Aloha again from the Valley Isle. This trip, as by now you realized, is underwritten by Steve Balmer and the folks at Microsoft. Thanks! So, an easy walk from the center of Lahaina town, the whaling village turned charming tourist trap, is the Holy Innocents Church pictured here. It's one of a dozen or so simple, small country churches that are oases of calm and architectural elegance in a state with a short supply of interesting buildings.

Many of these churches are lava rock or stucco, like Holy Innocents. Others are simple wooden board-and-batten structures. In the middle of the week almost all these churches are quiet and lovely, save for the wedding or two. Spending a passing moment looking at them is often a nice juxtaposition from the hurly burly vacation whirly that Hawaii has become.

—Alex, 05/12/08