My Honolulu-Hawaii picture
 

I thought I would share some of the photos I recently took while on a cruise of the Hawaiian Islands. Honolulu was the starting (and ending) point. I only had a few hours there to take these, so, I just sort of snapped whatever looked interesting.

From the plane as we approached the airport:

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/2...lulu021jm4.jpg

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/4...lulu022nn2.jpg

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/8...lulu023zh6.jpg

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/5...lulu029pt3.jpg

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/6...lulu032jw5.jpg

Downtown Honolulu:

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/8...lulu039kt9.jpg

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/7...lulu043eh8.jpg

My cruise ship is in the foreground

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/7...lulu044sr2.jpg

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/5...lulu046lz0.jpg

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/2...lulu048xj3.jpg

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/7...lulu049oe4.jpg

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/1...lulu056yw3.jpg

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/2...lulu057we9.jpg

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/1...lulu062wu9.jpg

I always thought the Hawaiian State Capital was an ugly, uninspired 60s-retro style bore. I realized I judged it too harshly after I learned it's design features were made specifically to not only pay tribute to the volanoes that formed the islands and the waters that surround them, but, also to the palm trees that line their shores.

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/9...lulu066vn7.jpg

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/1...lulu069sq7.jpg

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/6...lulu071du5.jpg

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/4...lulu077pt0.jpg

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/2...lulu085lb0.jpg

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/5...lulu087xp1.jpg

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/7...lulu089xh8.jpg

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/2...lulu094ck1.jpg

A little of china town:

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/9...lulu097vd5.jpg

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/7...lulu099gr4.jpg

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/5...lulu100vs9.jpg

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/4...lulu101fi6.jpg

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/7...lulu104gz8.jpg

Back towards the pier:

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/6...lulu106eh0.jpg

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/6...lulu107sr4.jpg

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/2...lulu109ic2.jpg

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/5/honolulu110ce9.jpg

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/3...lulu111hy4.jpg

Early morning in Waikiki/Honolulu as we docked upon our return:

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/4...lulu123ns3.jpg

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/2...lulu128cs4.jpg

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/8...lulu130mc7.jpg

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/1...lulu131vh4.jpg

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/1...lulu133er3.jpg

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/9...lulu146ww2.jpg

All in all, I was very impressed with the city. Modern, yet reflective of it's heritage. American, yet, distinctly Hawaiian. As someone in another forum suggested, a very underrated American city.

I also have pictures of some of the ports on the other islands (Hilo, Kailua-Kona, Lahaina and Kahului) which I will try and post in a few days. Nice in their own respect, but, none are nearly as impressive from an urban skyline perspective as Honolulu.

nice pics!!! where did the cruise go??

What a great looking city. I will have to visit there some day.

Great photos! I definitely enjoyed. :)

So odd that Honolulu is an American city in the middle of the Pacific. I can't wait to finally travel to Hawaii someday, it looks absolutely beautiful.

Damn good pics, I would love to see the shots from the other islands too.

So beautiful!

this is very nice

Here are a sample of the pictures I took of the other island cities. Hope you enjoy!

Kauai:

There isn't a lot of "urban" development on Kauai, at least the parts I saw. Mostly resort complexes and small towns with lots of tourist shopping spread throughout. I didn't take photos of alot of that. Lack of development, though, leaves you to admire what is the most beautiful about Kauai, the scenery.

Our port, Nawiliwili Harbor

http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/3125/kauai016fl0.jpg
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/5704/kauai148ch7.jpg
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/8841/kauai149qk3.jpg

On the southeastern side of the island

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/6213/kauai026tp5.jpg
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/2657/kauai025qc5.jpg

On the northwestern side

http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/6170/kauai109gw3.jpg
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/2447/kauai073ti1.jpg
http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/3980/kauai076aj9.jpg
http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/3274/kauai115au4.jpg
http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/2585/kauai117nb1.jpg

A old movie theatre in Lihue interestly converted to a senior residential facility (complete with old movie posters)

http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/7929/kauai121fe8.jpg

Hilo (Big Island):

The white building to the right is allegedly the tallest building on the island of Hawaii.

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/2596/hilo005ac5.jpg
http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/1809/hilo006gp5.jpg
http://img354.imageshack.us/img354/1139/hilo014di8.jpg
http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/6056/hilo015vh0.jpg
http://img354.imageshack.us/img354/5599/hilo016hz9.jpg
http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/54/hilo022wa8.jpg

Couldn't take much more of Hilo as we did not spend much time in the actual town center.

Kona (Big Island):

Early morning arrival

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/7192/kona001ll0.jpg
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/5999/kona003yh6.jpg
http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/7256/kona121yh3.jpg

We first went on a tour outside the city, which included this church

http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/7117/kona080fi7.jpg
http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/6974/kona061rp2.jpg

This was taken for a friend of mine who loves the show Dog the Bounty Hunter, this is a photo (from the tour bus) of their office on the Big Island

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/2853/kona084ik6.jpg

Back to Kona

http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/5766/kona087xc3.jpg
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/2370/kona088rs9.jpg
http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/120/kona118ki1.jpg
http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/7808/kona089rt7.jpg
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/7434/kona090zg1.jpg
http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/9135/kona115rc7.jpg
http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/8370/kona105dm7.jpg

Lunch at Hard Rock Cafe (yes, very touristy!)

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/4611/kona098dm3.jpg
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/8215/kona092fm0.jpg
http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/2971/kona116mg1.jpg
http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/3378/kona096dh9.jpg

...My ship above...then as we set sail. The one thing interesting about seeing the city from this vantage point is that you can see how even the Hawaiian Islands are immune from suburban style Big Box development (the building in the middle right is a Lowe's).

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/1151/kona128gf5.jpg

Maui

Our port was Kahului

http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/6311/maui099ra1.jpg
http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/4136/maui098yb5.jpg
http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/9753/maui010wd4.jpg
http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/6553/maui105he5.jpg
http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/6863/maui172ba0.jpg

I like this not only because I managed to capture the whale (they got even closer), but, the image of the coastal development at sunset

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/6954/maui081uo1.jpg

Not the specticle you see on the Altamont Pass near where I live in California, but, it's good to see alternative energy in full force in Maui

http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/9474/maui067yi3.jpg

The city of Lahaina

http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/499/maui108mk0.jpg
http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/8149/maui109qs8.jpg
http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/3826/maui112xy3.jpg
http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/1553/maui138dq2.jpg
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/1475/maui139bq1.jpg
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/1475/maui139bq1.jpg
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/3537/maui140jw7.jpg
http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/5765/maui131ot2.jpg
http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/6986/maui163kh6.jpg

If you're a pizza lover and ever make it to Lahaina, I highly recommend BJs

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/3923/maui137nk2.jpg

Not sure what happened here

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/8331/maui136av0.jpg

Lahaina is very diverse architecturally. Some colonial style buildings (these are stores)

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/8431/maui119cw7.jpg

The hotel looks like it is out of Louisiana

http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/1354/maui120dv2.jpg

A museum of Chinese history on Maui

http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/738/maui142hi9.jpg

Lahaina is also really diverse spiritually

http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/589/maui121bx1.jpg
http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/908/maui124qe7.jpg
http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/4992/maui129bx3.jpg
http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/3711/maui158qr8.jpg
http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/6895/maui160iw5.jpg

And finally, my future ocean front home in Lahaina

http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/9301/maui152wb5.jpg

That's it, hope you enjoyed it.

Don't know if anyone here recalls the Sesame Street week long episodes where the cast goes to Hawaii to visit Buffy St. Marie and her family and friends but if you remember them comming from the airport they went down a rural road and went across a bridge like the one in the picture.

Maybe that's the same one though I don't know exactly where the SS episodes took place.

A beautiful and uplifting post...especially as we are expecting heavy snow here in South Eastern Ontario tomorrow.
You really did get some great shots...thanks for posting them.

Great shots and lots of them! I love HI. Honolulu is awesome, and Kauai is gorgeous! My wife and I are going soon.

Great skyline!!

Awesome pics. Thanks for sharing. :)

I spent two weeks in Lahaina a few years back its very nice. :)

Nice pictures! Good job hitting up the neighbor islands too. I especially like that you caught the wrecked sailboat. It's quite the Lahaina landmark these days. Every Halloween someone goes out there and hangs a ghost from the rigging.

Wow, I'm impressed, Honolulu looks like a beautiful city to visit. Yet some odd reason I just haven't made it a priority to take a vacation there even though I've only heard good thinks about the place. I think for me some of it has to do with being confined to an island or islands in this case. Lets hope one day someone just give me a free trip as I would like to visit, but at the same time find a place like NYC or London tipping my attention scale a bit more. Also did you find some of the scenery somewhat familar to the central California coast?

Great photos.

Great pics, thanks for an interesting tour! That state capital buidling is amazing - I love it!

Thanks for all the comments. I definitely enjoyed taking the photos. I still haven't gotten them all printed I took so many!!!

To ChrisLA: Actually, I did notice that on the dry sides of the islands, particularly Maui and Hawaii, a lot of the vegetation looked similar to that in the California: the dry, golden grasses, the occasional Oak tree and sporatic groves of green bushes. But, even on the dry sides, just the diversity of plants and flowers alone was enought to tell you this was not California. And I definitely understand the lure of other places - I've been to Europe twice, the East Coast many times, Alaska, Chicago, etc. - But, now that I've been to HI, I am hooked.