before reality starts

Back to the real world tomorrow, but I wanted to post one more set of pics from our trip to Hawaii. I was talking to Nichole today, telling her about the trip. The lava flow was truly the most amazing thing I have ever seen. And close behind that, I think it was the sea. I could have sat on the deck with my feet in the pool for hours (oh wait, I did) and just watch the waves.

The sea changed shape, rolling high to almost flat, and color - all shades of blue, gray, green, purple. And the waves were constantly changing.



Then the rain would come in, the squall line riding in on a big line of waves that you could see for miles, the rain shadow bringing in the horizon. Then the rain would drop, the sky would clear, and the cycle would roll forward again. I felt like I was witness to the living part of our earth manifest all around. It was truly beautiful.



I would go again. It is said that Mark Twain went there on a 3-week assignment as a journalist - and stayed for 5 years. I would do that.

Sherri

Pu'uhonua o Honaunau

A pu'uhonua is a sacred place of refuge for those defeated warriors or any person who violated the kapu for which death is the penalty. To get to this one, you have to swim the Honaunau Bay and hope the sharks don't eat you (said Charles, our tour guide). If you reached the pu'uhonua, you were safe. The holy priests would absolve all wrongdoings and allow you to return to your life and family. King Kamehameha II abolished these old practices in 1819 when he saw that the world was changing.



A great wall separates the pu'uhonua from the royal grounds. The wall, as well as the stone platforms - heiau - were built from stones fitted together without any mortar. Some of the stones are enormous and weigh tons - there is no record of how these stones were moved. Our guide Charles says it could have been the menehune. The temple and living huts inside the wall were built on top of the heiau.

Archeologists opened the wall to study its construction. They put it back together using modern methods. After the repaired section of the wall failed in a tsunami, it was repaired again using concrete and chain link. The original sections of the wall remain intact.


A cape of ti leaves sheds rain and provides warmth. Ti leaves are also tied into the lau and used in the traditional hukilau.


The papamu is a stone playing board in the game of konane. It is a game of strategy and was used to settle disputes. The stakes for this game were generally land, wife or life.

I was moved deeply to be on those ancient grounds, moved to tears. Our guide Charles was kind and funny as he led us through the tour, and he shared his own stories and jokes as we walked with him. Rick teased him at the start, so Charles made him the example in his story of exile throughout the tour. It was all in good fun and, I'm told, consistent with the Hawaiian culture. Rick was much at home for the entire trip and was very patient as he translated and taught me the language. It was a beautiful, amazing experience.

Sherri

Guestbook

The note I wrote into the guestbook of the rental house in Kea'au where we've been staying this past week:

For the first couple of days we wondered if the wind would ever stop blowing, because it didn't. On the second night of our stay, we were awakened from a sound sleep by a terrifying noise. It wasn't until the light of day that we realized the screech and thud we'd heard was the tv dish blowing off the roof! Didn't want or need it anyways...

The whales never really showed up, we only saw spouts on a few different occasions, but I couldn't even guess how many peaceful hours we've spent just wave-watching.

The ocean at this spot is amazing. It was definitely one of the highlights of our time here (once the winds died down) drinking our morning tea out by the pool, her feet in and mine not, just enjoying the power and serenity of the sea.



There is so much to see and do on this island, and being here was, for me, a reconnection to things rooted deep within. My mother was a Hilo girl, born and raised, moved to the mainland at 16 but she gave the island culture (and a little bit more than a little bit of pidgin) to her children.

Then, I spent a month here when I was 18, working on some condos in Punalu'u while staying with mom's "auntie Kay guys" in Hilo. I mentioned that to a pretty little barista in one of the island's many coffee shops on my first morning here, and she told me, "Aloha, welcome home."

I think my wife felt every bit as welcomed and as "home" as I have this week.



To other guests, if you have seen the things I'm about to mention, you already know...and if you haven't, do:

Maku'u Farmer's Market, right up the road on Sunday morning. Good times. If you like Farmer's markets, go to the Hilo one too...Wednesdays and Saturdays, dawn 'til it's gone.


Go as far as you can to wherever they're letting you go to see the lava meet the sea. We were probably a mile away, but it was still impressive. Go before dark, stay after.


I know it's far, but go to Pu'uhonua o Honaunau. Tell Charles the Park Ranger that "Rick, that shady haole guy", said to tell him,"Aloha." If you're there in time for the walking tour, you'd be a fool not to go with him. He's a treasure. So was seeing the turtles and humpback there.

If you're out that way, Big Jake's Island BBQ in Captain Cook. Suck the bones good.

Ning's Thai Cuisine in Pahoa. I wonder how hard it is to get takeout back to the mainland...

Wai'opae tidepools. Be patient. Take your time. Walk slow.



Punalu'u black sand beach...and sea turtles.


Barbara and Jack, thank you for the use of this beautiful place. Yeah, we paid for it...and it was worth it. We hope to come back. And if you ever need some skilled carpenter type help here, and are willing to provide a stay at the place in exchange...I think I can figure out some way to make that happen...

Aloha, and mahalo nui loa.