My friend Brysson grew up on the big island. He is a retired surgeon. He actually went to the same school as our Hawaiian born president, Punahou in Oahu.
He is a descendent of one of the oldest ranchers on the Island, W.H. Greenwell, and still owns property there with his sister. We visited his family coffee ranch, Greenwell Farms and Leslie is pictured in front of a tree on his beautiful property. There was an article in the Honolulu newspaper that morning about a promising new skin product that they are making from the coffee cherry.
Brysson sent me this comment as a post and I thought I would print it since it is so informative.
Hi Robert, Have enjoyed the blog of your peregrinations on the Moku o
Hawaii (Island of Hawaii). Moku Island, came to be used for boats
which arrived in the 18th C. as they were so big, and thus the
airplane you just endured (my main complaint is people coughing on me
every time) is named mokulele (flying ship). You got to see a very
good sample of things it has to offer. My own origins are in Kona,
specifically central Kona and the ranches that lie above it. Rode all
over that land by horse and shot some sheep for tasty mutton roasts!
I am disappointed about all the vog as it was crystal clear in those
days. Knowing how mighty nature is (viz Haiti) I do not count on any
date for cessation. Plants show effects already and people may one
day too. One of the things I regret as things change (the district is
10 times as populous as when I grew up there) is the change in name of
the main coastal village ( now town), from Kailua to" Kona". It is
not correct to say Kona Town. Kona to us is a huge 60 mile long
place!! Tourists say they had a wonderful lunch in Kona (town)!! So
did I up in Capt. Cook!!! By the way, kona means leeward,thus the
areas on the western shores of the islands. Honolulu was in the
district of Kona there. I will be on Hawaii for February. I may go
hiking in Pololu but shall avoid Merrimans after your warnings. The
local eateries nearby serve that wonderful varied ethnic variety that
I am accustomed to like rather more informally. Best, Brysson.
By the way, Brysson, the vog was never a problem, although there was some smoke from the ongoing Keleakekua Mauka fire. Thanks for writing!
