The "A Trip to Lahaina" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Walking around the historic town of Lahaina, Maui.  This is our third time to visit the island of Maui and we never miss the chance to head to Lahaina for a meal, shopping or just exploring.  Lahaina is Maui's historic jewel and the old whaling capital of the Pacific in the mid-1800s is just a few miles from where we are staying at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel.  Lahaina has restored many of its historic sites and today I walked the small town checking out many of the sites that are close to Lahaina's Front Street.  Today's story will show you a few of the restored buildings and give you some of the historical background that is pertinent to the building.  So follow with me as I do some exploring.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

This Banyan tree on Front Street in Lahaina is the oldest in the state of Hawaii.  It was brought to the island in 1873 and when planted in it's current location, was only eight feet tall.  The the tree is said to stand 50 feet tall and span approximately 200 feet in length while covering about two-thirds of an acre.  It is immense and lovely to walk under.  Many people have autographed parts of some of the many trunks that have rooted over time.  It was sad to see all the homeless that have made the tree and the block in which it resides their home.  The stench of urine was hard to ignore as I walked under its huge limb structure.
 

This is the courthouse that is home to the Lahaina Arts Society, Banyan Tree Gallery, the Lahaina Heritage Museum  and the Visitor's Center.  It was built in 1859 after the fort (pictured below) had been destroyed.  At the time the courthouse served as a custom's house, post office, collector's office, office of the Governor, police office and a courtroom.

The Pioneer Inn and Theatre is one of the oldest hotels in Hawaii that is still in operation.    The theatre opened its doors in 1913 offering a Hollywood movie for 5 cents.  For a few cents more you could catch a Japanese movie on Monday nights.  The theatre had downstairs seating with an upstairs balcony and reserved seating.  There were no concessions.  The Pioneer Theatre was closed in 1965.  The current owner of the Inn is George "Keoki" Freeland who is preserving the memories of the plantation days when his father operated the movie house in the 1940s when thousands of sugar plantation camp residents visited the theatre.  The Pioneer Inn had been the background for the film "The Devil at 4 O'Clock" as well as TV shows Hawaii 5-0, Hawaiian Eye, Adventures in Paradise and Baywatch.  The Inn is still in operation and operates as a Best Western.  It captures the ambiance of the whaling days and the plantation era.  The Pioneer Bar and Grill is part of the structure.

The Fort on the Canal was built in 1831 out of coral blocks that were hewn by hand.  It once covered an area about the size of an acre with 20 foot high walls.  All that remains of it is pictured here which is along the waterfront.  Click on the photo to enlarge it.

The Rev. Dr. Dwight Baldwin and Charlotte Fowler were married in Connecticut the week after they met.    At the time they wanted to serve their church abroad and unmarried people could not go abroad together, so they married to accommodate the rules of the church.  They moved into this house in 1835 after it had been erected by the Rev. Ephraim Spaulding who was a missionary in Lahaina.  Dr. Baldwin was a Harvard educated physician as well as a minister in the Congregational Church.  The house was built with stone, coral and hand-hewn timbers.  The Baldwin family added a one-floor bedroom and study at the north end of the house in 1840.  It was here that six children were raised by the Baldwins.  They also lost two children in early childhood.  The house has been totally restored and is in beautiful shape.  The women in the window greeted me when I walked onto the porch.  The photo of the rear of the house shows both coral and stone being used in it's construction.

This is the prison also known as Hale Paahao.  It was built in 1852 during the reign of King Kamehameha III to lock up rowdy sailors who failed to return to their ships at sundown as well as unruly natives.  The surrounding coral wall was built in 1854 while the guard house and cells were completely rebuilt in 1959.  The prison sits about two blocks inland from Front Street.

The "Sure-Fire Weight Enhancer" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Trying to gain back some of the weight that I lost while worrying about my back surgery and then not being able to eat because of the anesthesia that was used during my back surgery.  It's been three weeks since I had my spinal fusion and I am only now beginning to feel like eating.  Carol has been trying to make all my favorite meals in order to entice me into eating and gaining weight.  I have about 20 pounds that I need to gain back to get to my best functioning weight.  

Creamed Peas and Eggs on Toast!  A health favorite of mine. Click to enlarge.

Well tonight, after seeing what was on my plate, I finally began to gain some of the weight that I sorely need.  One of my favorite meals of all-time which I started eating when I was a student at Brecht Elementary School in Manheim Township, Lancaster Co., PA.  Meal is called creamed peas and eggs on toast.  Make you want to barf?  That's because you never had creamed peas and eggs on toast.  I'm sure if you ever experienced the meal it would be one of your favorites also.  My friend Jerry, who I grew up with and who I still travel with, claims it is one of his favorites also.  Not sure if he is trying to humor me or if he really likes it.  As for my wife, she had Chinese the night she served me the creamed peas and eggs on toast.  So, here is how she makes it.  Makes a white cream sauce by melting butter in a sauce pan and adding flour to the melted butter.  Then adds milk until the mixture is a heavy soupy mixture.  Adds a bag of frozen peas that have been defrosted and drained, then hard boils eggs and slices them into the white sauce.  Toasts bread, places it on the plate and dumps the creamed peas and eggs on top.  What a meal.  It will surely add weight and make you a fan of the meal if you don't get sick from it.  Oh yeah, fill half the plate with applesauce to make it a well-balanced meal.  Just delicious!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Gentle Giant" Story

Funaki carving Koi wood held between his legs.

It was an ordinary day.  Talking to Funaki about his carvings he has for sale at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel in Maui, Hawaii.  Funaki is a huge guy who makes his living with his skills as a sculptor of wood.  Uses both Koi as well as Monkey Pod wood which are native to the state in which he lives.  I sat next to him on the ground as he worked so we could talk. 

A look at his carvings.

I told him I was at one time a wood shop teacher and he said, “I knew it had to be something like that because of the questions you were asking me.  Most people have no idea how tough it is to carve the shapes and figures which I do, but you seemed to understand what I was doing.”  This mild mannered young man’s eyes brightened when I asked if he had ever played football.  “Was nose guard for my high school team when we played a 3-4 formation.”  He loved watching the Baltimore Ravens since a high school friend had played for them not long ago.  The friend had to give up his career in football in order to donate a kidney to his brother.  I brought up the subject of my son-in-law’s high school football coaching career and the fact that his team played in the state finals three years at the Raven’s Stadium in Baltimore. 

A look at his family crest on
his massive arms.

Funaki was fully involved in our conversation by this time and put his tools down so we could talk more.  He asked where I was from and I told him I lived with the Amish in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  He fired question after question about the lifestyle of the Amish.  Our conversation then turned to the armful of tattoos that he sports and was extremely proud to show me and allow me to take photographs.  When he pulled up his shirt I was amazed at the size of his arms.  He is truly an intimidating person, but one of the kindest and most mild mannered young men I have met in quite some time.  His one arm featured his family crest while his other bore the name of his daughter.  I eventually wished him the best and left him to get back to his work knowing that he will be a success in whatever endeavor he may attempt in his life.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.   

The "LNP" Story

Lancaster, PA's old daily paper.

It was an ordinary day.  Just got back from a walk to the end of my drive with my cat Creamsicle to pick up the daily newspaper.  Same thing I have been doing for years, but now the paper looks slightly different.  Back in 1910 Lancaster, Pennsylvania had five newspapers: the Lancaster New Era, the Examiner, the Inquirer, the Morning News and the Intelligencer.  Over the years that number was reduced to two with the Intelligencer Journal being the left-leaning morning paper and the New Era being the right-leaning evening paper.  Then, a few years back they joined into one paper and staff and only produced the morning paper, but put both names on the top of the paper and two editorial pages, one for the right (Republicans) and one for the left (Democrats).  Well, that all changed while I was on vacation during the middle two weeks of October.  When we got home there was a publication sitting with my pile of mail that my son gathered daily for me.  

Lancaster, PA's new daily paper known as LNP.

I thought it was no more than a large advertise- ment section and didn't bother to look at it.  The day after I returned from vacation I walked to the end of my drive for my paper and there was another of the same as the one I thought was an advertisement.  "Look what happened to the newspaper," I said to Carol when I walked back in the house.  "Looks like a small town weekly publication.  They even changed the name of it.  I don't think I'm going to like it."  I wasn't the only one who felt that way as I checked the "Letters to the Editor" page and saw all the negative comments about the new newspaper that is now known as LNP - Always Lancaster.  The reporters and photographers are still the same, but the format is very different.  

I noticed a few of these signs in neighbor's yards.  Not sure
why they were in the yards, but is the new logo for the paper.

 Geared toward a digital newspaper.  And, in Lancaster County, PA you just don't do that!!  Many were threatening to drop their subscription while others already claimed to have dropped their subscription and were venting their views as to how stupid the title was.  I don't care much for change either, but I must say I like the new newspaper format.  Easier to follow and the type font seems to be easier on the eyes.  Only thing I miss is the back page.  The local newspaper always had three sections: Front page section that had important news on page one with national news on the next few pages and then the editor's page at the end of the section, middle section that was more local news with obits and the last section that was sports and advertisement with a back page that was the second most important page next to the front page.  Now the back page ends with sports, but does feature the weather.  Would love to know if sales have dropped, but that isn't going to cause me to drop my subscription.  As I said, I enjoy the new format, but I can sympathize with those who hate change.  As of now I haven't been able to find out what caused the change, but I'm sure there must have been a reason.  I'm sure I'll find out soon enough.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "10Q" Story

Entrance into Kauai Kookie

It was an ordinary day.  Eating breakfast at the Kauai Kookie Kitchen which is located in the town of Kalaheo, Kauai.  Carol and I along with our friends Jerry and Just Sue decided to take a day of our vacation to Hawaii and tour some of the island of Kauai.  Left our condo in Poipu and headed west.  After about half an hour of travel we decided it was time for breakfast so I was told to stop at the first place that said they served breakfast.  First place I came to was packed with cars so I decided to continue to the next stop.  Pulled into the parking lot of Kauai Kookie Kitchen after reading the sign in the front of the place that advertised breakfast and lunch.  We exited the Dodge Journey and entered through the rear screen door of the restaurant.  

Order and Pickup counter.  Menu is on the rear wall.

Very homey place with a few knotty-pine tables and only one other patron eating breakfast.  I wondered if we really should stop here, but everyone else was hungry so we continued to a table.  Saw the sign above the cash register that told you to place your order so we scanned the menu and after making our selections, ordered at the counter.  Picked a table in the corner so we could watch other patrons as they entered and it was at that moment that I noticed the only other patron rose from his seat and started chasing a large roach across the floor, trying to tramp it to death.  Not a great introduction to the Kookie Kitchen.  Shortly our meals were ready and were brought to our table for us.  They were served on paper plates with plastic utensils wrapped in a small paper napkin.  

EinHl showing me the tattoos on his
two middle fingers that say "10Q"
(thank you).

The owner made a visit to our table to inquire about our service and meals.  Fellow by the name of EinHl who I guessed to be in his mid-50s.  Real character with a real upbeat personality.  Dressed in white shorts with black shirt and a dirty gray apron covering the front of him.  We talked about his restaurant and island life in general.  Then as he was needed for another patron, he turned, held out his hand with knuckles showing facing me and said, "Here's my response!"  He had the biggest smile on his face as I attempted to figure out exactly what he was talking about until I realized the tattoos on his two middle fingers read - 10 Q.  Took me a second or two before I knew what it was then said to him, "Pretty neat!"  If you haven't figured it out yet it is meant to be "Thank you" in his oriental language.  As we ate our meal I noticed several times he would go to the opposite end of the restaurant and peer through a hole in the wall.  

At the other end of the restaurant I could see EinHl taking
orders through a small window in the wall.

Only when we left did I realize he was taking orders from the connecting store where another restaurant was housed as well as the store that sold the cookies and baked goods that were produced in the Kauai  Kookie factory in the town of Hanapepe.  While searching for info to write this story I Googled the "Kauai Kookie Bakery" and found a variety of reviews directed toward the restaurant.  Everything from:  (1) This place is friendly and has a good following among locals to (2) I love the Cajun shrimp tacos, my favorite, can't get enough to (3) Really wish we hadn't stopped here.  I got the wasabi ahi and kalua pork tacos and both were mushy, greasy, unappetizing and are not sitting well.  It was the worst meal I've had after two weeks on the islands.  Well, we survived breakfast and did enjoy our host who was a rather unusual ambassador for the island of Kauai.  Would I stop there again for breakfast?  I'd probably think twice before I did, but it was entertaining!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Most Romantic Spot On Kauai" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Listening to a tender rendition of the "Hawaiian Wedding Song" as a young Hawaiian woman with a red flower in her hair dances to the enchanting music.  

Our riverboat ride awaits us. Click on photo to enlarge.

Boy, I'll tell you, when I read the brochure about the Fern Grotto on Kauai's East side Wailua River being a romantic destination, I thought how can a tourist spot be romantic.  Well, I was convinced about five seconds into the song while standing underneath the beautiful fern covered lava rocks with the water slowly cascading down from maybe 50 feet above us.  

Learning the moves of the Hula during our ride.

This would be a great place to be married!  Our guide told us all about the weddings that have taken place at the site as well as the fact that weddings can no longer be performed inside the Grotto due to the possibility that the ceiling could cave in and trap visitors.  

Just Sue and Carol practice their Hula moves.

It was on April 24, 2006 that the Grotto was closed by the Hawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resources for safety reasons.  Heavy rains the previous month caused a number of rocks and boulders to fall from the ceiling of the Grotto onto the viewing area below.  A year later reinforcement of the rock walls and installation of a viewing platform well below the Grotto allowed limited access to the natural wonder.  

The Fern Grotto.  The opening in the center is large
enough to allow people to stand in it.  Weddings once
were performed inside the opening, but since 2006
they have been prohibited because of rocks falling.

Weddings may be performed and viewed on the observation deck, but may no longer be performed inside the Grotto opening.  Our tour group is standing on the observation deck and I believe it would still be a romantic spot to hold a wedding.  

"The Wedding Song" is being sung to
music as the dancer does the Hula.

A little over a half hour ago we boarded a flat-bottomed riverboat and made our way down the sacred river towards the Fern Grotto.  Musicians serenaded us with Hawaiian melodies and a young girl taught the guests the movements of the Hula.  Off in the distance I could see the cloud-capped Mt. Waialeale.  Our boat pulled next to a dock in what looked like a tropical rain forest and we all departed, winding our way through the lush vegetation to the Fern Grotto observation deck.  You can feel the coolness of the air and smell the tropical flowers as you view the beautiful cave above us which is bathed in sunlight from rays coming through the trees.  

Someone has welcomed us to the Fern Grotto with a message
written on this flower along the pathway.

And then the song began.  I could feel goose bumps on my skin from the music echoing off the walls around us and the total silence of our tour group.  Then ….. the song ended with applause filling the air.  The trip back up the river wasn't as exciting, but we still got to see the many varieties of flowers and trees which lined the banks of the river.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Under Armor Granddaughter'" Story

My granddaughter, 10-year-old Camille.
Photo by Terri Beach Photography.

It was an ordinary day.  Phone was ringing so I yelled to Carol, "I'll get it."  It was my youngest granddaughter Camille.  She had some news to share with me, "Tampah, we just won first place in our cheerleading competition for the second year in a row!"  Camille was calm as ever while delivering her message.  It was only two weeks ago that she called and said, "Tampah, I just scored five goals in my lacrosse game!"  Camille loves to be involved in just about everything.  Softball, cheerleading, lacrosse, soccer, gymnastics ….. doesn't matter what the activity may be, she loves to be involved and perform to her best.  Well, today she also told me about her recent job as a "fit model" in Baltimore, Maryland.  Seems that one of her best friends, one of a pair of twins, had broken her foot while cheerleading.  The twins had both been asked to be models for Under Armor, an athletic clothing line based in Baltimore.  Kevin Plank, a former University of Maryland football player was the founder of the company after engineering athletic shirts that had moisture-wicking performance fibers to help keep athletes cool and dry in hot summer conditions.  Since one of the twins was out of action, the other asked Camille, who happened to be the exact size as the twins, if she would enjoy going with her to model Under Armor's new 2015 line of athletic clothing.  I imagine it probably took no more than half a second for Camille to say yes.  Monday morning arrived and she had no school because of report card sessions at her school.  Her friend's grandmother took the two of them to Baltimore where they arrived at 7:30 am.  They, along with a few other girls of various body sizes, were served breakfast and given the new line of clothing to try on for modeling.  

The Under Armor logo.

She watched as her friend walked the red carpet runway, posing along the way for the buyers who had arrived from all over the country.   Then it was her turn.  I'm sure she was nervous, but after a few seconds she was right at home in her element of performing.  Piece after piece she modeled until it was time to eat lunch.  After lunch the girls were then taken by water taxi to the under Armor Store where they could purchase clothing.  Then it was back to work again.  She told me they worked until 4:00 pm and then returned home.  Stressful day I'm sure, but for Camille it was a day of enjoyment.  And to top that off, she was paid $25 an hour for the pleasure of wearing her favorite clothes.  On Friday of the same week she returned once again to Baltimore to model again.  To some it would be a chore, but for Camille, who probably doesn't own a piece of clothing that doesn't have the Under Armor logo on it, she must have loved it.  She told me that she may have a chance in the Spring to model the next new line of clothing.  I'm sure she has her fingers crossed.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Distinguished Hats For Distinguished People" Story

Owner Jim at Newt at The Royal in Honolulu.

It was an ordinary day.  Carol and I were walking around the grounds of The Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Honolulu when we found this rather unique men's store that featured two items: Tropical Sportswear and Montecristi Panama Hats.  Walked in the store known as "Newt at The Royal" and was greeted by the owner, Jim, who was dressed in a Aloha shirt and a Panama hat.  The next half hour of our visit to Hawaii was one of the most interesting of our trip.  Jim purchased the store from Mr. Newton years ago and has made it into one of the most interesting on the island.  His Aloha designs were original and his hats were outstanding.  His hats are hand-woven in Ecuador in the town of Montecristi.  The artisans in the small city create the famed Sombreros Montecristi which Jim sells at the Newt.  

Men's hat on the left while Woman's hat sits on the right.

All processes on the hats are done by hand.  Toquilla palm fronds are used which create the feeling of silk or linen rather than straw when completed.  The artisans weave the hats while standing during evening hours to help protect straw from sweat or sun damage.  

A photo of Jim examining the Toquilla
palm fronds in Ecuador.

Some of Jim's Sombreros are woven so tight that they actually hold water.  Jim's collection of hats are made in Ecuador, but blocked in the USA.  If you buy one of his hats it will bear its own number under the hat band.  The walls of his shop hold Polaroids of customers from this year that have bought hats from him.  Impressive number of photos line just about every spot in the shop and the year has yet to end.  Many of the images are of people who I recognized as famous actors, artists and musicians.  Jim allowed me to try on one of his hats and I must admit it was extremely comfortable, but the look on my wife's face told me I wasn't meant to wear a hat that sold for a minimum of $1,000.  

The walls of his shop hold Polaroids of customers.

Some of the woman's models sold for $400, but they too ran up to $1,000 or more.  He had a few photos of himself taken on one of his trips to Ecuador to see how the hats are made.  His legendary hats combine timeless style with outstanding practicality and I actually had one of them on my head .... for about 15 seconds. I did manage to buy one of his Aloha shirts which I got to wear on a few occasions during the remainder of our visit to Hawaii.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "This Lil' Piggy Went To The Lu'au" Story

Two of the performers in the New Legends
of Ka'anapali Lu'au play before the start of the meal.

It was an ordinary day.  Waiting to eat the pig.  Carol and I as well as our traveling friends Jerry and Just Sue are attending the New Legends of Ka'anapali Lu'au at the Ka'anapali Beach Hotel.  We decided that we wanted to attend a luau sometime during our visit to Hawaii this fall so we picked the new luau that is being offered at the resort where we are staying.  

Drinks have arrived!

The Legends of Ka'anapali is held every Monday evening at the hotel's Tiki Courtyard.  The luau features hula and narration that will take us on a journey through the history of Ka'anapali through song and dance.  The Hula, which was born in Hawaii, is a means of sharing myths and legends.  The dance uses the body to tell a story.  But the hula is also about the stories, language, chants, songs and plants from which instruments are made.  After a greeting by one of the performers we are given drinks to start the meal.  Then we are ushered into the covered restaurant for a buffet line.  After filling our plates we return to the tables and are serenaded with soft music as we eat our meal.  

The buffet line featuring many native Hawaiian dishes.

A dessert tray is brought to each table and drinks are refreshed.  As darkness falls, the torch is lit on the top of the Tiki stage and the story begins.  A woman narrates and describes what is happening as the dancers begin the hula.  

The sounding of the conch begins the story.

Dance after dance after another dance follows.  For me, the dance is interesting to watch and follow, but …… after watching 15-20 minutes of the hula, I start to get restless.  The songs all start to sound the same and I have no idea what they are saying, since the Hawaiian language is foreign to me.  

The dancers begin the tale.

The dancers are fun to watch and I must admit I love the part where they wear the coconut bras and skimpy grass skirts, but …… I was ready for some fire stuff.  I was not disappointed when about a half dozen young men began their dance and started setting the stage on fire.  Pretty dramatic and rather scary.  I'm not sure how they avoided being burned when they sat on the pads that were covered with flames, but it didn't seem to faze them.  The drums got louder (if that's possible) and the calls from the performers got more intense.  Then, after what I assume was a wedding dance, it was over!  

The fire dancers!

I'm sure there was someone that could have explained what happened, but I'm not sure it mattered by then.  The luau is a tradition in the Hawaiian islands and the hula is the dance that is used to tell the story, but for me ….. well give me that good ole rock and roll and  jitterbug any day.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The dance of the gown.

The "Arizona Memorial: A Remembrance" Story

An ad for the tour we took of Pearl Harbor shows
the Arizona Memorial sitting on top
of what remains of the USS Arizona Battleship.

It was an ordinary day.  I can almost hear the planes attacking as I stand, looking at one of the monuments along the shoreline and reading the story emblazoned in marble while off in the distance I can see the remains of the USS Arizona, laden with the 1,102 sailors and marines killed during the bombing, trying to escape it's underwater tomb.  As I read more I can feel tears forming in my eyes, knowing that these brave soldiers died for me and every other American during the attack of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.  Shortly Carol and I will board a boat that will take us to the Arizona Memorial so that we can view the names of those who died as well as stand on top of the huge ship that once was part of the Pacific fleet of Battleships that, after being sunk that fateful day, led to the involvement of the United States in WWII.  

Entrance into Pearl Harbor and the visitor's center.

We will be part of the more than one million visitors that visit the site since it was first opened in 1962.  The walk through the memorial is a very emotional experience as we looked below at the top of the sunken ship and see the "tears of the Arizona" break the surface of the water below us.  

The discoloration on the water shows "the tears of the
Arizona" as the oil seeps into the surrounding waters.

The "tears" are oil leaking from the sunken battleship, rising to the surface of the water.  We are told that less than a quart of oil escapes daily and it will take our lifetime and longer before all the oil escapes the tanks of the ship.  Our tour of the Arizona started today when we were picked up at our hotel in downtown Honolulu by a Mercedes travel limo driven by our tour guide  Clayton, a personable young man who has lived on the island for over four years.  

View of the Arizona Memorial from our boat.

He hops on the highway nearby and heads toward Pearl Harbor, narrating the trip as he drives.  After arrival the dozen of us in the limo are treated to breakfast, then ushered toward the entrance of Pearl Harbor.  

Inside the Arizona Memorial.

After entering the visitor's center we are given directions as to what time we will watch a short film and board our boat to the Memorial.  Carol and I visit the two museums that are part of the tour and then enter the studio for the film.  We then, silently, walk to the boat for the 10 minute trip to the Memorial.  

"Old Glory" flying high above the Arizona Memorial.

After our tour of the Memorial we returned to the visitor's center and waited for our tour to continue.  Wasn't long until we were greeted by Clayton, loaded back in the limo and heading to the Punch Bowl Cemetery which is also known as the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific and is a burial place for men and women who served in the US Armed Forces.  

The Punchbowl Cemetery.  The gravesides are all level
with the grass, but many have flowers or flags on them.

The Punchbowl Cemetery opened in 1949.   At this point there are only six riders in the limo and I ask Clayton if he can stop for photos.  He told me that he is required to continue in motion, slow as it may be, or face a fine of $1,000.  If you are a visitor to the the cemetery in a private car you may park at the off site parking and walk through the cemetery, but touring vehicles may not stop.  

King Kamehameha Statue in front of the Ali'iolani Hale.

I still managed a few good photos for my vacation slide show.  Then it was off for a tour of Honolulu with Clayton narrating the entire trip.  We passed the State Capitol building, the Supreme Court building and then finally made a stop at the King Kamehameha Statue which stands in front of the Ali'iolani Hale in Honolulu.  

Getting ready to enter our limo.

The statue had its origins in 1878 when Walter M. Gibson, an Hawaiian government official, wanted to commem- orate the 100-year arrival of Captain Cook to the Hawaiian Islands.  $10,000 was approved by the legislature and Mr. Gibson contacted Boston sculptor Thomas R. Gould about making the statue.  

Our tour guide Clayton.

Photographs were sent to Gould of Polynesians so the sculpture could make an appropriate likeness, but at the time Gould was living in Florence, so the resulting bronze sculpture had a Roman nose and European features rather than the proposed Polynesian likeness.  In 1883 the sculpture was shipped to Hawaii, but near the Falkland Islands the ship wrecked and the statue was thought to be lost.  Insurance covered the cost of another bronze statue, but before it was finished the original one was found by Falkland Islanders who sold it to the captain of the wrecked ship for $500 and in return he sold it to Mr. Gibson for $875.  

Carol and I are standing in front of
the King Kamehameha Statue.

Now Hawaii had two statues.  One stands near the legendary king's birthplace on the island of Hawaii while I am taking photos of the other in Honolulu.  When Hawaii gained statehood in 1969, another sculpture was cast and placed in the United States Capitol.  When Hawaii-born Barack Obama was nominated as a candidate for President the statue was moved to a prominent position in Emancipation Hall.  Carol and I walked around the surrounding grounds where the statue stands, then headed back to the limo.  Clayton and the other passengers were waiting as we stepped into the limo.  Our tour was over, but it was one of the highlights of our travels to Hawaii this year.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - On this Veteran's Day, I posted the story about our visit to the Arizona as a remembrance of the struggles and triumphs that our veteran's have achieved for all Americans in the past.  I certainly appreciate every veteran and what they did for me and my family as well as their country.  Happy Veteran's Day!

The "Seeing Sea Glass By The Seashore" Story

Photo from the website telling readers to visit the glass beach.

It was an ordinary day.  We finally found the street sign that said Ele'ele Road with an arrow pointing toward the ocean.  Now the fun will begin.  This all started a few months ago when I was reading an article about visiting Hawaii and the top 10 things you must do while on the islands.  Things such as go to a Luau, take a dinner cruise, visit the Arizona Memorial and oh yeah … visit the Glass Beach.  Never heard of the Glass Beach before so we thought it would be interesting to try and find it.  

This is glass beach.

It is a beach on the island of Kauai near the town of Hanapepe which we just visited.  It allegedly is in an industrial area near Port Allen Harbor.  The beach is a volcanic rock beach, but the sea glass formed after years of discarded glass from the industrial park.  Flasks, windshields, windows and bottles of all kinds and colors had been discarded years ago and the ocean and sand spent almost half a century washing over the glass with the result being pieces of frosted, jelly bean-like pebbles.  

Small and limited treasures were on the beach.

Sea glass is very much in demand today by artists and collectors who find the pieces for jewelry, stained glass windows, mosaics and even sun catchers.  With today's society switching to plastic for just about everything, beach glass is more a rarity than a common find on beaches.  This beach is supposed to be have glass colored blue, brown, aqua, blue and clear.  Well, I followed the sign with the arrow that said Ele'ele Road.  Certainly was an industrial park and I had no idea where the beach might be.  I finally stopped and walked into a massage parlor for directions.  One of the girls knew exactly what I was after and pointed me in the right direction.  

Looking toward the other end of the beach.

Before long we were on an extremely rutted and rocky road in our rental.  Found the cut-off I was told about and after making a turn or two we discovered the beach.   Only problem was so did everyone else.  Few cars parked on the dirt behind the beach, but that didn't matter to us.  We hopped out and began scouring the beach.  Most pieces we found were extremely small, but every so often we found a piece the size of a dime.  I stuffed my finds in my pocket and located a soda can so I could grab a small handful of the sand/glass for my collection.  A half-hour later we were back in the car comparing our finds.  The side trip was more for fun than anything else, but we did find three or four pieces worth keeping.  Beach glass seems to be the same as with anything else.  Times and customs change and over time one treasure disappears to be renewed by another one.  Sad, but the beach glass is one treasure that is slowly disappearing.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  PS - check out the video of Glass Beach.

The "Art Collector Extraordinaire ...... NOT!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Decided to write my third story in the last few months about a neighbor on nearby Roseville Road who has taken it upon himself to be the art critic for the entire neighborhood.  Only problem is he lacks any semblance of common sense with the placement of what he calls art on the front yard of his home.  This all started a few years ago when he began displaying pink flamingos on the grass in front of his home.  Over a period of a few summer months his collection grew and grew until he had them all over his yard.  Neighbors talked of the guy with the pink flamingos, but eventually the novelty subsided and he must have decided he needed something else to attract the attention of his neighbors.  This summer he began with an old bathtub that he painted pink.  That was followed a week or so later with an old metal bed which was filled with dirt and topped off with flowers.  Naturally it too was painted pink.  

I thought the bed of flowers was rather imagina- tive, but more quickly followed.  Next came a pink mailbox, pink bulldog, pink toilet and a pink bicycle.  I thought it was a collection of old junk, but evidently he thought of it as art.  Then came the one-armed mannequin that was painted pink.  One of the neighbors must have complained that it had no clothes on it so he added a pink bra.  And, it was all done in the name of art.  Then came the five-panel unit which featured nude people and statues.  This really got the ire of his neighbors as well as those who drove the street daily.  Just what he wanted!    Neighbors complained to the local officials as well as the police that their children were subjected to nudity every day when their school bus passed his yard.  The alleged art collector said, "It's my constitutional right to put anything I want in my yard, as long as it's art."  His neighbors claim his display "is just inappropriate."  He claimed the panels were purchased at a yard sale and are from a play or a movie, but he isn't sure which one.  He claims that he not only collects art, but typewriters, phones with cords and old radios.  He also says that he is Greek and the panels display his heritage.  I guess he must be talking about the nude statues since there must have been Greek nudes in his heritage somewhere.  

In a newspaper interview he said, "The more they complain the more stuff I'm going to put out there.  And there's nothing the township can do about it."  And, to top all this off, he added lights so the neighbors could see all his artwork round-the-clock.  He did finally put pink tape over the genitals and breasts of the men and women featured on the panels as well as a pink pompom and a pink fig leaf on another couple.  A real hero he is.  Can hardly wait to see what happens next.  I can hardly wait.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  PS - click on photos to enlarge them.

The "Near-Perfect Secretary" Story

Marie M. Gehman

It was an ordinary day.  Just got off the phone with Just Sue who lives in State College, PA and is one of my traveling friends.  Called to tell her that a friend of ours, Marie Gehman, had just died.  Sue's husband and I taught together at Manheim Township High School and Marie was the secretary for many of those years.  When I started teaching at MTHS in 1967 Marie was one of the high school's front office secretaries.  She eventually was promoted and was the secretary to the principal.  She was extremely efficient and a loyal employee for the high school.  Took pride in never doing anything wrong.  I had quite a bit of contact with her since I taught graphic arts and did all of the in-house printing for the high school.  She and I worked together designing just about everything from stationery to hall passes during the many years we worked together.  But, there is one story that she and I always talked about when we would see each other when the retired high school staff would get together for breakfast.  It was graduation time during one year in the early 1980s.  Marie would always type the graduation program and I would print it.  Had to wait until the last minute to print it to make sure all the names on the program had passed the requirements for graduation.  Some years the ink probably came off on the fingers of the parents who attended graduation, since I had to wait some years until the day of graduation to print the program.  This particular year I was able to print the program the day before graduation in the morning and had the program finished by lunch.  I dropped the programs off in the office and Marie thanked me for the good job.  Shortly she walked into the print shop with a smile on her face.  Somehow I had made a mistake!  Had to print them all over again.  Finished the job by late afternoon and took them to the office where Marie was waiting for them.  Told her how sorry I was for the mistake and left.  Wasn't more than five minutes later she returned to the print shop as I was putting my jacket on to go home.  Her face was white and her head was hanging low.  Seems she had made a mistake on this version and it had to be redone one more time.  I was exhausted and told her it would have to wait until the next day, graduation day.  She gave me the corrected version and early the next morning, about 6:00 AM, I arrived to get started.  Wasn't more than ten minutes later in walks Marie with a plate of pastries and fresh strawberries from her garden.  She was so upset that she had caused me to have to come in and reprint the program because of her mistake that she brought me breakfast.  I stopped working and we sat at the light table to share breakfast with each other.  It was during that time that we both got to know each other a little bit better.  She realized how hard it is to produce something under stress and I got to see another side of her when she apologized once more for making the mistake.  Marie retired in 1985 and was probably one of the most efficient secretaries I have ever worked with during my teaching career.  May she rest in peace!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.