We are back in Florida after a wonderful ten days in Hawaii. We spent the first four days at the beautiful Hale Koa (House of Warriors) in downtown Honolulu. As we have been here several times before, we didn't do much, just relaxed and let our internal clocks reset to Hawaiian time. We didn't even rent a car but instead took the city bus to and from the airport.
After church on Sunday, we walked along Waikiki Beach and enjoyed a bloody mary first at the Moana Hotel, oldest hotel in Honolulu, and then a second drink at the beautiful pink Royal Hawaiian. After relaxing around the pool, we spent the evening listening to music at the Barefoot Bar on the beach.
On Monday, we visited the state capitol so we could get another stamp for our Capitols Collection book, and then toured the Iolani Palace, the home of the only royalty on U.S. soil.
Then we headed to Kauai, our very favorite island. As many of you know, Don was the officer-in-charge of the Kilauea Lightstation from 1972 to 1974.
We were invited back to participate in the one hundred year anniversary and the re dedication and reopening of the lighthouse after an extensive renovation. We were treated like royalty and had a wonderful time. During Wednesday's ceremony, the lighthouse was first blessed by Hawaiian priestess Kumu Kehaulani Kekua, who lived at the lighthouse with her father from 1958- 1962. After a couple of short speeches from Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Jr. and the Wildlife Refuge Manager, Shannon Smith, Don, together with another former lightkeeper, David Kahaunaele- untied the lei to reopen the light. We then, as a group, were the first visitors to the lighthouse. What a thrill!
On Thursday, we attended a reception for all the former keepers and their families and also U.S. Fish and Wildlife personnel who had lived there, including the two children who are living there now with their parents. It was the first time we had ever shared experiences with other keepers and we had a wonderful time.
We also walked through our old house, which looks very much the same except the furniture has been replaced by desks and file cabinets.
On Friday, we took a helicopter ride around the island. We had never done this before as it is quite expensive. But it was worth every penny. We flew without doors and so had spectacular views of the island, including Waimea Canyon, the Na Pali coast, and Mount Waialeale, the rainiest and wettest spot on the planet. It was a beautiful morning with just a few clouds so we were able to fly right into Mount Waialeale crater, with waterfalls cascading down sheer cliffs. What a great adventure! http://www.theworldwonders.com/australia/mount-waialeale.htmlThe celebration continued on Saturday with the renaming of the lighthouse as the Daniel K. Inouye Kilauea Point Lighthouse, in honor of the recently deceased senator from Hawaii who championed the cause of restoring and preserving the lighthouse and the land around it, and managed to secure over $1 million towards its restoration. (The remaining $1.4 million came primarily from private fundraising with a sizable contribution from U.S. Fish and Wildlife.) We were fortunate to be seated under the large tent as the skies opened with torrential rain just as the formal ceremony began. But no one left and the party continued.
On Sunday, there was a "Party in the Park" to celebrated the 150 year anniversary of the founding of Kilauea town. It was originally a sugar plantation and was very rural and undeveloped when we were there. In fact, during the 70s, the people in town would have white socks on the end of their water faucets to filter out the pollywogs and debris from their drinking water. The sugar plantation closed in 1971 shortly before we arrived. The plantation workers could purchase a home lot for a little more than $3,000. There are now homes in Kilauea selling for millions - I think we could have bought the whole town for less than that!
The party began with a big parade, the first parade in the town's history. Former lighthouse keeper, David Kahaunaele was the grand marshal as he still lives on the island and frequently visits the light to share stories with staff and visitors.
The other keepers and their families, including Don, were honored guests and rode in antique autos with their names on the sides. I chose to stand along the parade route to take photos. Would you believe - my camera died just as Don's car, an antique BMW convertible, came into view. I ran up to him to get the replacement batteries he was carrying but didn't get them loaded until he was past. But I got pictures of everyone else.
Again, the skies opened up with a vengeance just as the parade started. Don was absolutely drenched but had a wonderful time waving to all the people lining the parade route. He didn't even have his usual hat on as the mayor wanted to wear it.
The townspeople turned out in droves and continued to wave and cheer in spite of the pouring rain. 
Don got quite a thrill out of being asked for autographs and to have his picture taken with townspeople and tourists.
At the end of the parade, there was a big party in the park with music, food, arts and crafts, local displays, and games for the kids all day. 
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