to Hana (Maui) This was an amazing spot. Most vivid to me were the colors -- the green trees, blue water, white clouds and black rocks. I could have sat there all day just watching the waves crash against the rocks.