Punalu’u Beach in the large island of Hawaii is known mainly for two things. Its black sandy beaches and the sea turtles that wander about.

On a good day the whole beach shore will be lined with sea turtles.

This little guy is enjoying the sunshine and having a nice nap. How relaxing.

During peek seasons, the beach is packed with people so a life guard will be on duty. With or without a lifeguard on duty though, anyone wanting to go for a swim need to be cautious.

Aside from the sea turtles, Punalu’u Beach is known for its black sand beaches. The black sand and lava rocks are formed by the neighboring volcanoes.

If you are lucky, you might find yourself a nice treasure buried in the sand. Perhaps a nice green emerald gem. The gems arLegend has it that those that remove rocks from the beach will be cursed with bad luck though. I personally didn’t leave with a souvenir but if you want to take something home, it’s entirely up to you.

Featuring the movie and entertainment industry themed shops, City Walk at Universal Studios is a movie fanatic’s paradise. Along side the shops are bars and restaurants that serve food from all corners of the world. City Walk also boosts an enormous cinema that feature both classics and new releases. The possibilities are endless in a night at City Walk.

The shops seems as if they are also straight out of a movie. This candy shop has practically everything sweet you can imagine.

Candies by the pound.

M&M merchandise

For the Christmas season, a large Christmas tree stands in the center of the gallery.

An entire shop dedicated to socks?

So many socks to choose from…!

An oxygen bar. The promoter at the front of the store claims that giving them a try will rid you of all stress and headaches. Quite honestly, I was a bit of a coward and didn’t give it a try. Any brave soul give this a try before?

Hong Kong as you can imagine has one of the worst traffic situations in the world. People and cars are everywhere! At times, walking gets you to where you need to be faster than driving. Unbelievable… Fortunately, a complex public transportation system has been in place to cope with the need to “get to places.”

Buses are probably the most convenient mode of transportation. There is almost always a route to and from every corner of Hong Kong you can think of.


Of course, if you want a less public ride, taxis are the way to go. At the same time, the most pricey.

My favorite mode of transportation is the subway though because they are not subjected to traffic delays

In the district of Mong kok, Hong Kong is a bargain hunter’s paradise. Tung Choi Street or more commonly known as Ladies Market consists of a stretch of street vendors that sell novelty items and quite honestly anything you can think of for reasonable prices. Here you can score some good deals, so buy a few souvenirs for the friends and family back home while you’re at it.

Clothes are a dime a dozen.



You can find almost anything here from 2 dollar T-shirts to designer handbags and watches. However, be forewarned that the street-vendor selling “authentic” Rolex watches for 20 dollars a pop may be too good to be true. You be the judge of that.

Stanley is a beautiful town in the south side of Hong Kong known for its elegant scenery and Victorian-era buildings.

The beaches in Stanley are just incredibly beautiful.

Days like these are perfect for enjoying a nice scoop of ice cream or a cold drink.

Stanley market is known for its incredible wide selections of novelty items and even brand name products.

In the town of Stanley is the Murray House which is a Victorian-era building originally built in 1846 as the officer’s quarters of the Murray Barrack. Originally located in Central, Hong Kong, each piece of the building was individually labeled, moved, and reconstructed on this new site.

This building has seen the darker of times in history and is widely believed to be haunted. Scary…

Along with the bars and restaurants, Murray House now houses the Maritime Museum of Hong Kong and showcases the many glories of the past and current.



A walk around the town of Stanley makes for a nice relaxing afternoon.

December 7, 1941 is a day many will never forget. It is the day that will forever change the course of history and give Pearl Harbor a place in the history books. Any trip to Hawaii is definitely not complete without a visit to this historic site.

Every year thousands come to this historic site to learn more about the incident and to honor those who died.

A model depicting the main island of Oahu with markers on points of interest.

A ship takes you to the site of the sunken battleship USS Arizona where a memorial is erected to commemorate those who lost their lives in the USS Arizona.



Standing in front of the memorial wall for the fallen soldiers I feel a chill down my spine.

Stationed in Pearl Harbor is the USS Missouri, the site in which the Japanese signed the World War 2 surrender agreement.

The Pearl Harbor museum has many exhibits that features many aspects of World War 2 and Pearl Harbor.

Inside the museum, there is all sorts of goodies to see. I really love these models.

An (armed?) torpedo on display.

Pearl Harbor is a must see attraction on any trip to Hawaii.

People often refer to Hawaii as having some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. This is definitely something I can attest to. The sand is incredibly clean and the water is crystal clear at Waikiki Beach.

People sunbathing and just having a great time.

A range of incredible hotels align the incredible beach front of Waikiki.As you can imagine, beach front hotels cost approximately an arm and a leg. You are looking at a couple of hundreds a night but considering the views you have access to, it’s definitely a steal.


What a great day to be swimming with the fishes.

Surfing is a pretty big deal in Hawaii. Most Hawaiian babies learn to surf before they learn to walk.

So you left your board at home. No problem… Surfboards are conveniently for rental on the beach front.

Don’t know how to surf? No problem! Surf lessons are just as easy to come by.


Surf’s up dude and dudettes!

Hong Kong, like I’ve mentioned in the past is an extremely hectic city. People are always on the move. This is a place where a 60 plus hour work week is nothing short of the norm. Almost every imaginable plot of land is used for construction projects in order to turn a profit. People just don’t really care for the simpler things in life. Thankfully, the government recognized this problem and in 1988 set aside 61 hectare of land that is used as a nature preserve.

Thus, the Hong Kong Wetland Park was born.

In order to enter the park, one has to purchase an admission ticket.

Inside the welcome center, you will find exhibits about various wildlife.

Very colorful and realistic.

A marine life display.

Bird watching in an air conditioned welcome center may be more appealing than going out in the heat.

When I say heat, I mean 100 degrees Fahrenheit which is very typical in Hong Kong. Oh boy was it hot.

Outside is nothing short of spectacular. Well, besides the heat. Which I can do without.

Bird watching outdoors is an entirely different ball game. For one, it is definitely more interactive.

Lily pond

After, a bit of bird-watch in the heat, ice cream sounded like a really great idea.

Coming all the way to Hawaii, my biggest wish is to see a few underwater critters. Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay is fun but add in the rough tides and murky water, few fish are to be seen. I thought I’d visit the aquarium to get my marine fix.

At the Waikiki Aquarium, there are plenty of fish to see.

So many different colors and shapes!

Seahorse



Jellyfish


Outdoor exhibits, some of which gives you a very up close and personal view.


Seal

A visit to the Waikiki Aquarium will not cross “swimming with the fishes in Hawaii” off your list, but it is a fun experience for the family, especially those with small children.

In downtown Los Angeles is Olvera Street, a block filled with Mexican goodies. For years, this street has been dedicated to offering a unique cultural Mexican experience. What exactly will you find? Let’s check it out.

A novelty gift shop with assorted souvenirs and such.

Wow! Ten dollars for a guitar? What a deal!

In Mexico, the folks love lucha libre, a form of free wrestling where contestants wearing colorfully decorated masks smack the living hell out of each other. This shop sells a variety of those masks. Which would you choose?

Traditional Mexican shoes?

Sugar skull candies are used as offerings for  Dia Los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a day of celebrate for the dead.

The street is known to a few quite well known restaurants.

Olvera Street is nothing short of an adventure packed attraction.