This past Saturday I participated in two events held in Volcano Village, about 30 miles away from Hilo. The first was staffing an aid station for the 4th Annual Rain Forest Run; the second was a visit to Volcano Winery. As a member of the Rotary Club of Hilo Bay, I could join both activities,
Articles Categorized Travel
DAY TOUR IN SEATTLE
I visit Seattle 2-3 times a year to visit family, eat, and take a break in familiar surroundings. I did my undergraduate BA degree at the University of Washington – before they bricked over the grassy area near the library to create “Red Square” above the Central Garage. If you know when that happened, you
OLYMPIC HOTEL: DOYENNE OF 1920s SEATTLE
OLYMPIC HOTEL. When I was a high school student in a Seattle bedroom community on the other side of Lake Washington, those two words symbolized all that was posh and sophisticated. I never dreamed I could set foot inside such an illustrious palace, let alone stay there regularly. The Olympic Hotel is a palace of
PUPPY BLOGGER RIDES HIS FIRST TRAIN
As promised, I, Guide Dog Spencer McGarrett, am back to tell you about my experience riding the train in Canada. I wanted to show you a picture from Canada, but, alas, Sandra doesn’t take many pictures of me. I don’t know why not, since I am amazingly handsome. But, to her, I guess I’m just
SPENCER THE PUPPY BLOGGER GOES TO CANADA
Hello – Guide Dog Spencer McGarrett, puppy blogger, is back. Last time, I told you how I grew up at Guide Dogs Victoria in Melbourne, Australia and was assigned to join the Handsome Bloke in Hawai`i. Today, I’m going to tell you about my first travel adventure with the Handsome Bloke. I learned lots
THE BEACHES AT WAIKĪKĪ
Travel is a state of mind, an openness to new realities. It is challenging to travel close to one’s home. The terrain is too familiar; our eyes fail to see the nuances, the unique communities of place, or the historic context that can make the ordinary extraordinary. So, today I invite you to join me
ELLORA CAVES – SITE OF RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE
The Ellora Caves are eighteen miles northwest of Aurangabad, a small town in the Indian state of Maharashtria. Like the Ajanta Caves, the Ellora Caves are carved from a sheer vertical rock face. Unlike Ajanta, Ellora represents a more tolerant age during the Gupta period. At Ellora, Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain devotees coexisted and created
PILGRIMAGE TO THE AJANTA CAVES
It was a beautiful day in Augrangabad, India. The early morning was pleasantly warm. At mid-morning we neared the day’s temperature of 40∘ Centegrade – which is roughly 110∘ Fahrenheit for those of us who have yet to switch to metric. Either way, it was very warm. But, as the saying goes: “At least it
MONKEY BUSINESS AT PENCH NATIONAL PARK, INDIA, OR, CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH THE COMMON LANGUR MONKEY
Namaste – I’m glad to be with you again. As you may know from my few Facebook postings, I’ve been in India for three and a half weeks. I have lots of stories to tell. I would have told them sooner, but 1.) Internet connection was not always the best, and 2.) I was doing
NEW GENERATIONS AT THE MANAGO HOTEL
In 1929, Osame Manago took her children to Japan. Her father said, “seeing [them] was worth more than a house filled with gold.” But the triumphant visit became bittersweet on the day Osame and her family prepared to leave. Osame’s sister observed that at seven months old, Osame’s baby was “so young that she couldn’t tell
STEP INTO OLD HAWAI`I AT THE MANAGO HOTEL
The Manago Hotel on Hawai`i’s Kona Coast offers visitors a glimpse of rapidly disappearing “Old Hawai`i.” If you require hotel amenities equaling those at the Four Seasons, this is not the place for you. But, if you have a sense of adventure and a desire to experience a different slice of life, the Manago can
On Gardens
I like gardens that are gracious, well-kept, and delight the visitor with a multitude of textures, fragrances, water features, and vistas. I like gardens that allow people to walk on the grass, assuming they pick up their litter when they leave. Gardens give me space for contemplation and renewal. Many people are able to coax
York: City of Ghosts
A very good day to you, me hearties. I’ve been sitting at the bar of The Golden Fleece in York for a very long time, judging by my attire. (Ah-hem) And, since it is approaching Halloween, I have taken over this here blog from Sandra Wagner-Wright. She don’t know nothin’ about ghosts, but I can
YORK – where “the gates are bars & the bars are pubs”
As some of you know, I was recently in UK. My last blog featured the fabulous afternoon tea at the Milestone Hotel, but if you follow me on Facebook, you know I began the journey home last Saturday. First stop, Seattle, where I have been experiencing really bad jet lag. Which is why
Afternoon Tea at the Milestone Hotel
London is my favorite international city – and not just because the people speak various forms of English. Central London is easy to navigate, has countless treasures, and is the location of the British Museum and the British Library. It is a wonderful place to visit, work, and play. I stay in the area called
Buckingham Palace – A Splendid Residence
Buckingham Palace – A Splendid Residence Two days ago I visited one of the most famous palaces in the world. If you guessed Buckingham Palace, home of Queen Elizabeth II, you are absolutely correct. This was my second visit to Buckingham Palace. Last year I took the standard day tour with audio guide. This year,