ramblings of a Seattle travel, food and photography hound
In the next few months, my wife and I will be conditioning ourselves for a trip to Peru and Bolivia later in the year. High-altitude hiking in the Andes will be punishing enough without even taking into consideration demand on legs, knees and lungs. Our first real hike of the year was yesterday, the popular Little Si Trail... Continue Reading →
I saw these beautiful leis at the Hanalei Farmers' Market. These were not the full leis that one normally sees in Hawaii, but elegant strings of plumeria, bougainvillea and crown flowers, the first two growing in abundance on Kauai and Oahu throughout my visit.
Kauai has lots of taro fields. Not that the Garden Isle has exclusive claim to them, but the North Shore is considered the best place on the Islands to grow taro. Over half of all poi in Hawaii is made from Kauai taro. Around Hanalei, you drive past the fields on all sides. The largest farm in... Continue Reading →
What's a week on Oahu without glutting ourselves on local grinds? We revisited some old 'friends' and made some new ones. Hawaii is the land of shave ice; we did our best to support that sub-economy, as much to have the best in the world as to be a foil for the Hawaiian sun. Wherever we could include island fruits... Continue Reading →
Amaebi is prized for their sweet flavor and for their use in sushi. They are caught off the shores of several Hawaiian islands. I saw these sweet shrimp at the Maunakea Market Place in Honolulu's Chinatown and at the KCC Saturday Market.
The hundreds of koi in the ponds surrounding Byodo-In temple have always been an incredible sight, but in my mind, the impression left by black swans floating above the fish is more extraordinary.
There's nothing more mesmerizing than watching the huge, crashing surf at Ehukai Beach on Oahu's North Shore, more commonly known as the Banzai Pipeline. Our traveling party sat on the warm sands, digesting our shrimp from Fumi's and chocolate-haupia pie from Ted's Bakery, when a dog came trotting along the swash, not in the least bothered by... Continue Reading →
We hadn't been to the Islands in a year and a half. In that time, I missed Hawaii and its food, not having had it even on the mainland since our last island visit. I looked forward to the current vacation in Kauai and Oahu, not only to get Hawaiian sun but to get some... Continue Reading →
Few would argue Hurricane Iniki was nothing less than a horrible natural disaster. It struck mainly the island of Kauai in the summer of 1992, leaving behind a path of destruction and caused almost $2 billion in damage. It was the most powerful storm ever to hit the Hawaiian Islands in recorded history, becoming a Category 4... Continue Reading →
I know I was bowled over when I first laid eyes on Waimea Canyon more years ago than I care to count. I was no less impressed when I saw it again yesterday. Nicknamed Grand Canyon of the Pacific for obvious reasons, it is a testament to the power of water erosion and faulting. The view above is from the... Continue Reading →
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