MY Hawaii - Part 2

One day while on Oahu we rented a car and spent the day sightseeing and visiting my old haunts!

 

The first thing that jumped out at me was this sign - I remembered it like it was yesterday!!

 

We headed towards Pearl City to look around.

 

While some things changed (it has been 20+ years of course!), I was more surprised by how much hadn't changed.  In front of the huge mall, there is this rice farm.  And it's still there.  I had to snap a photo as we were whizzing by - I couldn't believe that prime piece of real estate hadn't been snatched up.

Probably my favorite place to eat was Shiro's - I loved, loved, loved their bento boxes!

Again, I couldn't believe it was still there.  There's no place to sit at Shiro's, so we went next door to their Saimin restaurant.

 

Saimin is a noodle soup which Brennan was happy to order.

 

We also got to visit a couple of Zippy's - in honor of my sister Shelly.

We found a 2 story Zippy's in Pearl City - complete with a Napoleon's Bakery and Sushi Bar - what the??  Zippy's has moved up in the world.

Zippy's is famous for their chili.

 

I couldn't believe I was back in Hawaii, enjoying a Mahi-Mahi Mixed Plate at Zippy's!

 

Then things got really surreal.

MY McDonald's!

 

I worked at McDonald's a few hours/week during my junior, and part of my senior, year.

It really was a great experience.  I still remember things I learned at McDonald's and was proud of it.  Now local McDonald's employees drive.me.nuts!

 

And here is my McDonald's!  I just couldn't believe it.  It's still there, and looks great.

 

It's up on a hill.  This is the parking lot on the side where you walk in.

 

I spent a lot of my time in the detached drive-thru building.

I took orders, made change, and made drinks in this little building.

 

Food was prepared and packaged up and sent over on this conveyor belt to me in my drive-thru building, where I handed it to the customers.  I can't believe this set up is still working and it's still here!!

 

Now there's a playground though - very strange.  This was an open air cafe area before.



But the counter was exactly the same.  So surreal!!!

 

David said they needed an ice cream at MY McDonald's.

It was sooo cool that my family was eating at my McDonald's!

 

The surreality (word?) continued as we headed up the mountain to my high school.

 

And there it is!

The front entry way.

It looks exactly as I remembered.

It was so cool!!

The grounds are beautiful.  The cafeteria was down to the right.  I remembered everything so well.

Cool design for a school I always thought.

I remembered this tree.  I remember sitting and looking at it one day.

 

And this tree in the parking lot.  I remember it like it was yesterday.

As we circled around to the back, I remembered pep rallies in the building and yelled "that's the gym".  Lo and behold, the sign told me I was correct.

 

 

Fun Fact - I still remember the Pearl City fight song.  If you don't believe me, just ask me sometime.  I'll sing it for you.

 

Then we left the area and headed towards the North Shore. 

And passed another highway sign that I remember SO WELL!