El Sobero Del Hombre Chino (Sights Along the Verdant East Coast of Oahu) Restoration.

---

The Eastern Seacoast on the island of Oahu, is what probably most people elsewhere, may imagine what Hawaii looks like with it’s tropical greenness, slow unhurried lifestyle and miles of beaches and seacoast. As one exits the Likelike (pron. Likay Likay) Hwy. from the Wilson Tunnel, it may seem to him, like he just entered a Juraiassac Park.

The first town one enters along this scenic coastline drive is Kaneohe (see a previous blog), a rather large low rise city with lots of commercial activity. After passing through this town, one comes across only small rural communities, with mostly Mom and Pop stores, and occasion souvenir or fruit stands. These communities are Ahuimanu, Kahaluu, Waikane, Waiahole, Kualoa, Kaawa, Kahana, Punaluu, Hauula, Laie and Kahuku.

On the first 15 miles or halfway up to the coast one may notice that the beaches or ocean fronts aren’t very beautiful or inviting as one would imagine Hawaii to be. In fact in the earlier 7 miles, the waters are pretty murky and unswimmable and sandy beaches almost non-existent. Only till one reaches Kaawa, then the beaches start looking more inviting and picturesque.

Though the beaches, may not be the strong attraction on the eastern coast, the Koolau Mountain range that runs parallel along the Kamehameha Hwy. one drives along, offers a non-stop eye candy of green tall mist covered mountains and lush valleys and small rural communities of farms, neighborhood stores and country churches. Incidentally the mostly beautiful wide sandy beaches are located on the Western Coast where the mountains are less green and lush.

In Hauula, is located a beautiful waterfall called Sacred Falls, however, one Mother’s Day about 10 years ago, a tragic landslide of large boulders fell on the fairly sizeable gathering of picnickers and hikers and has since then been closed to everyone. Another immensely popular and photographic landmark on this side of the island, is a uniquely shaped islet of the coast of Kualoa Park. It’s official Hawaiian name is Moko’lii meaning Little Lizard. (See 1st Photo)

However, ask any Local for directions to Moko’lii and you will most likely get a doe in the headlight response or shrug of the shoulder. The reason is because it is known widely by it’s nickname of Chinaman’s Hat. In the #@ years I lived, I’ve never heard anyone complain or try to change it’s name, until earlier this year, in a letter to the editor, a Mainland visitor of Chinese descent, angrily denounced it as racist, and demanded we change it.

Though understanding perhaps this person had come from a place where the Chinese were persecuted and called Chinaman in order to denigrate him, in Hawaii, the history of the immigrants have not been the same. Though we often consider ourselves a great melting pot or the Aloha State, of course, there will be those who live or visit here may question whether we a truly a Race-Problem Free Paradise or is it a big myth. For myself, I consider it for the most part very true, being we have people who live together rather harmoniously here of largely brown, yellow and white races and on a smaller scale, black and red. However, unless one’s walked a mile in another’s moccasin, zori, zapata, mukluk or Nike’s, one shouldn’t criticize his or her’s opinions, so I think I’ll leave it at that.

The town of Laie of which is located BYUH -Laie and the famed Polynesian Cultural Center, is largely a Mormon community with a large Polynesian population from many other islands of the South Pacific. Also one finds there, a beautiful Morman Temple and beautiful beaches.

The last stop in this string of rural towns is Kahuku, which housed a large sugar growing and milling community. The mountain range has pretty much disappeared from sight so the landscape may resemble that of Kansas or Iowa rather than Hawaii. Acquaculture has mostly replaced the sugar cane and as a result we see small Fresh Prawn Shack Restaurants in the area. Even corn instead of sugar cane are grown now. There are still some original Plantation Homes built in the early 1900’s but also newer type housing which I assume are also for those who used to be employed by the Kahuku sugar industry.

---

Photos

Once a Poi Factory...
now a restraurant.

Crouching Lion, Kaawa.
Do you see it, do you see it?

Comments

[Monkey and Bear Holland]

Great pictures again
Hi Franklin, Very good pictures again. Nature and landscape is here very beautiful. We are back in Holland again. We hope you did enjoy our pictures too. Due to a oxigen problem in my blood we did not visit Tibet this time. Maybe in a few years we hope. We are looking forward to your next travelblog. See you on the internet. Adriaan and Jacqueline

[Franco]

Hi Monkey and Bear. Glad you were able to keep up with my blog and enjoyed it. Yes, I enjoyed yours also, especially since you were able to see many places I never knew existed in China. You also seemed to be able to make friends with the people you encountered on a deeper level sharing knowledge and interest in their culture. That's a big plus in travel. Frank