Unexpectedly Honolulu

Waikiki and Diamond Head

Aloha! Sometimes there are hidden treasures in adverse situations. We just have to move past the inconveniences and sacrifices we have taken. This is how I unexpectedly found myself in Honolulu. After missed flights in Tokyo (I was flying on standby), I finally got a seat to return to the US and my flight home was through Honolulu. I was relieved when I finally got a seat on a flight home through Honolulu. It wasn’t ideal in terms of finding a flight to the mainland as a standby as this is quite a popular destination. Secondly, the hotels are expensive, at least to me. But I found I could use my IHG points to lower the cost of a hotel room on Kuhio, near Waikiki. So I decided to stay overnight and get a good rest after the stress of the last couple of days.

Food Truck Station on Kalakaua

After a long and refreshing nap, I walked to the food truck park that a hotel employee had recommended to me earlier. It wasn’t easy to decide what to eat from the number of choices offered by the food trucks. There are taco, curry, hamburger, chicken, shrimp, Asian noodles, fruit drinks and coffee trucks. I finally settled on the fried shrimp noodle. I got a huge serving so I took the leftover back to the hotel and ate it as my midnight snack.

Chicken food truck menu

The food truck park is on 1944 Kalakaua Avenue. Bon appetit!

Asian food truck entrées

Coffee choices

It wasn’t dark yet when I finished dinner so I went shopping at the ubiquitous ABC Store next door. What I miss most from living in Hawaii many moons ago are the guava cookies and I got some of those and a few Hawaiian tees.

Surfers waiting for the big one

The next day I walked to Waikiki and had a leisurely lunch at RumFire at the Sheraton Waikiki with a view of Diamond Head and Waikiki beach. It was aqua therapy at its best.

I love to look at shop windows and these watercolor paintings caught my eye.

Hawaiian music would not be complete without the ukelele.

And look at this Christmas shop! Yes, Mele Kalikimaka means Merry Christmas.

On my bucket list was to buy malasadas. And I found these at the Royal Hawaiian Center food court on the second floor. These are the traditional malasadas that I ordered. It has no filling. They are from Penny’s. I was hoping to get malasadas from Leonard’s but they didn’t have a branch nearby that I could walk to. There’s always a next time.

After walking for hours in Waikiki, I found this beautiful driftwood furniture where I sat for a while and mused about taking this bench home with me.

I had a nice time in Honolulu. Wish I could have stayed longer but I ran out of hotel points and the resort fee was staggering. I would love to return for a longer stay. A hui hou, I hope. Check out my short video of Waikiki here: https://youtu.be/q0uEIKrUuY0?is=oNFiEsR_7XiMzweB

Stay connected

*****

Images by TravelswithCharie

The Fairy Tale Town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Rothenburg ob der Tauber has been on my travel bucket list for years. And I finally got there last November. It is an enchanting place. With its half-timbered houses, clock towers, colorful façades, schneeballs and beer steins, Rothenburg ODT oozes with medieval charm. It's no surprise that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I was partially filmed in Rothenburg ODT. This is a common dilemma in Rothenburg ODT. Which direction to take? It's hard to choose because every cobblestone street seems to be competing for the best dressed street award. And they are all winners in my book. After walking half a day, an inviting table for two with colorful flowers to warm a cold November day. I love how these two half-timbered buildings anchor a street that leads to another intriguing square. The Plönlein (Little Square) is the most photographed square in Rothenburg ODT. But I found more picturesque neighborhoods than this. That's ...

Midnight in Paris Movie Locations

It's not often I watch a movie but on a long flight home late last year, I had the chance to watch Midnight in Paris and was totally captivated by its plot. Can you imagine time traveling to the era of Fitzgerald and Hemingway, Picasso and Dali, Gauguin and Toulouse Lautrec? It was therefore such a treat to be in Paris and be able to see a couple of the locations from the movie. Had so much fun figuring out where the Peugeot came from to pick up Gil (Owen Wilson) and take him back to the Jazz Age. Rue Galande Rue Galande is a narrow street lined with boutiques with engaging window displays. Notice the giant flea sculpture above one of the shops. This location was shown at the beginning of the film. Interestingly enough, Rue Galande is a stone's throw from the bouquinistes along the Seine and across from the Cathedrale de Notre Dame de Paris. The Steps of St. Etienne du Mont This is where Gil was sitting, a little disoriented, when the Pe...

Casapueblo and Carlos Páez Vilaró

Casapueblo, Punta Ballena Just a few minutes from the popular beach destination of Punta del Este is Casapueblo which sits on the edge of a hill overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. If you're staying at the hotel, then you're in for a big treat. Imagine the view of the blue ocean made more dazzling by the sun. But that's not all. There's also an art gallery and museum next door which displays the artistic works of Carlos Páez Vilaró who also designed Casapueblo, his permanent home and studio. Casapueblo reminds one of the Greek isles at first glimpse. But it isn't that simple. Look closely and you'll find the influence of Gaudi in the architecture which Vilaró himself built with no plans. There are no straight lines. The interior has many passages and narrow stairs leading to enchanting rooms, everyone of which is different from the other. Notice the curving lines and the rooftops with their pointed concrete posts. Vilaró liked his house to a hornero's (ovenbird...

TravelswithCharie

Search This Blog