March 21, 2015
My daughter has some vague recollection of she and her Lolo Cardo riding on a choo-choo train in Hawaii when she was 7 years old. She was at times very certain, sometimes not sure, that her lolo brought her to the Dole Pineapple Plantation and ate pineapple or it was only a figment of her imagination.
The first time we went to Honolulu was more than 20 years ago, not counting the PAL stopovers na hanggang airport lang, traveling to and from SFO.
I joined an exhibition at the convention center for 3 days. She and Nyke were left in the hotel under the care of grandparents. She was 7, Nyke was 2.
We stayed in three rooms at the Tahitian Village, Waikikian Hotel with the big lagoon.
I did not know the details of Oyen’s choo choo train ride because my father did not tell me the whole story. I only found out that he brought Oyen out to entertain her because she was crying. She was looking for me and wanted to go to the convention center. My father was not feeling well that day. In fact, he was nursing a fever but he brought his apo somewhere to keep her company.
All these years, Oyen’s vague recollection gave her doubts if the choo-choo train ride was indeed real. To validate her memory and reminisce her childhood experience, she wanted us to go to the Dole Plantation. It would be far from the city especially by public transportation.
She managed to arrange with the tour guide to bring us to Dole since we’re passing by that area anyway, going back to Waikiki.
Welcome back Miss Yenyen
She became a bit emotional when we reached the place
more so after seeing the choo choo train.
For lack of time, we did not ride the train. Babalik na lang daw kami. Naku, Hawaii Five O here we come again, I hope not in another 20 years. Maybe two years from now.
O—– “I wanna cry”.
Eh sya “wanna cry” lang, ako, naluha na talaga kasi bigla kong naalala ang papa ko. I wish he were here with us.
She and lolo Cardo ate pineapple daw, but no ice cream.
Their cashiers were Filipinos. “Ate sa cup or cone?”
The real Dole pineapple fruit
Ang cute nila, pineapple souvenir / neck pillows
Edmund likes them
Tart, are you buying?
Eto naman ang nakatuwaan
I didn’t find the turtle stuff toy cute. I thought the eyes were so dilat.
I know what to give him on his birthday in August.
Ms Annie.. Natawa ko sa sinabi ni sir Edmund when u were curious abt the pineapple head with the lights na para ka daw si Zuma, kulang na lang ung snake head.. 🙂 And he was like a kid again when he put on the pineapple neck pillow and took fancy on the turtle stuff toy.. 🙂
Ur daughter Oyen is very pretty, even when she’s sad abt the memories of the choo choo train and her Lolo Cardo.. 🙂 at least, her recollection of that special bonding moment with her Lolo is still accurate, choo choo train and all.. 😉
Ur handsome son Nyke is such a great travelling companion… He doesn’t complain or was not even impatient during the Dole pineapple tour… He’s like a kid again too, when he had that ice cream pucture taken with his Ate Oyen.. 😉
Enjoy ur Holy Week weekend, Ms Annie… May God continue to bless u and ur family with good health, happiness and security, all the days of ur life…
God bless u and Thank You for giving us a glimpse of what Hawaii is like.. Even if we haven’t been to Hawaii yet, it makes me feel like i was there with u, basking in the sunny sights and sounds (and food) of Hawaii… 😉
Dear Pamela,
My son is really a good traveling companion. He is easy to please.
Thank you for wishing our family good health, security and happiness.
Thank you for your concern.
Thank you for all the kind words.
Should have read ” that ice cream PICTURE taken with his Ate Oyen ” … Sorry for the typo error… 😉
aww thats so charming XD