Kilauea Lodge may be the most famous structure in Volcano Village. Visitors and tourists comment on the excellent food and serene atmosphere. Only a mile from Volcano National Park, the lodge is a pleasant place to stay while exploring the area. Hiloans often drive approximately thirty miles southwest on Highway 11 for a brief “staycation.”
Articles Categorized Travel
NANI MAU GARDENS – An Oasis of Floral Enchantment
Once upon a time in paradise, Makato Nitahara transformed a 20-acre papaya patch into a tropical dream. I don’t know what inspired him – perhaps just the joyful satisfaction of creation. Nitahara called his garden Nani Mau – Forever Beautiful. In 1972 Nitahara opened his garden to the public, and it’s been a
WHALES, RAPTORS, & BEARS
This is the last installment of my “Cruise Adventures in Alaska” series. And, I must say, from my perspective these events were the best of all. KODIAK After leaving Homer on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula, we cruised across Shelikof Strait to Kodiak Island (Kodak city population 6,130). Kodiak is the second largest island in the U.S.
AN ALASKAN JOURNEY – Part 2
THE WETTEST AMERICAN CITY Before continuing our Alaskan Cruise itinerary, I need to clarify which city is the second rainiest city in the U.S. Last week I wrote that Ketchikan, Alaska is the rainiest city in the United States, and Hilo, Hawai`i is the third rainiest city. Which led to an obvious question – What’s
TALES FROM ALASKA
I just got back from an Alaskan Cruise, and I’ve got so much to tell you, it’s going to take at least three blogs. After a quick overview of the “cruise”, I’ll move on to what I enjoyed most – excursions into Alaska’s majestic scenery and wildlife. THE ms AMSTERDAM Holland America’s mid-size
WINCHESTER HOUSE: THE MANSION A SÉANCE BUILT
Today’s adventure takes us to San Jose, California. Years ago, before Silicon Valley took off, I visited that fair city. Return with me to stroll through the Winchester Mystery House, premier San Jose tourist destination. Climb staircases to nowhere. Look through Tiffany glass windows with a view of absolutely nothing. Learn what you can do
ARIZONA IN MY MIND
Seattle Mariners Spring Training (the subject of last week’s blog) took the Handsome Bloke and I to Phoenix, Arizona. It was the second time I’d been to Arizona. The first time was when I was in middle school – a family trip with the cousins. We visited the Grand Canyon, though at the time we
BASEBALL – Symbol of Summer
“Baseball, it is said, is only a game” – George F. Will Baseball has teams of nine players. The playing field has a diamond shape. There are nine innings and numerous time outs, but no maximum time. Baseball players don’t wear spandex. In comparison to other athletes, they appear modest. The game itself is straightforward.
LEARNED A NEW LANGUAGE LATELY?
Are you old enough to remember foreign language laboratories where students strained to hear a question in, for example, German, and answer it correctly in the microphone, all the while desperately hoping the instructor wasn’t listening to you? Yeah, me too. When I was fourteen, my mother decided I would take Latin. It wasn’t a
HANDSOME BLOKE CHECKS SUPER BOWL OFF BUCKET LIST
NFL Super Bowl XLVIII is history. Super Bowl 48 – the Seattle Seahawks vs. the Denver Broncos (or should I say, Peyton Manning?) Or, as some say, a diversion from the Bruno Mars Half Time Show. But that’s not today’s story. This is a personal story about a man, a dog, a wife, a daughter,
PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORIES
Once upon a time, people went on vacations and took something called “slides.” Shortly after they returned home, these now knowledgeable former tourists rushed to develop the slides so they could invite friends, acquaintances, and the occasional unlucky stranger to join them for light refreshments and a “slide show.” The host loaded slides into a
FLIGHT TO ANOTHER WORLD
After 3 weeks in Agra, it was time to leave on Saturday. So I took a few last pictures of my host’s upscale, professional neighborhood. Gated homes for doctors and lawyers, a temple, the occasional cow in the common area, and, first seen on the day of departure, donkeys near the improvisational housing across the
GETTING SETTLED IN AGRA
Time is strange here in Agra — that feeling that you just got here but have always been here. We are especially fortunate on this visit, because we are staying with friends. this allows us to experience patterns of regular life in a professional Indian household. The first thing I’ve learned is that the home
AH, INDIA
Sunday I arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi for my fourth visit to India. I am constantly drawn back to this place of chaos and contrast, and relish the chance to see the world from a perspective so different I cannot adequately describe it. Today’s blog features a few interesting sights on the
BILE BEANS – PRECURSOR TO LIFESTYLE DRUGS
Crossing the Lord Mayor’s Walk in York (UK), I could not help but notice the prescriptive sign above. The first time I saw it, I was running late and scampered across the street on my way to St. John’s University. The sign greeted me daily for about a week. On more leisurely mornings, I
EGYPT, AN ALABASTER POT, & MEMORIES
In 2008 I visited an Egypt that no longer exists, and brought home this alabaster pot. The seller urged me to put a lamp inside. I didn’t take his advice, yet every day the pot shines light on what once was. The pot sits on the cupboard that houses the television set. As news reports