Hawaii '05
Journal Notes #1
Hawaii has 137 islands in the
chain (19 major islands - 5 of which are well known), 3,700 miles from end to end. At 2,484 miles from the
nearest continent, the Hawaiian Island archipelago is the most isolated island
system on Earth.
(The Big Island is is 93 miles long and 76
miles wide vs. Maine's 320 miles length and 210 miles width).
That's a good start to expressing the feeling of being in this special place,
in the middle of the Pacific - staying with the
Choy's makes it
more special. Their Guest
House called "The House of Choy", is very popular among travelers,
world wide. We love our "Oriental Rooms". Seven years ago I helped Dick when he
was building this and the "Ocean View" room. I am happy to be back.
Our 6 weeks stay here this year began with a very remarkable fishing adventure with Dick Choy as the able and renown captain of his "Opai Lolo".
Right off, one notices that
there are things about this culture that are more similar to the European and
Oceanic ways than we Yankees sort of expect from a U.S. State.
Their folk homage's to the dead are colorful, forthright and unpretentious . They
often contain subtle social and political references We found this carefully
crafted display complete with Norfolk Pine Christmas tree close to the beach
where Captain Cook was killed by the natives in 1779 just down from the Choys in
the section of "Captain Cook" or Kealakekua Bay, as the Hawaiians call it.
Here close by is the popular
National Park
"The City Of Refuge" .This
is a picturesque site of lava and coconut palms. There is are recreated
structures and and informative displays. We go there often to soak in the sun
and surf.
Dick is also rightly famous for his Sunday barbeques, here at the park. It's where he serves
his Korean
specialties
- created over fires of coconut husks and charcoal.
We love this part of the Big Island. Our
last stay
in 2002 was on the NW coast at Puako . There, the seaside cottage provided a
more conventional "vacation feel" - than here on the SW shore in the tropical Kona
Coffee growing region. The 1,500' elevation with its SPECTACULAR views to the
south coast down over the steep and tropical foliage are a daily breathtaking
treat.
We are thankful to be here again.
