From the moment I first saw it, way back in 2001, I knew that I wanted to live in Kailua. Who wouldn’t want to live there? Gentle trade winds, sandy beaches, lush picturesque mountains behind, and a laid back beach town atmosphere that seemed to have come right out of the movies. The first time…
Ancient Hawaiian Death and Burial Practices
When a person died in pre-contact Hawai’i – a kapu was imposed (kapu is taboo) during the time between death and burial. A couple of days for a regular person and ten days or more for a chief or chiefess. So the house and family of the dead became taboo for this period and were…
Private Oahu, Hawaii Tour Guide – One of the World’s Best Jobs
I love being a top Oahu tour guide. I always have…so despite landing a job as an archaeologist in Hawai’i (which sounds like the coolest job in the world) – when the opportunity came up to be a tour guide again – I jumped at it. There is something magical about being able to pick…
Tour ‘Iolani Palace – Hawaii’s Royal Residence in Honolulu’s Historic District
King David Kalakaua was the last king of the Hawaiian Kingdom. His sister, Queen Liliuokalani was the last monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom, overthrown by American sugar planters and American military interests. King Kalakaua built the palace as a symbol to the people of Hawai’i and a message to all the nations of the world…
Flashback Friday: The Majesty and Magic of Mauna Kea on The Big Island of Hawai’i
I suppose I should give a bit of a personal history for the rest of this story to make sense. Here it is in brief – in 2017, I moved my family to Hawai’i. We sold our antique store and little community paper on the Oregon Coast and I came here, found a job, and…
How To Enjoy A Free Dolphin Show on Oahu
A trip to Hawai’i is not a cheap adventure. You are going to be paying for everything and let’s face it – nothing is cheap. Your hotel is expensive, your rental car, your food, your drinks, your sunscreen…and if you live here…well, you already know…every day is expensive. Isn’t anything in Hawai’i cheap? Isn’t anything…
Mini Golf on Oahu – Tropics in Waimalu – Pearl City – Aiea
My wife works during the week and rarely gets to have time by herself at home on the weekends – so I’ve taken to giving her a few hours each weekend in which she can luxuriate in a bath, catch up on her favorite series, or chat with her friends on the phone. It makes…
Ice Skating in Honolulu – An Unexpectedly Cool Thing to Do in Hawaii
We live in the Salt Lake neighborhood of Western Honolulu and there are a couple of unique attractions nearby – Pearl Harbor, the Aloha Stadium, the Battleship Missouri, and the Ice Palace – Honolulu’s only ice skating rink. Not long ago, I took my wife and daughter to the Ice Palace and we skated. We…
Vagorithm Special Election Coverage Prediction
Like everyone in the U.S. – I have become unecessarily stressed out over the election tomorrow – which is really stupid because I voted two weeks ago and the rest of it is out of my hands now. There is literally nothing I can do about what will happen. Unless you haven’t voted yet –…
Aliamanu in Moaunalua – Salt Lake, Honolulu – America’s Densest Asian Neighborhood
I’ve lived in a couple of neighborhoods and towns on Oahu. Waikiki, Kailua, Lanikai, Punchbowl, Punalu’u, Manoa, and since 2017, the Salt Lake neighborhood. I never thought I would live in Salt Lake – not Salt Lake City, Utah nor Salt Lake – the neighborhood in West Honolulu in which I currently reside. It’s not…