Greetings from Hale’iwa, O’ahu, Hawai’i

This is my first blog entry, and the best place to start is where it all began. 

Hale’iwa is located on the North Shore of the island of O’ahu. It has the appearance of a sleepy little town, but in reality, Hale’iwa is a major surfing center with some of the biggest waves nearby at Waimea Bay, Sunset Beach, Banzai Pipeline, and Ehukai Beach.
Hale’iwa was founded in 1898 when Ben Dillingham opened a hotel on the north shore of O’ahu and called it Hale’iwa from Hawaiian for House (Hale) and a frigatebird (‘iwa).

We arrived early in the morning, looking for breakfast. We were told the place to go in Hale’iwa is Kono’s (if they are open). As we drove by we saw people outside at the tables and pulled into the parking lot. Kono’s menu specialty is Bombers, so I had to try one. Bombers are breakfast burritos with various ingredients. I chose the HALEIWA since I was in Hale’iwa. Lots of slow roasted pork, and I added bacon to the eggs, potatoes and cheese already in the Bomber. We sat outside and shared a picnic table with some local chickens.

After breakfast we visited a few art galleries and enjoyed craft shopping. Take some time to visit the local shops and maybe pick up a treasure. Most of the best shopping is along Kemehameha Hwy. If you run across something that looks like a local pop-up market with tents, pull in and check things out.

Next, the real reason we came to Hale’iwa, a return home. I am an Army BRAT, and during the first 18 years of my life, our family moved almost continuously following my Dad from duty station to duty station. I went to 10 different schools for 12 grades. Using Waze, we navigated to a tiny house on Pikai St where I first came home from the hospital. The house was just across the street from the beach and my Mom told me they paid about $70 a month in rent. 61 years later it is still there, looking almost the same as when I lived there (based on old photos), except for the solar panels on the roof. We pulled up unannounced just to get a look at the place. As we arrived, a woman came out and asked if we were lost. I got out and explained that I lived here 60 years ago. She got such a kick out of that. She took my photo and we chatted for a few minutes before leaving.