The Polite Traveler

Join me in a Favorite Waikiki Memory

Lots of Love and Unity Shared in Honolulu Revised 4/2021 Dear Polite Traveler, After witnessing the Pearl Harbor 75th Commemoration Parade last year in Honolulu, my expectations about the MLK parade were limited.   I figured the parade would arrive late and disorganized, but still memorable.   Was I surprised?   Oh yeah.   And, how about the People’s Rally/Women’s March?   Well, that was worth the price of admission. Note : Follow CDC guidelines when visiting.  Always wear your face mask when in public.   MLK Parade Honors a Remarkable Man with a Remarkable Parade Marching bands...check.   Unknown persons riding in cars ...check.   Typical, right?   Some aspects of this parade simulated most.   Nevertheless, most of the multiple marching bands were animated, each member displaying emotion not typically found in the “typical” parade.   After all, we’re in Hawaii.   I never flashed so many “Shaka” signs in my ...

Lions, Tigers, No Bears...But They Do Have Gharials Revised 4/2021 Dear Polite Traveler, With so many activities to choose from while visiting Honolulu, deciding on a trip to the zoo might not make a lot of sense.   After all, most home cities have zoos, so why waste precious vacation time on visiting one in Honolulu?   Because it’s this one. Note : Follow CDC guidelines when visiting.  Always wear your face mask when in public.    What makes it so darn special? This may not be the largest zoo in the U.S. with its 42 acres, but it is home to 995 different animals from the tropics.   Making this zoo quite cool.   Also cool, is that this is our only royal zoo.   Okay, not quite royal, but the land once was.   King David Kalakaua, Monarch of Hawaii granted the people these lands in 1876.   Point of fact, he actually granted an entire 300 acres that became the zoo and Kapiolani Regional Park.   For those of you who have vi...