Touring at Home

It's been many years since I've had the pleasure of escorting visitors around my island home. This past week, I've been at my mom's while my brother and sister-in-law get their kids settled at various schools on the east coast, and my friends from California are visiting me. During the day, when mom's caregiver is here, we've been touring Oahu and visiting places like the Byodo-In temple, Pali lookout and Punchbowl, I'olani Palace and the other historic buildings downtown.

We had an ukulele lesson at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie, saw the Halona Blowhole spouting, and snorkeled at Shark's Cove. We also attended the kanikapila slack-key festival at Kapiolani Park, walked along Kailua Beach and swam at Lanikai. We visited Waimea Falls Park, and dipped our toes into the water at Queen's Beach in Waikiki before doing some shopping at Ala Moana Center. Here's the Flickr Photo Set.

Now it's time for my friends to return home, and I'll have one more week here before I, too, must return to California. I always think of the song, "Honolulu City Lights" when it's time to leave, and it makes me homesick before I even start packing.