Crossing Over Borders and Off Bucket Lists
Hawaii, as a place of diverse cultures and languages, has developed its own dialect, known as “pidgin”. Before I left Hawaii to go to school on the “mainland” (also known as the continental U.S.), I didn’t realize how often pidgin made its way into our everyday forms of speech. So to help you out, here is a list of 24 local pidgin words you need to know when visiting Hawaii.
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Are you looking for the best poke on Oahu, Hawaii? This guide from a Hawaii local has everything you need to know!
Over the past several months, there has been a poke (pronounced poh-kay) craze sweeping across the country. Poke is a traditional Hawaiian dish, typically made with ahi (not “ahi tuna”, friends – that just means “tuna tuna”), soy sauce (locals call it “shoyu”), seaweed, and other seasonings.
Odds are, if you haven’t had poke in Hawaii, you’ve had some weird version of poke with avocado or hot Cheeto crumbs (yes, I’ve seen poke with both of these). To help you out in your search for some authentic poke, here are four places to get the best poke on Oahu, Hawaii.
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Are you searching for a guide to the best Hawaii souvenirs? Well, you’ve found one! This guide from a Hawaii local tells you exactly what kinds of souvenirs from Hawaii are worth it.
Thousands and thousands of tourists come to Hawaii every year. And I always see them going off with the tackiest of souvenirs, like gaudy Hawaiian print shirts (which are locally called “aloha shirts”), plastic flower leis, or dancing hula girl figurines. Instead, I’ve compiled a list of the best Hawaii souvenirs to purchase.
I am not the kind of person to have a bucket list. The idea of having a list of things to do and needing to complete them all isn’t my thing – it’s basically another to-do list, and I’m not about that. I do have an adventure list, which is similar in that it is also a list of cool things to do; however, I do not feel the need to complete them all. But that won’t stop me from recommending 16 things to add to the bucket lists that you inevitably have. Continue reading “16 Things to Add Your Bucket List Right Now”
I’ve been missing my hiking days back home just a little bit, so I’ve decided to write this blog post about one of my favorite waterfall hikes back home on Oahu: Likeke Falls. Continue reading “Likeke Falls: One of Oahu’s Secret Waterfall Hikes”
Thousands and thousands of tourists come to the Hawaiian island of Oahu each year. However, most of the time, they end up spending most (if not all) of their time at tourist traps. Here are five tourist traps on Oahu, and some alternatives, so you can actually experience some local favorites.
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Last week, the new International Market Place opened in Waikiki. Now, before I went, I didn’t have high expectations. I just expected it to be another shopping mall with the same old stores, but, I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised.
Continue reading “Waikiki’s Revamped International Market Place”
Hawaii is always described as a melting pot of different cultures, but, let’s be real, it’s always thought of as a melting pot of Asian cultures. I’ve even written quite a bit about the influence of the Asian cultures in Hawaii in my posts on Chinatown and the Japanese Byodo-In Temple. However, there are other cultures in Hawaii that, while they have smaller populations, have an influential presence, like the Greeks. Just this past weekend, Honolulu’s annual Greek Festival took place at Ala Moana Beach Park, and, as precedented by years past, my family and I stopped by.
Continue reading “The Greek Festival of Honolulu: A Festival of the Gods”
Monday morning, I woke up to a bunch of texts and phone calls from some friends telling me that they were going to hike Manoa Falls that morning. I’d wanted to go on a hike the entire summer, but it just hadn’t happened. But that day, it was going to happen.
Continue reading “My Rainy, Muddy, Spontaneous Manoa Falls Hike”
My family and I took a trip into Chinatown Waikiki this week, and it was a shock to all of the senses. We were constantly getting moved around by the crowd of shoppers speaking in rapid Chinese and ending up by booths that smelled distinctly like Asian markets. Although I can only share the visual stimuli with you over this blog, I hope you enjoy!
Continue reading “A Photo Post on Chinatown Waikiki”
