Aloha!

What I overheard on the island of Oahu, Hawaii:

- "If people said 'Aloha' to each other more often, we wouldn't be in this mess we're in." (Aloha has 3 meanings - hello, g'bye, and I love you)

- "Bush?  Cheney? Those guys the devil.  What do I think about Obama?  Oh, he's great." Although I somewhat agree with the cab driver who told us this, it doesn't change the fact that he ended up being one crazy cabbie.

- "Ha-vie-ee."  This is the almost-German way the locals pronounce the state name.  Interesting. 

What I saw:  

-  Lots of very fashionable yet fully dressed Japanese girls strolling the streets.  I was surprised by how popular the islands were with the Japanese people.  Almost everything is written in English and Japanese. 

- The beautiful views of Waikiki and Honolulu from atop the Diamond Head Volcano

- Many senior citizens who fried their skin in the Hawaiian sun for too long

- Military tatooes everywhere: "Semper Fi, "In (insert Southern home state) We Trust" and the list goes on...

- The crystal clear water up close and personal as I wiped out countless times during surfing lessons from Hawaii's firefighters.  That's right, Hawaii's finest moonlight as surf instructors. I did stay up on the board quite a few times and will soon have the pictures to prove it.

- Local magazines highlighting "Obama's favorite things."  From the "shave ice," which is Hawaii's version of the mainland's snow cone, to a great restaurant called Alan Wong's, we sampled a good bit of the hometown hero's recommendations.

Can't wait to go back!