Crossing Over Borders and Off Bucket Lists
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”
A few days ago, my family and I acted like tourists and travelled to the northeast side of Oahu, a part of the island almost completely unknown to us. We started at the sacred Valley of the Temples, where we saw the Byodo-In Temple, a small-scale replica of the original Byodo-In Temple in Japan that is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Continue reading “Discovering the Northeast Side of Oahu, Hawaii”
Even though I was born and raised in Hawaii, I had never been to the famous Aloha Stadium swap meet (flea market) until just a few days ago. I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but it was definitely worth the experience.
After paying the entrance fee of $1 per person, we gained access to all of the booths surrounding the entire stadium. They sold all sorts of items (catered mostly to tourists) at surprisingly cheap prices! (Many of the booths sold 7 T-shirts for $20!)
Have you ever dreamt about having a beach all to yourself? With only the sound of the waves echoing in your ears? And rare marine animals for only you to enjoy? Well, I’ve found a place that’s pretty much pulled right from your imagination. I’ve found the Ko Olina secret lagoon.
With all the tourists that flock to Hawaii each year, it’s hard to find a beach that isn’t packed wall-to-wall with people. However, just steps from the tourist hotspot of Ko Olina on Oahu, there’s a small, undiscovered oasis.
