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Floradise

A lifestyle blog by Marette Flora

Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park, Hawaii

I really wanted to visit Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park in Hawaii during our honeymoon to the Big Island in 2014, but sadly we weren’t able to make it happen. The national park was on my list for our second visit to the island for its historical importance. I like to mix historical and entertainment activities when visiting a place to really learn about a place and its culture.

The park isn’t far from Kailua-Kona, but we squeezed a visit in after driving back from Hilo on the other side of the island. Admission is only $5 per car or $3 per person if you walk in.

We embarked on a short, self-guided tour of the park and skipped snorkeling, though you could definitely take advantage of the adjacent beach if that’s more your style.

By taking this self-guided walk you get a sense of what life was like for early Hawaiians. According to the park’s website, “The Royal Grounds adjacent to the pu’uhonua were a favored residence of Hawaiian chiefs. Hale-o-Keawe acted as the royal mausoleum and held the remains of 23 chiefs. The mana (spiritual power) of the remains bestowed sanctity upon this sacred area. This temple was constructed in honor of Keawe’ikekahiali’i o kamoku, the great-grandfather of Kamehameha I.”

 

Note from the website: “A snorkeling area locally known as ‘two step’ lies adjacent to the park, and is managed by the Hawaii Department of Natural Resources. ” Also, “snorkellers are asked NOT to enter the water at Keone’ele Cove in the park. This is an important cultural site and the park strives to maintain the cultural landscape. Please respect this site that is important and significant to the Hawaiian people.”

There’s also a 2-mile backcountry trail that requires more time, but we didn’t have it in us that warm day. You can learn about Hawaiian history at this park even if you only have a few hours to spare during your trip. I highly recommend it.

Have you been to Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park?

Watch our video:

 

Related posts:

Toddler-Friendly Visit to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Hawaii Eats: Restaurants on the Big Island
Lava and Rainforests Adventure With Paradise Helicopters

 

My Ancestry DNA Experience and Results

** This is not a sponsored post; however, this post contains a referral link for Ancestry that is rewarded with Amazon gift cards. Thank you for supporting Floradise!

My Ancestry DNA Experience and Results



I’ve always been curious about my heritage and where specifically my ancestors are from. Often when Graham and I travel we get questions about my ethnicity and I’ve accidentally been given local discounts because some people have assumed I am a member of a certain tribe or that I am from the area rather than a visitor. That was always surprising to me, but I have also always wondered exactly where I am from. Graham and I recently purchased DNA kits from Ancestry to try to find out.

Graham has yet to take his saliva sample, but I was able to finally do mine a couple of weeks ago. I paid $79 for my DNA kit and additional kits were $69. I used my sister’s referral link, which got her a $10 Amazon gift card. To take the test, the first step is to activate your kit online. Also, you can’t eat, drink, smoke or chew gum for 30 minutes before doing the test. Once you are ready, you fill the sample tube to the indicated line and then close the tube. You then twist to tighten the cap until the blue stabilizing solution drops into your sample. You shake the tube for 5 seconds and then it’s ready to place into the little collection bag and mail it back to the lab in the enclosed mailing box. (These directions are printed on a card inside your kit.)

You receive an email when the lab has received your kit and you can track where the kit is in the process. Initially the email estimated it could take six to eight weeks to receive my results, but the lab received my kit on October 20 and I had my results November 1. Not too shabby!

My results:

Ancestry DNA Results

 

My ethnicity estimate indicated 49 percent Native American from Northwest Mexico and the Southern California Coast, 19 percent Iberian Peninsula, 9 percent Ireland/Scotland/Wales, and 7 percent Middle East and 3 percent Africa North. The rest were low confidence regions.

I found it interesting how many of my DNA matches were from Sonora, Mexico, and California. It seems my family members have stayed in the same general area. The ethnicity timeline for that area goes back to the 1700s. It says:

Survivors on the Spanish Frontier


Early settlers who followed the narrow corridor between the mountains and the ocean to the northern frontier tamed the farthest reaches of the Spanish Empire. They were generally cut off from the rest of Mexico, often enduring temperatures greater than 100 degrees, and surviving as silver miners and farmers. The Jesuits, a Catholic monastic order, built churches, schools, and strong communities that made religion the center of daily life. During the late 1700s, residents faced frequent raids by Native American tribes.
 
While I was excited to learn my results, I wish I could know specifically which Native American tribes vs. the general area they lived in. I am more interested in knowing that, though I am not sure how to go about finding out. However, I was happy about the number of DNA matches I was able to see. I didn’t expect so many matches to show up in my list! My sister has already done a DNA kit, so she showed up at the top of the list. Two estimated third cousins also showed up in my list of matches, along with many fourth-sixth cousins. If you would like to you can message your DNA matches, which I think is awesome!

To really dig into your family tree you will need an Ancestry membership, which I’m considering. In the past, my sister has found documents listing relatives from when they crossed into the U.S., along with much more. I think the DNA kit is a great way to get started on learning more about your ancestry, and overall I am glad I did a DNA test.

Use my referral link to try Ancestry DNA for yourself. I receive a $10 Amazon gift card, but no other compensation.

Have you considered taking a DNA test? Have you ever used Ancestry?

A Few Hours in Savannah, Georgia

I recently had a chance to either have lunch in Atlanta or Savannah during a road trip, and I jumped at the chance to see the latter, even if only for a little while. I knew we didn’t have much time, so I wanted to explore whatever we could.

We headed toward what seemed to be a cluster of restaurants listed on Yelp. That took us to East Bay Street. We parked next to Emmet Park for $4 and then walked toward the uneven, historic steps of River Street, which lies alongside the Savannah River. I instantly fell in love with the Spanish moss and cobblestone streets.

 

 

 

 

After checking out a few of the souvenir shops and being jealous of the people embarking on the history-tour buses, we stumbled upon a restaurant called Huey’s. When I saw a crab cake sandwich on the menu I was sold, so we walked in.
The restaurant ended up being more New Orleans style, but I am so glad we went there. I ordered the crab cake sandwich, which came with red beans and rice. Amazing and filling! I scraped my plate clean and wanted seconds. I left room for beignets to go instead, and the server was nice enough to give them to us for free!

 

The beignets were not nearly as good as those at Cafe du Monde in New Orleans, but they were still tasty.
Huey’s windows face River Street and the Savannah River, offering a view of passers-by and the water. It was a lovely restaurant for lunch and I imagine dinner is more of the same. The server was professional, friendly and attentive.
I wished I had time to explore the Historic District and many more of the restaurants I passed by in Savannah, but just a little taste made me want to return in the future.
Have you been to Savannah? What are your favorite things to do there?

Road trip footage:

Birthday at the Field Museum Chicago | Free-Admission Days

A perk of living in Chicago is that many of the museums are free on certain dates/months. Luckily for us, the Field Museum is offering free general admission to Illinois residents during the month of February.

I awoke on my birthday thinking it’d be nice to spend the day wandering around the museum. As I’ve said before, you would have to spend days, even weeks, at the Field Museum to see and admire everything it has to offer. 
This time we started with the Nature Walk. We completely missed this section of the Main Floor on our first visit recently. We also checked out more of the west side of the main floor, including Mammals of Africa and Reptiles and Amphibians, before taking a break at the Field Bistro. Victoria took a nap in her stroller while Graham and I took a break.

I also was intrigued by the packaging of this lemonade. The beverage wasn’t as sweet as I expected.

Later we walked through the Ancient Americas exhibit, which explored Incan, Mayan and Aztec civilizations. It leads into the Northwest Coast and Arctic Peoples exhibit. I was captivated by the totem poles, masks, tools, history — all of it. It was one of my favorite parts of the museum. This exhibit ends at the North American Indians exhibit, another riveting section.

The museum will be free for the rest of February. More dates are announced throughout the year. 
I have a lot more to explore at the museum, so I may be back this month.

Have you been to the Field Museum? What was your favorite exhibit?

Previous Field Museum visit:

Field Museum Fun

Graham, Victoria and I met our friends on Sunday for a play date at the Field Museum. Visiting the museum was on my summer bucket list and has been on my Chicago list since we moved here. The Field Museum surpassed any expectations I had. The colossal building contains so much history that you would have to visit many times to explore all of its exhibits. We spent hours here and left with plans to come back.
We started by letting our toddlers play in the kids lab, where they could color, put together puzzles, play musical instruments, hold plush dinosaurs, and lots more. We worked up an appetite and dined on vegan dogs, grilled cheese, mac and cheese, sausage and peppers and burgers at the Field Bistro on the Main Floor. (By the way, the stroller entrance is on the east side of the building and you will be on the Ground Floor. Also, there’s a picnic area on the Ground Floor.)
On the main floor of the Field Museum you’ll find Stanley Field Hall, home to the information desk, a gift shop, and entrances to many of the exhibits. You’ll also see Sue the T-Rex.
We then checked out the first part of the Ancient Egypt exhibit before moving to the Tibetan and dinosaur exhibitions. 

It is impossible to read every bit of historical information as you walk by. I gravitated toward the displays about evolution and dinosaurs, which I find most interesting. Bones, Stones and Human Evolution was the most challenging class I ever enrolled in during college, and I had flashbacks of studying as I walked through the Evolving Planet exhibit. I suggest picking the topics you like the most and spending as much time as you can in that exhibit.

We also checked out the Cyrus Tang Hall of China exhibit, which had a fascinating video portrayal of the changing physical boundaries of the country throughout its history. Check it out if you go! You’ll need an exhibit ticket to access this area, which also has touch screens on its displays where you can find a vast amount of information.
A video plays on a screen in the Hall of China.

We next checked out garden and gemstone exhibits before heading back to Ancient Egypt to see the mummies. I could not believe all the artifacts the museum has on display. It’s the most impressive museum I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting.

We had a wonderful time at the museum and can’t wait until we can go back. It’s the perfect way to spend a cold winter day when we are tired of being stuck in the house. 

Have you been to the Field Museum in Chicago? 

Anticipation

Last Saturday night I was at Wrigley Field watching Cubs history. It was surreal. Chicago Cubs fan are always passionate, but the energy was on another level on Saturday night. It was not lost on me how lucky I was to be there. Lifelong Cubs fans would have done anything to be there and I am a newer (yet still passionate) fan since we moved to Chicago for Graham’s job. For me, it’s more personal. I know how hard my husband and the entire organization has worked all season long to do their part. This entire week is filled with excitement and anticipation for what seems like the entire city. I hope you’ll send your positive vibes to the Cubs tonight as they play the Indians in Cleveland. GO, CUBS, GO!

Moments from Saturday:

Destrehan Plantation, Louisiana

As a history lover, I wanted to learn more about New Orleans’ past. I could not ignore that plantations were a part of that tale. I chose Destrehan Plantation for a tour because it is only a 30-minute drive from New Orleans. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but part of me wondered if the history of the plantation would be sugar-coated. Our tour guide did indeed point out “success stories,” but those were so few. According to our tour guide, who was dressed in period clothing, the plantation was the sight of the trials for slaves believed to be involved in the 1811 Slave Revolt, and 45 people were sentenced to death or, according to nola.com, were sent on for further trials. The look of the plantation has changed throughout its history, but you still get a sense for what life was probably like. The mule barn on the property was used in the filming of the movie “12 Years a Slave,” from which scenes frequently popped into my head during the tour. The plantation has other interesting features, such as an authentic document signed by Thomas Jefferson. The plantation tour ($18 a person) is worth a visit if you’re interested in the history of the area.

Destrehan Plantation, Louisiana, New Orleans

Destrehan Plantation, Louisiana, New Orleans

Destrehan Plantation, Louisiana, New Orleans

Destrehan Plantation, Louisiana, New Orleans

Destrehan Plantation, Louisiana, New Orleans

Destrehan Plantation, Louisiana, New Orleans

Destrehan Plantation, Louisiana, New Orleans

Destrehan Plantation, Louisiana, New Orleans

Destrehan Plantation, Louisiana, New Orleans

Destrehan Plantation, Louisiana, New Orleans

Destrehan Plantation, Louisiana, New Orleans

Destrehan Plantation, Louisiana, New Orleans

Destrehan Plantation, Louisiana, New Orleans

Destrehan Plantation, Louisiana, New Orleans
The mule barn might be recognized from the movie “12 Years a Slave.”
More about my trip to New Orleans:

Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, New Orleans

Lafayette Cemetery, New Orleans

Strange as it may sound, I was most excited about visiting a New Orleans cemetery on my recent trip. It was the first thing we did, in fact. It was a cool, sporadically rainy day, the perfect weather for a haunting cemetery walk. I marveled at the beauty, size and age of the graves. I wondered about the people inside them. I have never seen anything like it. See Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, New Orleans, for yourself through these photos.

 

 

Lafayette Cemetery, New Orleans

 

Lafayette Cemetery, New Orleans
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Lafayette Cemetery, New Orleans

 

Lafayette Cemetery, New Orleans

 

Lafayette Cemetery, New Orleans

 

Lafayette Cemetery, New Orleans

 

Lafayette Cemetery, New Orleans

 

Lafayette Cemetery, New Orleans

 

Lafayette Cemetery, New Orleans

 

 

The materials used were an indicator of the person’s wealth. Some were made of brick, while others were marble. Some stood firm and tall; others were leaning over. Some were being restores and others looked like they hadn’t been touched in decades. If these tombs could talk, I wondered about the tales they would tell. Entire family rest together in elaborate tombs. But to be honest, I found the crumbling brick graves to be most beautiful.

Lafayette Cemetery, New Orleans

 

 

Lafayette Cemetery, New Orleans

 

Lafayette Cemetery, New Orleans

 

Lafayette Cemetery, New Orleans

 

Lafayette Cemetery, New Orleans

 

Lafayette Cemetery, New Orleans

 

Lafayette Cemetery, New Orleans

 

Lafayette Cemetery, New Orleans

 

Lafayette Cemetery, New Orleans

 

Lafayette Cemetery, New Orleans

 

Lafayette Cemetery, New Orleans

Have you been to a New Orleans cemetery? Did you love it as much as I did?

Chicago River Architecture Boat Tour

The architecture boat tour is hands down the best activity I’ve done in Chicago.

Charlsy and I bought our tickets for the 75-minute Shoreline Sightseeing tour on Navy Pier after our Ferris wheel ride. I initially thought 75 minutes would be too long, but it actually felt like 30 minutes.

The tour is not only fun, but it’s educational. We went on both the north and south branches of the Chicago River. The seats lean slightly back so you can comfortably see the towers. I had no idea what the difference between Art Deco or Modern or Post-Modern architecture was until the guide pointed out each building and described its style and history. I can now say that Art Deco is my favorite, and I’m not a big fan of Modern.

Tourists and bridal parties and residents waved at us as we passed underneath bridges throughout the tour. It seemed all of Chicago was on and around the river that day.

Sears (Willis) Tower

And the weather was perfect. By perfect I mean I went from being too hot to being too chilly, but for the most part it was pleasant. I would have been better prepared had I worn sunglasses and a hat, but that didn’t stop me from having a good time. I hope another cruise is in my near future.

Williams, Arizona

It’s been a few years since I’ve been to Williams, the “gateway to the Grand Canyon.” We took some time to tour the town yesterday before heading to Bearizona, the drive-through wildlife park just off Interstate 40.

While it’s a popular pit stop on the way to the Grand Canyon National Park, Williams is a tourist destination that can hold its own. It’s home to quaint antique and souvenir shops, restaurants, bars, a train depot and more. There was a barbecue festival held over the weekend, for instance. 
Take a day or two to explore what the town has to offer and learn about its heyday during the days of Route 66.

You might notice a sign at the Grand Canyon Hotel with a rate of $3.50.

** Before I started this blog I had visited Williams and dined at a lively Mexican restaurant named Pancho McGillicuddy’s. I remember enjoying its patio, where I could hear live music while savoring my meal. If we had more time I would have liked to try it again. It might be worth checking out if you’re in town. 
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