Obamas end Oahu visit with more shave ice, visits to Punchbowl, zoo
President Barack Obama, Sasha Obama, right, and Malia Obama, left, pause on the tarmac as they board Force One at Hickam Air Force Base in Honolulu, Monday, Jan. 3, 2011, en route to Washington after a family vacation. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, wave to the crowd as they board Air Force One on their way back to Washington D.C.
President Barack Obama eats a shave ice at Island Snow at Kailua Beach Center while on vacation with the first family in Kailua, Hawaii, Monday, Jan. 3, 2011. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
After having a shave ice with family and friends President Barack Obama greets people waiting outside Island Snow at Kailua Beach Center while on vacation with the first family in Kailua, Hawaii, Monday, Jan. 3, 2011. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
President Barack Obama takes a bite of his shave ice as he stands with Anita Blanchard, wife of Martin Nesbitt, at Island Snow at Kailua Beach Center while on vacation with the first family in Kailua, Hawaii, Monday, Jan. 3, 2011. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
President Barack Obama orders shave ice with family and friends at Island Snow at Kailua Beach Center while on vacation with the first family in Kailua, Hawaii, Monday, Jan. 3, 2011. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
After having a shave ice with family and friends President Barack Obama, right, greets people waiting outside Island Snow at Kailua Beach Center while on vacation with the first family in Kailua, Hawaii, Monday, Jan. 3, 2011. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
President Barack Obama walks with Xavier Nesbitt, left, and his daughter Sasha Obama, center, through Honolulu Zoo in Honolulu, Monday, Jan. 3, 2011. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
After having a shave ice with family and friends President Barack Obama greets people waiting outside Island Snow at Kailua Beach Center while on vacation with the first family in Kailua, Hawaii, Monday, Jan. 3, 2011. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
President Barack Obama walks with his daughter Sasha Obama, far right, family friends through Honolulu Zoo in Honolulu, Monday, Jan. 3, 2011. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
President Barack Obama made the most of his last day of vacation starting with a morning workout, a beach outing with family and friends, another trip to Island Snow for shave ice, and late-afternoon visits to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl and the Honolulu Zoo with his daughters.
The president also visited Punchbowl and the zoo a year ago today on his last day of vacation.
Obama’s grandfather Stanley Dunham, who served with Gen. George Patton’s 7th Army during World War II, is interred at Punchbowl.
After staying at Punchbowl for about 15 minutes, the president’s motorcade left at about 5:09 p.m., during rush hour, and headed to Waikiki where he and daughters Malia and Sasha visited the zoo.
The zoo outing was followed by a two-hour dinner at Lucy’s Grill ‘n Bar in Kailua, a restaurant where the president and his family dined last year.
As the president left the restaurant, cheers went up from onlookers, standing behind yellow caution tape, who had gathered hoping for a glimpse of the president.
The president’s motorcade then headed to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam where Air Force One was waiting to take him back to Washington, D.C.
The first family and dog Bo flew out on Air Force One from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam at about 9:47 p.m.
On hand at the president’s departure were Gen. Gary North, commander of Pacific Air Forces, and Col. Sam Barrett, commander of the 15th Wing.
Earlier today, the president and his party spent about two hours at Pyramid Rock Beach on the Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
The beach remained open to base residents, except for a portion closed off for the first family and friends. Reporters and photographers traveling with the president were kept away.
At about 2:20 p.m. — for the second time this visit — the president treated his friends and family to shave ice at Island Snow in Kailua.
The president bought shave ice for about a dozen people including first lady Michelle Obama, White House chef Sam Kess and friends Marty Nesbitt and his wife Anita Blanchard.
The president paid with a $100 bill and shook hands with people who gathered behind a yellow caution tape.
The president, wearing sunglasses, a white polo shirt, black shorts, slippers and a White Sox baseball cap, was clearly in charge of ordering, according to a pool report.
Malia Obama ordered a rainbow. Sasha Obama ordered a combination that was green and red. It wasn’t clear what the president ordered. But it appeared to be a rainbow or something similar to his last shave ice on Dec. 28 of Melona, cherry and lemon lime.
The president’s motorcade was greeted by protesters on his way back to his vacation rental. One of the signs read, "Justice for Hawaii."
Earlier in the day, protesters held signs saying "End Occupation of Afghanistan," and "Free Palestine" as the motorcade took the president to his morning workout. Another sign, posted in the ground, said, "Aloha Obama Ohana."
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The White House press pool contributed to this report.
