The Big Island remains my favorite, the presence of the park keeps it from being completely overrun. I spent a lot of time there visiting my Dad. I was happy to see on my last visit that the Hamakua Coast remains much as it was, not too built up. But the cane is all gone - were you there for the sugar cane? Did several climbs up Mauna Ke…
The Big Island remains my favorite, the presence of the park keeps it from being completely overrun. I spent a lot of time there visiting my Dad. I was happy to see on my last visit that the Hamakua Coast remains much as it was, not too built up. But the cane is all gone - were you there for the sugar cane? Did several climbs up Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, solo on Mauna Loa was my one-on-one with God. Kahuku, wow! When my parents were finally settled in after Dad got back from the Pacific theater (he was a radioman and gunner on B-17s), they lived in a quonset hut at the Kahuku airstrip. Dad had a little plane they would fly over the Koolaus into Honolulu for groceries and to see his folks once a week. That was in 1946. My grandpa built most of the highways, tunnels and bridges on Oahu and the Big Island, the restoration of Volcano House. He was head of the Department of Public Works. Spent time as a patient at Kalaupapa (yes, he was diagnosed as having leprosy). He called it the best vacation he'd had in years, started a baseball team. They still remember him there...The view of Niihau from Kauai, that would be Polihale Beach. The jumping off place. I'm writing a book about that...
Let us know when you finish the book, please. I've never been to Hawai'i - almost lived there 3 years ago, but happenstance took us to the PNW instead.
I love your nostalgic reminiscences. My father was a WWII vet also (but European theater.)
One of my sons recently spent some time there and came back shocked at the economic disparities and general hatred of tourists from the poor native population.
When I read news stories of people like Obama and the Zuckerbergs making nefarious moves in the Islands, cheating residents and bypassing laws in order to grab especially desirable properties, I can understand why our famed aloha spirit is wearing pretty thin.
The Big Island remains my favorite, the presence of the park keeps it from being completely overrun. I spent a lot of time there visiting my Dad. I was happy to see on my last visit that the Hamakua Coast remains much as it was, not too built up. But the cane is all gone - were you there for the sugar cane? Did several climbs up Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, solo on Mauna Loa was my one-on-one with God. Kahuku, wow! When my parents were finally settled in after Dad got back from the Pacific theater (he was a radioman and gunner on B-17s), they lived in a quonset hut at the Kahuku airstrip. Dad had a little plane they would fly over the Koolaus into Honolulu for groceries and to see his folks once a week. That was in 1946. My grandpa built most of the highways, tunnels and bridges on Oahu and the Big Island, the restoration of Volcano House. He was head of the Department of Public Works. Spent time as a patient at Kalaupapa (yes, he was diagnosed as having leprosy). He called it the best vacation he'd had in years, started a baseball team. They still remember him there...The view of Niihau from Kauai, that would be Polihale Beach. The jumping off place. I'm writing a book about that...
Let us know when you finish the book, please. I've never been to Hawai'i - almost lived there 3 years ago, but happenstance took us to the PNW instead.
I love your nostalgic reminiscences. My father was a WWII vet also (but European theater.)
One of my sons recently spent some time there and came back shocked at the economic disparities and general hatred of tourists from the poor native population.
When I read news stories of people like Obama and the Zuckerbergs making nefarious moves in the Islands, cheating residents and bypassing laws in order to grab especially desirable properties, I can understand why our famed aloha spirit is wearing pretty thin.