April 12, 2005

Round The Island

Makaha (savage) Beach Park Home of "Brother Iz" Israel Kamakawiwo'ole and the center of local life on Oahu

I am very sad that we didnt get to this area. Its not included in the "round the island" tour. You really cant go around, truly around any island but the big Island. None of the others have roads that go all the way around. A bit of island trivia for you. This side of Oahu is considered "local" territory and we haolies are not too welcome there. They are building "affordable " housing there 300K and up soon it will be over run... sad... but back to roads...

But Oahu is the only island to have "Interstate" highways. Now that sounds pretty funny doesn't it considering you have 2500 miles of water between you and the mainland when you are here but "Interstate Highways" are Federal Highways designed for national security. Troop movements and equipment. So with all of the military bases here, there are 3 interstate highways. H1 that takes you all along the southern part of the island moving men and machines around Pearl harbor. A huge mess most of the time, H2 that takes you to from north to south through the center of the island and H3 that takes you from the Marines at Kaneohe to the Air Force at Scholfield and down to Pearl Harbor, (ironically the same path used by the Japanese during the attack on Pearl Harbor...). The H1and H2 were built over existing roads and didnt take long to construct. H3 goes through the mountains and took 22 years to build and was one of the most expensive highways to build in the US. It wasnt topography or weather or graft and corruption, it was litigation for this road cut through mile after mile of ancient burial grounds. Year ofter grinding years of court battles, thousands of graves moved...what a mess. No wonder there is so much opposition to a similar road in Kona...

Our around the island tour took us past many beautiful places, as I am on a pay by the minute computer I am going to list some of them and write a few impressions and give you a link if I can dig one up and put it on here. The pictures are really the thing that tells the story here and take the time to check some of these out.

First we went to Diamond Head Crater then on up to beautiful Hanauma Bay. I showed a photo of this earlier in the week. Then the Holona blowhole... I love these things they sing and blow water high in the air and are so spectacular. We then went up to the Pali which is the highest point on the island at just under 1200 ft. Wee stopped and had lunch at the Ko'olau Golf Course resturant. This course is said to be one of the most challenging around and certainly was very lovely, with dramatic mountain views.

After lunch we rode the bus to the Byodo-In Temple This buddist shrine is all constructed of wood and houses a budda that was carved for the 100th anniversary of the arrival of Japanese in Hawaii. It was quite lovely and I enjoyed photographing it and listeing to its great bell ringing.

WE followed the North shore No big waves for which I was grateful, but then we turned south and found ourselves going south to Wahiawa and the Dole Pineapple Plantatiion. All of the fruit that you could eat and lots of family fun...This whole trip was fasciating. We took a little mini train through the fields and because there is more diversification of plantings its better all around for the land. They still have the huge pineapple maze I was surprised as the word was they are building an airport out there on that land. Woody and I didnt try the maze. I cant find my way out of a wet paper bag these days. As it turns out I do know how to pick out a ripe pineapple...