The Windward Side on a Windy Day

As it happens, winter comes to paradise just as it does in other dots on the globe.  Winter, Hawaii style, consists of blustery wind, some rain and not as many flowers blooming; a sort of lesser degree of paradise. I've been in a sleeveless shirt and short pants all day.  72 degrees and widely scattered smiles.

Heading north of Honolulu this morning in the rain, we took H-3, the zillion-dollar "interstate" highway that connects the military community north of here, heading east to Kaneohe on the windward side where there's another military community.  Up over the pali (cliffs) you go, then you enter a long tunnel that angles downward and still eastward through what seems like more than a mile of highway.  You emerge to view an eye-popping vista of the beautiful tropical windward side of the island.  Compared to the leeward side, this side is wetter, greener and much more in keeping with what you imagine a tropical paradise to look like.  The highway skims along the mountain side, over the tree tops and curves gently to the south.  Very impressive.

We headed southward to Kailua, a thriving community with some interesting places to visit, including a large multi-ethnic, multi-religious cemetery and memorial that, in my opinion, features a beautiful Chinese pagoda and reflecting pool with koi.  It's serene, peaceful and immaculately kept.  You're noticing by now that I haven't remembered the names much as I write.  I didn't take notes today and I don't have a guidebook, so I'm not much of a travel help; I'll write the names after I've researched a bit.

There is a very pleasant coffee shop, Morning Brew, in Kailua where we had breakfast pizzas and I had a cappuccino - large, frothy and beautifully topped with a leaf pattern formed by the coffee traced through the foam.  Well done, barista.

Then, we succumbed to the allure of a terrific bookstore next door called The Book End, a combination of new and used books -- classic literature and modern works -- complete with stacks of books from floor to ceiling.  Amazingly enough, after at least an hour of browsing, we each bought one book apiece, quite a feat of self-control.

After tearing ourselves away from the stacks, we pointed the Mini Cooper north past Kaneohe Bay to tour the northeast and then north shores as we made the loop of the island.  The little car was fun to drive along the winding course, sporty and responsive in the corners and traffic where we encountered it. The coast is dotted with what are tiny communities made up of a very few ramshackle homes as well as long stretches of public beaches.  The ocean was choppy and the wind fairly high, so there was no chance to swim or sun.  Jagged remnants of old volcanoes whose sides are covered with lush growth loomed on our left.

Onward past shrimp shacks and Turtle Bay, a giant-sized "resort" that's far from any of its peers in Honolulu.  Then the mecca beaches of Sunset, Waimea and Pipeline came into view on the left, world-famous on good days, but blown out today and dangerous.  Only a few surfers were in the water at Waimea, but the conditions were pretty marginal.  No chance for sun or sightseeing outside the car.  At one point at the east end of Sunset Beach, tourists were admiring three kite boarders -- surfers who use a parachute to power their surfboards over the waves.  They were ripping fast, back and forth far offshore, looking impervious to the wind and choppy surf.

That was it for us.  Back home for dinner with some friends, and we were happy and content.  The wind continues for now, but they say this is what we are to expect in the winter here.  Not so bad.