More than two decades after Kimo Kahoano recorded it, Islanders still sing along to the cheerful tune that begins, “It’s Aloha Friday, no work till Monday,” and many celebrate the end of the work week with a pau hana drink or two with friends. The concept of Aloha Friday has spread even to the Mainland,…
West Maui’s “hui” roads tell a tale
If you’ve been around West Maui much, you’ve probably run into the “hui” roads, like Hui Road E and Hui Road F. Where did these strange street names come from? I found an answer in a series of essays published in 1932 by the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. They were written by Leslie Watson, a civil engineer…
A Parisian Surprise in an Ancient Cathedral
Unexpected events can sometimes make or break a vacation. On my visit to Paris last summer, eager to visit the 12th-century Gothic church known as Basilique Saint-Denis, I set out on an hour-long Metro journey to the north of Paris. Knowing that many museums and other tourist sites are closed on Mondays, I had dutifully…
Maui Halloween an Exercise in Creativity
Celebrating Halloween in Lahaina would revive even the most jaded cynic’s faith in human creativity. The annual event in Maui’s picturesque seaside town draws thousands of revelers to promenade along Front Street. Some stroll through the balmy autumn evening in costumes as homemade and traditional as witches or cavemen. Others wear outfits that would pass…
Eating My Words About Maui Dust
It turns out I was wrong. In a blog post I wrote last year after HC&S announced the closing of its Maui sugar plantation, I warned of increased dust from the abandoned fields. As it happens, I had moved to a place windward of the central valley fields a couple of years before this big…
