Category Archives: Travel

Gecko greeting

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geckoHawaii has its share of geckos and they are surprisingly active during the daylight hours. They scurry and hide if they see you, but this little guy (or is it gal?) posed for the camera and looked so friendly, as if to say, “Well, hello there.” I always wonder, however, if the local residents find these lizards annoying, sort of like we find salamanders in our region.

Now, I am not a reptile expert, but I believe that this is an orange-spotted day gecko. They like to eat papayas, bananas or anything sweet with nectar or sap. We saw these geckos fighting over something sweet on the edge of a lanai at a breakfast joint on the Big Island.

geckosThe bright green, along with the orange spots, almost gives them an animated look and feel. Or, maybe it’s those GEICO ads? Either way, this mainlander thinks that they are pretty darn cute.

Maui sunset

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Maui sunsetIt’s snowing again where we live. The forecast from the U.S. National Weather Service this morning includes this: “A new storm system will begin to affect the region late Saturday night into Monday morning. A wintry mix of snow, ice pellets, rain and a chance of freezing rain will be encountered with this system.”

So, on this Aloha Friday, I will take a moment to remember this Maui sunset. This photo was taken in Wailea. I think this sunset is reason enough to plan another visit to Hawaii’s second largest island, also known as the Valley Isle.

What’s Shakin’?

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IMG_6077Craving the best smoothie of your life? Made with organic ingredients grown locally, right on the grounds of the most adorable little stand ever? Then it’s time to head over to What’s Shakin’ on the Hilo side of the Big Island.

What’s Shakin’ is located at 27-999 Old Mamalahoa Highway, the 4-mile scenic route, in Pepeekeo. It’s a great place to stop on your way to the Hilo side of the island, or to make a stop if you are staying near Hilo. Earlier this year, we stopped on our way to the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden for lunch. We had a smoothie for lunch and split the most delicious ahi tuna wrap with fresh avocado. This is one of the freshest, most delicious lunches or snacks you will ever find.

IMG_6087They also sell the organic fruit they grow right on the grounds. Yum.

The smoothies? I highly recommend the Bananarama or the Peanut Braddah (banana, peanut butter and chocolate and milk, but I ordered it up with mac nuts). I might need to go back to eventually try all of them.

As if the 4-mile scenic drive wasn’t enough after the drive over from Kona with its twists and turns through gorgeous gulches and views, you make the turn to the scenic drive and suddenly, there you are—at the What’s Shakin’ stand just in time for lunch or the perfect afternoon snack.

IMG_6076The service at What’s Shakin’ has always been friendly. They have picnic tables for you to leisurely enjoy your smoothie or lunch. The view? Well, how about the lush green of the Hilo side along with flowers and the ocean off in the horizon? Doesn’t get better than that.

Beach bliss

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South Kohala-20130304-00559It’s a common misperception that the Big Island is not the island to visit if you are looking for the quintessential Hawaiian beach experience. The picture perfect, fine, soft sand beach you would expect to see on a postcard.

Yes, the island’s landscape is filled with lava and there are many gray and black sand beaches, and even a green sand beach at the island’s southernmost point. These beaches are uniquely gorgeous and you should visit as many as possible. This could be a good lifelong goal to set.

Head north, however, and you will discover one of the world’s top rated beaches on the Kohala Coast side of the island—Hapuna Beach.

I took this photo with an antiquated cell phone camera on a whim. You could point and shoot anywhere near this gorgeous beach and your photo would turn out beautifully.

Although I am not too much of a spend-all-day-at-the-beach person, a visit to Hapuna Beach is a must when visiting the Big Island. It’s one of the most peaceful, calming places you could imagine. Give me my 50 SPF, a place in the shade, a good book and I am set.

Parking is a breeze as the beach is part of the Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area and there is no entrance fee. The entrance is on Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway (Highway 19), 2.3 miles south of Kawaihae.

This place is a gem. It’s April 10 and in the Midwest we are in the middle of a major spring snow and sleet storm. Hawaii, how I miss you.

Yoga by the sea

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yogamaunalauniWhere we live, the weather forecast calls for snow, sleet and ice, so I am desperately trying to hold on to the memories of yoga by the sea.

It would be difficult to think of a better location for yoga than Hawaii. This photo is from a morning beach yoga session at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows on the Kohala Coast of the Big Island. You do not need to be staying in the hotel property to participate. You may purchase one class or a package at the Manua Lani Fitness Club. One session is currently $16, a package of 5 is $70 or a package of 10 for $120. To purchase a session or package, just stop by the Mauna Lani Fitness Club.

Considering that a yoga class at my favorite local studio is $15, I would call this a bargain.

The instructors were terrific. My favorite line was when one instructor said, “This is not New York City yoga. This is Hawaii yoga. Breathe. Relax. Look at the whales jumping out of the water.” And just like that, there they were. Whales frolicking and playing in the sea close enough for us to relax and deepen into our pose. Unforgettable. This is my kind of yoga practice.

North Kona-20130306-00570There are many other places on the Big Island offering yoga. Here’s a shot of another outdoor studio in Keahou at the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keahou Bay.

During the 60-minute beachfront practice at the Mauna Lani, the morning sun shifted in the sky. The milo tree provided a shady outdoor studio. This is a memory that keeps me going as we wonder when spring will arrive in the Upper Midwest.

Namaste.

Stop and smell the plumeria

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ry=400-4Experts say that the sense of smell is closely tied to memory. One of my favorite scents in Hawaii is plumeria. When you step off the plane after a long flight, the smell of flowers is one the most welcoming things about the Aloha State.

You will find plumeria in yellow, pink and other colors. The yellow plumeria flowers are my favorite and they seem to make some of the most fragrant leis. If you find one at a local farmers’ market, you will not regret buying it.

In March, we found a yellow plumeria lei at the Farmers’ Market on Ali’i Drive in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island. The man who sold it to us had just made it. It was, perhaps, the best $7 I had spent all winter. Even after it had dried, it still smelled wonderful.

The Hawaiian people love their flowers. Many Hawaiians wear flowers in their hair. This may be one reason why Hawaii was ranked the happiest state in the country in a recent article in The Atlantic.

Aloha.

Happy honu

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honuHonu is the Hawaiian term for these magical, ancient creatures—the green sea turtle. You will find the honu on the beaches or relaxing and resting on the lava rocks while they sun themselves. They are also active in the water as you snorkel near the shore. They are indigenous to Hawaii and are viewed as a symbol of peace and good luck. They are fortunate to live in some of the most beautiful waters in the world.

These creatures need our help to survive and thrive. The green sea turtles are protected under the Endangered Species Act. Many people and nonprofit organizations have worked diligently over the years to protect the turtles. It is critically important that you do not disturb, touch or bother them. They almost seem to sense that they have this protection as they do not seem afraid of humans and will swim nearby when you are snorkeling. It’s okay to admire, but under no circumstances should you disturb or touch them.

Apparently the honu lifespan is similar to that of humans and they often live to be 80 years or older.

In March of this year, we were walking on a fairly quiet part of the beach on the Kohala Coast. We weren’t expecting to run into a turtle, but there it was half asleep, resting and oblivious to us humans. We quietly admired for a few moments and then moved on. They are amazing.

For the past 24 years, the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows on the Big Island’s Kohala Coast has held a Turtle Independence Day on July 4.  For two to three years, the baby honu are raised in the ancient fish ponds of the Mauna Lani.  They are lovingly cared for until they reach an age and size suitable for entering life in the ocean. More than 200 honu have been released in the past quarter century at the Mauna Lani on the Fourth of July—a fitting way to celebrate our nation’s independence.

Hula lessons

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hulaWe stumbled upon this scene while touring the Hulihee Palace in historic Kailua-Kona on the Big Island. The Hulihee Palace was a summer vacation home for Hawaiian royalty at one time and it is definitely worth a visit if you find some extra time on Ali’i Drive. Today, it is a museum run by an organization called the Daughters of Hawaii and it showcases some interesting artwork, artifacts and furnishings.

These darling youngsters were getting an early start on hula lessons.  I love that the Hawaiians have preserved and carried on this art form. It’s one of the first things that a mainlander is introduced to when they learn about Hawaii. And when you visit, you really do see that the hula is part of the Hawaiian culture and spirit of aloha. The sight of young children starting hula lessons at an early age made us smile. The hula has become an iconic symbol for all things Hawaii. It’s one more thing to love about Hawaii.

The long and winding road

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Big Island 2012 037

This path is one of my favorite morning walks on the Big Island. The colors, the flowers, the beautiful sounds of the sea, it combines so many things I love about Hawaii.

Today, in the Midwest we are expecting rain and possibly snow. It’s April. I can’t complain, as there are so many things we love about living here, but I am desperate for color and signs of spring. The weather forecast for where we live shows a bright sun now and 27 degrees, turning to mostly cloudy by this afternoon with a high of 44 degrees, followed by rain later this evening and all day tomorrow.  April showers bring May flowers, I know. But still, it’s been a long, snowy, cold winter and I’m done with it. I just want to take a walk without gloves, a jacket and mittens in April. Is that too much to ask?

In Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, the temperature right now is 71 degrees at 3 a.m. with a forecast of 83 and sunny for Friday. Saturday’s forecast is for 84 and mostly sunny and Sunday’s calls for 82 and sunny.

There are parts of the Big Island and other islands of Hawaii where it rains constantly. Even if you are visiting, you really don’t mind since the rain makes for a gorgeous lush landscape and there is almost always a rainbow to discover somewhere in that rain. A hike in the rain with 78 degree weather is still magnificent, rain or shine.

Ah, paradise.

News Hawaiian style and the first new language in the U.S. in 80 years

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As a communications, marketing and public relations professional, I have a strange habit while traveling: I love to watch the local television news. Call me weird, but I find this a fascinating study in local culture.

For example, when I travel to Los Angeles for work or fun, I always tune in to the local CBS station. For readers from the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, I have two words for you: Paul Magers.

In Hawaii, the local newscasts are fascinating. First, the news coverage is Oahu and Honolulu-focused, but also covers the other islands including the Big Island, Maui and Kauai. The local newscasters, especially those covering weather and sports, are almost always decked out in aloha wear—fun, colorful Hawaiian clothing. The weather? Well, it’s almost always 78 and usually sunny, but the surf report is ever-changing and necessary to report. I once heard that in the Hawaiian language, they don’t even have a word for weather since it really doesn’t change.

On our most recent trip to the Big Island in March of this year, I tuned in to discover something fascinating. Linguists had discovered the first new documented language in the United States in 80 years: Hawaiian Sign Language. Leave it to the Hawaiians to make language this beautiful. Hawaiian Sign Language, which researchers estimate dates back to the 1800s, is not a subset of American Sign Language. Rather, it has a distinct vocabulary and grammar. On the news, they showed a demonstration of Hawaiian Sign Language versus American Sign Language.

No surprise that it was beautiful to watch.