In a message dated 1/29/02 8:57:59 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
<< kauai was out of this world...so far it is my most favorite of all the
hawaiian islands that i have visited (i have not yet been to the big island
or to molokai-sp?) >>
Lucky you, Kate! Kauai *is* out-of-this-world beautiful, and relatively
unspoiled compared to other Hawaiian islands. When I lived in Honolulu in the
late 80s I heard that it is against the law to build anything on Kauai higher
than the highest palm tree, so that is one of the reasons why it has remained
the paradise that it is.
Next time you have at least a week and a half to spend in Hawaii, I'd
recommend the Big Island. It really is BIG -- so you need some time to see
all there is to see -- and very rustic. In addition to the still-active
volcanoes and Volcanoes National Park, there is sort of a Wild West feel to
the place because it has a history of ranching. (Hawaiians called the cowboy
ranchers *paniolos*, which is the Hawaiian way of saying *Espaniol*, which is
what the cowboys originally were.) I think the Big Island is the Hawaiian
island that competes with Kauai for the title of most magical -- one can
really feel the spirit of Pele (the goddess, not the soccer player!)
everywhere.
Molokai, on the other hand, used to be mostly pineapple farms. Not much of a
tourist destination when I lived in Hawaii, but that may have changed over
the last 10 years or so.
--Bob
