1. A Journey to the Heart of the Pacific

2. Kailua Beach Paradise I stayed within walking distance of this... (Note: These photos were taken in 2001.)

3. The picture doesn’t do it justice...

4. The waves here are very flat in Summertime. A perfect beach for kayaking, sailing, and snorkeling. Turtles come close to shore and bob their heads, peeking at the people on shore.

5. Kayaking

6. “Hang Loose!” (Note: This is what Mr. Beckwith looked like in 2001)

7. One popular sport at Kailua is Kite surfing, basically a big kite attached to a surfboard.

8. Of course I didn’t just spend all my time at the beach. There is history in this place and so I looked a little and found...

9. A Day of Infamy, December 7th, 1941

10. Above an Aichi Val drops its deadly torpedo into the harbor. At right, a model of the USS Arizona.

11. U.S. aircraft of the era: Douglas Dauntless, upper left, and Grumman Wildcat, above. At left is a piece of a Japanese aircraft shot down Dec. 7th, 1941.

12. The remains of the USS Arizona today...

13. The massive anchor of the Battleship.

14. A Map of Oahu and sites attacked.

15. On the right is the USS Arizona and on the left, the Battleship Missouri, where Japan signed the surrender in September, 1945.

16. Victims from the <<note< _________________________________

17. USS Missouri

18. Entering the

19. Remains of the Arizona. The ship is storing millions of gallons oil and an environmental disaster looms ahead for Pearl Harbor if the oil cannot be removed soon...

20. To the Memory of the Gallant Men

21. Herbert Weatherwax, Pearl Harbor Survivor

22. Shaking hands with a witness to history (Yes, that’s Mr. B)

23. I bid farewell to the memorial. I noticed that there were a number of Japanese tourists; all were treated respectfully, the way I was treated when I visited Hiroshima, Japan.

24. Makapuhu Point

25. The road from Kailua to Honolulu: before passing through the center of an ancient volcano we pass a banana plantation. Hawaiian bananas are smaller than most commercial varieties and have an apple taste! Koolau Range

26. This basalt head was brought in from Easter Island - the furthest extent of Polynesian expansion.

27. King Kamehameha the Great (shown above)unified Hawaii by using new technologies of war gained from Captain Cook.. Above left are royal plumes and at left royal cape of the great King.

28. Other Notable Rulers King Kamehameha II; (not shown) He converted himself and all of Hawaii to Christianity. King Kamehameha III, (shown upper left) actually petitioned the US for Statehood in 1854. Also Queen Liliokiulani, the last monarch of an independent Hawaii. Over- thrown by the Dole pineapple family.

29. The Hawaiian War God

30. A Racing Canoe of Koa used by the Royal Family.

31. A Buddhist Temple near Kaneohe Bay.

33. People come from all over the world to visit this exhibition of culture from Polynesia, but I couldn’t escape the feeling that this was only a “Disneyfied “ version of Polynesian culture. Still, it was a good show.

34. A blowhole near Diamond Head. I never did get a great picture...

36. I ascended to the top of Diamond Head and found out that the place had been fortified beginning in 1912!Apparently the US went took great pains to defend its newly acquired island paradise. Defensive fortifications >>> >>> (Mr. B – heavier version)

37. Looking at Waikiki from the top of Diamond Head

38. Looking at Diamond Head from Waikiki

39. This is one of the most famous places in the world but I decided that I liked the uncrowded shores on the other side of Oahu better.

40. Koolau Rainforest..

41. Waterfall and pool in the Rainforest.

42. The End