Post 83 ”I have a dream”
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the state of Georgia, USA. It was also the venue of the 1996 Summer Olympics. While having a short stay there, I visited the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site; the Carter Center, and the Cable News Network (CNN) headquarters at the CNN Center in Atlanta. However, I missed visiting the headquarters of Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta to have a taste of its different global beverages.
In this post I am not writing about the song "I Have a Dream" by Swedish pop group ABBA. The song was one of the top hits in 1979, and which I still hum along occasionally after 30 years of its airing.
I am referring to the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr. His "I Have a Dream" is a seventeen-minute public speech. It was delivered on August 28, 1963 and ranked the top American speech of the 20th century. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s call for racial equality and an end to discrimination was a defining moment of the American Civil Rights Movement. He said in his speech that all men are created equal.
"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
22 February 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
The Aloha Spirit
Post 82 Hang loose
Each time I was in Honolulu I bought myself a T-shirt with the shaka sign. Altogether I have collected five of them. The shaka sign is a popular greeting gesture often associated with Hawaii. It consists of extending the thumb and smallest finger while keeping the three middle fingers curled. The shaka also means "hang loose", conveying the harmonious “Aloha Spirit” of the multi-ethnic cultures in Hawaii. It can also mean “keep cool”, “hello”, “goodbye” “all right” or “take care”.
First time tourists to Honolulu will very soon be familiar with the ABC Stores started by the Japanese in Waikiki in 1964. It has changed its name to ABC in 2009. The chain of ABC convenience stores is found mainly along the one-mile radius of Waikiki. As I walked along the Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki, I would go into ABC to purchase boxes of my favourite Macadamia nuts, for my relatives and friends back home as well.
When I watched the surfers displaying their skills at Waikiki beach, they reminded me of the” Hawaii Five-O” TV-series. The beach at Waikiki is known for its long rolling break, making it ideal for boarding and surfing.
It is in Hawaii that one experiences the essence of the Aloha Spirit.
15 February 2011
Each time I was in Honolulu I bought myself a T-shirt with the shaka sign. Altogether I have collected five of them. The shaka sign is a popular greeting gesture often associated with Hawaii. It consists of extending the thumb and smallest finger while keeping the three middle fingers curled. The shaka also means "hang loose", conveying the harmonious “Aloha Spirit” of the multi-ethnic cultures in Hawaii. It can also mean “keep cool”, “hello”, “goodbye” “all right” or “take care”.
First time tourists to Honolulu will very soon be familiar with the ABC Stores started by the Japanese in Waikiki in 1964. It has changed its name to ABC in 2009. The chain of ABC convenience stores is found mainly along the one-mile radius of Waikiki. As I walked along the Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki, I would go into ABC to purchase boxes of my favourite Macadamia nuts, for my relatives and friends back home as well.
When I watched the surfers displaying their skills at Waikiki beach, they reminded me of the” Hawaii Five-O” TV-series. The beach at Waikiki is known for its long rolling break, making it ideal for boarding and surfing.
It is in Hawaii that one experiences the essence of the Aloha Spirit.
15 February 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Fantasy Island
Post 81 Kauai Island
After my Maui’s experience, I was in for another pleasant surprise when my flight from Maui touched down at the international airport in Kauai Island.
The island of Kauai, Hawaii was one of the filming locations of the highly-rated made-for-television film Fantasy Island aired from 1978 to 1984. The enchanting island coastline of the opening scenes of my favourite TV-series almost 30 years ago was none other than that of Kauai, also known as the Garden of Isle. While feasting my eyes with the pristine and idyllic Kauai beaches and the dramatic natural beauty of the island, I thought I could hear Tattoo, played by Herve Villechaize, ringing the bell from the main bell tower, shouting," The plane! The plane!" with each arrival of new guests.
Besides letting my eyes not having enough of seeing, Kauai attractions also let my ears not having enough of hearing. The unique hula or luau is representative of the Hawaiian traditional music and dance, a creation by the Polynesians who first settled there.
You may want to try “Hangi” food which is cooked underground. It is a traditional meal of the island nations of New Zealand and the South Pacific.
8 February 2011
After my Maui’s experience, I was in for another pleasant surprise when my flight from Maui touched down at the international airport in Kauai Island.
The island of Kauai, Hawaii was one of the filming locations of the highly-rated made-for-television film Fantasy Island aired from 1978 to 1984. The enchanting island coastline of the opening scenes of my favourite TV-series almost 30 years ago was none other than that of Kauai, also known as the Garden of Isle. While feasting my eyes with the pristine and idyllic Kauai beaches and the dramatic natural beauty of the island, I thought I could hear Tattoo, played by Herve Villechaize, ringing the bell from the main bell tower, shouting," The plane! The plane!" with each arrival of new guests.
Besides letting my eyes not having enough of seeing, Kauai attractions also let my ears not having enough of hearing. The unique hula or luau is representative of the Hawaiian traditional music and dance, a creation by the Polynesians who first settled there.
You may want to try “Hangi” food which is cooked underground. It is a traditional meal of the island nations of New Zealand and the South Pacific.
8 February 2011
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Millions of stars
Post 80 Maui’s experience
In 1986 I boarded the Aloha aircraft and took a 25-minute flight from Honolulu to the island of Maui where Polynesians were the original peoples to populate it. Maui is a part of the state of Hawaii. While looking out of the room window from a friend’s house at night, I was pleasantly surprised at the sight of millions of stars in the clear sky. It was surreal; resembling a dream. Industrialisation has deprived city dwellers of their pleasure in gazing at stars twinkling.
I had hardly slept for a few hours when my friend woke me up at 4.00am to travel by car to the top of Haleakala National Park. Watching the sun rise there, and seeing the orange-red craters and purple valleys were an awe-inspiring experience. One does not always have the privilege of seeing the clear night sky and stars being overtaken by the sun that lights up the sky and earth.
On our way back from the Haleakala a 10,000 foot volcano, there was a group of bicycle riders who were ready to coast downhill on the same winding road as the cars and vans. I thought biking down the volcano was a dangerous activity. However, there are always enthusiasts who would brave the odds as challenges and for excitement.
When I see stars, I think of my Maui’s experience.
1 February 2011
In 1986 I boarded the Aloha aircraft and took a 25-minute flight from Honolulu to the island of Maui where Polynesians were the original peoples to populate it. Maui is a part of the state of Hawaii. While looking out of the room window from a friend’s house at night, I was pleasantly surprised at the sight of millions of stars in the clear sky. It was surreal; resembling a dream. Industrialisation has deprived city dwellers of their pleasure in gazing at stars twinkling.
I had hardly slept for a few hours when my friend woke me up at 4.00am to travel by car to the top of Haleakala National Park. Watching the sun rise there, and seeing the orange-red craters and purple valleys were an awe-inspiring experience. One does not always have the privilege of seeing the clear night sky and stars being overtaken by the sun that lights up the sky and earth.
On our way back from the Haleakala a 10,000 foot volcano, there was a group of bicycle riders who were ready to coast downhill on the same winding road as the cars and vans. I thought biking down the volcano was a dangerous activity. However, there are always enthusiasts who would brave the odds as challenges and for excitement.
When I see stars, I think of my Maui’s experience.
1 February 2011
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