Just Sail Into The Sunset

Sailboats chase the sun as it descends into the Pacific Ocean. Just another awesome January sunset. 

View from Magic Island (Oahu)

The Waikiki Lights Are On Again

View from Queens Surf

The lights are back on in Waikiki with hope that they remain on as the state navigates the management of Covid-19. There are still many restrictions in place that keep changing.

If you are planning on visiting Hawaii you should do your homework on Hawaii before making your travel plans so you are aware of the current regulations in place. Be prepared for your visit so you can have a memorable vacation.

The Beautiful Hawaii Sunset in July

Nature doesn't care what's going on in the world. Nature is an artist who delivers some beautiful sunsets to view. Every moment in time that goes by you witness a new view. 

I like to make an effort to capture beautiful moments in time that nature delivers. I'm just a romantic that loves sunsets. For a few minutes, you can be mesmerized by the beauty of our world.

Ala Moana Beach Park - Honolulu

Is the Aloha State going down for the count with COVID-19?

Waikiki waiting to welcome visitors back

The countdown to August 2020 to reopen The Aloha State to visitors is in jeopardy with the rise in daily COVID-19 cases. Hawaii was doing very good prior  to July. The carefully staged reopening of the businesses and parks is now yielding some undesirable results with a spike in COVID-19 cases in the state.

Everyone did their part during the shelter in place period to have a low number of COVID-19 cases. It's now July and it looks like people are letting there guard down trying to live like COVID-19 does not exist anymore. I witness a lack of urgency to contain the virus daily when I see irresponsible individuals behaving like someone gave them the all-clear message that COVID-19 is gone.

The State really needs to open up to allow visitors to resume their vacations in the Aloha State, but it could come with a cost of sickness and deaths to bring in revenue to help re-boot a state in dire straits.

The plan to allow visitors to skip the current 14-DAY quarantine law is in jeopardy due to a lack of a clear plan that needs to be in place on August 1st. Everyone needs to be on the same page on how this plan will work. The plan is to have out of state visitors tested 72 hours at a site approved by the Hawaii State Department of Health and provide evidence of negative results upon arrival in Hawaii to skip the 14-day quarantine. This plan is not foolproof. What will happen when some visitors fall through the cracks and bring in COVID-19 and spreads it all around? Is Hawaii able to meet the demands of additional healthcare for visitors with the current spike in resident's healthcare?

By the way, the visitors are responsible for the cost of the testing. That will be an additional cost for their vacation, but a choice many will opt for. States on the mainland are currently seeing a big spike in COVID-19 cases. Is it too early or overdue to open the Aloha State? 

Many questions are awaiting answers with solid action plans while the clock is ticking with the State of Hawaii on the mat after receiving a deadly COVID-19 knock-out punch in the head causing massive hemorrhaging to it's Banana Republic economy that depends heavily on tourism to fund the state.

The Aloha State - Closed (Covid-19)

Waikiki - Covid-19

Waikiki hotels are dark, with hope and optimism that better days are ahead in the Aloha State. The state imposed a 14-day quarantine for anyone arriving into the state. All visitors need to stay put in their hotels for 14 days and residents staying put in their homes for 14-days. Break the quarantine and you will be fined and arrested with jail time. Vistors that have been arrested have been sent home to avoid jail time. The 14-day quarantine is scheduled to end on July 31st, 2020.

The state is slowly re-opening now with a majority of hotels opting to keep their doors closed until the 14-day quarantine is lifted. The business that depends on tourism is hurting bad. The 14-day quarantine can be extended past July if the Governor feels that the state is not ready yet to handle a large volume of visitors that could infect the state. 

Hawaii is counting the days to welcome back visitors. Right now the state prefers visitors to postpone their visit until the pandemic is under control. 

A Serene March Sunset in Waikiki

Beautiful view from a balcony at the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel - Waikiki

March delivers very beautiful sunsets in Waikiki. Always make the time to enjoy the beauty that nature creates. Set your mind free from all the craziness that is going on in the world and focus on those beautiful moments in time. 

Merry Christmas from Hawaii - 2019

The Sheraton Waikiki continues the Christmas tradition of displaying a Santa Claus & Mrs. Claus sand sculpture in the hotel lobby every year. If you are in Waikiki make some time to pose with the sculpture to capture a nice Christmas pic. 

Mele Kalikimaka means Merry Christmas in Hawaiian.

Sheraton Waikiki - Lobby 

Summer has arrived in the Aloha State

Summer 2019 has arrived. 

I'm so blessed to live in a place that many visitors spend their precious vacation time $$$$ to visit. I don't take this paradise for granted. I play tourist all the time by taking in the beauty of Hawaii.

If you are planning a summer vacation make it a Hawaii vacation and enjoy the beautiful beaches and fresh air.

Now for Hawaii locals, you need to get outside and enjoy your beautiful state. 

The view from the balcony of the Miyako Japanese Restaurant at The New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel
Oahu - Waikiki

The Spectacular March Sunset in Hawaii

Ala Moana Beach Park - Oahu

What can I say! You just have to be there to experience the beauty of nature closing out a day in Hawaii. Just make sure you stop in your tracks and take in nature's awesome display of beauty if you are at the beach when the sun says Aloha, see you again tomorrow.

The Plastic Bag Ban

Hawaii Say bye bye to free bags on Oahu

The City Council on Oahu approved a nonsense law that went into effect on 07-01-2018 banning plastic bags. Stores will be fined if they give out bags to customers on Oahu without charging 15 cents for each bag. The bags sold will need to be reusable plastic bags that are compostable or paper bags that are recyclable. The store keeps the 15 cents as revenue and the bags sold are taxed adding additional cost for the consumer.

Unprepared shoppers are carrying purchased items out of the store without a bag to show defiance for the bonehead law. Shoplifters are attempting to carry unpurchased items out of the store too. Looks like the stores will need to use that 15 cents to add more security. It does appear that stores have beefed up their security. The consumer is being stalked by store security or staff to look at you as a potential shoplifter making your shopping experience uncomfortable.

The plastic bag ban will not save our planet. The planet will survive. The only thing that can destroy our planet is a Death Star. We need a law banning any construction of a Death Star.

Star Wars - Death Star aka Planet Destroyer 

Bike lanes gone wild

Bike lanes are accidents waiting to happen when the moment is just right. Who is at risk? The biker, car, and pedestrians.

Bike lanes have rules. Bikes ONLY!!! Hahaha, it's the wild wild west in the bike lane. If it has wheels it will be in the bike lane. No speed limit is set in in the bike lanes so watch out. Bikes and anything on wheels are blazing by in the bike lane.

Street parking for cars next to a bike lane requires the occupants of the parked car to cross the bike lane with extreme caution to get to the sidewalk safely without getting run over by anything on wheels. You also need to cross that bike lane again to get to your car. The bike lane is bidirectional so you better look both ways or you will end up in the emergency room. They just come out of nowhere so you need to be very alert by a bike lane. Drive ways in the bike lane requires everyone to watch out for each other.

Night time is when everyone is at a higher risk. The visibility in the bike lane is poor. Most bikers do not use safety lights like rear red blinking lights and handlebar lights. The anything on wheels does not help the situation by using the bike lane at night. Everyone is at risk of getting hit.

King Street - Honolulu (Oahu)

Sunway "Storm" Lyric Video

Reflections on the Golden Lagoon

Just another beautiful July summer evening in Hawaii. Two visitors taking in the peaceful serenity of the lagoon.

Duke Paoa Kahanamoku Lagoon @ Hilton Hawaiian Village

Dinner with a view

It's spring time in Hawaii so pick up a meal and head over to a park. Try to find a nice spot with a view to enjoy your delicious meal.

Magic Island - Oahu

The November Golden Horizon Sunset

The November sunset lights up the horizon as it descends into the pacific ocean ending another day in the Aloha State.

Ala Wai Boat Harbor - Honolulu, Hawaii

Liquid Glass courtesy of the King Tides

Summer has arrived so get outside and watch the ocean and sun put on a show. I was able to catch a snapshot of a wave smashing into a sea wall on a day when it was a King Tide day.

Queen's Surf Beach
Waikiki

Painting the Sky with a June Sunset

The sun decided to hide behind the clouds. Nature can be an artist by painting the sky with brilliant colors when the sun is hidden. Any type of sunset is special because you were able to be there and see it in person. Alway remember to stop and appreciate the beauty of nature when you have the opportunity.

Ala Wai Boat Harbor
Honolulu, Hawaii 

The Golden Lagoon from a May Sunset

Watching a May sunset at the Hilton Hawaiian Village is just an awesome sight as it paints the sky and creates a golden lagoon.

Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon @ Hilton Hawaiian Village
Oahu

The April Sunset Said Rain Rain Go Away

It's April and the sun was able to deliver a spectacular fireball sunset with the clouds out of the way. The south shore of Oahu is the place to be spring time to view beautiful postcard sunsets.

The view from the beach near the Hilton Hawaiian Village

The March Hawaii Sunset at the Harbor

March rolled in fast and put on a show with some beautiful sunsets on the coastline of Oahu's south shore. Always take a time out if you get a chance to view a sunset. It's a few minutes of nature putting on a show for you. 

Ala Wai Boat Harbor
Oahu