Embracing Hawaii - Part II

by Bonna L. Nelson

“…the loveliest fleet of islands that lies anchored in any ocean.”

~ Mark Twain, “Letters from Hawaii”

The seafaring South Pacific Islanders who first landed outrigger canoes on the beaches of what are now known as the Hawaiian Islands could never have imagined what many of the islands would look like today. Especially changed is the island of Oahu, home to the largest population, the Hawaiian capital of Honolulu, high rises and busy highways, military installations and shopping malls, the famous Waikiki

Beach and base camp for my daughter, Holly, and me for our once-in-alifetime adventure.

We were determined to see the natural beauty that Hawaii is known for, as well as its people and culture. And, yes, we enjoyed the beauty of Waikiki Beach with its sparkling aqua waters, soft sandy beach and silhouette of the Diamond Head volcanic cone on its east end. But after a few days of lazy pool and beach

Embracing Hawaii

time, we were ready for more island adventures.

The Majestic Circle Island Tour provided us with the opportunity to explore the entire island of Oahu and sample a taste of its natural beauty, culture and people. Away from Honolulu and Waikiki Beach, we just may have experienced some of the glory of Hawaii that the early Polynesian explorers did, and as Mark Twain did many years later.

After a smooth pickup at our hotel, we listened to our native Hawaiian guide sharing facts about the Hawaiian Islands and Oahu as we headed east and then toward the North Shore. We learned that Oahu, sometimes called the “Heart of Hawaii,” is the busiest and most populous of the islands and features worldfamous sights such as Pearl Harbor and the North Shore surfing beaches in addition to Honolulu and Waikiki Beach. Oahu is also called “the gathering place” because it houses the majority of Hawaii’s population,

Embracing Hawaii

close to 1 million out of 1.44 million statewide, and features some vastly different cultures as a result, including Hawaiian (of course), Filipino, Japanese, Portuguese, Chinese and Korean, many of whom came to work in the agriculture industry and then stayed. Hawaii is the third most diverse state in the U.S.

Oahu is of volcanic origin and the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands. With a total area of 597 square miles, it contains two parallel mountain groups connected by a central plateau. Tahitians established permanent settlements on Oahu in about 500 CE. In 1795, King Kamehameha I of the island of

Hawaii conquered Oahu and united the Hawaiian Islands. It is situated in the Pacific Ocean 2,390 miles—about a five-hour flight—from Los Angeles. As we headed out of the metropolis and suburbs of Honolulu into heavy traffic on the freeway, our guide, Koaoki, mentioned that Oahu ranks third in worst traffic congestion in the U.S. Guess which states

Embracing Hawaii

rank first and second? California and New York, he said.

Our first stop was the Nu’uanu Pali Lookout, a historic panoramic viewing site. It has dramatic views of the sheer Ko’olau cliffs and the lush windward coast of Oahu. Pali is perched more than 1,000 feet above the Oahu coastline amid mountain peaks shrouded by clouds. The breathtaking point is one of the island’s most scenic areas. The city disappears and the tranquil natural beauty of Hawaii emerges there.

We embraced the view as strong, howling winds pushed against us. We held onto each other so as not to fall off the cliff as we learned about the historic significance of the site.

“Pali” means “cliff” in Hawaiian. Pali Lookout is the site of the Battle of Nu’uanu, where King Kamehameha

I won the struggle that finally united all of the islands under one leader.

We had a downpour at our next stop, but Koaoki was ready with plastic rain ponchos as we disembarked, which kept us dry and happy. The Byodo-in Temple was another beautiful site situated in the lush Valley of Temples. The hilly valley landscape along a 2,000-foot mountain range is a resting place (cemetery) scattered with hundreds of freshly placed tropical flowers, including the state flower, the yellow hibiscus, to remember loved ones.

We roamed the elaborate flowering gardens, crossed small bridges over ponds filled with sparkling