Bruno Mars wins big at the Grammys

Hawaiian singing sensation, Bruno Mars, was the big winner at the 60th Grammy Awards where his R&B-inspired album 24K Magic, won all six awards it was nominated for.

Mars swept the top three categories picking up album of the year for 24K Magic, record of the year for the title track, and song of the year — shared with seven co-writers — for That's What I Like. 

“He’s a genius,” said songwriter Jonathan Yip, who co-wroteThat’s What I Like. “He’s a triple or quadruple threat. He can play instruments, he can dance, he can sing, he’s charismatic on stage.”

The song and dance man also won best R&B performance, best R&B song and best R&B album in a golden night in New York. It was Bruno’s biggest Grammy haul to date.

Elsewhere British musician, Ed Sheeran, took top honours for best pop solo performance for Shape of You, while Kendrick Lamar scooped five awards making him the night’s second-most decorated artist. Lamar’s awards included best rap/sung collaboration for Loyalty, with Rihanna, and best rap album for Damn.

But there was no joy for Jay-Z, who went home empty handed, and Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee. The duo were left disappointed after their smash hit Despacito - the most widely viewed video ever at five billion views - was edged out in the song and record of the year categories.

In "music's biggest night," women wore white roses in solidarity with the #MeToo movement.

The 2018 Grammys were held at Madison Square Garden in New York - voted North America’s Leading Business Travel Destination at the prestigious 2017 World Travel Awards - for the first time since 2003.

Hawaii on the cheap

Sure the sun-lashed islands of Hawaii can be horrendously expensive but it is possible to visit this exotic chain - which this year is marking the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor - and have fun on a budget. Here's how...

Think outside the (beach) box
Hawaii is arguably best known for its beautiful beaches. Hanauma Bay (www.hanaumabaystatepark.com/) – a protected marine life park - is currently hogging the headlines having been named America’s best beach on an annual top 10 list compiled by coastal science professor Stephen Leatherman, also known as Dr. Beach. 

And rightly so: this beloved bowl shapedbay is the place to get up closeand personal with Hawaii’s colourful state fish – the Humuhumunukunukuapua’a (humuhumu for short) – but it will cost you. (Entry is US$7.50 with snorkelling set hire, priced at an additional US$20.
Of course you could wander to Waikiki but Hawaii’s most famous beach is set against a back drop of irresistible bars and boutiques - hardly ideal if your budget is more push bike than Porsche…
Our advice? Forget Waikiki and make for Oahu’s Windward coast where you’ll find Kailua with its white sand, azure waters and wave conditions for just about every water sport imaginable and Lanikai - consistently crowned one of the world’s most spectacular beaches by travel magazines. Then there’s North Shore – a surfing mecca that draws pros from around the world owing to its waves, which are as high as houses.

Take a hike

Hawaii isn’t all about beaches… Hikers will be in seventh heaven as there are numerous trails, all of which are free to access, and serve up the kind of heart stopping vistas you’ll be dreaming about for months afterwards. Don’t miss Diamond Head Park – O’ahu’s best known landmark.The trail to the summit of this 475-acre crater was built in 1908 as part of the US Army Coastal Artillery Defense System. Allow around an hour to hike to the top of the crater rim and back and don’t forget your camera: the views of the Waianae Range (to the west) and Koko Head (to the east) are spectacular.
Alternatively lace up your hiking boots and make for Manoa Falls - a favourite of US president Barack Obama (who spent part of his childhood in Hawaii) - where you can stride out through rocky stream-beds, bamboo forests and banyan trees, before reaching the 150-foot tall waterfall. Don’t be tempted to leap in though: leptospirosis (a bacterial infection caused by exposure to water) and falling rocks makes swimming inadvisable.

Culture on the cheap

Tourists books and travel guides will advise you to experience an authentic luau (a traditional Hawaiian party or feast). Typically the sounding of a conch shell signals the beginning of the evening’s festivities: expect an entertaining evening of Hawaiian culinary delights (chow down on kalua pua’a aka roasted pig, poke – raw fish marinated in soy sauce - and haupia – coconut custard), culture, history and Polynesian dancing…. for around £60.
However if your purse strings are suffering, panic not: simply head forKūhiō Beach Hula mound on Kalākaua Ave (opposite the Hyatt Regency Waikīkī) where every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evening from 6-7pm (Nov-Jan), you can catch a complimentary Hawai‘ian music and hula show by some of Hawaii’s’finest hālau hula (dance troupes) and performers, underneath a magnificent banyan tree.
Make no mistake: locals are keen to make sure that their cultural traditions aren’t forgotten and, subsequently, sites such as the the Royal Hawaiian Centre (www.royalhawaiiancenter.com/events) host free arts and craft, hula, ukulele and lomi lomi (indigenous Hawaiian healing massage) classes in addition to staging performances by Hawaiian storytellers and musicians who are keen to share with malihini  (visitors), the history and heritage of their homeland.
On Friday nights, don’t miss Hilton Hawaiian Village’s (www.hiltonhawaiianvillage.com/resort-experiences/entertainment-and-events)  fabulous (free) firework display on Waikiki Beach, that’s proved popular with visitors and O’ahu local alike since it was first introduced in the eighties.

Plan a visit to Pearl Harbor
Rising at a ridiculously early hour to head out to Pearl Harbor (www.pearlharboroahu.com) and pay your respects to those who lost their life in the Japanese attack on 8 December 1941 that pushed America into WW11, is a rite of a passage. Particularly this year - what with it being the 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor (which resulted in five battleships being sunk and 2,500 American lives lost) and all..
While Pearl Habor sites such as the Battleship Missouri Memorial (www.ussmissouri.com) and Pacific Aviation Museum (www.pacificaviationmusuem.com) and the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park charge a small admission fee, the USS Arizona Memorial - aka the most significant WW11 site - is absolutely free. Run by the National Park Service (NPS), the memorial consists of an excellent visitor centre and museum packed full of rare WW11 memorabilia and historical photos, plus an offshore shrine. Boat trips to the shrine - which was built over the midsection of the sunken USS Arizona - depart from the visitor centre every 15 minutes from 8am-3pm, but it’s best to arrive early as the day’s allotment of tickets is often gone by 12 midday.

Cheap eats

Hawaii isn’t a cheap dining destination - prices, particularly in Waikiki, tend to be as high as the Shard. That being said, there’s no need to go hungry in Hawaii if your wallet isn’t rammed with dollars.  Seek out a Farmers Markets - the Saturday Farmers Market at KCC (www.hfbf.org) gets our vote - where you can get stuck into arange of Hawaiian foods(think poi,loco moco, masaladas and more)  that represent this exotic chain of islands’ multi-cultural make-up, for peanut prices while also getting to hang out with Hawaii locals who love to eat.
Or rock up at Rainbow Drive-In (www.rainbowdrivein.com) - a colourful Kanaina Avenue diner that was a favourite hang-out of the teenage Obama. Fast forward to today and the US President still pops into Rainbow Drive-In fora plate lunch. Consisting of macaroni salad served with two scoops of rice and everything from Korean barbecue to chicken katsu, the plate lunch is a popular - and crucially affordable - Hawaiian ono grind (good eat).
Last but by no means least, Look to Zippy’s (www.zippys.com) – a Hawaii institution beloved by 24k Magic singer, Bruno Mars, that’s gearing up to celebrate its 50th anniversary on 17 October - for fast food, Hawaiian style.

Make the most of Happy Hour
No visit to Hawaii is complete without tasting a tropical tiki cocktail (or two), for the islands are as synonymous with the Mai Tai and Blue Hawaii –as they are with pineapples, surfing, volcanoes and aloha.
One negative? The Mai Tai, which fuses two rums, fresh lime juice, orange Curacai, rock candy syrup and almond syrup), and Blue Hawaii ( a colourful fruit flavoured cocktail ) weigh in aroundthe US$15 mark. Ouch… All of which is why it pays to take advantage of happy hour (often called ‘aloha hour’) - a great way to taste the tropics at destinations like Dukes (www.dukeswaikiki.com/), a surf themed party bar named after legendary Hawaiian waterman, Duke Kahanamoku who broke world swimming recordsbefore appearing in more than 15 Hollywood films, without breaking the bank.
Local newspapers like Honolulu Star Advertiser (www.staradvertiser), Honolulu Weekly (www.honoluluweekly.com) and Honolulu Magazine (www.honolulumagazine.com) detail the drink deals to kick-start your Hawaiian holiday.

Words and pictures: Kaye Holland

The year that was

It’s been a busy year of travelling and it’s time to take stock. Here Just About Travel contributor and travel enthusiast, Kaye Holland, shares some of her favourite 2015 travel destinations

Buenos Aires, Argentina

I touched down at Ezeiza International Airport intending to stay in the Paris of the South for seven days. But one week turned into two and before I knew it a month had drifted by... but then, that’s Buenos Aires. It’s the kind of place that, despite its fall from being one of the word’s richest cities to one stuck in a permanent financial crisis, seduces visitors into staying a lot longer than planned… For there are so many things to enjoy in this glamorous yet gritty city from the superfluous steak to tango, infectious football games and the proud, passionate Portenos (BA residents) themselves.
Admittedly arriving isn’t a piece of cake as currently there’s only one eye wateringly expensive direct flight from the UK with British Airways, but then often it’s the places that are hardest to get to that are the most rewarding. And the rewards are immense: make no mistake this is one of Latin America’s most exhilarating cities where it’s still possible to bag tickets to a big gig only a few days beforehand and where dinner reservations don’t need to be made a month in advance. What can I say: the Paris of the South has cast a spell on me. I’ve left enamoured, starry eyed and wanting more…

Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

When the bustle of Buenos Aires gets too much,  escape to Colonia del Sacramento - a characterful town that’s resistant to bright lights and late nights. There’s little to keep you here for longer than a couple of days but, if you’re looking for an antidote to busy urban life, unsung Colonia del Sacramento hits the spot. It’s the perfect place to decamp, escape and unwind. For while Colonia is on the tourist trail, it’s not packed with visitors (unless you foolish enough to go at the weekend), meaning you’ll never feel as though you are a trudging a well worn path. On arrival, chances are you’ll feel as though a veritable time machine has transported you to the past: the UNESCO listed town is all cobblestone streets and aesthetically pleasing plazas - making it one of those rare places that looks stunning at any time of year. The best thing to do is to explore Colonia del Sacramento’s winding streets on foot, sniffing out its nooks and crannies and enjoying its picture perfect street life. Then retreat to a cosy cafe or restaurant (for a tiny town, Colonia hums with places to eat) to read the papers. Friendly locals are a further surprise. Forget Luis Suarez’s antics at the 2014 World Cup, for hospitality is a national obsession.

O’ahu, Hawaii, USA

Hawaii was declared the 50th US state back in 1959 but, compared to the mainland, it may as well be another country (and indeed some natives are seeking sovereignty). The difference is largely down to the tropical shirt and rubber flip flop clad Hawaiians themselves – and their love of the three Fs: food, family and fun. Unlike UK or US citizens, Hawaiians don’t ask for more from life than it can give and, as such, smiling faces are evident everywhere. From the taxi driver who starts crooning his favourite Bruno Mars track (the music maestro was born in Hawaii) to the supermarket assistant who greets each and every customer with a heart felt “alo-ha!”
But let’s be honest: Hawaii is best known for its beaches (Hawaii does beaches better than pretty much anywhere else on the planet). Waikiki is the most famous, with Hanauma Bay– which has a reputation for the best snorkelling – also hogging the headlines. Beyond the beaches, waking early to head out to Pearl Harbor – the target of a Japanese attack that thrust Hawaii into America’s history –  and pay your respects to those who lost their life on the 8 December 1941 at the USS Arizona Memorial is a rite of passage for any visitor to O’ahu. The island isn’t easy to get to, being some 2,000 miles from any country, but I left happier for having visited.

Valparaiso, Chile

Ah… Valparaíso. I don’t think I met a single soul during my sojourn in Chile’s port city who managed to resist the wily charms of Valpo (as the Unesco world heritage listed town is affectionately known). Spend even the smallest amount of time here and you’ll quickly discover the delights of Valpo’s 45 cerros (hills), overlooking the Pacific, that are dotted by sugar almond hued houses whose exteriors are made of corrugated metal peeled from decades old shipping containers. It’s a sleepy sort of place in which to rest, reflect and recuperate. Or as Pablo Neruda – the Nobel Prize–winning Chilean poet who was once called “the greatest poet of the 20th century in any language” – put it in a letter to his poet friend, Sara Vial, in 1959: “I feel the tiredness of Santiago, I want to find a house to live and write in peace at Valparaíso.”
One negative? Stray street dogs (perros callejeros) roam Valpo’s sinuous streets 24/7. Most Valpo residents refer to the canines as fellow Porteños seeing them as much a part of the frenetic port city as the escalaeras (stairways), ascensores (funiculars) and street art scene (colourful murals adorn every Valpo wall and door). Personally I found being permanently surrounded by a pack of scraggly dogs (there’s 25,000 in Valpo) more than a tad disconcerting.

Cartagena, Colombia

Cartagena – or Cartagena de Indias as it was originally, and romantically, called - is without a doubt one of the most beautiful and seductive places I’ve ever visited. Expect cobbled alleys, flower bedecked balconies (a prize is awarded every year for the most beautiful balcony), horse drawn carriages, statues (saluting the heroes who helped defend Catargena against British and French colonialists, pirates and ultimately from Spain) and elegant plazas, all of which combine to help the city maintain a unique unspoiled identity. You could spend days wandering around the walled old town – where every budget from top end to backpacker can find a home – putting your bargaining skills to the test by purchasing sweets from El Portal de los Dulces (featured in Gabriel Garcia Maquez’s Love in the time of Cholera), before loosing yourself in a labyrinth of sights, sounds and smells.  My final night in Cartagena was a magical one full of fabulous food like Arepas de huevo (fried corn cakes filled with egg) and Papas rellenas (potato balls stuffed with cheese), mojitos and music, that had me pinching myself in disbelief: what was a little girl from hum drum Watford doing in colourful Cartagena? This is a city truly on the verge of great things - get it while it’s hot.

Asheville, North Carolina, America

Been to America and never made it to Asheville? That must be righted. Owing to its canny line of unique boutiques, microbreweries, live music scene and ability to serve fab coffee, the laid back North Carolina town has tonnes of charm. Plus time seems to move slower here than in frantic New York or in your face LA.
But don’t just take my word for it: Asheville has recently been hailed as an 'It' destination by travel bible Condé Nast no less. Clearly there’s something of a buzz building around Asheville – and not just because of the Biltmore Estate, America's largest private home and Asheville’s number-one tourist attraction.
Of course you can’t properly visit Asheville without checking out the childhood home of Thomas Wolfe – aka Asheville’s most famous son. For all that, it’s the forthright and fun loving locals who are invariably at the heart of what Asheville has to offer – everyone waves hello and shares a smile on the street. Spend a while with them and you may never want to leave. Or as Wolfe wrote his sister Mabel in 1938: “I have a thing to tell you now: that is you can’t go home again.” Despite Wolfe’s words I did return home but I often think of Asheville. I’ll go back. I hope it’s soon.

Budapest, Hungary

The Hungarian capital is divided by the Danube with hilly Buda and its grand old architecture on one side and the more modern – and flat – Pest - on the other. Classic postcard sights on the Buda side include the Castle District. No matter how many times you visit, the views from Fisherman’s Bastion of Budapest’s picturesque parliament (it’s especially stunning at night when the beautiful building is illuminated by light) will always make your heart flutter. Million dollar vistas can also be enjoyed while riding the giant Budapest Ferris Wheel – Budapest’s answer to the London Eye.
Furthermore the city is chock full of historical treasures such as St Stephen’s Basilica (home of the mummified hand of St Stephen aka the first Hungarian king), sculptural installations like Shoes by the Danube (a heart rendering memorial to those who were shot and their bodies dumped into the Danube towards the end of the Second World War) charming cobblestone streets, painted houses and palaces and parliament buildings to swoon over.
Also worth a visit are some of the thermal spas – not for nothing is Budapest known as the city of baths. Following several hours splashing about in Szechenyi’s warm, healing waters, I left feeling whole again – with some lasting memories to see me through dark days back at the desk – and convinced that Budapest may just be Europe’s most underrated and affordable city.

London, England, UK

I’ve reached that stage in life when friends and colleagues are deserting the capital in their droves. My school friend Sarah has swapped her Shebu home for Herfordshire, in favour of a garden and a garage. Meanwhile my uni mate Heidi has upped sticks from Southfields to a place called Phipps Bridge (I’d never heard of it either), while my single mate Patrick has turned his back on Brixton and relocated to the suburb of Streatham.
I wish I could say I understand it, but I’d be lying. I just don’t get why you’d want to leave London with its bright lights, black cabs, brilliant (family friendly) restaurants, myriad of museums, theatres, art galleries parks and carnivals – for a big house in the boring ‘burbs where life revolves around private schools, pony lessons and eating out once a week at Pizza Express.
On a personal note, I would always rather live in postage sized apartment with Wembley Stadium’s iconic arches towering in the background than in a large house that I have nothing to leave it for. Or as Lord Kitchener once famously sang: “At night when you have nothing to do. You can take a walk down Shaftesbury Avenue. There you will laugh and talk and enjoy the breeze. And admire the beautiful scenery of London: that’s the place for me.”
Even at it’s coldest, wettest, busiest and most expensive, London remains the UK’s superlative city.  Still need convincing? See  (shameless plug alert!)  the capital through the eyes of  Talk of the Town - a dynamic London walking tour company I co-founded with three friends!

Following in the footsteps of Bruno Mars

Kaye Holland goes in search of the Hawaiian singing sensation and rumoured (repeat) Super Bowl 2016 half time headliner…

Can’t get Uptown Funk out of your head? You’re not alone: the 70s-esque dance jam is now the longest running number one of the decade and the fifth biggest-selling single in UK chart history.

Released in November 2014, the catchy track has sold over two million copies worldwide, surpassing the total sales of Paul McCartney & Wings hit single Mull of Kintyre

The pop mega hit features Bruno Mars  on lead vocals, while the accompanying video - which sees Hawaii’s hottest export  strut through New York in a distinctive pink jacket and white fedora - is the ninth most viewed YouTube video of all time.

The pint sized crooner loves his home state saying “Basically, you haven’t been to paradise if you haven’t been to Hawaii” so why not let the man formerly known as Peter Fernandez be your guide to the island of Oahu?

Make a beeline for the Neal S Blaisdell Center
Named after the Mayor of Honolulu who oversaw its construction, the 8,000 seat capacity Neal S Blaisdell Centre in downtown Honolulu, is where Mars performs when in town. Elvis Presley’s Aloha from Hawaii concert was also held here back in January 1973 – something the bronze statue of the King, that has been erected outside the entrance to the centre, bears testimony to. Elvis, Bruno and big name acts aside, the performing arts centre stages symphonic and chamber music concerts, hula competitions, arts and craft fairs, farmers markets, ballet recitals and more.

Back to school
Mars attended Roosevelt High School where he and three classmates formed a band called The School Boys and choreographed pep rallies. The hit maker’s Father, Peter Hernandez Snr – who personally convinced the doctor delivering baby Bruno to play doowop songs on a tape recorder – believes Bruno’s personality is what saw him through high school. “I’d rarely see him carrying books, but he always had a guitar or a ukulele or something,” Hernandez Snr told Midweek. “It became like an inside family joke.” Fast forward to 2015 and Mars’ portrait – together with that of other distinguished Roosevelt High alumni including Canadian Football League player Chad Owens, radio talk show host Larry Price and Olympic wrestler Clarissa Chun - hangs proudly in the school’s hallway.

Say aloha in style
Casual aloha shirts – often incorrectly called Hawaiian shirts – are the norm on Oahu, the ali (chief) of Hawaii’s 136 islands. The Locked Out Of Heaven singer admits that he adores a “good aloha shirt” and is regularly snapped wearing one. Where does Bruno buy his prized shirts? Say aloha to Avanti – pictures of the pint sized crooner adorn the walls of the Kalakaua Ave store. If you want to make like Mars, pick up the ‘Palms Aloha’ – a silk shirt worn by the Grammy Award winner on his mega Moonshine Jungle World Tour. Other options at Avanti – whose high profile fans include Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Jon Lovitz,  Adam Sandler et al – include shirts showing old Hawaii scenes, flowers and points of interest. Unsure of which shirt to select? The uber helpful Royce is usually on hand to dispense advice and style tips.

Finding a fedora
Mars is mad about hats telling MTV: “the hat has to speak to you, from your soul.” The Platinum record producer has been spotted in trilbies, baseball caps and beanies but his favourite is the fedora. Why is the singer so sold on hats? The answer is down to his diminutive stature. Measuring a mere 5’5″, Bruno is “a short guy and that’s always something I have to think about. I’ve always done the hat thing”, the star shared with The Daily Star. “Now I’m doing ones with bigger brims to make myself look taller.” Bruno also revealed that while growing up in Honolulu, his Mother used to blow dry his hair in order to add an extra inch or two to his height. Fancy taking home a fashionable fedora a la Bruno?  Try Truffaux – a new store specialising in fine handmade hats on Waikiki Beach Walk. Alternatively check out – these guys have six stores spread out over Oahu.

Get inked
Tattoos are a Hawaiian ritual (Polynesians have been decorating their bodies with ink for hundreds of years) and a common sight on Oahu: pretty much every Hawaiian I met during my sojourn sported a tatt viewing them not only as an art form but also a guard of a person’s health and spiritual well-being. I was consumed with the idea of getting a tattoo (as a bubbly blonde, I’d like to look a little tougher plus saw it as a souvenir that would last a lifetime). So much so that I even booked an appointment at Victorian Tattoo where I discovered that a good tattoo isn’t cheap (and a cheap tattoo, as we all know, isn’t good).
Not that money is a problem for Mars – one of the most successful solo artists in the world. Bruno has tattoo of a gypsy on his left forearm and an anchor on his right forearm, as well as tattoos dedicated to his parents on his upper arms. On his right upper arm, his mother’s name ‘Bernadette’ is written on a heart, while on his left upper arm the words ‘Pete’s Boy’ pay homage to his father.

Seek out the Sheraton Waikiki
Mars’ kicked off his career at the age of four fronting his Father’s Doowop group, The Love Notes. The band performed at the Sheraton Waikiki five times a week, as well as touring the Midwest, Tokyo and Japan. Mars’ siblings – he’s one of six children – were also involved in the family show. “All of us would be singing” says Mars’ uncle, John Valentine, but he [Bruno] would be the biggest ham.” Today Bruno’s elder brother Eric plays drums in Mars’ backing band, The Hooligans, while his four sisters (Jamie, Presley, Tahiti and Tiara) have their own musical group, The Lylas (which stands for Love You Like A Sister) – the subject of a WE TV reality show. Meanwhile Uncle John can still be found performing at The Edge at the Sheraton Waikiki as well as the Westin Moana/Surfrider BeachBar and Hard Rock Cafe Honolulu, in addition to teaching his craft to up and coming stars in Hawaii as a vocal instructor and coach for stage performance.

Eat like a local
Want to eat like a hooligan (the name of Mars’ backing band)? Make for Matsumoto – a tin roofed 1950s style general store on the North Shore to indulge in shaved ice (a beat the heat treat whose famous fans include current US President Barack Obama). Aoki’s is another popular shaved ice spot – and as an added plus, the queues are shorter – but our money is on Matsumoto. Don’t miss island flavours include Mango, pineapple and liliko (passion fruit).
Mars is also mad about spam describing it as “unbelievable and delicious”. He’s not alone: Hawaiians are crazy about this canned meat and consequently an entire festival – take a bow The Spam Jam – celebrating everything spam has sprung up. Loco moco (a satisfying comfort food dish of rice, fried eggs, patty and gravy) is another ono grind (good eat). Wondering where to try these taste explosions? Look to Zippy’s – a Hawaii institution that’s gearing up to celebrate its 49th anniversary on 17 October. If, as Bruno sings in Uptown Funk, you “don’t believe me” , just ask Mars. When quizzed by the Star Advertiser as to what he misses most about Hawaii, he replied instantaneously: “Zippy’s. If they ever come to Los Angeles, I want to be there.”

Off Oahu
Kauai Marriott Resort, Kauai
Before he was a Super Bowl halftime headliner, the man formerly known as Peter Hernandez was the world’s youngest Elvis impersonator at the tender age of three. By the time he was six, Mars had made a cameo as a mini Elvis in the 1992 film, Honeymoon in Vegas, starring Sarah Jessica Parker, James Caan and Nicolas Cage. The wacky comedy – which saw Caan and Cage competing for SJP’s affections – was filmed on the Five O State outside the Kauai Marriott Resort & Beach Club on the garden island of Kauai.

Notes from a traveller: part nine

 

Kaye’s itchy feet have taken her to Hawaii. Read the latest instalment of her ‘Notes from a traveller series’, only on Just About Travel

Continued from last time

LA was fun but after a fortnight of star spotting in the City of Angels, I decided to quit Hollywood for Hawaii in search of a hot summer (May and June are not, it transpires, the optimum months to embrace my inner ‘Californian girl’) and a more laid back lifestyle.

I’d waited years to visit the Aloha state and it didn’t disappoint. Reader: it’s taken me 34 years but I have found my happy place. I got, upon landing at Honolulu airport where I was adorned with purpleleis (popular garlands of plumeria flowers), a warm and happy feeling, in a troubled world. Make no mistake: this unfiltered paradise is a magical place.

Hawaii was declared the 50th US state back in 1959but, compared to the mainland, it may as well be another country (and indeed some natives are seeking sovereignty). The difference is largely down to the tropical shirt and rubber flip flop clad Hawaiians themselves– and their love of the three Fs: food, family and fun. Unlike UK or US citizens, Hawaiians don’t ask for more from life than it can give and, as such, smiling faces are evident everywhere from the taxi driver who starts crooning his favourite Bruno Mars track (the music maestro was born in Hawaii) to the supermarket assistant who greets each and every customer with a heart felt “alo-ha!”

Speaking of which most tourists tend to think that aloha means hello or goodbye andto a degree it does, but the most important word in the Hawaiian dictionary also refers to a state of mind. The A in aloha stands for aquaria (kindness), L is for Lokahi (unity), O is for Olu’olu (agreeable), H is for Ha’aha’a (humility) and the final A stands for Ahonui (patience). Put together, aloha forms the guidelines of how to live a more meaningful and fulfilling life.

The state of Hawaii compromises 136 islands but visitors largely look to Lania (the smallest of Hawaii’s inhabited islands)  Maui (aka the valley island), Molokai (the most tourist shy), Kauai (known as the Garden island), Hawaii (the biggest island that attracts adventure seekers owing to the annual Ironman World Championships) and O’ahu. The latter is the ali – chief – of the islands (the others are referred to as mere‘neighbours’) and the island I opted to base myself on. I decided to do so partly because O’ahu is easy and affordable to get around by bus compared to its cousins.  And partly because Maui et al are said to beideal if you’re travelling to lose yourself. Me? I’m travelling to find myself.

Narrow minded people say that O’ahu is all about leis and luaus (a big feast with singing, dancing and other festivities) and that it’s the least exotic of the Hawaiian islands. It’s true that it is the most populated island but after 10 days on the third largest of Hawaii’s islands,whose name means gathering place,  I hold a different image of Oahu and it’s one that I would like to share with you.

For while the white sands of Waikiki – aka Hawaii’s most famous beach – are packed with sun burned tourists in flowered shirts sipping Mai Tais (Hawaii’s favourite drink),  locals are keen to make sure that cultural traditions aren’t forgotten either. Subsequently Waikiki is the site of complimentary arts and craft, hula, ukulele and lomi lomi (indigenous Hawaiian healing massage) classes plus a stage for performances by O’ahu storytellers and musicians who are keen to share with visitors, the history and heritage of their homeland.

For further Hawaiian historical insights, head into the heart of Honolulu where you’ll find Iolani Palace – the only official state residence of royalty in the whole of the United States. Close by lies the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, so called in honour of the great granddaughter and last descendant of King Kamehameha unifier of the Hawaiian islands. The museum is home to the world’s largest collection of Polynesian cultural and scientific artefacts but it was Pacific Hall that appealed the most to me. This newly renovated two story gallery celebrates the cultures and people of the Pacific and explores the early settlement of Hawaii.

And a trip to Pearl Harbour– the target of a Japanese attackthat thrust Hawaii into America’s history –  is a rite of passage for any visitor to O’ahu. After sailing undetected for 4,000 miles, including difficult at sea refuelling, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 Dec 1941 pushing America into WW11. Destruction was massive – five battleships were sunk and 2,500 American lives were lost but could have been worse. The Japanese failed to damage the harbour’s submarine base, huge stocks of oil, naval piers and dry docks. More importantly none of the Pacific fleets and three aircraft carriers were in port on that fateful day, leaving the US with its most potent weapon in the Pacific.

To be continued tomorrow

To read part one of Kaye’s ‘Notes from a traveller’ series, please click here

To read part two click here and here

To read part three, click here

To read part four, click here

To read part five, click here and here

To read part six, click here and here

To read part seven, click here and here

To read part eight, click here and here