Welcome to Honolulu

Linda Burton posting from Honolulu, Hawaii – “I see the ocean!” Granddaughter Kayla began the day with this revelation; yes, there was ocean-blue a few blocks away, we could see it between the high-rise hotels that now define Waikiki Beach. Directly below our balcony was an oasis of green; that has to be the International Market, we surmised, looking over a tourist map. “Let’s get unpacked,” I said. “Let’s get outside!” Kayla said. All the weariness from yesterday disappeared during the night; we unzipped our bags and dumped out shirts and shorts and underwear; divvied up the dresser drawers. “Look at this,” I said, finding both the Holy Bible and the Teaching of Buddha in the nightstand drawer. I propped the two between my traveling talismans, an angel-on-watch, the fearless lion, and the cat, a depression-era hobo code-sign meaning a “kind lady” lived there. “That should do it,” I smiled. “I’m ready for Honolulu.” No breakfast offerings at this hotel; we agreed to walk the neighborhood until we found a place we liked. “Even if it’s lunch?” Kayla asked. It turned out to be brunch, and our first Honolulu sticker shock. A glass of chocolate milk, $4.95. “We have to import milk,” our server explained. “It’s a small island.” » read more

The Princess in the Park

Kayla Shumate, age 10, traveling with grandmother, posting from Honolulu, Hawaii — G mom and I went to a park close by our hotel. We saw a statue of a princess in the park. Princess Ka’iulani. She was born in 1875 on October 16. Her full name was Victoria Ka’iulani Kalaninuiahilapalapa Kawekiu i Lunalilo Cleghorn. Her mother was Princess Miriam Likelike, sister to the queen. Princess Ka’iulani was to be the future queen of Hawaii. That is why she is so important to Hawaii. Princess Ka’iulani was sent to England to go to school. Princess Ka’iulani’s favorite flower was the Chinese Jasmine. She owned a few peacocks that loved her so much just like family. One day while riding her horse in the mountains of Hawaii, Princess Ka’iulani was caught in a storm and came down with a fever and pneumonia. She died at age 23. That day the Princesses peacocks screamed and cried for her to come back. She lived 1875-1899.

I got pictures of many pigeons in the park but no peacocks were there.