Continuing on our journey through the North Shore of Oahu, we turned south where the trade winds rose up with their moisture and dropped intermittent showers over the pineapple fields of the central plains. We stopped at the Dole Plantation which now amounts to the supreme tourist trap of the islands. Even we, as foodies, could not bring ourselves to buy the pineapple chili dogs offered at this location. We moved on. We believe the pineapple being sold was not from Hawaii, but from the cans Dole produces in South America. Ewww.

Going north to south (or vice versa) was an easy do. But on an interesting geographic and engineering note, a viable highway across the mountains (volcanic ridges) from northeast to south central Oahu was not completed until 1957 (Jeff's year). Prior to that, the only means of traversing the island was a rickety, 20-foot wide, perilous trail more suited for donkeys than vehicles. At the Pali Lookout, along this trail, pictured above, 400 warriors of the island of Oahu in the late 1700's, met their untimely deaths (over the edge) by the forces under the command of then-to-be-king of the Hawaiian Islands, Kamehameha. With the support of muskets and cannon, King Kamehameha consolidated the islands as one nation. On an historical note, the reason the British flag appears in the state flag of Hawaii is a result of King Kamehameha aligning himself with the British and offering the British control of the Hawaiian Islands which they declined. Chalk one up for a dumb British move!

Now, for the dumb Japanese moves! In what we've learned of Pearl Harbor Day, also known as the day 47 years before Paige's birthday...had the Imperial Navy of Japan included the following steps in their master plan, things would have been VERY different in the islands today...

1.) Had ONE little Japanese plane dropped ONE little bomb on only ONE fuel oil storage tank next to Pearl Harbor, the US Navy would have been deprived of 250 million barrels of oil to fuel the Pacific fleet. It would have taken years to replace!
2.) Japan should have waited for the three US carriers to be in port at Pearl.
3.) They really, really, REALLY should have followed up the attack with an invasion fleet here in the islands instead of their invasion of Alaska.

Our visit to Punchbowl, cemetery of the Theatre of the Pacific, was moving. Larry, being a Viet Nam combat veteran, was consumed by the experience. In the photo at right, Larry (in the foreground) is looking at the marble monoliths containing the names of combat dead from WWII, Korea, and Viet Nam. In the background is the cemetery itself. The entire site is contained within the crater of an extinct volcano. Far in the background is Diamond Head. Larry remarked after our visit that his most moving experience was reading the Japanese names on the gravestones of members of the 442nd Infantry Regimen who served in the European Campaign of WWII while their parents were in Japanese-American internment camps in the United States. The 442nd was the most decorated regimen in the European Campaign. Their regimental motto was "Go for broke." They suffered some of the highest casualties of the war. The serene setting at Punchbowl is well-manicured and is planted with dozens of Chinese banyan trees, pictured above, again well-manicured.


After four days in Honolulu, we think the Japanese have accomplished their takeover, at least in Waikiki. Most of the weddings (at least 4 or 5 a day) at the Halekulani are Japanese. We have learned that it is cheaper for the bride and groom to have a western wedding, inviting their guests from home to come to Hawaii than to have a traditional wedding in Japan.

Anyway, Happy Valentine's Day to all! We celebrated by leaving the hubbub of Honolulu for the tranquil rolling slopes of Maui...sighhhh. Our hotel is the fabulous Four Seasons at Wailea, Maui (http://www.fourseasons.com/maui/index.html), resting at the southwestern foot of Haleakala, a 10,000-foot dormant volcano. I received a lei greeting on arrival! The photo here is of the Big Kahuna setting up the computer for the internet in our suite here. Oh yes, our SUITE. The Kahuna booked this thing for ten days. It's huge, it's private, it's equipped with everything but the swing from the ceiling! It's 800 square feet of the best hotel space you could imagine! The bathroom is about as big as my kitchen at home. The sound system is courtesy of Bose. The two lanai off the living room and bedroom are furnished. The dining room and butler's pantry don't have a view but, hey, Paige, the goodie bar is stuffed, everything from Snickers bars to beef jerky to wasabi-coated peanuts which the Kahuna has already eaten! One of the most remarkable things about this suite is that the robe you see in the Kahuna's picture, actually FITS him. Robes not fitting him at hotels has been an ongoing problem. Thank you, Four Seasons!

Hey, if anyone is reading this stuff, drop us an email or leave a comment by clicking on "comments" on this site. We're on vacation, but we miss you too!