Back in Honolulu.  Since we last visited in March, the airfare has more than doubled.  The size of a grande coffee at Honolulu Coffee has shrunk due to the rising cost of milk – it still serves one of the best cups of latte and scones.  On my morning run, I see a marked increase in the number of homeless people at Kapiolani Park.  Its probably going to get worse as its only major industry, tourism, suffers due to rising fuel costs and the economic downturn.  Maui is having its worst hotel occupancy rate in 30 years, even worse than after 9/11.  Oahu, doesn’t appear as bad probably because its focused on the Asian market while Maui is focused on the US market.   Sounds like an excellent time to visit Maui.

Honolulu needs a major facelift to survive…its hotels are getting old.  Although some have been remodeled, its not enough, the expectations are a lot higher now.

The weather here is cooler than I expected, its actually comfortable.  The trade winds are strong and its not that humid.  We again had an excellent dining experience at Monsen Catering.

We also had lunch for the first time at Honolulu Academy of Arts – good food, relaxing atmosphere, and reasonable price.  You can eat lunch there without paying the admission fee, but make a a reservation – its a popular place.  Although the conversation turned a bit morbid – in the recent past, to preserve a body for a wake it took a casket full of dry ice, now because of our eating habits (frozen food), it takes very little dry ice – the preservatives we eat are left behind in our body…