Blogs from Hawaii, United States, North America - page 216

May 17, 2006 I’m sitting here in the Honolulu Airport, and felt like writing down some of my thoughts. One odd thing I’ve noticed with Hawaii is that it seems like most of the natives here are overweight. Well, actually, a lot of people here are overweight, but the natives seem to stand out as being so. Even all of the old pictures and artwork of the natives of this island depict them as being overweight. It makes you think. Perhaps it is their culture that encourages obesity. Maybe they are just genetically predetermined to be heavy. It could just be the diet that was available to them on the island before Western contact, and they haven’t deviated from it. Don’t know. One of the most famous Hawaiian singers, Iz, was a native here and weighed ... read more

Went to church yesterday with the McIntosh’s. Their church is held in the local preschool cafeteria since it is still a very new and small church. Lee’s father is actually the interim preacher until they get a new one. I don’t know if I have mentioned this to everyone, but Lee’s family is Very religious. Independent Baptist. Every time I visit they bring up my religious beliefs, or there lack of, and I have to find some way to settle them down before they try to convert me on the spot. Or at least try to Witness me. O well. I appreciate that they care so much for me although I just wish they could express it in a better way. I was expecting the whole talk yesterday, but it came today instead. I’ll write about ... read more

Today, Lee took me to see the Kilauea Volcano. It’s not really much of a mountain actually, it just spews hot lava down the side of a cliff that feeds into the ocean. The park was only a 45 min drive, but the park itself is massive. I’m thinking they advertised 200000 acres. May have been more. After a little sightseeing around the park and seeing a Hula dance, we drove down this really exciting road to the coast. The road dropped over 3000 ft before reaching the coast. Lee’s family has apparently decided that I am not allowed to drive, which is probably for the best, but I was really envious. The road was just plain fun actually 20 miles long. After descending the 3000+ ft to the coast and crossing several lava rock fields, ... read more

Lee picked me up at the airport in Hilo today. Hilo had one of the prettiest airports I have ever seen, and all the staff was overly nice. After Lee picked me up, we started our sightseeing adventures. Our first stop was Akaka Falls, which lies to the west of Hilo. The scenery of Hawaii is completely amazing. It has the look of a tropical rainforest only slightly tamed by man. I’ll have to post some pictures later when I get access to a faster Internet. Lee’s family only has dialup. Anyways, its been raining all day today. When I say rain, I don’t mean actual rain, I mean a heavy mist. And it hasn’t stopped. After Akaka falls, we went to burger king for lunch where Lee managed somehow to eat $12 worth of food. ... read more

However, not all beaches here are created equal. The crowded beach scene such as the one at Waikiki (see photo 1) may come to mind when people think of visiting Hawaii and may opt to go to the neighbor islands instead. Yes, Waikiki Beach, about a half mile in length, is packed in which your neighbor may only be a handshake away. There is lots of activity going on, hawkers touting catamaran, canoe rides or surt lessons, music and entertainment wafting from hotel seaside lounges, distracting bikini clad people, etc. If you perfer beaches where birds outnumber humans and you have a car, we have that too on this island. A compromise would be a stroll toward either the eastern or western ends of Waikiki where there are still beautiful and safe beaches where your neighbors ... read more