SUB FOUR

During our 11 day trip to Hawaii, we saw a total of FOUR submarines.

ONE SUB
We rode a US $ 12 million submarine for 60 minutes to the tune of US 114 per person. It is called the Atlantis Submarine Adventure in Waikiki.

TWO SUB
We went inside two submarines during our 11 day vacation. The first was the USS Bowfin which was part of the Pearl Harbor historic trip and the second was the Altlantis Submarine Adventure.

THREE SUB
Last May 31 on day 8 of our trip, we saw 3 submarines: the Atlantis XIV, the Atlantis VII and the yellow submarine at the Maui Divers office.

FOUR SUB
In total during our 11 day vacation, we saw 4 submarines – the Atlantis XIV, the Atlantis VII and the yellow submarine at the Maui Divers office on day 8 and the USS Bowfin on day 2 of our trip.

The funny Atlantis tour guide who looks like Rick Fox of the LA Lakers said that those who rode the submarine belong to the 10% of the world’s population that have seen the depths of the ocean.

REFERENCE:
Pls. click here to view the video.

FORD’S EDGE

The original plan for the Big Island, Hawaii trip was to rent a sub-compact car, the cheapest vehicle in the car rental lot. Public transportation was not very efficient in this side of town so car rental was a wiser option. Had we opted for a sub-compact car, we would have gotten a pretty red Nissan Versa instead we opted for a compact SUV in the guise of a white Ford Edge.

The Ford Edge is a very capable vehicle. Its direct competitors are the Kia sorento, Hyundai SantaFe, probably the Toyota Fortuner and the Mitsubishi Montero. It is s not offered in the Philippines though.

It was equipped with a gas guzzling V6 engine but that was compensated by the visibility offered to the driver and all the passengers. The size and ride was similar to our personal compact SUVs – Honda CRV & Subaru Forester, so driving adjustment was minimal.

We logged a total of 275 miles, X miles on day 1 and Y miles on day 2. On day 1, the farthest point that we reached was the Chain of Craters road inside the Hawaii National Volcano Park located south of Hilo, Big Island and on day 2, the farthest point that we reached was Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site and Spencer Beach Park which was north of Big Island along the Kohala Coast.

Day 12 (June 3 Monday) – Icing on the trip

Day 12 (June 3 Monday) – Icing on the trip

> Ending an annual trip is always a sad and happy experience. Sad because you’ll be leaving your home for X days and it’s back to reality. Happy because like they always say, there’s no place like home. We left Prospect St. at 730am.
> We stayed in Ma’s place in Salt Lake for 2 hrs., met Ma’s landlady, fixed her PC and smartphone settings. I wish I could have done more – fixed her busted lights, covered her “sunroof” but time was not on our side.
> I had a short window to check out Salt Lake Shopping Center while looking for a wireless router.
> We were off to Honolulu Airport around 10AM.
> We arrived in Manila June 4 at 10PM and already reported to work 8AM the ff. day. Life goes on.

Day 11 (June 2 Sunday) – The Only royal palace in US

Day 11 (June 2 Sunday) – The Only royal palace in US

> First up for the day was a Mass at Our Lady of Peace. It holds the distinction of being the oldest cathedral in continuous use in the US. The family was asked to do the offertory and given leis.
> Honda Pflueger – it was in the vicinity of the cathedral so I checked it out but not much parts and accessories on stock. You’d have to order.
> Honolulu fire Department – It was right beside Honda and the structure was eye catching so I took some pictures.
> Chinatown – So Jose Rizal’s monument was there right beside Sun Yat Sen.
> Iolani Palace – The only royal palace in the US. Unfortunately, we were not able to go inside since it was closed that day.
> Honolulu State Bldg – It houses the Congress and Senate.
> Kamehameha Statue along S. King Street
> Ross for Less my favorite store
> Shaved Ice not Matsumodo. Close but not so close.
> Leonard’s Malasadas – It’s a donut with no hole. Best served hot.
> Waikele Premium Outlets – we’re back and with a vengeance. Credit card got a whipping

Day 10 (June 1 Saturday) – Waikiki Beach

Day 10 (June 1 Saturday) – Waikiki Beach

> We were at Waikiki Beach at 7AM. It is considered one of the most famous beaches in the world. To think that this used to be a swamp and the beach sand is imported from Australia once every 2 years.
> We rode DaBus again today and got lost. The normally 20 to 30 minute ride became 2 ½ hours. It was a blessing in disguise though since we got to explore the Manoa area.
> Ala Moana Shopping Center – I’ve lost count how many times we visited this mall.
> Aside from the beach, the second objective for the day was to do most of our shopping so we shopped in Nordstrom, Ross for Less, Macy’s and Walmart today. We did go to Neimann Marcus for some window shopping. We got home around 11PM.

REFERENCE:
Pls. click here to view the video.

Day 9 (May 31 Friday) – Submarine Adventure, first time for everyone

Day 9 (May 31 Friday) – Submarine Adventure, first time for everyone

> Hilton Hawaii Hotel – We were not able to go around the village as time was not on our side. We had just enough time to check out the penguins.
> Atlantis Submarine Adventure Waikiki – Port Hilton was the starting point of the submarine adventure. We choose the premium sub even if it was more expensive since this was probably a once in a lifetime experience or at least the first time for all the whole family.
> Maui Divers – There was a free trip to Maui Divers after the ride where we saw our 3rd sub for the day. I reckon Maui Divers is the original company and the Atlantis Sub adventure was just an offshoot.
> Lunch at Ala Moana Shopping Center
> Dinner at Wah Kung hosted by the Garcias, Tita Siony and Tito Greg.
> We were off to Ward Center after dinner to learn some yoyo and watch their son Alex Garcia, who was a legend in the Yoyo circuit.

REFERENCE:
Pls. click here to view the video # 1
Pls. click here to view the video # 2

Day 8 (May 30 Thursday) – North of Big Island

> Day 2 of our Big island self guided tour brought us to the north of Big Island.
> First up was Akaka Falls. Two falls can be seen in this site. A pretty, old town in Akaka is also interesting.
> Pepeekeo 4 mile drive – It’s an alternative from the I-19 or Hawaii Belt Road. It’s the original road with a scenic view. No regrets passing through this road.
> Kohala Coastline – This is closer to Kona than Hilo.
> Lapahoehoe Train Museum – Just a few minutes to take pictures, not much to see and didn’t interest the family.
> Pu’ukohola Heiau (Kamehameha Temple) – Our trip’s farthest point up north.
> Dinner @ Zippy’s Nimitz – B. Obama’s favorite restaurant in Hawaii. He has eaten in this resto already.
> Explored Punahou - Obama’s residence which was an apartment, High School and Baskins & Robbins where he worked during summer.
> Makiki Heights – Honolulu nightline

Day 7 (May 29 Wednesday) – Hawaii Volcano National Park, Big Island

> First of all, let me tell you that the Big Island of HI and Honolulu, Oahu, HI are two different island. While the Big Island is bigger as the title suggests, it is the younger brother island of Oahu. Honolulu is both a city and a county in HI. I didn’t know that until our trip.
> So we jumped on the opportunity to check out the Big Island while in HI. The choice was either Maui or Big Island and volcanoes seemed more interesting than beaches.
> Our travel agent CSL arranged everything – Hilo Seaside Hotel, Hawaiian Air RT and Budget car rental. We just shouldered the bill. The arrangement was so convenient. Thanks mother!
> The 45 minute drive from Hilo International Airport to Volcano National Park was a bit challenging. Try driving in a new area with 10 to 15 feet visibility due to the rain and an unfamiliar car. We wanted to get a Toyota, Honda or Subaru for less adjustments but none were available.
> Volcano Lodge – a renovated old house served as a souvenir shop. It was one of the many souvenir shops in the HI Volcano National Park.
> Steam vents – Sulfur vents abound in this active volcano. It didn’t smell good but at least we know that our sense of smell was perfectly fine.
> Kilauea lookout – So this is what an active volcano looks like. We were about a little over a kilometer near the crater.
> Kilauea Military Zone – The theatre in the military camp is interesting.
> Jaggar Museum – Named after American Volcanologist Thomas Jaggar. He founded the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
> Mauna Loa lookout – The sky was not clear that day so the largest volcano on Earth in terms of volume and area covered volcano was not really visible.
> Thurston Lava Tube – Named after Lorrin Thurston, a local newspaper publisher, this lava tube was discovered in 1913.
> Chain of Craters Road – Lots of interesting things to see along the 23 mile road – actual lava flows through the ocean, roads covered numerous times by lava, a number of craters.
> Holei Sea Arch – a beauty carved by nature.
> Mauna Loa factory – This is where they make the produce and manufacture the Mauna Loa macadamia nuts. The company is owned by Hershey’s.

REFERENCE:
Pls. click here to view the video.

Day 6 (May 28 Tuesday) – The mini Reunion

Day 6 (May 28 Tuesday) – The mini Reunion
• A day with my college friend Erwin Wong. We met in 2006 in San Jose, California and now in Oahu, Hawaii.
• Lunch at Nico’s Restaurant
• Fisherman’s Wharf
• Waikiki Area
• Waikele Premium Outlet

Day 5 (May 27 Monday) – First mountain climb in 2013

Day 5 (May 27 Monday) – First mountain climb in 2013
• It was relatively a relaxed day save for the "challenging" mountain climb.
• Diamond Head Crater lookout – my first mountain climb for the year.
• Ross For Less – my kind of store
• Ala Moana Shopping Center – a staple for every Hawaiian and adapted by visitors like us

REFERENCE:
Pls. click here to view the video.

Day 4 (May 26 Sunday) – North Shore

Day 4 (May 26 Sunday) – North Shore
• It was Sunday so we heard mass at St. Philomena near Mama’s place
• Dole Plantation – location of the world’s largest maze
• Lunch was at Kua Aina Sandwich Shop. One of the best burger’s I have tried.
• Turtle Bay – guess what can be found here? Though they were no shows that day.
• Waimea Valley – so this site is pretty. It’s a geologist’s haven.
• Banzai Pipe – surf’s up.

Day 3 (May 25 Saturday) – Culture Un-shock

Day 3 (May 25 Saturday) – Culture Un-shock
• The schedule for today was to explore East Oahu.
• Nuʻuanu Pali Lookout (bonus)
• Valley of the Temple where Byodo-In Temple (bonus)
• Kualoa Ranch – location shoot of Jurassic Park, 50 First Dates and many more.
• Chinaman’s Hat – right in front of Kualoa Ranch
• La'ie Point State Wayside Park
• Lunch was at Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck along Kamehameha Highway to try their popular garlic shrimp
• We had dessert at a slightly different McDonalds along Kamehameha Highway. While the place looked different, the hot fudge sundae tasted the same.
• Polynesian Cultural Center – a lot of learnings about Hawaii’s culture and day ended with a show called Ha – Breath of Life

Day 2 (May 24 Friday) – Pearl Harbor Galore

Day 2 (May 24 Friday) – Pearl Harbor Galore
• The schedule for the day was to explore Pearl Harbor.
• First on the list was USS Bowfin – this is the first (out of four) submarines that saw during our trip
• USS Arizona Memorial – arguably the most popular tourist destination in HI.
• SS Missouri or Mighty Mo – the only ship that served in WW2 and the gulf war
• Pacific Aviation Museum – generations of airplanes housed in this complex
• We rode DaBus from Pearl Harbor to Ala Moana.
• Late lunch and early dinner (6pm) was at Ala Moana Shopping Center food court.
• We rode DaCab going back to Punchbowl.

HOLIDAY IN HAWAII / Day 1 - Ready Jet Set Go!

The trip to Hawaii actually started in February when we got a schedule from the US Embassy in Manila for a May 9 interview. The whole family got a multiple 10 year tourist visa.

Day 1 (May 23 Thursday) – Ready Jet Set Go!
• The airline of choice for this family bonding time was Hawaiian Airline. It was an early evening Thursday night flight that will bring us on the same day lunchtime in Honolulu.
• My mother and her good friend Tita Siony picked us up at the airport.
• Lunch was at Ala Moana Shopping Center food court which would be our hub for the duration of our vacation. It was at the center of Waikiki.
• Next up in the sight seeing was a quick stop to Hanauma Bay and Koko Head.
• We checked out Diamond Head Crater Park and Kapiolani Park (where we saw the different kinds of cactus)
• Dinner was at Bangkok Chef along Nuuanu Avenue.
• For whatever reason, the hotels within our range in Oahu were packed and our savior was Mama’s good friends Tita Lita & Tito Francis who lived in Punchbowl, Honolulu.

HIGHLIGHTS OF HAWAII STATE

• Hawaii (HI) is the 50th US state. They were admitted to the union last August 21, 1959.
• It is also called “The Rainbow State” or “The Aloha State.”
• It has 8 islands – Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, Niihau and Kahoolawe.
• The total population is 1,392,313 and 70% is in the island of Oahu.
• The top ancestry of the population are (1) Filipino 13.6%, (2) Japanese 12.6%, (3) Polynesian 9%, German 7.4% and Irish 5.2%.
• There are 13 volcanoes in the state of Hawaii. The Big Island has 7 volcanoes.
• It boasts of having the biggest maze located at the Dole Plantation, one of the most active volcano Kilauea, Mauna Loa is the largest volcano on Earth in terms of volume and area covered, Mauna Kea is considered the “tallest” mountain if measured from base-to-peak.
• There are quite a number of movies filmed in Hawaii. The more popular ones include: Jurassic Park, 50 First Dates, Pearl Harbor and Raiders of the Lost Ark.
• The current US President B.H.Obama was born and raised in Oahu, Hawaii.
• The Iolani Palace is the only royal palace in the United States.

PLAN FOR THE DAY...Achieved!

The more you study, the more you learn, the more you lean the more you know.

PANORAMA PICS
https://www.serif.com/FreeDownloads/Download/DownloadFreeSoftware.aspx?pOrderID=E915TC7TB&Product=PanoramaPlusStarterEdition&NewSignUp=N

PHOTO COLLAGE
http://www.fotor.com/features/collage.html
http://www.photovisi.com/collage/choose_template/wallpapers

OUTPUT

View of Bamban bridge & Mt Arayat from the Bamban Grotto

View of Hamilo Coast from St. Therese of the Child Jesus chapel

Bang Pa-In Royal Palace, Thailand

Sentosa Island, view from Merlion

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, Hawaii

View of Pearl Harbor from USS Missouri

Pali Lookout, Oahu, Hawaii

North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii

View of Honolulu from Diamond Head, Oahu, Hawaii

Kilauea, Big Island, Hawaii

WARREN BUFFET, My Hero

JLO wt MChlo & JLac

JLo wt MChlo & JLac

A bargain is when you get three JLo tickets for less than 1/2 the cost of an upper box ticket. Mega bonding time again with family when we watched the Latina Pop Superstar in a 1 night only concert. It was their first time to watch a concert by an international artist while it was my 3rd. The concert venue was at SM MOA Arena.

Spotted during the concert were Gov. Imee Marcos & her family, Usec. Abi Valte, Raymond, Richard & Ruffa Gutierrez, Sharon Cuneta and many more personalities.

REFERENCES:
JLO Video # 1
JLO Video # 2

SOCIAL STATUS in the PHILIPPINES

QUESTION: What is the present social status of the Philippines?

ANSWER: The Philippines is 12% Class ABC, 49% D and 39% E as of April 2010.

Class A - Upper Class - executives, presidents, CEOs (>Php 100,000 / month)
Class B - Upper Middle Class - professionals (Php 50,000-100,000 / month)
Class C - Middle Class - white-collar jobs (Php 15,000-50,000 / month)
Class D - Lower Middle Class - blue-collar/clerical jobs (Php,8,000-15,000 / month)
Class E - Lower Class - living below the poverty line (
Source: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_present_social_status_of_the_Philippines#page2

FOZZIE’S IN THE HOUSE

Finally, after more than 3 months of waiting, we finally got our Subaru Forester 2.0 XS. We were not supposed to get it yet because of a company policy “no plate, no release” however justified that the vehicle is already registered but there is a plate production issue on LTO’s side hence plate release may be longer than usual.

Prior to seeing the vehicle last July 2, we inspected the vehicle once sometime in May in MI Greenhills just to ensure that there are no defects (no scratches, not yet repainted). We learned our lesson as our first brand new car, a 2002 Toyota Revo GLX had its hood already repainted.

The dealer gave a P20,000 corporate discount and threw in freebies which included:

(a) 3M tint,

(b) original floor mat,

(c) black seatcovers,

(d) rust proof and

(e) LTO for 3 years.

Less than a week old, we had the ff. add ons installed:

(a) Acoustic parking aide from MI Greenhills

(b) Tail pipe cutter from MI Bonifacio Global City

(c) Cargo step panel from MI BGC

(d) Cargo tray from JDM Select

Our next project for Y2012 includes the ff.:

(a) Mud Guards from JDM Select

(b) A mono amplifier

(c) A 10” or 12” subwoofer

(d) Side sill plates

Lined up for Y2013 includes the ff:

(a) Bosch horn

(b) Stainless steel pedals

(c) Rear Spoiler

(d) Body side mouldings

(e) Puddle lights

For Y2014, the ff. are part of the plan:

(a) Wheels 18” X 8”
(b) Tyres 235/50/R18

(c) Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(d) Auto locking doors at 15 kph

I have not thought of what accessories to get after 2014 but I’m sure I’ll think of one. In the meantime, we will enjoy our new ride.