I’ve been telling myself it’s only a tree. But it seems to be a lot more. Lahaina, Maui has been home to a massive banyan tree for decades. It’s said to be the second largest Ficus benghalensis in the world, and it spreads over an entire block on Front Street, just steps from the Pacific Ocean. Planted 150 years ago, this handsome, romantic, shady tree has witnessed wedding proposals and probably a few break-ups. It’s thick vines have been swung on by kids for generations, and its multiple trunks carved into far too many times by visiting lovers. Still it’s Read more
U.S.A.
It’s National Cheap Flight Day on Wednesday, Aug. 23, and a new study says airline prices are dropping in the U.S. and Canada. An analysis of CheapOair bookings data over the last two months shows that the average cost of a U.S. domestic airline ticket has dropped 25% since June 1st of this year, while U.S. international flight fares have decreased 24% for the same period. The numbers reveal similar trends for Canada, where average fares for domestic flights are down 17% since June 1, and international flight fares are down 21 percent. “And there is more to get excited Read more
I wrote last week about how Lahaina and Maui residents have to be at the forefront when the times comes to rebuild the city. I’m happy to see a community group has been formed to make sure that happens, and I’m also happy to see that the governor of Hawai’i and U.S. President Joe Biden (VERY late to the game, by the way) agree. The Maui News reports that a group called Na Ohana o Lele is calling on Governor Josh Green to ensure that “all decisions about rebuilding Lahaina” are made in the open and with the “full participation” of the Lahaina community. Read more
It was an ambitious plan. And probably a stupid one. My wife and I had an invitation to take the Rocky Mountaineer train from Denver to Moab, Utah from April 22-24. We also had a visit lined up for Las Vegas from April 28-30. Flying home from Utah to Toronto on April 24 and then flying back out west to Las Vegas on the 28th seemed silly. I started to think, which is often a dangerous occurrence in my household. “I’ve always wanted to see the great national parks of Utah,” I told my wife. “What do you think?” She Read more
Jennifer Ollinger of Visit Detroit says she tells people the hardest part of her job is getting people to visit her city. But once they come and see the great food scene, stylish, boutique hotels and sparkling waterfront in this Michigan city, she says her job is done. “The city sells itself.” It wasn’t always this easy. As someone who has worked at Visit Detroit (the city’s tourism bureau) for 25 years, she’s seen her share of low points, including a municipal bankruptcy and far too many headlines about a city gone to seed. “In my second month on the Read more
