Lanikai Hike

One of my favorite memories of the trip was our gorgeous hike above Lanikai. After our adventure at Lanikai, we drove up to the neighborhood behind it in the hills and hiked up to even more breathtaking views.

The best part was it was a MUCH easier and cooler by way of temperature hike than Makapu'u Lighthouse hike.

The views were stunning and I love that Brando jokingly had us do a 360 degree view with our pictures

by shuffling us around

with the camera in the air halfway up the hike.

The military pillboxes at the top of the hill, likely built in 1941 as defenses were beefed up on the island after Pearl Harbor, were cool and empty and strangely forbearing

covered in graffiti

with the gorgeous view

and the circle of concrete where an observation telescope or defensive weapon once stood.

Inside you could feel the sense of something powerful, an inkling of the sobering feeling of whoever sat there once upon a time may have wrestled with. It felt strange to pose and smile with that thought lingering in my head, yet I insisted.

With Bellows Beach on one side,

the town of Kailua Bay on the other,

and Mokula islands in front of us, this was definitely one of the highlights of our trip.