Memorial Day

I've always associated Memorial Day with the Indy 500, picnics, and no school.  This is the first time in my 45 years that I've spent this hallowed day on a military base. 
I'm in Hawaii because my friend's husband is serving our country in Afghanistan.  Seeing photos of Jonna and Josh around the house is a reminder that the last Monday in May has a much greater meaning.
The lone star hangs on the wall in the foyer, signifying a person deployed.  Across the hall are photos that Jonna took on the day that Josh deployed and she says "hello" to him every morning when she comes down the stairs.
Being so close to Schofield Barracks, Wheeler Air Base, and Pearl Harbor, you see the military impact on the island here.  In a photo I posted yesterday (below) you can see the notch in the mountains where the Japanese flew through to attack the island on December 7, 1941.

Tora Tora Tora

My father served in WWII as a quartermaster in Guam.  He didn't see battle, but living so far away from home as an 18-yr-old snatched from his senior year of high school in Missouri wasn't easy.
My uncle served in the Philippines during the war and was also fortunate enough to return unharmed.

Jonna and I plan to visit Pearl Harbor sometime during this week.  Seeing the USS Arizona with soldiers still entombed after nearly 70 years will be haunting I'm sure.

This post is for all the soldiers who have fought and continue to fight for our freedom and the freedom of others...

History of Hawaii, part II

Source material: DK Eyewitness Travel

An ambitious chief from Kohala (Hawai'i Island), Kamehameha could claim a direct kinship to the powerful chief Pili, who lived 500 years earlier.  A skilled warrior and shrewd opportunist, he managed to quell centuries of internecine warfare (mutually destructive to all sides) by systematically conquering each of the islands.  In 1790 he demoralized the Hawai'i Island chiefs by constructing Pu'ukohola Heiau and sacrificing his key rival on its altar.  In 1795 he stormed Maui, terrifying the enemy with a cannon plundered from an American ship.  O'ahu fell the same year after bloody fighting along the Nu'uanu pali (cliffs).  Twice he tried to invade Kaua'i, but storms turned back his fleet.  Kamehameha then invited chief Kaumuali'i to visit him on O'ahu.  Through threats and rewards, he forced the chief to cede Kaua'i, and Hawai'i became a united kingdom in 1809.
When the old conqueror died in 1819, he left a leadership void that his son Kamehameha II was unable to fill.  The drunken youth was coerced that same year to abandon the strict kapu system.  The crucial moment came when he shared a meal with women--his mother Keopuolani and his father's favorite wife, Ka'ahumanu.  This act of 'ai noa (free eating) was taken as a symbolic deed that invalidated all traditional rules.  Thus the kingdom was reduced to a class of leaders with no precise set of laws.

Missionaries arrived several months later and established a church in Lahaina, Maui, the whaling capital.  They not only had run-ins with the rowdy whalers, but also influenced royalty as well.  The dying queen mother, Keopuolani asked to be baptized and commanded her people to embrace Christianity.
Kamehameha II had bankrupted the kingdom by now, despite stripping the land of sandalwood to sell to China.  Leaving his troubles behind, he sailed with his wife to England where they hoped to be greeted by throngs and meet King George IV.  Instead, they went unnoticed and both contracted measles, and died of the disease in July, 1824.
The kingdom now fell to Kamehameha III, who was only 11 years old.  He was guided by his formidable mother and regent, Queen Ka'ahumanu.  By the time of her death eight years later, Ka'ahumanu had engineered the peaceful conversion of the entire kingdom to Christianity.

Stay tuned for Part III: America's Rise and the End of the Monarchy

Royal Birthing Stones

After lunch today, Jonna took me to see the kukaniloko (Royal Birthing Stones) that are also along the road to Wahiawa. 
We were hoping to take some unobstructed photos but instead found a commune of people having a love-in or kumbaya sing-a-long (videotaped as well) next to the stones.  The whispering trees were so loud that we couldn't hear what they were saying, so we just assumed they were pagan worshippers; no Bibles to be seen.

This is considered sacred ground for the native Hawaiians because 800 years ago the Royals brought their women to birth their children on the stones.  Being born here assured the child's high-ranking status.  Even today, Hawaiians bring offerings (leis, mostly) and put them on the stones as a fertility prayer.   
We're not sure if certain rocks were more holy than the others, but none looked too comfortable as Jonna demonstrated below:

Not exactly the Birthing Suite at Via Christi!!!

The royal wives had to give birth somewhere, and the view IS magnificent.  Although I can't imagine caring about that as I squeezed out the heir to the throne on a rock.

A moped Gang :)

The Birthing Stones under the trees

The view from the stones

Birthing Stones with leis left on them

Jonna

Group shot!

Life is good in Hawai'i!

The easy life!

My tour guide forgot her meds... :)

Our next adventure is Tuesday when we will visit Pearl Harbor.

History of Hawaii, pt. 1

source material:  DK Eyewitness Travel

The Hawaiian islands were first discovered by the Polynesians of the Marquesas.  Excavations by archaeologists have dated their first existence to AD 300.
The early Hawaiians established an advanced, spiritual culture and altered the isolated landscape using their farming and stone-building techniques.
The land was divided equally and large irrigation systems were built to keep the land pliable.
Life centered on the 'ohana (extended family) of 250 to 300 people, in which everyone frrom keiki (child) to kupuna (grandparent) was vital to the whole.  Cultural values included aloha 'aina (love of land), laulima (cooperation), and pa'ahana (hard work).

During the 12th and 13th centuries, new waves of Polynesian settlers came from the Society Islands (Tahiti).  According to oral tradition, the invasions were bloody and cruel.  Casting themselves as reformers of a weakened Polynesian race, they established a rigid class system with themselves as ali'i (chiefs) who regulated the lives of the maka'ainana (commoners) through the harshly enforced kapu system.  Derived from the Tahitian term "taboo," kapu designated any activity that was forbidden because it interfered with the apportionment of mana (supernatural power).  Women, for example, were forbidden to eat with men.  Commoners could not touch the clothes or shadows of the nobility, or lift their heads higher than the chiefs'.  Punishment for infractions was quick and fatal, and the ali'i rededicated temples as luakini heaiu, for human sacrifice.

British sea captain and explorer James Cook is credited with the "discovery" of Hawai'i in 1778, although convincing evidence suggests that Spanish ships preceded him by more than 200 years.
Spaniards, led by Portuguese navigator Joao Gaetano, stumbled onto islands they named the Isla de Mesa group.  The seamen were ordered not to mention the group so the British wouldn't find out about them.  However, in 1742 the British seized a Spanish galleon in the Pacific, and among the treasures was a chart showing the Isla de Mesa group.
Cook must have had a copy of that chart because the timing of his arrival at Hawai'i Island's Kealakekua Bay constitutes one of history's oddest ironies.  His ships the Resolution and Discovery appeared at the height of the annual makahiki festival honoring the Hawaiian god of agriculture, Lono.  The British ships bore a startling resemblance to Hawaiian prophecies that said one day Lono would return on a floating island.  Much to Cook's surprise, the Hawaiians greeted him with reverence beyond anything he had experienced in the Pacific.
All went well until his departure in February 1779, when a storm snapped a mast, forcing Cook back to Kealakekua Bay.  By now the Hawaiians surmised that the haole (Westerners) were less than divine, and a series of squabbles, including the killing of a chief, escalated into violent confrontation over a stolen boat.  Cook was knifed to death in the fray.

Coming soon:  Part II, Kamehameha the Great

The Pineapple Express

Yellow, tart, sweet, refreshing, juicy...pineapple....halakahiki to the Hawaiians. 
Today our adventure took us to the Dole Plantation, which is on the road from Helemano into Wahiawa.  The main building looks like a typical manse from the early 1900s, with tall trees providing a canopy over the entrance. 
Jonna and I were particularly interested in one type of tree...the gum tree.  The bark looks like striped, fruity gum.  The texture is very soft, like rubber and as we were taking a picture a woman walked over and said very loudly, "I hadn't even noticed those trees until I saw you standing there!!!!!"  She had startled both of us, making us think we were in trouble for touching the flora! 
The clouds were thicker today, mixed with sun so we decided to check out the items for sale inside the main house before venturing into the outdoor activities.
We both remarked that Dole has really thought of every angle when it comes to selling pineapple.  Golf club covers, golf tees, yellow monkeys, yellow bears, gold pineapple jewelry, pineapple candy, chocolate-covered pineapple candy, pineapple BBQ sauce, pineapple popcorn, pineapple can openers, bottle openers....I could go on and on......We found a keychain with my Hawaiian name on it...Kukana.  I told Jonna that I thought it sounded like a whale at Sea World!

We headed out the back door to purchase tickets to ride the Pineapple Express; a train that takes you two miles around the plantation and gives interesting information about the soil (oxidized iron), the altitude necessary for growing pineapples (which take 18 months to harvest), and the Dole family's influence in the area economy.  Two bonuses on the trip were seeing Helemano Reserve from the train, and finally learning how to pronounce Wahiawa (Wah-ee-wah). :)
Sanford P. Dole, who came to Hawai'i in 1899, sold fruit to the locals before expanding the operation and empire to its current status.  When they outgrew the area he purchased a large share of land on the island of Lana'i, which now boasts the world's largest pineapple plantation.
After our train tour we tackled the Pineapple Garden Maze, which is the world's largest maze.  The lack of breeze limited our time in there but we did manage to find 3 of the treasures.
Now was the best part...we stood in line to taste the "Dole Whip," which is pineapple ice cream.  We decided on the Pineapple Sipper Float, composed of pineapple/vanilla swirl ice cream floating in pineapple juice.  I know it sounds weird, but it was sooooooo delicious.
The main house in Wahiawa was built in 1900 and has a wide lanai in the front, with beautiful views of the mountains.  It was a perfect spot to just sit and eat our frothy goodness and enjoy the cool breeze.
All in all we spent about 4 hours there and I would highly recommend it if you're ever on the road to Wahiawa.

Kukana and Io'ana   

Jonna needed to freshen her breath so she borrowed some gum

The fruity gum tree

The beginning of our adventure

The maze from above

Ummm...I think we go right...

Checking off our first maze station

The view from the Pineapple Express

A Philippine Pineapple

Interesting plants

Our Pineapple Sipper floats on the lanai

"I got the notion that life in Hawaii was one long, sweet song."

----Jim Dole

North Shore

Yesterday Jonna and I went to the North Shore of O'ahu to check out the beach scene and water.  I love that it's only 10 minutes away from Helemano, which is nestled high on the hill.  Because of that we are protected from tsunamis, if one should hit the island. 
The town of Hale'iwa (Hallay-eeva) reminds me of a commune for surfers.  As we walked into the little shops I was struck by the fact that most of the workers were not native Hawaiians.  I'm sure they work enough hours to pay the rent and then surf the big waves of the North Shore, much like the ski bums in Colorado, who give lessons and then ski all day.
Our first stop was the wonderful Clark Little Gallery.  If you haven't heard of Clark, you need to check out his website, www.ClarkLittle.com .  He is a photographer who specializes in waves.  Yes, waves.  I know you're thinking that sounds strange, but if you see his photographs you will understand how unpredictable and beautiful they can be.  The colors of the sand, silt, and sun reflected through the water make for amazing keepsakes. The photos are not easy to take and Clark has (according to the woman working in the gallery) separated his shoulder when a big wave slammed him into the sand. 
I would guess it takes about 500 shots to get the one you really want, as most money shots are lucky. 
In any event, Jonna and I kept saying, "ooo, look at THIS one!" over and over as we walked through the gallery.  I'm sure we will be going back!
You know that vacations involve souvenir-gathering.  So I set off with Jonna to find some cool surfer shirts at the surf shops.  Well....as I said above, these little towns remind me of communes in Colorado, and boy was I right.  Every single shop had shirts that glorified the mighty cannabis leaf...yes, juju weed, marijuana.  Bob Marley featured on a few as well, despite the fact that he's not Hawaiian, and I also saw one of Che Guevara...not sure of the weed link there, but I'm sure he would approve of the Hale'iwa lifestyle.  They also boasted beautiful blown glass...bongs and pipes!!
Seeing the weed shirts made us hungry (hahaha) so we decided to take a food break at Luibueno's, a Mexican restaurant.  Those who truly know me understand that I could eat Mexican food 24 hours a day without tiring of it, and with that I am a skeptic when I see a restaurant like this in Hawaii. 
The food was amazing!  We shared some chicken quesadillas that both of us couldn't finish, delicious rice, and the best refried beans I've ever had...not sure how they prepare them differently but they were scrumptious.  One of the best parts of Luibueno's was what I spied on the tele over the bar...Manchester United playing Chelski in the Champions League semi-final (played several weeks ago)!!!!!  So Luibueno's was a two-thumbs up for Jonna and me.
We drove around the corner and parked next to the water so we could find some other surf shops (and hopefully no weed-themed shirts).  We parked next to a small inlet that had an interesting bridge over it.  I didn't take a pic, but Wichitans will know exactly what it looks like...the John Mack Bridge that spans the Arkansas on Broadway. 
Across the street was Volcom Surf Shop and we were met by a very friendly clerk who told us we could unfold all the t-shirts we wanted, because it was a slow day and she needed something to do...so we obliged!  How wonderful that I did find some cool surf shirts there that didn't look like some druggie would wear it!
We walked around the corner and found a shop that had painted coconuts sitting on a table outside...with painted on mailing labels...yes, you can mail a painted coconut to your loved ones! hehe  I passed on that one.
We drove down Kamehameha Highway, which parallels the coast and made a stop at Turtle Beach.  Giant sea turtles hover around the beach in the water, and so we took off our flips and walked in the deep sand to get a closer look.  You have to watch closely because you will see their heads bob up and down and then a flash of fin every once in a while.  I was hoping one would come ashore so I could get a better pic, but they wouldn't oblige.  So, I took pics of waves and people instead.

Turtle Beach

North Shore surf at Turtle Beach

Turtle Beach looking back toward the mountains

Jonna

Not sure what this guy is going to do when the waves get bigger...

We continued down the coast to Waimea Bay.  I'm sure you've heard of this place even if you're not a surfer.  Home to the famed Pipeline, in November and December the best of the world's surfers ply their trade on the Pacific waters.  Water is the most powerful thing in the world (outside a nuclear bomb), and standing in the surf you can feel that power.  I can't imagine being atop a 30-footer on a skinny board with nothing between me and death but good balance.

Right now the waves are for beginners, but even so the parking lots are full and there is no room along the highway, as the future surfers learn their craft.
On those cars you will see bumper stickers that say, "Eddie Would Go," marking a story about a surfer who would venture into the dangerous waters to help a friend.
Jonna and I didn't hang ten, but turned around to head back to Hale'iwa and Matsumoto's.
M. Matsumoto Grocery Store is famed on the North Shore for its shaved ice (or the ungrammatically correct "shave ice").  After walking the beach and driving the coast, we decided to join the other 1,000 people craving the sweet coldness.  Jonna gave me a rundown of her faves and we settled on "The Hawaiian," which is a rainbow concoction of banana, pineapple, and coconut flavors.  We ordered smalls and paid the extra 25 cents to get them in a red thingy-ma-jig that prevents sloppy eating.  Yummmmmmmmmmy is all I can say.  The coconut was a bit overpowering but it tasted so good!  For two it was only 5 dollars, but even then you can probably surmise that M. Matsumoto has a nice house in Hale'iwa!

You can't see the throng waiting to eat...

Yummmmmmmmmmmm!

I think we we will wait until Memorial Day weekend is over to go back to the shore, so stay tuned...enjoy the pics!

Aloha!!!!!

Thankfully, the nasty storms that had plagued Tornado Alley last week blew away and left sunny skies for my sojourn to Hawai'i.  The flights were not bad, as I'm used to the rigorous European excursion, and our 8 hour 20 minute flight from DFW to Honolulu actually made it in 7 hours and 40 minutes!!  Bonus!!
I was just behind First Class (and able to smell the delicious food they were eating) and seated next to a very nice West Point grad and AT&T network rep, Andy from Glen Rose, TX.  He collects college football Hall of Fame signatures and regaled me about his "obsession" (as his wife calls it) that he's had since he was 4.  Our only awkward moment occured when I said I had AT&T internet at home (smile) but Verizon mobile service (cringe). ;)
I didn't watch the first movie because Andy was giving me the highs and lows of signature-gathering.  When the second movie started I was very excited...Shrek!  As I plugged in my earphones I realized something was wrong...the movie was in Spanish!  I speak Spanish, but after 10 minutes of translating the jokes of Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy at warp speed, my head started to hurt...so I listened to my iPod instead.
It's amazing to be flying over nothing but clouds and water (which looks like black glass flecked with white), and then all of a sudden you see clear blue water and a coast!  Jonna really does live in the middle of the ocean!
Getting to see my friend, whom I haven't seen since her wedding day Jan 9, 2010, was the best part of landing in the Aloha State.  I was struck by the disparity in temperature; her wedding to Josh was held on the coldest day of the year... -3F for the high.  The balmy 86F with a breeze was a welcome change to the cramped quarters of the 767-300.
Driving up the Highway toward Wahiawa (don't ask me how to pronounce it, Jonna says it's best just to say it fast!!), we passed many interesting flora and I will have to look up their names on the internet because I have never seen them before. 
The town of Wahiawa is.......as Jonna would say, "junky."  Apparently, Dog the Bounty Hunter is a frequent visitor...which means we won't be! 
We arrived at Schofield Barracks (Helemano Reserve) and 132 Kawelo Ct. a half-hour later and I got to meet Hobbes (Hobo cat, as I call him) and his canine sidekick, Haskell (named for the county from which Jonna originates).  Haskell was eager to greet me, but Hobo-kitty decided to be very aloof and snooty (no doubt to make a grand entrance later) and was nestled in the Cat Hammock he has fashioned for himself in the mattress lining under Jonna's bed.
Ignoring the feline snoot, we decided to take Haskell for a walk, and sauntered around the gated reserve.  I was struck by the smells (so different from Kansas) and Jonna informed me that everyone says that when they arrive.  We paralleled the perimeter, which is a barbed-wire fence, and marveled at the funny pine trees.  They are whispy and soft, and look like they would blow over in a stiff Kansas breeze.  Another strange tree we saw has not one, not two, but three different buds eminating from the branches.  The pink fuzzy blooms remind Jonna of Dr. Seuss illustrations.  I agree.  If you touch the leaves, they smell like mint.  :)
Arriving back at the house we dined on parmesan chicken and salad (yummy) and Le Chat Snoot decided to appear and give me the once-over.  I now understand Jonna's stories about his explosive nature.  This is going to be a great month in the South Pacific!

Leaving the West Coast of the US

Coast of O'ahu

Approaching the airport with Honolulu on the right

Hawaiian pine trees

The view from Jonna's house toward the Wai'anae Mountains