Traveling with Julia. Hawaii April 2017.

December 2016 was replete with television documentaries about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor December 1941.  If there was any war that impacted me, it was WW2.  I was staying in San Diego, a navy town if ever there was one, when Pearl Harbor was bombed.  Shortly thereafter, Japanese-American schoolmates disappeared from the classroom  I was twelve and in the sixth grade. 

By 8th grade, I was back in South Dakota, busy as a Civil Air Patrol cadet learning Morse code for Pierre now had an Air Force field and Japanese subs off the Washington Coast sent incendaries out our way.

Fast forward to college days when I met and married a WW2 Navy vet, who had been at Pearl Harbor shortly after the Attack when his ship towed a dry dock from Honolulu to Sidney, Australia.  He then spent most of the war years at New Caledonia.

This then is the back story of my interest in Hawaii and, specifically, Pearl Harbor.

Mentioning this in ballet class - yes, I still do a twice weekly barré - a fellow student mentioned she had a time-share in Waikiki and would I like company?  Yes - but understanding I planned to go for the history:  a Pearl Harbor tour and a flight to visit Father Damien's leper colony.  Beyond that, I was flexible.  Later, I added a meeting with with an old comrade from Marin county Probation days who became active in Hawaiian politics.  Julia's plan was to swim as often as possible.  We were there a week.

Julia had an I-phone and knew how to use it!  In addition to my tours and meeting, we traveled about O'ahu via Fiat - the transmission left something to be desired for it stuttered between 2nd and 3rd gear - and local bus.  She was familiar with a plethora of street cafes with good inexpensive food and introduced me to shaved ice.  I found Kukaniloko Birthstones State Monument on of the loveliest places I've ever seen.  And we marched in Honoluu's Cliate Change Protest.  

Julia had been in Hawaii numerous times for her son had done his doctoral study there.  With her, I had my own personal guide.

Waiki is skyscraper hotels, shops and tourist with a daily manicured beach.  Much of Honolulu is big city and freeway surrounded by neighborhoods of housing, schools and shops.  Moving out on the island are beaches and small communities built around them.  Scene with much green foliage.  Tropical.

The Pearl Harbor tour included not only the Arizona Memorial but the battleship USS Missouri where Japan formally surrendered, a wander through the submarine USS Bowfin, the Aviation Museum, the Punchbowl Cemetary with drive bys of various State and City grounds.  Extensive.

I was impressed by how subdued the usually noisy tourists were on the ferry to and at the USS Arizona Memorial.  Particularly moved was the newly inscribed name of a recently deceased crewman who chose to be entombed with his shipmates of seventy five years ago.  Could have spent more time at the Aviation Museum - the docent here was outstanding and there was so much to see, including the Senior Bush's old Stearman - a model of  aircraft I've always want to fly in.

The fllights from Honolulu to Kalaupapa peninsula on Molokai were great - it was a Cessna Caravan - and you could see ocean and island.  I had forgotten how much I love flying in small aircraft.  The Peninsula where lepers were housed in early days was exquisite, even with decrepit buildings about.  As the disease has now responded to modern medical treatment, there is no need for the colony, though eight former patients continue to live there.  One tour person walked down and the rest rode mules from the cliffs above.  I had no regrets about choosing to fly in. 

Courtesy of her I-phone, Julia found a march supporting Science and Climate change.  So up and at 'em!  About a thousand participants gathered with police supervision.  As on the mainland, it seemed a gathering of Professionals and the Middle class, retired and younger folk and women.  Some I'm sure were part of the Veitnam era protests.  Enthuiastic but peaceful bunch.  My third demonstration of the year!

Our meet up and lunch with my fellow worker of past years was in Chinatown, where he had his office.  Enjoyed getting together - we're likely two of handful left of that time.  He felt his stay at Probation was a seminal point in his professional life - he had drifted into the job at his brother's suggestion.  From there he had gone on to earn his doctorate and then into politics, where he obviously thrived. 

Raining the last day of our stay, we drifted into the Army Museum at Fort Derussy.  Originally Battery Randolph, it was completed as part of the coastal defense in 1911.  Now Morphed into a showcase of artifacts from early Hawaiian warfare through Vietnam - it included a Cobra helicopter.  One exhibition was devoted to the Japanese-Americans who served in WW2,  another to General Eric Shinseki, local boy made good!  I'm always fascinated how building designed for one purpose are redesigned for another.  They have done a good job here:  reminded me of the Military Meusum in Muscat, Oman.

It was a good trip, mostly due to Julia with hr knowledge of the Island and skill in maximizing the I-phone capabilities.  Plus her investment in the Time-share.  

Accommodation::  The time share at the Hilton Hawaiian Village was larger than my apartment.  Full
kitchen. The  bathtub in the sleeping area at the door into the bathroom was a design anomaly.   

Meals:  We bought groceries on the way in, so had breakfast and supper - often left overs from the noon meal - in the rom.  Estimated cost:  $250pp.

Tours:  $500pp

Transportation:  Hawaiian Air over and Alaska Air on the return; both from San Jose.  $442.40pp.

Miscellaneous:  Cat care $310.

NB:  Gonna have to buy an I-phone!