Kipu Rd.

When you get off the plane in Lihue and head south towards Poipu you probably pass a beautiful quite area that I, for want of a better title, call Kipu Rd. You blink your eye and its gone and you make a note to someday discover its charms.This area with its large umbrella like trees that just might be called kiave, reminds me very much of some of the lands in northern Kenya that I have visited.

The mountains behind are supremely sculpted and the area feels very sacred to me. It is funny to watch the white birds stand on the backs of the cows in these fields. Cowbird!

This is the nearby Alekoko Fishpond, also known as the Menehune Fishpond. In ancient Hawaii, this was a royal fishpond, although common people were allowed certain types of fish.

A type of hawaiian  sacred magic called kapa was used to protect the area. Folklore holds that the pond was protected by guardian spirits, royal children who possessed mystical, otherworldly powers. The sister Kalalehua took the form of a lizard while her brother 'Alekoko transformed into a shark.

One of the great things about hawaii is these little brazilian cardinals. This guy is trucking like the doo dah man.