Hawaiian Music Page Hawaiian

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While you’re looking at a beautiful sunset view from Kula on the island of Maui (courtesy of Scott Waters ), this is actually the dawn of a new day on NahenaheNet. I’m moving all of my content from the content management system that I’ve been using to maintain NahenaheNet for the past 6 years, Manila , to this new WordPress system. There are a lot of things about Manila that I will miss, and some things that WordPress can do better. It was a tough decision, but necessary and timely for other reasons. You can visit the new NahenaheNet blog at http://www.mauicast.net/nahenahe/ and perhaps you would like to bookmark that page. This page will remain here at http://www.nahenahe.net/ , and will contain periodic changes and important notices. The RSS feed for the NahenaheNet Hawaiian Music Podcast is located at: http://www.nahenahe.net/podcasts/NNPodcasts.xml I’d like to offer my sincere mahalo (thanks) to Dave Winer, Brett Simmons, Jake Savin, Lawrence Lee and everyone else I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with at Userland Software . NahenaheNet’s site maintenance was housed on their EditThisPage.com system for just over six years at no charge. They are pioneers in making writing on the Internet easy and fun, and first-class people all around. It’s been a pleasure working with you over the years, and I’ll continue to use RadioUserland for some projects. But for NahenaheNet, it was simply time for a change. Nahenahe.Net is © Keola Donaghy. Benevolence theme by Theron Parlin. Syndicate entries using RSS and Comments (RSS) . This theme contains valid XHTML and CSS . Powered by WordPress 1.5.2 .

Hawaiian Girl

Hawaiian Dresses and Hawaiian Shirts for the Whole `Ohana! Pa`inaGirl.com specializes in cute Hawaiian dresses. Our Hawaiian dresses are popular choices for informal beach wedding dresses or affordable bridesmaid dresses and range from fun and flirty to casual elegant. Hawaiian dresses and matching shirts can be worn for all occasions; our matching aloha prints can be used for parties, family photos and luaus, unique bridal wear, company events, and of course just for fun. In fact, our resort wear has been very popular for beach wedding dresses or garden wedding dresses since they are so comfortable and pretty, too! (Matching the guys in Hawaiian shirts is always a nice touch, too, even if you are just attending a party and are not in the party!) We are located on the island of O`ahu, nicknamed "the Gathering Place," as most of the population in Hawaii lives and works here. Even though it's cold out, why not take a trip to the islands, even if only in your mind? You'll be warmed by the thought! Locals here in Hawaii have been enjoying the comfort and style of "alohawear" since the 1930s, but the popularity of its bright colors and prints has caught on everywhere. Perhaps it's because of the happy feelings these friendly prints evoke -- put on some alohawear and you can't help but feel as though you're on vacation in paradise! The modern Hawaiian dress is actually something of a new phenomenon for the ladies -- in previous years, the "hawaiian dress" was usually a very conservative mu`umu`u -- definitely not very provocative (however, island women and girls do still wear mu`umu`us on Aloha Friday!). HEY HULA GALS! Looking for hula costumes? Check out our hula store at HulaStuff.com for muumuus, pa`u skirts, coconut bras and more. PA`INA PEEPS! Some of our model friends are something of celebrities in Hawaii. Check out the gallery. Currently in our Hawaii celebrities gallery: Miss Hawaii 2002 Kehaulani Christian, Actress and model Sondra Barker, former UH Football Offensive Assistant Tyson Helton, Island entertainer Jon Yamasato and former UH record-breaking quarterback Nick Rolovich. Cool and hip aloha shirts always abounded for the guys, but stylish island girls found it hard and frustrating to express their Hawaiian style in a feminine way. Only in recent years have aloha wear makers finally caught on and realized that sexy Hawaiian dresses belong in every island girl's closet! You can take the girl from the island... but not the island from the girl! From silky, elegant matching resort wear to bold, fun Hawaiian print dresses, we've got a range of high quality clothing appropriate for every occasion. Let your 'ohana stand out with colorful matching Hawaiian attire --- whether your 'ohana is made up of you and your significant other, co-workers, family, or close friends. Pa`ina means "party" in Hawaiian, so get into the party mood with some great clothes! If you're planning a Hawaiian style luau, complete your theme with some colorful Hawaiian dresses and the essential matching Hawaiian shirts from our Bold and Fun Hawaiian Dresses and Shirts Collection They are made of high quality cotton and can be conveniently machine-washed. Our Matching Resort Wear sets make great informal wedding dresses and shirts if you're planning a Hawaiian or beach theme wedding. If you're planning a Hawaiian style wedding, be sure to check out the new gorgeous silk flowers and freshwater pearl jewelry we just added to our Hawaiian wedding product line at our Hawaiian Wedding Shop ! Be sure to come back and visit as we are constantly adding only the best items from the Hawaiian islands to our store. Even better, bookmark our site for quick reference for some aloha! Pa`inaGirl.com.... we export aloha! Hawaiian Dresses | Matching Hawaiian Resort Dresses and Aloha Shirts | Bold and Fun Matching Hawaiian Dresses and Shirts | Matching Hawaiian Board Shorts | Plumeria Jewelry | Puka Shells and Koa Jewelry | Island Style Gifts | Links! © 2002 - 2005 PainaGirl.com . All rights reserved.

Hawaii wedding package which

Hawaii Wedding Maui Wedding Oahu Wedding Kauai Wedding Honeymoon Click on the photos above to go to our wedding packages for Maui, Oahu, Kauai and Hawaii Hawaiian Wedding Packages Hawaii is truly the most enchanted setting for your wedding day. Paradise surrounds you as you exchange your vows amidst a tropical waterfall, or on a secluded tropical Hawaiian beach at sunset or in a historic Hawaiian church. The variety is as endless as the beauty of these islands. Why choose a wedding in Hawaii? Why not? It's easy and affordable to choose a Hawaii wedding package which suits your needs and includes a destination wedding and honeymoon and a Hawaiian theme wedding together. An exotic and affordable beach wedding is the most popular choice. Be married barefooted, wear your favorite Hawaiian shirt and shorts and dress Hawaiian at your wedding. What ever attire you choose, there is a wedding package in Hawaii that will fulfill all of your island wedding dreams. A Maui wedding is the most popular way to tie the knot Hawaiian style. Your Maui wedding planner will help you choose a Maui wedding package which will include your own on site coordinator and specially selected beach location just perfect for your romantic wedding ceremony. Don't forget your photographer, wedding cake, wedding video, flowers and other wedding services for your romantic Maui wedding. A Hawaii wedding Oahu style is another very popular choice for couples who are considering bringing more wedding guests. Since Oahu is considered the "Gathering Place", and offers the best hotel rates in Hawaii, having your wedding in Oahu may be a good choice for you and your guests. Choose a wedding package and a beautiful beach wedding location that your wedding planner will be happy to suggest to you. Your wedding photographer will be sure to capture all the beauty of your wedding in Oahu and your wedding honeymoon will be one that you will never forget. Then there is always another choice - choose a Kauai wedding instead. A Kauai Hawaii wedding on the lush tropical "Garden Isle" can be very affordable and secluded. Kauai is usually the choice for couples who want to escape the crowds and run off to the most secluded Hawaiian island for their wedding and honeymoon. Consider a Fern Grotto wedding, a resort wedding, or a beach wedding. Your wedding coordinator can suggest a great Kauai wedding honeymoon package which includes a beautiful wedding location and accommodation featuring breathtaking ocean vistas, all to be captured by your professional wedding photographer. Honeymoon Packages Hawaii offers countless fabulous resorts and hotels for your honeymoon in paradise. See our suggested honeymoon resorts on Maui, Oahu and Kauai. These top resorts offer all of the amenities you expect From beauty and spa services to Mai Tais by the pool, you'll will be impressed with the Hawaiian hospitality and aloha spirit shone upon you at these top resorts. The Renaissance Wailea Resort offers a Deluxe ocean view room - you can throw an ice cube to the ocean from your lanai - see details. The newly renovated Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore of Oahu is escapism at it's finest - Every room is ocean view - see details. Kauai Marriott Resort is our newest Honeymoon hideaway - The best ocean view accommodations and services in Kauai - see details. The Hyatt Regency Maui Resort offers Deluxe Ocean Front accommodations - The best ocean front view on Ka'anapali Beach - see details. If you have questions, feel free to email or call our toll free number. We are happy to answer all your questions and suggest special ways you can customize your arrangements here in Hawaii. Our helpful staff is waiting to help you arrange the wedding ceremony of your dreams. Looking forward to talking with you soon! Tim Clark, President Find Your Photos | About Us | Contact Us | Affiliations | Hawaiian Marriage License Application Changes/Additions Form | Purchase CD's | Site Map | Maui Receptions | Sunset Times View Sample Video 1996-2006, Hawaiian Island Weddings Inc. All rights reserved. All prices and package options on this website are subject to change. Hawaiian Island Weddings P.O. Box 2098 Kihei, Hawaii 96753 - Toll-Free:(800) 368-5502 Ph:(808) 875-0350 Fax:(808) 874-9215

Hawaiian Cruise

Cruise Ship Profiles Cruise Lines - American Hawaii Cruise Home Photo Gallery Cruise Talk Cruise Search Cruise News Search -- Search CruisePage -- Book a Cruise - CruiseServer - Search Caribbean - Search Alaska - Search Europe - 866.469.4733 Forums Cruise Talk Rail Talk Air Talk Destination Talk Hotel Talk Buy Stuff Evolution of the Ocean Liner Poster Reviews - Ship Reviews - Dream Cruise - Ship of the Month - Reader Reviews - Submit a Review - Millennium Cruise Community - Photo Gallery - Join Cruise Club - Cruise News - Cruise Survey - Cruise Jobs - Special Needs - Maritime Q & A - Sea Stories Industry - New Ship Guide - Former Ships - Port Information - Inspection Scores - Shipyards - Ship Cams - Freighter Travel - Potpourri Shopping - Shirts & Hats - Books - Videos - Reservations - Vacation Specials - Web Deals Contact Us - Reservations - Mail - Feedback - Suggest-a-Site - About Us Travel Resources Reservations Destinations Hotels Air Travel Cruise Travel News/Weather SHIP PROFILE American Hawaii SS Independence TravelPage.com Rating : Submit your review here Operator: American Hawaii Cruises Year Built / Last Refurbished: 1951 / 1994 Length / Tonnage: 682 / 30,900 Number of Cabins / Passengers: 406 / 872 Officers / Crew: American / American Operating Area: Year-round Hawaii Telephone / Fax: Tel 150 2244 / Fax 150 2244 Review by Mark H. Goldberg, TravelServer.net, Cruise Editor Hawaii captures you, soothes and enchants you, she lets you hangloose and envelop yourself in the bright colors of her land andsea. Sail the INDEPENDENCE and it won't be long before you'redecked out in a loud, colorful Hawaiian shirt and enjoying lifethe Old Hawaiian Way. Simply because the State of Hawaii iscomprised of islands, the ideal way to approach them is from thesea and the best way to see them is by this wonderful old cruiseship. Able to produce a maximum of 55,000 shaft horsepower at 150rpms, her steam turbines geared to twin screws are a sight tobehold. When she was new the INDEPENDENCE showed how powerfulthat is when she steamed at just over 26 knots on her trials offCape Cod. By international rules, when new, the INDEPENDENCE was theeleventh largest liner in the world and certainly one of thefastest. The big question was...would anyone care? For spoken intones of a flat declaratory to a shrill protest the cry "No onetravels in an American ship!" was heard in steamship agencies andsmart parties the world over. Experienced travelers and neophytesalike looked upon American ships with a bemused condescension,secure in the "knowledge" that in terms of food and service,those "Yankee" liners just couldn't produce - the foreign linerswere better. American ships had a severe image problem. Yet theAmerican twins INDEPENDENCE and her identical twin CONSTITUTIONsoon proved themselves extraordinarily popular, hostingglittering rosters of notables intent on sailing under the "Starsand Stripes". Movie producers were drawn to them. Cary Grant andDeborah Kerr starred in "An Affair to Remember" costarrinq theCONSTITUTION. After United States Lines stodgily rebuffed Desilustudios, American Export sent plenty of material and film footageof the twin liners to Hollywood. Who among us can ever forgetLucille Ball "landing" by helicopter on the after Bridge Deck ofthe CONSTITUTION? And yes...THIS is the INDEPENDENCE the agent onthe pier mentioned when he told a distraught Lucy that she couldget to Europe on the following sailing... So great was theirpopularity that in 1958 American Export Lines sent both ships formajor overhauls. Fitting additional First Class cabins, theforward ends of their superstructures were massively altered. Forall that, against the ANDREA DORIA and CRISTOFORO COLOMBO andlater the LEONARDO da VINCI and the superliners MICHELANGELO andRAFFAELLO on the "Sunny Southern Route", the American liners justcouldn't compete. The results of a projected trio of 20,000 ton express liners forthe Mediterranean route, these ships began to take shape as farback as 1940 when American Export Lines, Inc. planned for thefuture. It would be YEARS before any such ships were built andwhen they were, there were two, not three. And bucking anAmerican Export Line tradition, the two ships were not givennames beginning with "EX" but were instead named for historicU.S. Navy frigates. Had the intended third sister been built, shewould likely have been named CONSTELLATION. Asking for inputfrom many quarters, it is Gustavo Pulitzer, famed Italianinterior designer who should be given first initial credit formany of the pleasing touches in the ultimate form of theseclassic liners. Noted American industrial designer Henry Dreyfussin collaboration with the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporationdeserves credit as the designers of the INDEPENDENCE and hersister CONSTITUTION. With the help of mail contracts and buildingsubsidies to pay the $25,000,000 each ship cost (that's over $150million each, in TODAY's dollars!) two ships were laid down atBethlehem Steel Company's Quincy, Massachusetts yards at thevery end of the 1940's, the INDEPENDENCE on March 29, 1949, theCONSTITUTION on July 12th. Their plans included many eventualdefense and military needs so safety provisions, fire proofing andrapid convertibility to trooping requirements took first place inthe design of the pair. And the INDEPENDENCE is still a very safeship today! Debuting with a 53 day cruise to the Mediterranean, Red Sea andIndia in 1951, the INDEPENDENCE got into service before theItalian postwar liners came out and captured the cream of theItaly trade. And even had the competition been less, theINDEPENDENCE and CONSTITUTION would have been hard pressed tomeet the enormous costs of operating under the American flageither on their regular Atlantic service or on cruises throughthe Mediterranean or to the Caribbean. By the late 1960s theseAmerican liners were desperate for money and American ExportLines entered into an agreement with Diner's Club/Fugazy to jazzup the twin ships. Only the INDEPENDENCE was actually updated toappeal to a "mod" generation and when she appeared with Harlow'seyes peering out from her halo of a "mod" sunburst on her whitehull, eyes rolled in contempt. Before the ship lover knew it, sheand the CONSTITUTION were gone from our lives. Withdrawn by 1968,the CONSTITUTION went into idleness at Jacksonville, Floridafollowed a few months later by the INDEPENDENCE which was laid upat Baltimore with their fleet mate ATLANTIC. Reports of a sale ofone or both of the sisters to Chandris came to naught. A plan tooperate the INDEPENDENCE on charter by Wall Street Tours, aManhattan based travel company also went nowhere. Should theyfind buyers willing to operate them, they would be but shadows oftheir former selves. The ships were idle for years until 1974 when fabled Chineseshipowner C.Y. Tung came to their rescue. Buying the pair with anobligation to return them to the control of the United Statesgovernment in time of war, he had each ship's twin funnelsrepainted with his signature livery, a red chrysanthemum on buff.Prefacing each ship's name with "OCEANIC", he sent them to HongKong. Some work was found for the OCEANIC INDEPENDENCE but nonefor her sister which now rode at anchor in the shadow of VictoriaPeak. For a while in 1975 the OCEANIC INDEPENDENCE shuttledbetween Lisbon and Angola carrying refugees, mostly civiliansfleeing Angola to Portugal Lisbon. Then, despite several goodintentions, she was again retired and returned to lay up. When Matson and later Pacific Far East Line went out of thepassenger business leaving the piers at Aloha Tower bereft ofpassenger tonnage save the occasional cruise caller, C.Y. Tungsaw possibilities where others saw problems and investigated thepossibility of operating his beautiful OCEANIC INDEPENDENCE as acruise ship among the Hawaiian Islands. But since Congressthought to protect American ship owners and shipbuilders as earlyas 1886, any ship operating Hawaii cruises would have to haveAmerican registry. American ships sold abroad are ineligible toreturn to U.S. registry except in time of war. Though Americanbuilt, the ship was now registered abroad and THAT could havebeen a big problem for the proposed weekly cruises through theHawaiian islands. Unanimously approved by both the U.S. Senateand House of Representatives in 1979, an Act of Congress broughtthe OCEANIC INDEPENDENCE back under the Stars and Stripes andallowed American Hawaii Cruises to go into business. The pleasanttask of refurbishing the graceful vessel for modern cruisingbegan. Eliminating class distinctions, upgrading cabins on thelower decks and altering the decor to include the soft atmosphereof the Hawaiian Islands, the OCEANIC INDEPENDENCE was ready tobegin a new life. Wearing a traditional Hawaiian lei at her stemas she arrived off Honolulu for the first time, she paused offPearl Harbor long enough to drop a wreath in memory of Americanforces killed in the surprise attack there on December 7, 1941. But after that, at least since her maiden sailing on her 7 daycruise circuit of the major islands on June 21, 1980, the gentleHawaii of the tradewinds reigns supreme aboard this wonderfulship. In the meantime American Hawaii Cruises has changed handstwice and the newest owners, who also own the wonderfulMISSISSIPPI QUEEN, AMERICAN QUEEN and DELTA QUEEN decided toupgrade and substantially improve the INDEPENDENCE. In 1994 theship was withdrawn from service and sent to Newport NewsShipbuilding and Drydock Company where she was extensivelyrefitted and prepared to last another forty five years! Conceived to be an example of luxurious modernAmerican living at sea the INDEPENDENCE still offers relaxedelegance in a bright and airy modern decor reflecting the naturalbeauty and colors of Hawaii. The INDEPENDENCE has acres of deck space and both open andcovered promenades. The design of the ship includes a pair ofwings over the old Sea Isle Club, once the First Class pool. Fromthere you have an eaqle's view of the festivities on the afterdecks. It's also a great place to see and not be noticed...Justbeyond the former Sunlane Club, now called the Ohana Lounge isthe big swimming pool and its surrounding lido is the scene ofmany a party. The main public rooms are the semicircularCommodore's Terrace...aft on Kamaa'ina (formerly Promenade) Deckwhere evenings are welcomed with a cocktail and a tune from thetalented pianist. Next is the Hoi Hoi Showplace where sightlinesare mostly good and the efforts of the cruise staff and twoHawaiian dance troupes are shown during nightly shows.Centerpiece of the INDEPENDENCE's public rooms, though, is theKama'aina Lounge...newly thought out and opened up during herrecent refit...so it now extends to the floor to ceiling windowsof the former glass enclosed promenade. Tropical in decor it'sworth a visit if only to write a postcard home...if you can evenremember you had a life before you came to Hawaii. One deck below are the Ohana Lounge and the Ohana Buffet...theformer providing seating for people feasting from the buffet aswell as offering a venue for some late night entertainments. Waydown deep in the ship is a cinema while in spaces once occupiedby Tourist Class public rooms on Maui (formerly A) Deck are thegym and a conference center. There are generally two sittings at dinner, mostbreakfasts and lunches are served in open sittings. Down in the420 seat Hibiscus Dining Room on sailing night there's a buffet.The more intimate 110 seat Orchid Dining Room doesn't operate onSaturday night...it opens for breakfast on Sunday morning. "Aha!"you'll think if you are skeptical of American tonnage - the hotdogs. "There must be something fishy here...Is this an Americanship? This is a sumptuous set up and it looks good," you'llthink. That's what I thought the first time and every time I'vesailed since as I pile on enough shrimp, roast beef and assortedfoodstuffs to choke a pig. A steward brightly garbed in an Alohashirt will escort you to a table and your culinary adventurebegins. For a change I cannot say enough about the food in theINDEPENDENCE. Maybe it's because my expectations were low ormaybe because the food is so good...in fact the food is usuallybetter than good and I'll spill the beans...one feisty old lady,a Mrs. Gottrocks in her own right...and something of a cruiseship reviewer proclaimed the only cruise ship to serve betterfood than she ate on the INDEPENDENCE was the SEA GODDESS I, anaccolade I surely second.... You will eat so well aboard this ship I'd be surprised if you'reable to muster up the curiosity to investigate the midnightsnack. If the lunch buffet doesn't tempt you and the menu in the DiningRoom does, GO...even if you feel less than hunger pangs. Iremember sitting down and thinking "Drat!, foiled again! No HotDogs" - but for simple meals there are great burgers assembled asyou like them, a big sandwich and several choices of hot dishes. Every brochure in the business trumpets the praises of the shin'scuisines so loudly that few can really deliver. American HawaiiCruises has always underplayed its claims to wonderful foodthough the food aboard the INDEPENDENCE is a treat. Somewherebehind the scenes in this American operation must be a Jewish orItalian grandmother demanding that all hands be overfed! Underlining the contemporary American way of living, there was solittle cleavage between First and Cabin class spaces it seemedthat most cabins were interchangeable between the two. And therewas a lot of truth in that for 40% of the 1,003 berths in eachship were interchangeable among classes. Only 205 berths werepermanently graded First Class, 109 always Cabin Class and 258full time Tourist Class. That flexible passenger arrangement gaveAmerican Export Lines tremendous leeway in following marketdemands. Highlight of modern American living were cabinsconvertible to sitting rooms by day. Most cabins are still soequipped and that sofa you use in the afternoon is a verycomfortable bed - because it's not a pull out...the sofa back folds down to reveal a thick comfortable mattress. TheINDEPENDENCE is a one class ship now offering a dazzling 13different varieties of private quarters from tiny Category GBudget Cabins (both inside and outside available) to a CategoryAAA Superior Suite...Category D is the lowest grade for two lowerbeds but for this cruise...your cabin is not where you will wantto be. Take a look at an outside cabin on A deck forward. Decorated withHawaii in mind, it has a Hawaiian name as well as a number. It'sbig enough to sleep four comfortably and the round portholereminds you you are aboard ship. Once you unpack you will bepuzzled by the surfeit of storage space for there are enoughclosets for a dowager and enough drawers for an apothecary. What is small, though, is the shower...but that good Americanplumbing is happily in evidence. American Hawaii Cruises is very"INTO" Hawaii...so much so that one of the most popular employeesaboard ship is the KUMU, the Hawaiian story teller....whose jobit is to tell the visitor as much as possible about Hawaiianlore, customs and culture... Around twilight time on Saturdayevenings, passengers gather in the Hoi Hoi Showplace for aHawaiian Show, one show aboard ship I'm glad I saw. Thisextravaganza of Hawaiian music and hula dancing and memories ofthe "Aloha" that evening will remain with you long after theINDEPENDENCE stops sailing. With the full range of usual cruiseship activities enhanced by some like lei making and ukelelelessons apropos in these parts, it's not hard to imagine how mostpassengers spent their day at sea. I saw some at breakfast in theDining Room where the extraordinary personalities of friendlystaff broke the ice of a first morning at sea. I saw others atthe breakfast buffet while I was on my way to stock up withlogoed souvenirs in the ship's signature shop. But a visit to theNavigation bridge of THIS ship always gets me and I alwaysvisit...even if only for another look at the framed noticeinstructing the officer on watch to take the ship immediately tosea in the event of a nuclear attack. My favorite Hawaiian island is always the one I'm on and I thinkI'd like to keep with the INDEPENDENCE until I have done everyshore excursion the line offers... and at last count there are 56of them. Getting ready to board the INDEPENDENCE I grin like ahyena even before a lei is placed around my neck and I pause forthe obligatory mug shot cruise lines like to sell boardingpassengers. Even before sailing the INDEPENDENCE offers a lot ofthe Hawaii experience but for me one of the best is the moment ofdeparture on this unique American flag ocean liner. Once out ofthe harbor the ship turns to port and is soon off Waikiki. Sunday - It's not far from one island to the next but Sundays are spent at sea and for most of the day from nearly anywhere outon one of her 23,000 feet of open dock space, you can look outand see islands, Kahoolawe, Molokai, Lanai, Maui, depending uponthe circuitous route the Captain chooses to navigate. An activesort, I spent usually spend Sunday afternoons aboard theINDEPENDENCE in a deck chair outside the Surfrider Bar, hardlyable to pause later for some fresh popcorn. When Monday morning comes...be ready for a wonderful time onKauai, the Garden Island. There should be time for a drive out toHanalei Bay. If there is a prettier spot than that end of Kauai,its not on this planet. It's vaguely around the corner from theNa Pali coast, a formation of lushly covered steep cliffsshrouding pretty beaches accessed only by boat orhelicopter.Compelling is the word for the helicopter trip theline offers for a look at those cliffs which rise majesticallyfrom the sea. It's a toss up as to which is lovelier...Kauai orMaui but since the ship arrives at Kahului, Maui on Tuesday foran overnight call, you have plenty of time to check it out anddecide for yourself IF YOU CAN! Maui, so deservedly popular withvacationers, exudes a charm of her own. From the jumbled strandsof spaghetti paved into a road called the Hana highway, a 55 milecourse through landscape inordinately compelling to the majesticIao valley, Maui is a sensual delight. Never mind that AmericanHawaii brings a fabulously rousing Hawaiian show to entertainpassengers here. It's during the Maui call that American Hawaiioffers a shore excursion like no other. Uncommercial in theextreme, it's Tour 32 (at least it USED to be), not a trip forthe queasy or the debile. Leaving the ship's side at 3:30 AM,participants follow a tour leader and bike down the slopes fromthe summit of Mt. Haleakala, 10,000 feet above sea level.MAGNIFICENT! On Thursday the INDEPENDENCE calls at Hilo on the Big Island ofHawaii where you can pick up another rental car and drive it toAkaka Falls, catch another look at Volcano National Park, drivedown the Chain of Craters Road and maybe have lunch in town.(Whatever you do...DON'T bother with the buffet at VolcanoHouse...) To me it is near Hilo, sleepy, rainy little Hilo, wherethe air is gentlest and the breeze softest. Kona on the bright,dry side of this big island is the next port and the INDEPENDENCEanchors there on Friday mornings and the tender gives youflawless views of the ship as it pulls away, runs alongside andcuts across the liner's gently raking bows. Coffee plantations,macadamia nut farms and the Parker ranch are on this side of theBig Island. After the INDEPENDENCE clears Kona on Friday evening, my leiwent into the sea from the after deck. I know that it washedashore and will bring me back...A week in the INDEPENDENCE speedsby like an hour, drawing all to soon to a close. This graciousGRANDE DAME really does turn on its ear for all time must be thatabsurd old saw, "No one travels in an American ship" for here inthe waters of Hawaii the INDEPENDENCE is deservedly popular, anAmerican ship that wins the hearts of most who sails with her. The "who's who" of who has sailed in the INDEPENDENCEor CONSTITUTION at some point in the ship's career really doesread like "Who's Who" for so many names in that book have been onthe ships' passenger lists. It was President Reagan who happilysigned the bill to bring the CONSTITUTION back under Americanregistry. He was familiar with these ships and had been aboardthe INDEPENDENCE for a Governors' conference back in the 1960'swhen he was Governor of California. A framed photograph of himand Mrs. Reagan hangs in the ship's wheelhouse. It is said thatwhen he took the helm the ship veered slightly to the right... People demanding nonstop 24 hour a day loud action accompanied bypulsating bass may not enjoy a cruise in this ship (though I'd besurprised if there is ANYONE who doesn't enjoy a 7 nightINDEPENDENCE cruise). This ship is particularly popular withpeople over 40 who seem to enjoy the sock hop, pajama party andother events calculated to please us aging "boomers" but there isa lot here for everyone - from toddlers to great grandpa!. The first time I set out for Honolulu to takethis ship I hoped for the best and expected the worst. Visions ofplastic cups, paper plates and hot dogs, motel modern style andindifferent American service filled my dream track the nightbefore my first sailing in this ship. Well I needn't haveworried! That cruise was marvelous. Now, after a multi-milliondollar refit and plenty of attention to detail, the ship exudes awarm, friendly Hawaiian air. In a nutshell...this ship and her 7night Hawaii cruise is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. 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Hawaiian Barbecue

Marga's Foodblog: Restaurant Reviews + Wikiwiki Hawaiian -- Marga's Foodblog recipes - reviews - rants « Ono Hawaiian BBQ | Main | Got a lot of books » October 10, 2005 Restaurant Reviews + Wikiwiki Hawaiian Even though I've been eating out quite a bit lately, I've been very remiss about writing about the restaurants I've visited. Of course, you could argue that there is absolutely no reason why I should be writing about the restaurants in the first place, but as long as I do it, I figure I should be comprehensive. I'm particularly interested on being comprehensive about San Leandro restaurants, as there aren't really good resources out there on the San Leandro restaurant scene (and given how poor it is, no wonder). The problem comes when I go to a restaurant I don't particularly like and then I forget to write the review. After a while, i feel compell to go back and write it, and yet I don't want to go back and waste money in subpar food. But if I don't, my guide will never be comprehensive. This has happened with Buffet Fortuna - a horrible Chinese buffet located near the downtown Safeway, with Bancheros, an institution serving Chef-Boyardee tasting Italian food in Hayward and with a couple of burger joints. It also happened with Wikiwiki Hawaiian BBQ on East 14th, near Bayfair mall, which I visited last June. Wikiwiki is one of the many Hawaiian BBQ joints that have sprouted in San Leandro in the last year. As I've written before, I've found most of them to be underwhelming, and while Wikiwiki wasn't the worst, it certainly does not merit another visit. As in the other restaurants, I found the chicken to have a strange consistency, very dense, almost canned-like. I can only speculate as to what gives chicken that horrible consistency at Hawaiian BBQ places. One theory is that the high salt & sugar content of the marinade dries out the meat making it denser. Anothe perhaps more likely one, is that the places use "chicken filets", scraps of chicken that are manually pressed and glued together into the desired shape. The taste was OK, nothing special but certainly edible. I also ordered the lau lau pork, pork wrapped in taro leaves and steamed. The pork was covered with a shredded green substance that might have been the taro leaves, but more likely was seaweed. It certainly imparted a very fishy taste to the pork, which I found quite unpleasant, but others might like. I can't imagine going there again. Wikiwiki Hawaiian BBQ 15696 E 14th St San Leandro, CA (510) 276-0777 Posted by marga at October 10, 2005 08:28 AM| TrackBack Comments I have lived in southern california for quite a while and there are tons of L&Ls in my area. I visited Wikiwiki and thought that the food was same if not better than the other ones that i have eaten at. And about the Lau Lau, i believe that it consists of pork, butterfish, and taro leaves. I loved it, so i think that only local/or people who knows what it is able to judge and enjoy this hawaiian dish. Thanks..just my thoughts. Posted by: Sarah at December 23, 2005 05:33 PM Post a comment Name: Email Address: URL: Remember personal info? Yes No Comments: