4th of July 2009

Independence Day was another fun holiday for us this year. We were invited to Mark and Marty Alsop's place for dinner with a large group of friends from the McCully Ward. There were several new people we got to meet and get to know. After the meal, some of us walked to the Ala Moana Beach Park where the Shopping Center puts on a firework show each year. It was rated as the 7th best firework show of the nation. We took the 20-minute show and reduced it to four minutes. We had a good viewing spot, but unfortunately, there was a young girl in front of us that kept screaming through the whole show. Why her parents didn't tell her to shut up, I don't know or understand. I wish I had brought some duct tape with me... Anyway, if she is too annoying, just skip through the video to the grand finale; it's pretty cool. Or, mute the sound.

Koko Head Crater Hike

There is a crater over by Hawaii Kai that has a trail that goes straight up it to the top. I think it goes back to World War II when they built lookouts on almost any high hill. Anyway, on this hill they built a railroad track that went straight up and they would pull small mining-carts up and down the hill. Well, the track is still there and the tiers are now used like stairs to climb up. The view on top is pretty spectacular.