Back in the turn-of-the-century, the majority of the irrigation ditches used to distribute water to the sugar cane fields were built by Japanese immigrants. These elaborate waterways were built by hand in very difficult conditions using bare hands, picks, shovels, and hammers. The laborers often had to work 12 hour days for a pittance and […]
Read More→I recently went to the Polynesian Cultural Center for the first time in a couple years. The visit reminded me of some things I’d like to share, including some tips about visiting this attraction. After all, you have a lot of activity choices when you visit Oahu, and you may wonder if the Hawaii Polynesian […]
Read More→You can’t visit Waikiki without seeing the Duke Kahanamoku Statue. This festive and welcoming sculpture stands tall at the shores of Waikiki, honoring the famous Hawaiian who rose to fame as a swimmer, a surfer, and the Ambassador of Aloha. But there’s more to this statue than meets the eye. Here are 7 things you […]
Read More→If you’re planning a trip to Hawaii, you should really think about bringing something unique back to remember your trip. In previous posts we’ve discussed what not to bring back as keepsakes such as lava rock or black sand from any of the beaches (strictly forbidden and brings bad luck). So let’s talk about something […]
Read More→JAMES WINPENNY III • 1935-2009 By Erika Engle Reposted from The Star Bulletin POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, May 14, 2009 Longtime advertising man Jim Winpenny died Tuesday of congestive heart failure and emphysema at Straub Clinic & Hospital, his daughter Shannon said. He was 73. An award-winning advertising copy writer and creative director, Winpenny’s career […]
Read More→More and more people are wearing tattoos these days, all over the world. The social stigma is far less than it’s been over the years, and “body art” has come to be admired in most circles. In Hawaii, tattoos have a significance of their own. Early explorers noted that both men and women wore tattoos […]
Read More→As soon as you arrive in the islands on your Hawaii vacation, you’ll see it: Locals gesturing to each other with their thumbs and pinkies extended, their middle three fingers curled into their palms with the back of the hand facing the person being greeted. Sometimes the hand is rotated back and forth to emphasize […]
Read More→In a strange coincidence, two highly respected sports announcers recently died just a day apart. Both had close ties to Hawaii; both had close ties to Philadelphia. Both got established in Honolulu (as did sportscaster Al Michaels). Harry Kalas, who died on April 12, was the play-by-play man for the Philadelphia Phillies and the narrator […]
Read More→Dim sum has become a celebrated culinary tradition in Hawaii, reflecting the state’s multicultural Asian influence. Chinese immigrants brought dim sum to Hawaii in the 19th century during the plantation era, and its popularity has since been shaped by the state’s diverse population, which includes influences from Japan, Korea, the Philippines, and other Asian cultures. […]
Read More→Some time back we wrote about Downtown Honolulu’s emerging Arts District, an area where art galleries, theaters and urbane restaurants now are attracting sophisticated residents and vacationers. This is a relatively new phenomenon occurring in a place that has a history of … well, squalor. Adjacent to the Arts District lies the far more traditional […]
Read More→There are good reasons for renting a car on your Hawaii vacation. Even if you are part of a group that provides transportation to and from most of the venues on your itinerary, you’ll probably want to go off and explore on your own. Public transportation is pretty grim on the “outer” islands – Kauai, […]
Read More→When on vacation in Hawaii don’t be afraid to drink the water. There are lots of vacation destinations that come with built-in cautions about water quality. Hawaii definitely is not one of them. Oahu in particular is blessed with water that ranks with the best quality in the world. Part of the reason is the […]
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