Sun, surf, sand and the end of a week in paradise. The view from the edge of the earth on the Big Island’s Kohala Coast. Aloha. Wish I was there.
It’s Aloha Friday
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Author Archives: alohajournal
Hawaiian yellow hibiscus
Hawaii’s state flower is the yellow hibiscus. The large flowers are four to six inches in diameter and often have a maroon-colored center. The flowers seem to open and close at certain times each day. Bright, cheery and oh so photogenic, it’s worth taking a moment to stop and smell the flowers when you stumble upon yellow hibiscus in Hawaii.
Pearl Harbor
A National Historic Landmark, Pearl Harbor is one of the most visited destinations on Oahu and in the Hawaiian Islands. It’s a somber and unforgettable experience—one that will stay with you for years.
The Pearl Harbor historic sites include the WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument, Battleship Missouri Memorial, USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park, and the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor. You could easily spend a full day visiting, especially if you are a student of history. The National Park Service has information on hours, the various historic sites and helpful details on how to plan your day.For a visit to the USS Arizona Memorial, you will begin at the Pearl Harbor Memorial Theater for an excellent 23-minute film, and will then take a Navy-operated shuttle boat to the USS Arizona Memorial. There are three areas of the Memorial: the Entry Room, the Assembly Room and the Shrine Room with the great marble wall with the names of more than 1,000 people who perished on the ship. 
It was more than 12 years ago since I visited Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial, but I think about it frequently, especially on the anniversary each year on Dec. 7. The attack in 1941, which propelled America into World War II, is something Americans learn about in history books. When you visit and reflect upon the lives lost, the heroic acts and the stories you hear, it really brings this history to life. This is a place to consider and reflect upon America’s history, the devastation, the pain of war and the price of freedom.
Oil still leaks from the wreckage of the USS Arizona
Tickets may be reserved online for the USS Arizona Memorial here.
Hawaiian weather
Just another picture perfect day at Wailea Beach in Maui
In the past week in the Midwest, we went from snow, sleet and freezing temperatures on Saturday to 100 degrees on Tuesday. Welcome to spring! At least the piles of snow and ice have finally melted.
This brutal winter made me constantly think about the lovely weather of Hawaii. Along with southern California, my opinion is that you can’t beat the weather of the Hawaiian Islands. Sure, many islands are extremely rainy, but the reward is a lush, green paradise. The vast majority of our visits to Hawaii have been escapes from our long, cold, snowy winters, but we have also visited in the summer. We learned, anecdotally, that this is the time when Californians and others from the west coast tend to vacation in Hawaii. There was a bit more humidity, but the temperatures are so surprisingly consistent it is amazing to us when we have a nearly 70-degree fluctuation in a matter of three days.
Every day I check out the forecast for Hawaiian locations on my weather app, which almost always calls for sunny or partly sunny and a fluctuation of mid-70s to low-80s. When it’s below zero, this is an obsession. Sure, there are cloudy days depending on the island and some locations are some of the rainiest on earth. However, when it’s warm and there is a rainbow lurking somewhere in that rain, you don’t mind one bit. How does that Crowded House song go? Everywhere you go, always take the weather with you? It may not be the intended meaning of the song, but everywhere I go, I’d like to take Hawaii’s weather with me.
The rugged grandeur of Kauai’s Waimea Canyon
If you’ve ever visited or flown over the Grand Canyon, imagine the same wonder and beauty on a Hawaiian island overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Waimea Canyon is often referred to as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. It is located on the western side of Kauai and is approximately 10 miles long.When you enter Waimea Canyon State Park and drive through, you will enjoy magnificent views of the Pacific and in the distance on a clear day you’ll see the mysterious and privately owned island of Niihau, often referred to as The Forbidden Isle.
The blues of the sea and sky, in contrast to the terra cotta and red hues of the canyon, sprinkled with green, do not disappoint. Waimea Canyon is a scenic jewel and a hiker’s dream.
There is an easy and short hike, the Iliau Nature Loop, and a longer, more difficult hike of Kukui Trail, a 2.5 mile hike down the west side. The adjacent forest reserve has other hiking trails into and out of the canyon.
Waimea Canyon State Park is located 11.1 miles north of Kekaha on Koke‘e Road (Highway 550). Bring your camera. Be sure to pack your own drinking water. Enjoy the view.
Orchid memories
It’s May 1 and we are once again bracing for a winter snow, sleet and slush storm. Yes, another winter storm in spring.
The forecast is for six to nine inches of snow. Yes, it’s May 1 and the tulips and daffodils in the Upper Midwest were just starting to make an appearance. Poor things. So, instead of snow, I’ll dream of orchids.
These photos are from March at the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden. The Garden has a fantastic collection of orchids.
To see orchids in a natural garden setting instead of potted is a thing of beauty—something to hold onto until spring decides to arrive.
Sunday serenity
Wishing you a peaceful and tranquil Sunday, wherever you are. This is a photo from March 2010 in Kauai—one of the most peaceful and tranquil places I have ever visited. The landscape almost reminds me of a painting when I look at the clouds, the blue sky, the lush green valley and the trees in the pasture. Aloha.
Hawaiian music
Beautiful beachside live Hawaiian music
Hawaiian music is much more diverse than one might expect. I have much to learn about traditional and contemporary Hawaiian music and plan to do just that during future visits. I do know, however, that I like what I hear.
On our first visit, we discovered KAPA-FM on the dial—Hawaii’s most-listened-to radio station.
Whenever I need my Hawaiian music fix at home, we listen online. I have the app on my iPhone and iPad, and I stream it on my computer to remind me of happy times in Hawaii. The station does play lots of beautiful traditional Hawaiian music. I am also happy to report that any song can be played Hawaiian island style. You name it and we have heard it and it always brings a smile to your face.
In Hawaii, it’s a great option to catch some local music. We especially enjoy listening to Hawaiian slack key guitar—the mesmerizing style unique to Hawaii. This is an art form to appreciate. Listening to it brings back memories of treasured trips and the beautiful surroundings. There is a website devoted to the Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Festivals held each year. I’d love to check one of these out on a future visit to the islands.
If you need some Hawaii on this Aloha Friday, you can’t go wrong listening to some Hawaiian music. Go to KAPA online, Home of Hawaii’s music, and stream it from anywhere in the world. Spring has finally arrived, so I’m going to stream it now to kick off the weekend.
Blooming bougainvillea
Bright purple, red, white, orange and pink, the bougainvillea colors in Hawaii are unforgettable. They border the highways and add bursts of color to yards, public spaces, beaches and rugged terrain.
They even seem to thrive in fields of lava, which gives a colorful contrast with the black rock and other tropical plants and trees. With deep green leaves, the bracts (the leaf-like structures just below the flower) offer the bursts of color. If you look closely, you will see a tiny white flower inside.
They are most impressive in mass plantings, hedges or barriers and seem to flower the most from September through late spring. Some years we have noticed that they seem to be more vibrant than other years, most likely depending on rainfall as they thrive in slightly dry conditions.
For scent, plumeria is one of my favorite flowers in Hawaii, but when it comes to bursts of beautiful color, bougainvillea never disappoints.
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This is the view from the Upper Midwest on April 23. Up to 7 inches of snow and slush in our region overnight. Spring is on the way, however, with a hope for 70 degrees by the weekend. In the meantime, memories of Hawaii keep us going.
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