62 oʻahu

Tuesday 20 January 2015

First Hawaiian island in the project: Oʻahu. This is the most populated one, but as I could read on the previous card "it retains a small town charm".

It is a popular tourist destination, with sandy beaches and high rise hotels. However, it is also home to the only royal palace in America - the ʻIolani Palace, a former residence of reigning Hawaiian sovereigns, like King Kalākaua and Queen Liliʻuokalani, until 1893 when the monarchy was overthrown. Another important place on the island is Pearl Harbor, located west of Honolulu, attacked by the Empire of Japan during World War II. Most of the harbor and surrounding areas is a US Navy deep-water naval base.

The card shows the view over Hanauma Bay, called a "snorkellers paradise". It is perfect for those who'd like to spot Green sea turtles or parrotfish, and those who love birds, since (as we can see on the card) you can walk up this hill and "sometimes if the wind is right, there will be 'iwa (great frigate) birds, soaring above the bay".