On the map the Hawaii group of Islands look like a String of Pearls strewn over a dark velvet carpet. Surrounded by Corals deep inside the sea, extracting pearl from these colorful corals is a big local industry. Tourists buy a lot of pearl based jewellery - another marine product apart from the seafood and boost for local economy.
The Circled Island tour bused us out at the wee hours of the morning towards our first stop - Pearl Harbor. Historically it is juxtaposed to the famous "Pearl Harbor" attack on the wee hours of 7th December, 1941. The swift devastating blitzkrieg totally caught the Americans unaware, as it literally came as bolt from the blue when they least expected it.
The main architech of the attack, the Japanese Admiral Yamamoto was not so inclined to attack Pearl Harbor, fearing its consequences. Educated in Harvard he had some idea of American capability. But drunk by the success in Indo-China, the military junta headed by General Tojo vetoed his prudent Admiral's concerns and gave the go ahead order to launch the attack.
It was a calm, sunny morning in the picturesque island when there were clear blips on the Radar announcing the approach of a string of airplanes on the horizon. It was promptly conveyed to the Headquarters who dismissed it with the now famous four words "DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT" - assuming they could be the fighter planes flying from the California.
Moments later Japanese bombers a la a swarm of bees stung the Naval base, sinking one battle ship after another, taking thousands of young sailors in their teens and 20s who barely started their career with them. It was the first attack on the American soil by a foreign power, completely catching it off guard. American naval fleet at Pearl Harbor was totally devastated.
The same evening President Roosevelt declared war against Japan, marking the opening of a new front and chapter in World War II. Admiral Yamamoto knew very well that there must be an element of surprise in the attack to destroy US's superior Battleships. Ironically, less than 4 years later, his prior concern belittled by his superiors was vindicated when Americans dropped "Little Boy", the new kid in the block called Nuclear Bomb on Japan, forcing the later to surrender.
The next stop in the tour was different places of attraction on the North Shore of the Oahu island which included a trip to hundreds of acres of Plantation of varieties of tropical fruits. Being an amateur farmer, I took a keen interest in the visit. Though mostly Pineapples are grown as they love the iron containing reddish black lava soil, the plantation too included Banana, Coffee, Cocoa and Macademia nuts - the last three plants I saw for the first time.
Flanked by mountains on one side, the trade wind launched its incessant waves of attack crashing on the North shore - its sprouting black rocks shooting up geysers of bluish green water like an elephant snorting water from its trunk. It was breathtaking sight watching from a cool height of 2000 feet high, breathing lungful of fresh mountain air.
Banyan, Mango, Lychee and Papaya trees act as canopy of the Island. Many tourists who saw a mango tree for the first time in life enthusiastically took its pictures. The Mango man (AAM ADMI) in me from the land of the "King of Fruits" hardly shared their excitement. The voluptuous Papayas on dwarf trees, hanging barely feets from the ground reminded me of KURUNDAs (men with supersize Balls) - an ubiquitous sight in coastal Odisha. More later...
The Circled Island tour bused us out at the wee hours of the morning towards our first stop - Pearl Harbor. Historically it is juxtaposed to the famous "Pearl Harbor" attack on the wee hours of 7th December, 1941. The swift devastating blitzkrieg totally caught the Americans unaware, as it literally came as bolt from the blue when they least expected it.
The main architech of the attack, the Japanese Admiral Yamamoto was not so inclined to attack Pearl Harbor, fearing its consequences. Educated in Harvard he had some idea of American capability. But drunk by the success in Indo-China, the military junta headed by General Tojo vetoed his prudent Admiral's concerns and gave the go ahead order to launch the attack.
It was a calm, sunny morning in the picturesque island when there were clear blips on the Radar announcing the approach of a string of airplanes on the horizon. It was promptly conveyed to the Headquarters who dismissed it with the now famous four words "DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT" - assuming they could be the fighter planes flying from the California.
Moments later Japanese bombers a la a swarm of bees stung the Naval base, sinking one battle ship after another, taking thousands of young sailors in their teens and 20s who barely started their career with them. It was the first attack on the American soil by a foreign power, completely catching it off guard. American naval fleet at Pearl Harbor was totally devastated.
The same evening President Roosevelt declared war against Japan, marking the opening of a new front and chapter in World War II. Admiral Yamamoto knew very well that there must be an element of surprise in the attack to destroy US's superior Battleships. Ironically, less than 4 years later, his prior concern belittled by his superiors was vindicated when Americans dropped "Little Boy", the new kid in the block called Nuclear Bomb on Japan, forcing the later to surrender.
The next stop in the tour was different places of attraction on the North Shore of the Oahu island which included a trip to hundreds of acres of Plantation of varieties of tropical fruits. Being an amateur farmer, I took a keen interest in the visit. Though mostly Pineapples are grown as they love the iron containing reddish black lava soil, the plantation too included Banana, Coffee, Cocoa and Macademia nuts - the last three plants I saw for the first time.
Flanked by mountains on one side, the trade wind launched its incessant waves of attack crashing on the North shore - its sprouting black rocks shooting up geysers of bluish green water like an elephant snorting water from its trunk. It was breathtaking sight watching from a cool height of 2000 feet high, breathing lungful of fresh mountain air.
Banyan, Mango, Lychee and Papaya trees act as canopy of the Island. Many tourists who saw a mango tree for the first time in life enthusiastically took its pictures. The Mango man (AAM ADMI) in me from the land of the "King of Fruits" hardly shared their excitement. The voluptuous Papayas on dwarf trees, hanging barely feets from the ground reminded me of KURUNDAs (men with supersize Balls) - an ubiquitous sight in coastal Odisha. More later...
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