Redo of the Temple and the Polynesian Cultural Center

Last night at dinner I discovered a cool "slow motion" setting on my new camera.  I'm bummed that I didn't know about before.  It would have been fun watching Riley run away from big waves in slow motion.  Even though it wouldn't be possible to have a redo of that, Catherine and I decided to walk to our little beach this morning and play with the setting as we ran along the beach Rocky Balboa style in slow motion.  Mom came with us to shoot the video.  One day I'll figure out how to upload videos to the blog and you can see how funny they turned out, but for now every time I try I just get an error saying the files are too big.  Mom wasn't feeling great so she went back home while me and Catherine headed to the rope swing for one last ride before heading home tomorrow, (yes, I tried to swing too).  This would be the last time that we walked on the beach so we wanted to make the most of it.  As we were walking we saw some little sand crabs burrowing into holes on the beach.  I was so sad that mom had already gone home and missed seeing them, but we brought back some great pictures and slow motion videos to show her.

The last beach we would walk on

My last moments on the beach with mom.

You have to look hard to see the sand crab!



I did attempt the swing, but this is the only picture I have of it.  If there were others, they would all of be in the water.

Don't know what this was on our little beach.  I don't remember it being there a few days ago. 

Walking back to our house from the beach.  Every morning this beautiful mist covered the mountains all around us.

Riley all ready for the day wearing his new shirt that he colored

We split up for the rest of the day.  Riley hadn't had a chance to see the temple at all yet and even though mom wasn't feeling great, she wanted a redo day of the PCC (which is right next door), so that is where me, mom and Riley headed, while Dave and Catherine walked around the BYU Hawaii Campus.  We would all meet up at the PCC with Dad, Christine, and Anneli later.

At the temple grounds

Riley standing at the main entrance to the temple.

Me and Riley touching the temple wall.

Standing on the front porch to the main entrance looking over the beautiful grounds.

Mom taking time to smell the flowers.

This time we managed to make it into the visitors center.

The Hawaii version of the family videos display had grass huts instead of houses all decorated for Christmas.  Very cute!

A beautiful display about the temple showed pictures of the inside.

 After the temple, we headed to the Polynesian Cultural Center where this giant Santa greeted us at the entrance.  (He wasn't there two days ago).

I'm always amused at the wide variety of results you get when you ask a stranger to take your picture.  I guess this guy got the important parts, but did he have to zoom so much that it cut out the top of Santa's head, sack, and all of the intersting background?

Mom was so fasinated by the coconut trees the whole time we were in Hawaii.  She just couldn't get over how many coconuts grew on each one and she kept asking us to keep an eye out for a good one to take a picture of.  We took photos of many, but this one right inside the PCC was her favorite.

Mom standing next to a display containing mounds and mounds of coconuts.

In 'Samoa' we watched a demonstration on how to peel and crack open a coconut and learned about coconut juice v.s. coconut milk.

We even saw a man free climb a 40' tall coconut tree!

Riley tried to climb a coconut tree too, but it was harder than it looks.

Riley showing off the inside of a coconut.

Granny and Riley headed down the "snowy" tunnel for a boat ride.

On the boat.

Riley learning how to fish in Tonga...

... and play the drums in 'Tajiti.

 

Random village we passed on our way to more adventures (not sure what country this is, possibly Aotearoa, ie New Zealand).



Back in Samoa we learned how to twirl fire (minus the fire),

And tried to make our own fire by rubbing two sticks together (that was also harder than it looked).

We eventually caught up with the others and went for another boat ride on Riley's request.

We got separated again and on the way out to find the others at the gift shop me and Riley passed this old island church.  Riley actually got some sound out of that organ peddling with his feet.

Riley pretending to be "an old Grandpa" on the church porch.



By accident, we finally figured out how to get onto Easter Island.  I had seen the statues from every angle, but couldn't find the path to get on the island.  We were able to spend 5 minutes here just as they were closing.



Riley peaking out of the grass hut.

One last look at the Polynesian Cultural Center before heading out for the day, and home tomorrow.