Venue Review: The ‘Iolani Palace

Review of the 'Iolani Palace

Revised 4/2021

Dear Polite Traveler,

The more we visit the islands of Hawaii, the more I feel compelled to learn more about the culture and the past, including the politics of various time periods. Consequently, we have visited the Polynesian Cultural Center a few years ago and this year, the ‘Iolani Palace.

I thought I knew much of the history behind Hawaii becoming a state and its previous relationship with the U.S. What I knew was just a split second of Hawaii’s true history. What I learned on our guided tour would be too much to share here, but I can share my opinion and impression of Queen Liliuokalani and the tour’s accuracy.

Note: Follow CDC and county guidelines when visiting. Always wear your face mask when in public

King David Kalākaua

Upon King David Kalākaua death, her brother, Queen Liliuokalani became the true leader of the Hawaiian Islands. Ultimately, she was overthrown by, what are basically businessmen from the U.S. She became a prisoner in her own home—the royal residence. It’s what she did with her time isolated from her people that I find most interesting. She created the most beautiful quilts and wrote an amazing amount of music, much of which is still played today.

I believe many of us would have balled ourselves up with hate and despair instead of creating beauty and joy. Perhaps that is the real lesson to be learned from the Queen: love each other and be kind.

Please share your experiences!

Please Read

Activity Review— Honolulu Parades and Rallies

Activity Review: Honolulu Zoo

Activity Review: Waikīkī Aquarium

Comments

Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa Review

Art, Excellent Service & Penguins...Oh My My Dear Polite Travelers, Maui has experienced some horrific natural disasters, including a devastating fire and, more recently, torrential rain that caused severe flooding. However, none of that was visible during my last visit. The Hyatt Regency Maui Resort is a huge, richly landscaped, multi-building beauty. It includes a 40-acre oceanfront lagoon and a waterslide into a children’s splashpad. However, I saw many more adults enjoying the splashpad than children. It did look inviting. Directly adjacent to the lobby is a penguin den. Guests are invited to watch a daily penguin presentation. I enjoyed watching them play. They are quite adorable. Dining & Shopping In the main building, you’ll find multiple shops, including a gallery filled with unique and quite excellent art. My favorite shop was actually Honolulu Coffee . As a family-owned,...

Venue Review: Hilton Hawaiian Village

Unexpected Upgrade at Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Hotel Revised 4/2021 Dear Polite Traveler, For our most recent visit to the “Gathering Place”, better known as Oahu, we decided to split our ten-day stay between two excellent Hilton properties: Hilton Waikiki Beach Hotel ( review ) and Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Hotel. During our stay at the Hilton Waikiki Beach Hotel, I thought it couldn’t get any better. We enjoyed our stay immensely. Nevertheless, Hilton surprised us once more. Note : Follow CDC and county guidelines when visiting. Always wear your face mask when in public. We’re upgraded to where? Yep, because we are Hilton Honors members, we were upgraded again to...wait for it…the Ali’i Tower! Breathe, breathe. Amazing upgrade. Here’s a bit of the background about this excellent upgrade. Earlier this year, my husband noticed an unbelievable half-price deal on suites at the...

A Few Days in Palm Springs

Palm Springs Activities Hello, my Polite Travelers, As an older couple, we often just want to relax and enjoy our favorite places at a leisurely pace. This was the case during our recent revisit to Palm Springs. For the most part, we explored downtown, stopping for coffee and chatting with the locals. Additionally, we embarked on a few other excellent adventures. Agua Caliente Cultural Museum As a Smithsonian Affiliate, I found this museum to be outstanding. This museum is a mixture of immersive video, sound, and visuals (including lifelike exhibits) to tell the story of America’s rich—and many times heart-wrenching—indigenous story. The permanent gallery begins with the 360-degree immersive video of the Agua Caliente “Creation & Migration” story. The quality of their digital animation and sound is impressive—there’s even a screen on the floor. I found their creation story to be fascinating. Don’t Miss! For the Love of Art! Don’t Miss The Palm Springs Art M...

The Polite Traveler

Search This Blog