Blue Planet Journey

Gia, Caroline, and Mike at Aihualama Falls, Lyon Arboretum. Manoa Falls in background. One of the more popular hiking trails for visitors staying in the Waikiki area is the Manoa Falls Trail .  And why not?  The trailhead is easily accessible (about 8 km from Waikiki), and the trail itself is only 1.2 km long.  The path is relatively easy to navigate (except those last 50 meters... don't try it in rubber slippers), and there is a nice waterfall at the end, although it comes out at a dribble after a week without rain.  There is lush foliage surrounding the trail, protected parking at Paradise Park ($5) as well as clean restrooms, and a few interpretive signs.  A number of ecotours consistently take groups of clients up to the falls.  The towering trees and bamboo groves, as well as the falls, are featured in many selfies. Manoa Falls What you won't see are flowers.  It's not that there are no flowering plants in the area...

Painting of Beatrice Kapua'okalani Hilmer Krauss March 5, 2018 will mark the 20th anniversary of the passing of Beatrice Kapua'okalani Hilmer Krauss, Caroline's grand auntie.  Just last week in Kauai we found some of Auntie Bea's books for sale in a museum bookstore, not an uncommon occurrence in Hawaii: Caroline with 2 of Bea Krauss' books.  Bea didn't know how to type, so she typed all the drafts with one finger on a manual typewriter. I don't know a lot about Bea's past.  I met her when Caroline took me on my first trip to Hawaii to meet her relatives.  We drove up to the UH Lyon Arboretum, where Bea was either working or volunteering.  I remember feeling under some pressure to behave myself!  Over time, I came to recognize Bea Krauss as a committed, friendly, ethical, and serious person.  When LDS missionaries came to her front door one day I was visiting, she seemed delighted. She brought them inside for a chit-chat and ...