time out

Okay, we will get back to that in a minute.....

Happy Mother's Day!

Filming continues on the 6 episode series, Valley of the Boom,  that will air on the National Geographic channel.

(about the boom and bust of the dot.com industry in Silicone Valley in California in the 1990's.)

Hey, wait a minute I recognize that car, first on the original Starsky and Hutch t.v. show, and most recently on the Good Doctor. 

and then the rain, on the only day we were filming outside......

Backing up on set, I was warned not to drive over the connection on the water hose. Thanks to my back-up camera I managed to straddle it. 

The scene today was to look like we were filming at film stages. They added a lot of faux scenes for effect.

The burning car looked real enough, though.

Later that week, were down on Granville Street, the entertainment district of Vancouver.

Our lunch room was this very funky night club, the Aura.

The day stretched into night, but it was okay, because tomorrow..........

what a Canadian thing to do, have a beer, watch some hockey...

.......I enjoyed that at Vancouver International Airport as I awaited my flight to Honolulu......

I upgraded to business class, (if you have a couple of extra bucks, it's so worth it) Finally, leg room! 

Watched the Shape of Water on the way there. The story, well, for me, it was filmed very well, but the story....
(it was still worth watching)

Now that's a sunset, albeit at 36,000 feet.

Well, I guess I have to settle for this view for the next week.

The next morning, the view from the hotel was equally as settling.

I met Ritsue at the airport, time to get our Tiki on!

deja-vu, the same beach my brother and I hit some 30 years ago!

Wow! This should be in the Hawaii tourism brochure.

Ritsue is dwarfed by this massive banyan tree.

Memorize the plate on your rental car Monty, you have lots of parking to pay for!

Yikes! That's some selfie pout!

Drove by the office for the Hawaii Teamsters film division, who have the same transport duties as we Teamsters in Vancouver.

Our home base watering hole. Tiki's Grill and Bar is on the 3rd floor of our hotel.

Looking out from the hotel room, another glorious day in paradise.

We drove up to Tantalus lookout at Puu Ualakaa state park. Great views of Diamond Head, the mountains and the city.

Diamond Head state monument.

It was a little cloudy, but we still enjoyed the sunset.

The picture did not quite capture the beauty of the night lights of the city.

Back down in Waikiki, and a lovely evening walk along the beach.

Looking down towards our pool deck, what is that on the ledge below?

Well, I can kiss that sock goodbye!

Saturday morning was a good time to visit the very popular farmers' market at the Kapiolani Community College in Waikiki.

This was the first of many wild chickens we saw all around the island.

The college had an amazing cactus garden.

Heard a commotion below our room.

A group of protesters, although they didn't stick around long enough to find out what it was all about.

We took a day trip to Pearl Harbour. This included the U.S.S. Arizona memorial.

One of the gun turrets above the water. It was a somber time at the memorial.

A marble shrine with the names of  all those who died on the Arizona. 1,102 of the 1,177 killed are still entombed within the ship.

You can see parts of the Arizona above the water.

There is still oil escaping from the ship. Some people call the oil slick the "tears of the Arizona".

Also at Pearl Harbour is the U.S.S. Bowfin submarine.

checking out the inner workings of a submarine

Ritsue  manning one of the guns on display

A disturbing display. One of the Kaiten manned torpedoes. 

To think someone actually sat inside there........

We finished that day on Keawaula Beach at Yokohama Bay. It was just over an hour drive from our hotel, but it was well worth it.

For a snack, we tried something local. I gave the thumbs up before I actually tasted it. I would give this "spam sushi", a thumbs down. 

It was nice to get away from the crowds of Waikiki beaches.

The moment we waited for!

What a beautiful evening it was.

another fabulous day in Hawaii, where to today....

Strange combo, the beaches outside and the NHL playoff game on the t.v. inside.

Ritsue and Don Ho belting out a tune!

Ritsue doing the princess pose underneath the Banyan tree at the international market place. Today was get the souvenir shopping out of the way day.

Back to the hotel to freshen up, and then.....

.....off to La Cucaracha Mexican bar and grill for some oishii, tasty tacos!

New day, new adventures. We started the day at Hanauma Bay nature reserve.

We had a wonderful day of snorkelling.

Hahaha, someone (Ritsue) was going to make sure there was no chance for a sunburn today.

This red-vented Bulbul was hanging around us all day. We also saw a couple of mongoose as well.

a little r & r never hurt anyone

Gorgeous!

Much to our dismay, it was time to leave. We had to get ready for.....

.....at the Hilton Hawaiin Village......

Oh ya, it was Luau time!

Ritsue tried he hand at making a flower bracelet.

Oh my, and she models it so well!

It was actually a lot of fun. The performers were both talented and personable.

Lots of grunting and chanting in this one.

very entertaining.

afterwards the cast took the time to pose for  pictures.....

We spent one day driving the island. I think this is Waimanalo Beach.

The coast on the east side of the island.

Digging the Hawaiian flag.

We had to stop for a bathroom break and we stumbled upon this little Pho restaurant in the town of Kailua. Yum-Yum!

Mokolii ( also called Chinaman's hat) island.

A red-crested cardinal hanging out with us.

Came across this lizard as well.

I lost track of all the beautiful beaches, I think this is at Kawela bay.

My, yes I'm a tourist, coconuts shot!

Then we stopped at Banzai pipeline, a famous surfing destination.

Although there didn't seem to be much going on today.

I'm going to miss all of these vistas.

We stopped at a macadamia nut farm.

This years' crop.

This was on the property, can you imagine being in there when the tree came down. S____y.

chickens, chickens everywhere

We also stopped at the Dole pineapple plantation in Wahiawa. Here are a couple of very young pineapples.

There's my hul girl !

Our last day, and I had to change a flat tire on our rental car before we headed to the airport.

Yikes!

Ritsue enjoying one last moment on our hotel deck. 

Haha, second to last look.

One last look from our hotel lobby

and there's my plane......

right across from Ritsue's plane.

the final farewell oishii beer.

our boarding times were only 10 minutes apart!

til we meet again.........

The shocking reality, I was back at work the very next day. 

(inside of the PNE agridome)

spending the night driving around hastings street as the lead vehicle for a driving scene...

back at the agridome trying to find a bathroom, haha

The first of 6 days we will be spending down at Coal Harbour in Vancouver. 

Waiting for cast on set, the view in my mirror was not too shabby.

Less than a month to go on the filming of the National Geographic special, Valley of the boom.