Haunted Honolulu Hotel

Hawaii_Moana_FrontIt all began during a simple hotel tour while Spaceman was at his conference for the day. I took the Waikiki Trolley to the Moana Surfrider Hotel as I did most days of our Hawaii getaway. I loved the vibe of the hotel and the rocking chairs which lined the patios invited guests to sit for a while, so I did — regularly. The hotel reminded me of Raffles Hotel in Singapore where I visited many years earlier (they invented the Singapore Sling cocktail).

This day was our guide’s first tour he had led, ever. An interesting fact, but not enough to keep me from day dreaming. That was until he mentioned their resident ghost, um, what?

Continue reading

Ultimate Chess Game

Island_Choc_FrontVictoria-by-the-Sea, a little town along the southern shore of Prince Edward Island, Canada, is home to Island Chocolates. Each September during the Chocolate Festival the best and the brightest of chess players (or at least those who are brave enough to show up) come to test their skills against one another in hopes of winning the coveted prize — a handmade chocolate chess set and board. Only the winner can touch it. You can’t buy it or bribe your way to it. Skill is your only hope.

Continue reading

Rules Learned at Acadia National Park

Maine_CliffsThere is an etiquette to behavior in National Parks. Since I have an unusually high desire to have my passport book stamped by all the major National Parks, I took notes on my recent road trip through Acadia National Park with my siblings, dad and nephew (never too old for a family road trip, or are you?). Let me share some key points…

Continue reading

Top 3 Best Things about The Royal Hawaiian Hotel

Royal_Hawaiian_FrontThere is only one state where you will find an actual palace built for real royalty in the United States, do you know which one? Yes, Hawaii! Do you know who the first registered guest of the famed Royal Hawaiian Hotel was? Yes, Princess Abigail Kawananakoa, the would be queen of the Kingdom of Hawaii (if its monarchy survived). Today the “Pink Palace” (her nickname) is home to a variety of luxury seekers as they explore the island-paradise of Oahu.

Continue reading

Blowhard at the Blowhole

Oahu_BlowholeIt was a beautiful day on a beautiful island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The day was warm, but the ocean breeze was refreshing and I was delighted to see the Halona Blowhole on Oahu, Hawaii. As I was enjoying the moment, a voice kept talking, and talking, and talking! My peaceful bubble was popped by this person who demanded everyone within ear shot “overhear” all of his oceanic knowledge. I thought, “Huh, what irony…a blowhard at a blowhole.” Then I started to wonder about the origins of the word blowhard. Here is what I found:

“Blowhard comes from the phrase ‘blow your own horn.’ To blow your own horn is to be a braggart or “blowhard.” This expression in the American West about the middle of the 19th century derives from an earlier expression, blow your own trumpet, dating back to at least 1576 and probably originating in medieval times, when heralds blew trumpets to announce the arrival of the king. Of course, any merchant or other commoner who wanted to announce his arrival had to blow his own horn.” (reference from Askville site)

The take-away from my blowhole experience, don’t stand downwind from the crowd if possible. This way you eliminate the blowhard at the blowhole.