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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, August 11, 2008

MACADAMIA NUT FARM VISIT
Obamas, friends visit temple park

By Carrie Budoff Brown
Politico

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Barack Obama walked with children of friends yesterday to Aloha Tropical Farms, a macadamia nut farm. Obama, his family and friends then went to a barbecue.

ALEX BRANDON | Associated Press

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On the second full day of his Hawai'i vacation, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama yesterday took family and friends to Valley of the Temples Memorial Park. The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee also made time for a gym workout and a barbecue.

Obama left his Kailua area rental home at 7:57 a.m. to go to 24 Hour Fitness for a workout. His wife, Michelle, and one child, who the campaign could not identify, accompanied him.

They stayed at the gym until about 9:10 a.m. As the Obamas loaded into their Chevy Suburban, an aerobics class, perhaps as part of their workout, jumped and waved from the window.

At about 1:40 p.m., Obama, along with his wife, two daughters, sister Maya Soetoro-Ng, and friends Marty Nesbitt and Eric Whitaker and their families, pulled into Valley of the Temples Memorial Park. Obama wanted to show the temple to his daughters — Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7 — campaign officials said.

The temple was established on June 7, 1968, to commemorate the first Japanese immigrants to Hawai'i. The Byodo-In Temple translates as "Temple of equality — not to discriminate," according to literature at the site.

The group left the park at 2:10 p.m. and moved onto Aloha Tropical Farms, a macadamia nut farm. After spending about 20 minutes inside an outlet store, the group left at 2:40 p.m. and headed to a barbecue at a friend's house. During the afternoon travel, media were kept at a distance.