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#1
DOWNTOWN HONOLULU
© By Robert W. Bone
First-time visitors to the Island of Oahu sometimes confuse its most famous neighborhood, Waikiki, with “Downtown,” two very different places in Honolulu.
Waikiki, with its world-renown beach and prominent volcano profile, is about three miles from what is termed Downtown Honolulu. In the turbulent 18th and 19th Centuries, Downtown was where all the action was. Here are five important historical sites that can be easily reached by city bus from Waikiki.
Iolani Palace: Built by King David Kalakaua in 1882, the Victorian-style building continued to be the center of government in the monarchy, territorial, and early statehood periods. It’s now a museum and known as the only royal palace in the United States.
Kawaiahao Church: Constructed entirely of coral blocks, carved from the Harbor at Honolulu, the church was built by island missionaries and parishioners in 1842, and has continued in service to the present day. By tradition, services are held partly in the Hawaiian language.
The Mission Houses Museum: Just behind Kawaiahao Church, these were the first western-style buildings in the islands, the oldest being the 1821 frame house, pre-fabricated in New England shipped around Cape Horn.
Statue of Kamehameha I: A revered local landmark, across from Iolani Palace, this was the king who unified the islands under a single rule. It is arguably the most popular souvenir photo stop in Hawaii.
The Aloha Tower: In 1926, it was the tallest structure in Honolulu, and passenger ships from California tied up at its base. Today the tower is the centerpiece of a specialty shopping center. Nearby is the Hawaii Maritime Center, a museum which includes a century-old square-rigged sailing ship.
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Travel writer Robert W. Bone lived and worked in Hawaii for 38 years before recently moving to a new home near San Francisco. Now he revisits Hawaii as often as he can. Bone is the author of the Maverick Guide to Hawaii, which was revised annually for 25 years from 1976 to 2001. He also wrote three other travel books, and continues to write magazine and newspaper articles covering cruising and other world travel subjects. He maintains web sites at http://travelpieces.com and http://robertbone.com.
Note: "Downtown Honolulu" is the first article in
a new series of short pieces on Hawaii.
#2 The Park of Fire
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