Beach Bums: Hanauma Bay Hike and St. Andrew's Cathedral

Aloha!

I've made a friend in Kat Wondolowski, even though her last name is impossible to spell (she really can't help it ;) She convinced me to wake up at 4 am so we could hike along Hanauma Bay and see the sunrise. Although it was an early morning, it was well worth the lack of sleep. The hike wasn't strenuous and we made it to the top within 30 minutes. How beautiful and how warm, even at 5 am! The experience reminded me of going on walks/hikes in Oregon. The air carried an early-morning-earthy smell I associate with Medford. It was just what I needed.

Views like these remind me why people hate my guts.

The longer I'm here the more I want to get a really good camera. An iphone just doesn't capture the beauty and the lighting. Of course, if I bought a camera, then I'd probably have to take some photography classes. All in all, photography isn't cheap, but I think it's well worth it.

I've learned that it's not even worth it to buy things off the base because A) No tax on base B) prices are cheaper on base and C) parking sucks everywhere else. I need to tattoo this on my arm so that if I ever think it's worth it to shop off base I'll remember these tried and tested truths. Case in point: I bought some dishes from Ross in Pearl City. I took the dishes home and realized they don't ]match for what I had in mind. Because the drive to Pearl City took forever, I found a closer Ross in Downtown Honolulu. It was closer, but then I had to pay for parking. My dishes cost $20 and parking cost....$10. You do the math. Then I was stuck with the dilemma of whether I should waste more time and gas money driving clear across to that other Ross. Convenience won out and I swallowed the parking fee (I might add that all parking meters were taken- I checked). I returned the dishes, a process that took about 10 minutes- oh, I might add that the price was $10 for only ONE HOUR.

Wanting to make the most of my hour I walked around the town until I found this wonderful Catholic Cathedral. It was just what I needed for my irritated spirit. I'm not Catholic but I found the grounds spiritually refreshing. I didn't see a single soul on the grounds, so I had it all to my self. I know the Catholic church has its own polluted history (indulgences anyone?) but I liked to think that the people who built the cathedral, carved out the pillars and constructed the stained glass did it out of humble piety to honor their maker. That's something I can appreciate.