I’m very excited about taking my first Blogging U. course, Photo 101 and this is my very first entry! Today’s assignment is “home” and this is a picture of the sun rising over Kalapaki Bay, on my home island of Kauaʻi. I live on Hawaiʻi Island, home to the easternmost point of the Hawaiian archipelago, Kumukahi, where sunrises are well-documented in chant, hula, and literature. This picture reminds of feeling at home in two places at the same time.
It is 5:00 pm (HST) and category 1 Hurricane Iselle is currently 150 miles east-southeast of Hilo. A hurricane warning was issued yesterday afternoon and although we had hoped that it would be downgraded to either a hurricane watch or a tropical storm warning, here we are, 2-3 hours out from experiencing sustained winds of 80 miles per hour with higher gusts. Meanwhile, Julio is 1155 miles outside of Hilo and a classified category 2 hurricane expected to weaken in the next few days. Hurricanes are rare for Hilo. We are commonly known for earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions, but there is a first time for everything. We did have a close call with Flossie in 2013, but she dissipated before reaching us. Living in Hilo, I had grown complacent about hurricanes being a threat. There is a common belief here that the reason we don’t experience hurricanes is because Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, and Hualālai protect us, sheering through hurricanes and sparing us from their effects. Not so in the case of Iselle and I was jolted into reality with the issuance …
Kauaʻi’s famous Tree Tunnel on Maluhia Road. Weekly Photo Challenge: Monument | http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/monument/
I grew up on Kaua’i, so this post was inevitable. Hamura Saimin is a household name for the locals and a must for visitors. Itʻs a humble saimin stand located in Līhuʻe thatʻs been passed down through the generations. Thanks to this famous “hole in the wall”, saimin continues to be my long-standing comfort food. If you’re looking for a fine dining experience, you won’t get it at Hamura’s. The ambiance is no-nonsense, the prices are extremely affordable, and the food is unforgettable. Standing in a queue before getting to a stool at the counter is normal, but it’s well worth the wait. If your party includes more than 2 people, be prepared to sit separately. Also, it may get warm for some people and there’s no A/C. My advice is, don’t get caught up in what Hamura’s isn’t. You’re there for the food and the experience, so suspend judgement, pay attention, and just go with it. Everything is delicious, but here’s my dream order: A small saimin (half-cooked) 1 chicken stick A can of Diamond Head …
I am on a journey of spiritual rediscovery with Kauaʻi. My childhood was filled with camping trips at Māhāʻulepū, going on long hikes through Kōkeʻe, and exploring the abandoned cane field roads behind my house in ʻŌmaʻo. It was a time filled with wonder and a developing kinship with the sands that raised me. Becoming a practitioner of hula, I now see Kauaʻi in a very different light, through a cultural lens that I hadn’t developed when I lived there as a child. Kauaʻi is an old island, not just geologically, but mythically. Below its thick and glossy image as a tourist destination, before even the rich local culture developed out of the plantation lifestyle, Kauaʻi is the backdrop to many of the traditional staples of hula and oli. It is home to mystical places and magical events in Hawaiian mythology, particularly those related to Pele and her ʻohana. I went home to Kaua’i this past weekend and made it a point to visit Keahualaka. The heiau is literally translated to “the shrine of Laka” and holds …
It’s morning in Kōloa. No better way to spend it than first paying homage to Kūhiō and then meeting the locals.
Holoholo Girls 