Today we head to Kona. this will be our last day on Oahu until August., so here is the last sunset picture on Waikiki. I took this from the Duke Kahanamoku statue, focused on thee Pink Palace, the Royal Hawaiin with the sun going down between the high rises behind.
Yesterday, Father’s Day, was a calm day. We walked thee beach while the kids climbed Diamond Head. Then we went to the Tropical Bar of the Hilton Hawaiian Village for bloody mary’s and lunch. Afterward, we all napped. in the evening, we strolled Waikiki. We hadn’t been out lon when we came across legendary Hawaiian musician Ledward Kalapana performing on a street stage on Lewers. I didn’t recognize him at first until he performed “Chicken in the Straw” which he performs on one of the albums I own. I got to meet him afterward. He will be one of the instructors in the Kahumoku workshop in August.
We walked through the Royal Hawaiian and visited the statue of Duke. That was as far as we got on Waikiki. Eveybosy was tired and hungry, so while Laura and the kids went back to the hotel, ed, Michael, Mary Fran, and I, visited the Blue Ocean food truck on Kuhio St They have an amazing selection—beef, lamb, chicken, fish, in all kinds of varieties. Unfortunately, they were out of shrimp tempura, wich Mary Fran wanted She settled for chicken pasta. I had mahi mahi. Ted and Michael had Hawaiian beef skewers. It was a long wait in line and even longer to get the food after ordering. Nevertheless, the food was good.
Thinking of Ledward Kalapana, Ledward is a common family name in Hawaii. Ted’ best friend in middle school was a Ledward. There are a lot of them on the Big Island. I don’t know if Kalapana is a member of the family. The Ledward name arrived in Hawaii on the HMS Bounty. Yes, that one. Ledward was the ship’s surgeon. I know this because I discovered Bligh’s journal in the UH library. Ledward stayed with the officers after the mutiny and went to Batavia (Now Jakarta) with them. When the rest went on to England, he stayed and caught a ship back to Hawaii.
So much for history. Here is the last sunrise picture on Oahu for a month and a half.
Hawaiian Noir 