It seems that the best way to get above the fray here in Hawaii is to climb the nearest volcano. If you look mauka (meaning inland, toward the mountains) while driving along the H-1 highway through Honolulu, you'll see the famous Punchbowl Crater looming over downtown. It looked to me like the perfect place to spend a quiet afternoon.
Punchbowl Crater, known as Puowaina to the ancient Hawaiians, has a long history of violence. Here, it is said, the Hawaiians performed human sacrifices and meted out capital punishment to those who broke their strict kapus (taboos). Because of its strategic position over central Honolulu, the crater rim at one time also supported a cannon battery, while the crater itself served as a rifle range.
Following WWII Punchbowl Crater became a national cemetery. It was opened to the public in 1949, as a final resting place for soldiers killed in the Pacific campaigns.
The Honolulu monument was added in 1964, to honor those soldiers and sailors missing in action or lost at sea, during the Pacific campaigns of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam wars:
It may sound awfully strange to want to spend part of a lovely Sunday in a cemetery. But those who know me well won't be a bit surprised. The truth is, I like cemeteries. They're peaceful, and offer wonderful photo ops. And there's nothing like a cemetery to highlight the best in landscape design.
Sometimes though, even I get carried away. Several years ago I visited Green-Wood Cemetery , unthinkingly, on Halloween. Scared the bejeebers out of myself- but I didn't see one ghost.
Map of the Battle of Midway:
Close up of Lady Columbia, or Lady Liberty:
Hillside memorials overlooking downtown Honolulu:
Lovely red flower on the hillside. I never did find out its name:
4 comments:
(the red flower)it's called "pohutukawa", and it's only found in the Pacific Rim. It's very special down here in NZ.
Wiki --->"Pohutukawa and its cousin rata also hold a prominent place in Maori tradition. Legends tell of Tawhaki, a young Maori warrior, who attempted to find heaven to seek help in avenging the death of his father. He fell to earth and the crimson flowers are said to represent his blood".
Hmmm, the legend is as lovely as the flower itself.
Thanks for the leg up, Rich and Col!
Hi Laura,
I also kwew it wat the pohutukawa, because we've been several times in our beloved New Zealand. ;-)
Also known as The New Zealand Christmas Tree, because it flowers around Christmas.
Still loving reading your blog!
Thank you for that!
Bye, Jacqy
Thanks Tammy, I think I do remember Miranda telling us that legend as well. Looks very similar to the pohutukawa from NZ.
I was expecting a tree somehow, and this was a low-lying bush.
Beautiful, in any case!
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