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Oahu, Hawaii {Day 2}

I started the day heading to a restaurant I had read about.  They have these famous pancakes.   Oh.  My.  Gosh!  It was totally worth the trip!  The restaurant is called Boots & Kimo's...
and these are the banana pancakes with macadamia nut sauce...

After breakfast I had to work for a bit, but as I drove to where the work was, I took in the sights.  It's funny because when you drive around Hawaii at night, it kind of looks like a dump.  Seriously...ghetto-ville.  But when you drive around in the daytime, every single direction you look, is an amazing view...



There was a beach I had wanted to see, and I happened to drive by on the way to work, so I stopped and took in the sights.








After I was done with work, I spent a couple of hours that afternoon touring Pearl Harbor.  It's a must see spot if you are visiting Oahu.  


This symbol is known as a Tree of Life, and it is a continuous theme throughout the memorial.
This mural depicts the attacks...



The draft of FDR's famous speech to Congress






The oil that still bubbles up from the USS Arizona



















After leaving Pearl Harbor, it was time to head to the Polynesian Cultural Center for a luau.  I had selected the luau at the PCC because it got great reviews.  The downside, is that it's over an 1 hour and 15 minutes away from both PH and Waikiki.  The upside is that the drive there went right by the Dole Plantation, so a prime opportunity for Dole Whip Float #2!  

The lei I received at the PCC luau
I didn't have time to get to the PCC early enough to enjoy all the sights.  I think that would have been a real benefit to doing the PCC luau.  I pretty much got there right when they were seating us for the luau.
The pig that we were about to eat...





After the luau, I went to a 4D Imax about the Islands.  It was pretty cool.  Then there was a show called "Ha...Breath of Life".  I stayed until intermission.  I wasn't really following the story of the show, and was tired, so I decided to start making the trek back to Waikiki toward the hotel.  I did the luau because I felt like I should since I was in Hawaii.  It was fine, but I didn't love it.  Everyone was too cheerful.  (That makes me sound like a total curmudgeon, but it is true).  I just don't go for all that fake enthusiasm.  It irritates me.  (Again, total curmudgeon)  If I had it to do over, I would probably just do one down at the hotels in Waikiki, unless I had the time to devote the whole afternoon to the Polynesian Cultural Center.  

Stay tuned for Day 3 of #KaraGoesToHawaii

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