I have always admired the photos of coconut trees. But visiting Hawaii, I realized the sad truth behind this beauty. I discovered that these trees are so photogenic because most of their leaves have been cruelly cut! So the few remaining leaves, make them look striking...especially when they sway in the breeze in a stormy background. I am really pissed off by this wanton cutting of leaves. Why do they do it? I was also dismayed to see that majority of the trees had no nuts in them. I refuse to believe that the nuts had been plucked in all these trees. Either the nuts don't grow as the leaves are cut or the nuts are prematurely removed because ? they may fall and cause damage? I don't know but this is such a manipulation of nature for man's own selfish needs.
The only coconut tree I saw
with nuts and without its leaves hacked was at the airport. One single treen only ! The remaining coconut trees in the airport were nut-less and also had their leaves hacked off.
Above...a look at downtown Hilo from the Coconut Island
Above are photos from I think, coconut island in Hilo town of Big Island, Hawaii.
Below are photos from Japanese Garden, near this coconut island, in Hilo in Big Island.
If the Japanese garden were
much bigger, (say 500 acres)
without tar (asphalt) roads,
if no buildings were visible from the garden,
if no traffic were allowed and no traffic sounds could be heard when in this garden,
it would have been even more serene and conducive to contemplation.
