Saturday, November 10, 2018

On to the Islands of Hawaii




We both were excited as we checked out of the Queen Mary and walked over to board our ship!  As you can see the rain had just stopped as we rolled our bags to check into the Carnival Splendor.  The Splendor is certainly not The Queen Mary, but she definitely showed us a good time.  The Queen Mary is on the left so you can see we were literally next door to our next ride.



As we boarded the ship we were greeted with a lei!  You can't go to Hawaii without one.  In 1971 we went to Hawaii when our daughter was a two year old.  When we left the plane we were presented with fresh flower leis.  These were not, but still festive and fun.




It's always fun to enjoy the sail away as the ship leaves the port.  The weather began to improve and we even saw some blue skies as we headed into the Pacific Ocean.



Checking into our stateroom I was surprised to find flowers from our children for my birthday.  They certainly made my day even more special.   



The flowers lasted our whole two weeks and were greatly enjoyed in our stateroom.



Even our cabin steward Carter remembered my birthday!  He took such good care of us making sure we had everything we needed and made the cutest towel animals everyday for our bed.



For me the best part of a cruise are the relaxing days spent reading and gazing at the beautiful ocean!  We have never been this far into the Pacific Ocean on a ship.  It was absolutely gorgeous!



After traveling trans-Pacific for four days we reached the island of Maui.  Hawaii was admitted to the USA in 1959 and is our newest state.  It is located on an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean 2,223 nautical miles to Honolulu from Los Angeles.  Today we stopped on the island of Maui that is one of the 8 major islands that make up Hawaii.   We booked a tour to the Iao Needle Valley and a Tropical Plantation.



As we enter the Iao Needle Valley we are in awe of the towering emerald covered peaks of lava that are covered with vegetation and beautiful water falls. If you look closely you can see the falls cascading down the mountains.  Our guide mentioned that we are lucky to view that as there had been rain the day before.



We hiked the short walk to the viewing area to take in the beauty.



There were many plants popping up all around us that we were told were not native to Maui.



The famous Iao Needle is the center of the Iao Valley State Park.  It is a sacred place for Hawaiians as in 1790 the Battle of Kepaniwai is where King Kamehameha I clashed with the Maui army in an effort to unite the islands.  This battle changed Hawaiian history forever.  Even with the cloud cover, we were able to view this lovely park and its botanical interests.







In the valley you can view the Pacific Ocean.  It was time for us to board the bus and go to the Tropical Plantation.


Walking into the Plantation I knew we were in for a treat.





Sugar cane machinery was used as a focal point in this pond.  Sadly sugar cane is no longer grown commercially in Hawaii.  It is now grown in other countries where they employ cheap labor.





Just before boarding the tram I peeked into a cafe that had the most lovely arrangements on the tables.  All in the open air!




The Maui Tropical Plantation was quite interesting as we boarded a tram to ride throughout the fields of pineapple, papaya and coconut palms and many other interesting plants that I never see growing in our little corner.  Our guide was a lovely Hawaiian beauty who explained the plants along the way.  She even demonstrated how to properly open a coconut.



We enjoyed seeing the wide variety of plants that are grown here for local consumption.




It was fun seeing the chickens wonder about the gardens.  The wild nature of this plantation had a very serene feeling. 

Our bus tour guide, Henry brought us safely back to the ship after a wonderful day on Maui.  We enjoyed this excursion very much and have fond memories of our time spent on this lovely island.  I hope you will join me again as we travel to Oahu.  We will be visiting a very important place that touched us deeply.  



 





















34 comments:

  1. Martha what a joy to come along with you on this beautiful tour, looking forward to seeing more of your wonderful trip.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Lorraine! I'm glad you are coming along with us on our tropical tour of the islands of Hawaii. ♥

      Delete
  2. So interesting! I am going to be doing some research because your commentry piqued my curiosity. I think your next entry will be just in time for a special holiday. Now I am also wondering how to properly open a coconut. 🥥

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. One thing about opening a coconut is it doesn't involve a hammer! A sharp rap with the back side of a large knife and this gal opened it with ease after taking the outer shell off in the same manner.
      I'm afraid my next post won't be ready for Veteran's Day. ♥

      Delete
    2. No pressure! Some days I can spell “commentary.” 🥴

      Delete
    3. Vee, I just thought you were speaking fast with an accent! Ha ♥

      Delete
  3. I thoroughly enjoyed this post! Now I want to go on a cruise to Hawaii! I lived on Oahu and Maui for 7 months right after I graduated from high school. I was a hippie and have wonderful memories of my time there. I haven't been back and my husband has never gone there. This would be a great opportunity to take him there. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Teresa, you and your hubby should go if you can. We decided there is no time like now to travel. We know there there will come a time when we don't feel like traveling. ♥

      Delete
  4. We went to Hawaii in 2009 it was lovely trip. You are looking lovely dear.. XOXO

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh, such beautiful sights . . . no wonder Hawaii is called a Paradise! Lush green, gorgeous flowers, shimmering water . . .

    I love those table arrangements with the pineapple in the center!

    You have such thoughtful children! How wonderful that your birthday flowers lasted the whole two weeks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheryl, I knew you would love the arrangements on the tables. They were sort of free form in nature and full of pretty elements, especially the pineapple. ♥

      Delete
  6. I've never made it to Hawaii so it was lovely to visit it through your blog!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Cathy. We're going to two more islands so I hope you will join us. ♥

      Delete
  7. Beautiful pics. I love cruising but have never been there on one. Love it.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Love reading about your adventure and seeing all the beautiful scenery. Ah, the trip by water would be so nice and relaxing. Fine pictures of you and your husband having a good time.
    Three of our grandchildren live in Honolulu. They were not going to stay, but looks like they are making this their permanent home. So much beauty and beach everyday, I don't think I would want to leave either.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the kind comments, Betsy. Hawaii is certainly a beautiful place. I can just imagine your grands love it there! Enjoy your afternoon. ♥

      Delete
  9. Oh, I love those leis they greet you with in Hawaii. What a special tradition that is. I still have the picture of me with one around my neck when I was 18. Back then, they were always fresh flower leis. I wonder if they still do that? The picture with the bird soaring in the sky is lovely. That was nice to get flowers from your children in your room. The towel animals are cute, how clever. That is a pretty picture of you, Martha Ellen, with the ocean in the distance. My friend takes a trip to Maui every year, she loves it. That's a cool picture of the sugar cane machinery. I would have loved to seen the coffee plants. What a wonderful trip you had, and it was a pleasure to see your happenings in Hawaii.

    ~Sheri

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Sheri. I need to go look at our old photos of our trip to Hawaii in 1971. It was quite memorable and different than our trip this time. Those fresh leis are so beautiful. That must be a wonderful memory for you. Have a great week ahead. ♥

      Delete
  10. Happy Belated Birthday Martha Ellen! I hope that it was wonderful! I've never been to Hawaii, but from the pictures I've seen it sure looks like a beautiful place! You captured amazing pictures! Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Pilar. It was a wonderful birthday and anniversary celebration! ♥

      Delete
  11. What sights of magnificent natural splendour! The flowering plants remind me of those from Australia, very similar, boldly bright and blousy blooms that you cannot fail to sit up and take note of. You have such thoughtful children too.

    I giggled, for the coconut looks a little like a sloth with a macadamia nut in it's mouth.

    Looking forward to the rest of our little trip to Hawaii!

    ~~~Waving~~~From Across the Pond~~~Deb in Wales xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thankfully, there are still many areas in Hawaii of unspoiled beauty. The tropical paradise is home to many plants (including those from Australia) that have been brought to and settled into the landscape.
      The "coconut mouth" is actually the coconut trying to grow into a tree. Our guide explained that if you want a coconut palm you plant a coconut. I love nature--it's inspiring! The sloth with the macadamia nut is cute too!
      Thanks Deb for stopping by and coming along with us to Hawaii! Have a nice evening, my friend. xoxo ♥

      Delete
  12. Oh my, such marvelous photos and what a fantastic time you had. I loved looking at all your photos and especially the ones of you and hubby. I'm late I know but I would still like to wish you a happy birthday Martha Ellen, and how wonderful to celebrate it on your cruise.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Denise for your wishes. It's very kind of you! I'm so glad you visited today. ♥

      Delete
  13. Wow, such beautiful photos. What a dream trip. Love the cute animals made from towels. How special to remember your birthday. Happy birthday. The flowers are absolutely beautiful. Thanks for sharing this lovely trip.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Linda. We had a lovely time celebrating both of our birthdays and our anniversary on this trip. Hope you are well. ♥

      Delete
  14. Wow, the landscape and vegetation is just incredible, isn't it! I'm glad you enjoyed your cruise. Looks like you were well taken care of by family and by the crew! xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Judy, there were many lovely views in Hawaii. We really enjoyed our celebration. Thanks for stopping by today. ♥

      Delete
  15. I think the leis are so colourful, and those animals made from towels are amazing.
    Wonderful to see all of your photographs here, it really feels as if I'm part of your wonderful trip.

    All the best Jan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jan, we really enjoyed seeing how creative our steward was with the towel animals. I think my favorite was the monkey hanging from the ceiling. I'm so glad you are enjoying our celebration. Thank you for joining us. ♥

      Delete
  16. Martha, what gorgeous photos! My favorite is the waterfall. I didn't know Hawaii no longer produced sugar cane. I always learn something here!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Jean. I always learn something when we travel. It's probably one of the best things about it. ♥

      Delete

Your comments will show after moderation. Thank you. ♥