Mele Kalikimaka! We wish you a Merry Christmas in Hawaiian because we are in Honolulu tonight enjoying the warm, rainy weather. We welcome a chance to recall the best of 2023.
Surprisingly, neither of us native Californians had ever visited Death Valley, despite the fact it is only a four-hour drive away. In February, however, we took a tour of it and tasted the exceptionally pure salt at Badwater Basin, a salt flat located 282 feet below sea level. It is the lowest elevation in North America. Later, we visited the pastel-colored cliffs of Artist’s Palette and iconic movie locations including the sand dunes of Star Wars (1977).
We enjoyed a sneak preview of a new film called Reagan produced by Mark Joseph at the Port Theatre in October in Newport Beach, CA. The movie focuses on the Christian highlights of the former president’s life based on a book by one of John’s friends, Grove City College political science professor, Paul Kengor. The book is God and Ronald Reagan: A Spiritual Life (2004).
Back in Hawaii, we stayed at The Ali’i Tower, an oceanfront property on Waikiki Beach. Trish savored sitting on the lanai, listening to the beautiful sounds of the birds, and taking in the glorious tree-top greenery. At Pearl Harbor, we visited the USS Arizona Memorial. We observed the oil floating up from the wreck. We later toured the battleship USS Missouri. Seeing the Mighty Mo left Trish especially thankful for everyone who fought to protect us in World War II. On the battleship, we saw the exact spot where representatives of the Empire of Japan signed the instrument of surrender before Gen. Douglas MacArthur.
We enjoyed the best food in Honolulu including the hot fried malasadas sold at the world-famous Leonard’s Bakery. It lived up to its stellar reputation. When we are back home, we look forward to wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We close now by saying a hui hou – the Hawaiian version of “until we meet again.”
