Installment #1 - The Colon Family Takes Over Hawaii!

Yippee-ki-yay, I proclaim! My parents arrived safely (although somewhat jet-lagged) to our lovely little island here in the Pacific, and we have been moving full speed ahead ever since. Strengthened by multiple pots of Bustelo coffee, we have been hauling our sizeable brood all over the island by day, and engaging in spades championships by night. Dad has reverted to his jibaro roots and spends his days eating mangoes and lemons off the trees in my yard, riding bikes with the boys, and lounging at the pool and on the beach. Not surprisingly, he seems to become increasingly busy on the days when Mom and I plan on spending our time trolling around the malls and shops down in Waikiki...hmmmmm...could this be on purpose? ; )

This past Monday, we went to explore the USS Battleship Missouri, also fondly called the "Mighty Mo'" by us residents. Not only is this battleship the last of its kind, but it was also where the peace treaty was signed that ended World War II. Don't believe me? Check it out below:

Believe me when I say that this battleship is absolutely huge! I'm talking about 3 football fields, at least, with multiple floors decks above and below. I don't know how the Navy men handled being on one of these ships for extended periods of time without getting a serious case of cabin fever or claustrophobia. More power to them, I can only say. We also lucked out because the Army "Strolling Strings" band, who have played throughout the world and are favorites of the White House, just happened to be performing on the Mighty Mo' that day. These soldiers have been trained at the most prestigious musical conservatories, and boy, can you tell. For most of their performance, I just stood there with goosebumps and will even admit to becoming just a teensy bit emotional. Have you ever listened to music that is just so precise, so perfect, and just so beautiful that you can only marvel at the talent of the people creating such a sound? Ooh-wee, what an incredible experience!

Monday was a special day for another great reason - Mom and Dad celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary! These days, it is getting harder and harder to find people who remain steadfast, and keep alive the love that brought them together in the first place. I think it is pretty darn cool that after all these years, they are still so enamored with each other - and still would rather be with each other than anywhere else in the world! As an anniversary gift, we gifted them with tickets to see Cirque Hawaii. If you aren't sure what that is, just think (or google) Cirque de Soleil and you will know what it's all about. One of my best friends, Denise, came with us and all I can say is, I would see this show over and over again. The acts are mind-boggling! Contortionists, trapeze artists, performers flying through the air while spinning and twisting and flipping.....whew, I was the classic audience member, screaming and whooping it up. The pina coladas I was drinking might have helped me out a little, actually...LOL....anyway, we couldn't take pictures during the actual show because it was a safety hazard to the performers (bad news if someone got blinded by a camera flash, I think) but we did stalk the performers afterwards and got some nice shots in. Dad was especially pleased to gain the attention of some of the very pretty ladies, ha ha...see below:



I am sure we will end up passing out from sheer exhaustion, sooner or later, but until that actually happens, I will continue to document our shenanigans across the island. So, stay tuned for Installment #2, where we will attempt to explore the North Shore, Pali Lookout, and the Dole Plantation (oh, yeah, pineapples galore and a maze to match! Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!)