Teddy Bear Time for APEC

We all know President Obama's from Hawai‘i; we saw it on his birth certificate about a ga-zillion times thanks to FOX News (!!!) He's half African, half Caucasian. But nowhere on that piece of paper did it say he was part Teddy Bear! 

Meet the cotton-stuffed version of Obama this Thursday, when he and nine other world leaders make their teddy debut in Waikīkī. A museum called Teddy Bear World Hawaii created life-size teddies to honor the delegates coming to Hawai‘i next week for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference. 

Several APEC 2011 delegates in their furriest form. Too bad former president Teddy Roosoovelt wasn't a part of this cotton-filled congregation. That would've been much too ironic!

The 10 teddies represent the USA, Japan, Canada, Australia, South Korea, Russia, China, Mexico, New Zealand and Philippines. These were chosen according to the countries with the most visitors attending this year's global event.

I can't help but chuckle when scanning through each leader in the above photo. Maybe it's their big protruding ears or over-sized paws or the fact that they are bears dressed in a suit-and-tie-get-up. Oh wait, check out the back left. The bears are so detailed that this guy's even got a receding BEARline (hairline, if you didn't get that one!) Either way, the teddies bring in a breath of fresh Hawai‘i air to the much-anticipated APEC conference. Lately, we've all been getting stressed out about the upcoming traffic and how to prepare for the additional 20,000 people that will cram onto O‘ahu next week. These teddy bear replicas put all that aside…at least for a little while. The fuzzy fellas also show the unique ways some local businesses are celebrating APEC.

President Barack Obama looking rather huggable in his office.

The bears were made in Korea – where the company's parent company is stationed – and may eventually find a home with their respective human-form selves. How the delegates will fit those in their suitcases or get that passed through Customs is beyond me. Can you imagine when that thing goes through the x-ray machines at the airport? LOL. That'll give anyone a post-Halloween scare. But it's a nice gesture, nonetheless, that shows how the Aloha Spirit comes in all shapes, sizes and grades of fur.

The APEC bears will be unveiled tomorrow at an invitation-only anniversary party for Teddy Bear World Hawaii. They will be easily identified with a full-colored print of the country it represents.The public can see the exhibit a day after, on Thursday. 

TEDDY BEAR WORLD HAWAII / 1255 Kalākaua Ave. Suite 200, Honolulu, HI 96815 (Map) / 808-921-8011 / teddybearworld.com / Opens daily, 10am-10pm / Museum admission: adults, $8; children, $6; under 4, free / Validated parking at the First Hawaiian Bank below; Near bus route

Photo Credit: Teddy Bear World Hawaii

Posted by Alyssa S. Navares Follow me on Twitter @Uamalie87

Published by Bruce Fisher

Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which, create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. Postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.

Entry Filed under: Fun Stuff,Oahu

November 1st, 2011