Walked through the well-maintained airside gardens at Honolulu HNL, with sections reflecting multicultural Hawaii and its historical connections with Asia. These include gardens dedicated to China, Japan, and Hawaii itself. The scents of vegetation mingle with the occasional whiff of aviation fuel.
Tag: Honolulu 2024
Honolulu to Tokyo
This afternoon (Wednesday) Dwight flies home, arriving Minneapolis early Thursday morning, and I fly to Tokyo, arriving Thursday evening. In Tokyo, I’ll check into an airport terminal hotel. Friday morning, I’ll fly to Kochi on Shikoku, one of Japan’s four main islands.
One Foot in Asia
At Stüssy, only a few customers were allowed in at a time. Those waiting patiently in line were mainly Asian, reflecting the demographics of Hawaii tourism. Nearly half of all visitors to Hawaii come from Asia, a trend that began with the early Japanese settlements in the 1870s. Perhaps this explains why we had the best tonkatsu, ever, in Honolulu.
Polynesian Journeys
At the Bishop Museum, we traced the Polynesian diaspora leading to the discovery and settlement of the Hawaiian Islands around 1,000 years ago. In the planetarium we learned about their sophisticated navigation techniques which relied on the stars and other natural elements, rather than instruments.
Peaceful Places
Our adventure today combined city bus travel with walking. At the (Queen) Liliʻuokalani Botanical Garden, Dwight located three trees he’ll feature in his blog. The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, situated within a volcanic crater, offered a serene atmosphere and spectacular views, while also serving as a poignant reminder of the Pacific War’s battles.
In the Beginning…
On my walk: a Baskin-Robbins in a strip mall. As a teenager, former President Obama scooped here. Nearby are his place of birth (Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children) and the apartment where he lived with his single mom.
Betrayal
Visited ‘Iolani Palace, once home to Hawaii’s monarchs. In 1893, the reign of the beloved Queen Liliʻuokalani came to an end when the sons of missionaries played a significant role in illegally overthrowing the Hawaiian Kingdom, disenfranchising the native people.
Kilohana (Best, Excellent)
Hula, a tradition that tells stories passed down for generations, was banned in the 19th century by missionaries who dismissed Hawaiian culture as heathen. Today, we watched Hawaiian hula performers who had participated in an annual international festival of performers from across Polynesia.
Surfboard Alley
After a beach walk, we headed back along a public beach access path located between two hotels. This narrow passage was lined with surfboard racks that surfers can rent.
A Month in Honolulu
So we finally did it: a month in Honolulu, Tourist Central. Mostly our stay was not about visiting interesting places. Ma, the space between, the quiet moments, made this a fine experience. But interesting places there were: There were some disappointments. The Byodo-In Temple is not a practicing Buddhist temple, a good visit nonetheless. The… Continue reading A Month in Honolulu