Hawaii 2017

It's now the end of April.  I haven't been very good a doing blogs lately.  Sometimes I think it would be easier to just load some pictures to Facebook now and then.  I just might do more of that, but then I would not be adding much narration, not that it adds that much, but a little anyway.  

Mona and I made our annual trip to Hawaii in January to visit her relatives, especially her two aunts.  

This is Mona's Aunt Helen.  She is quite an amazing lady.  She married Mona's Uncle Herb in the mid 1940's when it was illegal for them to be married in all but two states.  Her uncle later became the first federal judge of Asian decent, and the first judge from Hawaii,  serving on the 9th Circuit.  In listening to what our current president has to say about federal judges, especially the 9th circuit, you have to wonder what he would of thought of Judge Herbert Choy.  They helped pave the way for many interracial couples to marry.  Aunt Helen loves to tell you about what a "wonderful husband" she had.  

Aunt Helen is 99 years old and will turn 100 next January.  Plans are underway for a big, but low key, gathering in Hawaii next January to celebrate.

This year we were fortunate to meet up with our good friends, Doug (on left) and Chuck who were visiting Hawaii at the same time.  With out going into details, Chuck is a world renown plant guy.  I won't even try to spell his expertise title.  Needless to say though, we had to visit one of the local nurseries while we were on the island.  I wonder if he brought some specimen's back with him.

Here we are at Aunt Helen's house.  Her house has a spectacular view of Diamond Head and Waikiki.  The house was designed by a protege of Frank Loyd Wright.  It is easy to see the Frank Loyd Wright influence throughout the house, like the bench seating along the windows and the overhanging, wrap around deck just on the other side of the windows.

Even though Mona was born on the island and has spent much time there, there seems to be always new areas to be discovered and explored.  This year we drove up the west side of the island.  It is know as being not as "tourist friendly"  as the rest of the island.  Lets say your cautioned not to leave anything in your car, especially a rental car, if you want it to be there when you get back.  We drove as far north as we could until the road ended.  Then we hiked up the abandoned road to the farthest western point on the island, Kaena Point.  At the point you have to stay on the designated trail as the point is a wildlife refuge, being a nursery for albatross.  I'm not much of a bird watcher, but this was special, seeing these great birds flying, doing mating dances, and nesting with a partner.  

There it is..... the farthest western point on Oahu.  

That's it from Hawaii until the birthday celebration in January 2017.