'Strive for the highest'. Kapi'olani Park, Waikîkî and Honolulu from the edge of Diamond Head Crater, Waikîkî, O'ahu, Hawai'i, USA
During a day's layover in Honolulu-Waikîkî, I went to see the sights from the rim of Diamond Head Crater. The park itself is the least inviting of any I've seen in Hawai'i. Generally they're really very wonderful. This one consists basically of a small grassy area near the 'facilities' and for the rest public access is only to a relatively narrow walkway up to the crater's edge. The very large natural area of the crater bottom is quite out-of-bounds for the 'general public'. When I asked a guard why this is the case, he said that the crowds leave too much litter to clear away. Anyway, not being able to look at the plants and birds was a disappointment to me here.
The view from the rim, though, was fabulous, as this photo demonstrates. In the background Honolulu and Waikîkî, in the foreground Waikîkî's spacious Kapi'olani Park. It's not only the city scape that's different compared to - say - a century ago. This bright green area in the nineteenth century was basically a huge swamp made over into a park later. It was named for Esther Julia Kapi'olani Napelapuakak'e (1834-1899), Queen Consort of King David Kalâkaua (1836-1891). The name 'Julia' was pronounced in Hawaiian as 'Kulia', and that fits in nicely with the Queen's motto: 'Kulia I Ka Nuu' (Strive for the highest). That's certainly what I was doing on my climb to the crater's edge... as many with me. And I hope our 747 this morning does more than merely strive!
'Strive for the highest'. Kapi'olani Park, Waikîkî and Honolulu from the edge of Diamond Head Crater, Waikîkî, O'ahu, Hawai'i, USA
During a day's layover in Honolulu-Waikîkî, I went to see the sights from the rim of Diamond Head Crater. The park itself is the least inviting of any I've seen in Hawai'i. Generally they're really very wonderful. This one consists basically of a small grassy area near the 'facilities' and for the rest public access is only to a relatively narrow walkway up to the crater's edge. The very large natural area of the crater bottom is quite out-of-bounds for the 'general public'. When I asked a guard why this is the case, he said that the crowds leave too much litter to clear away. Anyway, not being able to look at the plants and birds was a disappointment to me here.
The view from the rim, though, was fabulous, as this photo demonstrates. In the background Honolulu and Waikîkî, in the foreground Waikîkî's spacious Kapi'olani Park. It's not only the city scape that's different compared to - say - a century ago. This bright green area in the nineteenth century was basically a huge swamp made over into a park later. It was named for Esther Julia Kapi'olani Napelapuakak'e (1834-1899), Queen Consort of King David Kalâkaua (1836-1891). The name 'Julia' was pronounced in Hawaiian as 'Kulia', and that fits in nicely with the Queen's motto: 'Kulia I Ka Nuu' (Strive for the highest). That's certainly what I was doing on my climb to the crater's edge... as many with me. And I hope our 747 this morning does more than merely strive!