Remembering Hawaii

Although it has been 1. 5 years since we visited the Hawaiian Islands, I still feel the power and passion of Aloha.

Aloha is more that a greeting or a farewell, it is a spirit of the people, the land and the ocean.

We happened upon this incredible location while visiting the island of Oahu, near the Blow Hole, a miraculous place where the waves crash into an underground cave and are thrusted through a small hole in the volcanic rock. The sight is magnificent, and the sound is amazing. Many come here and stay for hours, just watching.

When we were headed back to the car, the boys saw this beautiful spot, and the trail leading down to the beach. We all followed and were soon enjoying this Divine treasure. All alone. As if we were the only people on the island.

The water was so clear and beautiful, it was as if it were crashing upon the rocks just for us.

Our next stop on the tour was the stunning island of Kauai, home to the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific." You might have seen some of the incredible beauty of the island while watching Jurassic Park. The island is a veritable rain forest, and everything is green. Every lawn is adorned with plumeria and trees laden with mangoes or papayas. Pineapples, which grow for 2 years before they hit the supermarkets, erupt through the soil. Poipu Beach is consistently selected as one of the top beaches in the world, and rightly so. The island is the most uninhabited of the larger islands, and surfing is an extreme sport here. We love this island, and think it was our favorite.

The last island we visited, before heading back for 4 more days in Oahu, was Maui. Our favorite place here was Lahaina, sleepy whaling village turned tourist spot. We took a catamaran tour of Molokini Bay, and snorkeled. I was amazed at how cold the water was, and how you have almost no peripheral vision when wearing goggles. Several times rather large fish would sneak up on me, causing me to immediately think SHARK! And panic, which for me meant a mouth full of saltwater. Several in our group saw sea turtles, morray eels and lots of fish found in the movie Nemo.

I think this must be one of the most beautiful places on earth, certainly in the USA. 12 hours, by plane, and a million miles from everyone.

Mahalo for reading my little piece of the world.