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Newsletter #1 - June 19-25, 1959 |
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Newsletter #1
Mailed Honolulu 6/27/59 Recd. Phila.,Pa. 6/29/59 Today, June 19th, we've had our first trip aboard the Jet -- TWA Boeing 707 -- and it was simply wonderful. In radar-guided security we flew effortlessly 30,000 feet in the deep blue of the upper atmosphere and saw distant horizons in a new perspective. During the take-off there was no running up of each engine as in our plane from San Francisco to Honolulu, instead there was a deliberate, long roll down the runway and we left the ground in a smooth, effortless upward thrust. The only sound was the swift rush of air outside and there was absolutely no vibration from the engines. There are two windows tor each group of seats and we sat by the window enjoying all the beauty. We passed over Louisville, Kansas City, Tulsa, Amarillo, Prescott, Palm Springs, etc., and since it was a perfectly gorgeous day the views were outstanding. It took us exactly five hours to travel from Baltimore to Loa Angeles and forty minutes later we left Los Angeles for San Francisco, which took fifty-two minutes. We had a delicious dinner about one hour before arriving in Los Angeles. There was a demonstration early in the flight for the use of oxygen masks and diagrams on how to use an evacuation slide in case of emergency. Instead of using pillows for a dinner tray there is a told-down table which is recessed in the back or the seat ahead, which works out so much bettor than pillows.
We had a four-and-a-half-hour layover at San Francisco Airport, which we thoroughly enjoyed as it gave Meredith time to register hiscamera with U.S. Customs and to get our seats for our flight with Pan American on a Boeing DC-7. We had a late meal at nine-thirty andboarded our plane at ten-forty to be ready to leave at eleven p.m. We had a ten-and-a-halt-hour flight to Honolulu and slept all but abouttwo hours, during which time we had a most delicious breakfast. The ride was all right but we had ear-popping sensations, which we didn't have onthe Jet, and there were a great many vibrations as we sat near the propellers, but I do believe everyone sensed the vibrations. As tor on,lf there are Jets flying, we'll prefer them every time. Upon arrival at Honolulu International Airport [June 20] a man dressed like King Kamahameha boards the plane to wish us all a wonderful stay and as weleave the plane he pats us with a pleasant Aloha. Leis of all kinds are being draped upon the arriving visitors and much ado and fuss surrounds them.We are bogged down with luggage and sit in the airport trying to decide what to do about sixty pounds of excess weight. Meredith called the Royal Grove Hotel for an apartment and wewere lucky as a party had just moved out and we waited until the room was ready and we moved right in. It has a cute kitchen with refrigerator, hotplate, toaster, coffee percolator, dishes, etc., two comfortable beds, a large tiled bathroom with shower and plenty of space and attractive bamboo - 1 -
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Newsletter #1
furnishings. We think we are quite lucky as we have only one block to walk to the beach of Waikiki and have our own private entrance and porch with two cocoanut palm trees shading it in the front and a plumeria tree Just loaded with fragrant blossoms on the side, for we are on a corner. The maid puts fresh flowers in the room each day and there is a ti leaf plant growing on the one table to remind us we are on the island of flowers. The Hawaiian Islands surely compare favorably with everything that has ever been written about them as being an ideal vacation spot. They have perfect climate, brilliant sunshine, lush tropical foliage to enjoy, wonderful beaches, every conceivable type of sport in which to indulge, fine places to walk and beautiful drives. On Sunday [June 21] a Sorority Sister from Beta Sigma Phi, Bernice Ebinger, who has worked in Honolulu for the past fifteen years, took us on a general trip of the island of Oahu; we were gone for about seven hours and saw many panoramic views of the island. She first drove us through the suburban districts of Kahala and Kulinouou and we were shown the home of Doris Duke on Black Point in Kahala. We went to the Blowhole, which is a geyser made through a hole in the rocks by the incoming waves, another of which we saw at La Jolla, California, many times. This is at Koko Head near the Crater. We passed along miles of highway with sugar cane blowing in the trade wind breezes and then before getting to Pearl Harbor we passed miles of beautiful pineapple fields with hundreds of plants bearing ripe fruit. We drove through Pearl City and saw the many ships at Pearl Harbor. We ate our lunch which Bernice had prepared under the shade of a date palm tree. Lunch consisted of fried chicken, potato salad, pickle, olives and soft drinks and it was quite tasty and refresh- ing after a long drive in the heat. On Sunday evening we strolled on either side of Kalahaua Avenue, the main street of Waikiki, which is only one block from our apartment. I've always thought shop windows of New York were the loveliest, but Kalahaua Avenue and the shops at the Hawaiian Village, in the hotels, etc., are just out of this world. One thing I enjoy so much is the way they use the native flowers, such as bird of paradise, anthurium, hibiscus, torch ginger, etc., in all their restaurants and windows, arranged in very good taste and unusual containers. You can tell they are proud of their flowers and they have a continuous flower show. Orchids are everywhere and are sold on the street and used ex-tensively in leis. Hawaii's flowering trees are truly wonderful to see. The African Tulip Tree, the jacaranda, the shower trees, the Poinciana, Plumerias and many others are all indigenous to the Islands and add to their charm. On Monday [June 22] we want to see Aloha Tower and took the elevator to get a panoramic view of Honolulu Harbor and its city and hills. From the Tower we took a bus to the Foster Gardens, which are public gardens containing all the flowers, trees, and shrubs which grow throughout the tropics, and these are all well marked to help you identify them. After this botanical tour we went to the Soto Buddhist Temple on Nuuanu Drive and then walked a long distance to try to find Punchbowl Crater, which is u high point and the site of the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. It is an extinct crater and the location provides some lovely views of the city, the harbor, and, of course, famous Diamond Head. - 2 -
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Newsletter #1
Another day [June 24 or 25] we took in the Hula Show held at the Natatorium in Kapiloani Park, not far from Diamond Head. We enjoyed the wonderful Hawaiian entertainment, featuring ancient and modern hulas and music. A very excellent Tahitian dance was performed by a Tahiti mother and daughter and there surely are fast, vibrating rhythms to this Polynesian dance style. In formal Hawaiian attire, a most beautiful Hawaiian- girl does the famous number "Lovely Hula Hands" This formal dress is called a "Holoku". All shows must have comedy acts and this was also true of this show, as two large, lovable proportioned Hawaiian women performed many antics; even their costumes were most amusing. The meaning of the Hawaiian song and the story it unfolds is told in the hula's rhythmic movements of hands and body, and even the background at this Hula Show is a grass shack, several cocoanut trees against a blue sky, and waves pouring over the beach. The last act of the show is a Hawaiian boy climbing an almost perpendicular cocoanut tree and then demonstrating the correct way of opening a cocoanut and how to pound poi, a dish as common to Hawaiians as our Irish potato. Enough of our chatter for this week, so I'll save more for our last week in Hawaii. We are having a perfectly grand trip thus far and are feeling tops. We hope for everyone a trip to the 50th State. By the way, the 50th State Fair starts here tomorrow [June 26] and it is also Primary Election Day, and we understand there is quite a let of excitement in the wind. Forgot to tell you that we went to the Matson Pier to see the Lurline come in and we saw Harriet and Ozzie and David Nelson come down the gangplank, almost camouflaged by leis. Ricky came by plane the following day. To us, this was a most beautiful sight and quite touching with the music, the hula girls, the thousands of leis of many kinds of flowers, etc. Countless small craft and canoes filled to capacity with natives and friends go out to meet the Lurline as she Bunds Diamond Head and they sing and play native songs as they escort the huge white ship into port at Aloha Tower. A band plays Hawaiian music as the passengers disembark and on the pier a group of native men, women and children sing lovely songs and dance the hula to the accompaniment of ukuleles and guitars. Aloha!
Charlotte and Meredith Royal Grove Hotel 142 Uluaniu Avenue Honolulu, Hawaii - 3 -
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