Hawai'i - Downtown & More (12/28/2011)

Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Since it worked out that we did not spend all day at Pearl Harbor, we were able to see more of Oahu!
But first lunch. We wanted to go to Nico's at Pier 38, but they were closed for the next week! So across the street to Uncle's Fish Market & Grill:

Interesting table plant:

Perhaps a philodendron on a piece of lava rock. Since their roots are prone to rot, try this method of "potting"!
After lunch, we stopped at Hilo Hattie for some souvenir shopping, including a free tote bag with a coupon. Hilo Hattie offers a free shell lei greeting and has coffee tastings, plus any souvenir you could imagine.
Next, we visited some of the historic buildings in downtown Honolulu.
The Iolani Palace:

The palace is the only royal palace in the United States that was used by a reigning monarch. The original palace was built in 1844 and was mostly ceremonial rooms. A second palace to house the monarchy was built across the street, and it now is the Honolulu Justice Building. The original palace was torn down due to termite damage, and a new Iolani Palace was commissioned by King David Kalakaua, who had traveled the world and was inspired by the palaces owned by other monarchs. Completed in 1882, the palace features a unique architectural style known as American Florentine.

Iolani Palace served as the official residence of the Hawaiian monarchy until its overthrow in 1893. It was used as the capitol of the Provisional then Territorial Governments of Hawai'i, and later as State Capitol.
Across the street is the Ali'iolani Hale/Honolulu Justice Building:

Completed in 1874, it is in Italian Renaissance Revival style.
In front stands a statue of King Kamehameha I:

The first statue commissioned from Thomas Gould, a Boston sculptor living in Italy, was lost at sea. So he made a second which was dedicated in 1883 at this location. Meanwhile, the first statue was found and it was erected near Kamehameha's birthplace on the island of Hawai'i.
King Kamehameha I was a great warrior, diplomat and leader who united the Hawaiian islands into one royal kingdom in 1810 after years of conflict.
The State Capitol of Hawai'i:

Opened in 1969, the building is an American adaptation of the Bauhaus style, called Hawaiian International architecture. The outer columns represent palm trees, and the sunken legislative chambers are conical in shape to symbolize volcanoes.
The center, normally a rotunda in other state capitols, is open to the sky.

At one end stands a statue of Father Damien: 

Fr. Damien was a Roman Catholic priest who died in 1869, after 16 years of working with those afflicted with leprosy. He was canonized a saint in 2009. 

At the other end is a statue of Queen Liliuokalani:  

She was the last reigning monarch of Hawai'i. The statue was dedicated in 1982. 

Padda oryzivora/Java Sparrow:

Acridotheres tristis/Common Mynas:

The Mission Houses, three buildings that served as homes and workplaces for the first Christian missionaries have been made into a museum that interprets the missionary period of Hawai'i from 1820-1863:

The building on the right is the Chamberlain House, built in 1831 from coral blocks cut from the reef and dried and bleached by the sun.

This frame house is the oldest wood frame structure still standing in the Hawaiian islands:

It was shipped from Boston in 1820.
Still had time! We drove the Tantalus/Round Top Loop Drive. Heading uphill along switchbacks, we passed several gated houses. The higher the elevation, the bigger the price tag on homes.

A stop at Pu'u Ualaka'a State Park:

An interesting flower under the sign:

Identity?
View towards Diamond Head:

This is where Elvis was filmed having a picnic with a girl in the movie "Blue Hawaii:"

Is that you, Elvis?
Brynne & Kent:

Brynne & Tamiko:

KSS

Schefflera actinophylla/Octopus Tree:

Phil & Kent:

Picnic area:

Heading back to Waikiki, another rainbow:

Picked up an appetizer at Ono's Hawaiian Seafood (726 Kapahulu Avenue):

Ahi Poke is bite-sized morsels of fresh raw tuna (bigeye or yellowtail), seasoned with soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, scallions or sweet onions, and chili peppers:

Spoondles.com

Later we had dinner at Kua 'Aina (Ward Center):

Known for their 1/3 pound hamburgers: