Address:
2828 Umalu Place,
Kihei, HI 96753
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Cyndi found the Maui What A Wonderful World Bed and Breakfast. She booked it right away. We had been planning a Maui vacation for some time, our first in years. Previously, we had stayed in hotels for our Hawaii vacations.

The choices for Maui Bed and Breakfasts was pretty extensive. I looked them over, then told Cyndi to have at it. I wasn’t good at choosing places to stay.

Once we got there I was glad I left this choice up to Cyndi. Based on the pictures on the web site I probably wouldn’t have chosen this Maui Bed and Breakfast. But it was much nicer than the pictures. Breakfast was great, with a good selection, and I’m picky about my breakfasts.

We were staying in the Ocean Suite. It’s bright and roomy, though at first glance it seemed smaller. Cyndi was happy with it, and usually she is the one complaining about the rooms.

I got in two rounds of golf, with Tommy and Elaine, who were visiting Elaine’s aunt on the island.

The best part of the trip was the hospitality. Eva took good care of us. Most of the time on vacation I’m one who likes to be left alone, which is why I’m concerned about some hosts at bed and breakfasts, but the attention was just right and not intrusive.

For a Maui vacation this is a great place if you’re looking for someplace to kick back with your spouse. I thought the pool was kind of small, but Cyndi thought it was “qauint”.

For more information and reservations, visit: http://amauibedandbreakfast.com/

Address:
67 Kaniau Rd,
Lahaina, HI 96761
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We drove about thirty minutes from the airport to get to the Garden Gate Bed and Breakfast. We were on our first Maui vacation, our first Hawaii vacation. We had gone over the Maui Bed and Breakfast listings on several web sites, and had talked to some friends who had been to Maui. Our friends hadn’t stayed at Garden Gate but their parents had. They liked it.

We decided to take a chance.

This place was just like a garden. On the way in you cross a little bridge and go down a little trail. It takes you away from all the hustle and bustle right away.

We didn’t want to go an a Maui vacation and not stay in the better rooms, so we chose the Oceanveiw Suites. The prices we understood were a little higher than the average Maui Bed and Breakfast, but we didn’t want to skimp on things. We hadn’t taken a trip in years.

We didn’t want to hang around too much, so we went into town. Lahaina is pretty historic and worth spending some time exploring. Kaanapali Beach is pretty close and we went there a few times. They have beach stuff if you need it, like beach chairs and coolers, free.

I had to keep in contact with the business, so I was happy about the wireless connect for the internet. We didn’t do a whole lot on this trip but relax. Usually we are very active, but this time we just needed to take it easy.

For more information and reservations, visit: http://www.gardengatebb.com

Address:
1440 Front St,
Lahaina, HI 96761
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Penny’s Place Inn Bed and Breakfast is right in the old town of Lahaina, and I walked the town every morning. Teri and Joel thought that we might like a Maui Bed and Breakfast instead of a hotel, and we did.

To tell the truth, anything looked good from my desk in Kansas City in the middle of winter. I looked over the pictures, then at the listing for Maui Bed and Breakfasts, and called Brit. I didn’t really care, I told her. I just wanted to leave now.

Time didn’t pass too quickly, and winter dragged on, but when we got to Maui I was happy. I had maps and things that Brit had put together in an envelope marked “Our First Maui Vacation” and pulled them out like a kid when we finally got to Penny’s Place.

Brit and I were in the Ekolu Room, which was furnished like an old post card. I don’t know how else to put it. It seemed like we were on some movie set from the 1940’s.

Teri and Joel stayed in the Ekahi Room, which was furnished more in Victorian style furniture.

Joel and I got in some golf, and Teri and Brit had their time together doing some shopping, though Brit is not much of a shopper.

We were really just completely relaxed. Breakfast was in the turret, and it was always enough. When we boarded the plane, Brit handed me another envelope with “Our Second Maui Vacation” written across it. I guess we are going back sometime.

For more information and reservations, visit http://www.pennysplace.net

Address:
174 Lahainaluna Rd
Lahaina, HI 96761
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We discovered The Plantation Inn Bed and Breakfast by accident. We were staying at another Maui Bed and Breakfast and we were just walking around Lahaina and discovered Gerard’s Restaurant. We made reservations for another night, but took a tour through The Plantation Inn.

It has nearly 20 rooms and each one is different. It’s really like a small hotel. The pool area is beautiful, and the entire place is like a garden. This was our first Maui vacation, and we had decided on one of the lesser expensive B&Bs from the Maui Bed and Breakfast listing on a web site.

We both liked the way it was furnished and the way it looked like old Hawaii. It seemed to fit with the old town of Lahaina.

My favorite room of those that we could see was the Lahaina Room. It looked so comfortable, and I just wanted to plop down in the bed an take a nap. The other rooms were just as nice, but furnished differently. There were four suites, too.

We had our dinner at Gerard’s Restaurant later in the week, and it was a great dinner. Brendan said that on our next Maui vacation we should stay at the Plantation Inn. We finished our dinner, then took a walk, then came back and booked a room a full year in advance. We had never done anything like that before.

I didn’t have any second thoughts or regrets, though it was more expensive than some of the others. I just wanted to come back.

For more information and reservations, visit http://www.theplantationinn.com

Address:
32 Pakani Pl
Makawao, HI 96768
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History and historical places have always had an interest for us when we take vacations.  Our Maui vacation was no exception. We looked over what we could find in a Maui Bed and Breakfast, and we found the Hale Ho’okipa Bed and Breakfast. It used to be an old plantation house.  It was built in 1924.

Tiffany is really into building and architecture and this was probably the best place we could have picked. To me, it just felt real comfortable.  She combed over every inch of the house, inside and out, and thought it was the best of the Maui Bed and Breakfast choices we looked at.

For diversions we went into the town of Makawao. It’s kind of small. Tiffany says it was charming, so I’ll take her word for it.  I thought it was kind of small and there wasn’t much for the ordinary guy to do.

I’m more of a rustic type, and was glad to be pretty close to the Haleakala National Park. One day Tiffany joined me for a long hike, and another day I went alone.  We were going to go horseback riding, but decided against it when we couldn’t get the time we wanted.

We both tried wind surfing at the Ho’okipa Beach.  I got some great pictures of Tiffany, and even a movie of her screaming on the decent.  That is priceless.

Our room was the Rose Room.  It was decorated with an Asian accent, which I liked. It was very comfortable.  the rates are a little higher than some of the other, but this was our first vacation in years, and only the second Maui vacation that we’ve done.

For reservations and information, http://www.maui.net/~mauibnb/

Independence Day is the biggest holiday in America. It celebrates the freedom the people are given to live their lives however they want. All media across the country emphasize on the fact how free America is, and that you can live your life in America the way you want and to be whoever you want to be.

For instance, the head title in the Honolulu Advertiser (Hawaii’s main newspaper) on 4th of July was “On being American” and under it, there were quotes of several people telling us what it means for them to be an American. Here is a quick sample of what they said:

“I have lived abroad in different countries for various lengths of time, and I can comfortably say that there is a way of life and freedom here in the States to be whoever we want to be.”

Or see this one is even better:

“Being American means that I have the freedom to pursue my dreams and to live my life however I choose.”

Oh really? Then if I have the freedom to live however I want and to be whoever I want, then why can’t I marry my female life partner? Where is the freedom, I ask? Well, I can tell you where – the freedom is in many other civilized countries, but in the USA! All the U.S. media are trying to do is to brainwash people’s minds that they are free and that they can do whatever they want, while the truth is exactly the opposite. Well, one thing we have to admit is that the U.S. media really know marketing well.

If you are gay in the U.S., not only are you not free, but you are hated by many citizens for being gay. Even worse, if you fall in love with a same-sex partner who is from a foreign country, you’re completely out of luck because you won’t be able to sponsor your partner for permanent residency in the U.S. Even though gays can marry in the state of California and Massachusetts, these marriages mean nothing on the federal level. They are not recognized by the federal government; therefore, the foreign partner can’t be sponsored for a green card. So if the temporary visa of the partner expires, no matter if student visa, visitor visa or work visa, the couple has a tough decision to take. Either break up or leave the United States together.

I recently read about a lesbian couple in Los Angeles, Rita and Margot. Rita is a U.S. Citizen and Margot a German native who came to the U.S. to study. They fell in love four years ago, but now Margot’s student visa is expiring this month. Even though Rita has a very successful business in L.A. and they both have a 7-month old child together, they have to leave the U.S. in order to keep their small family of three together. Rita and Emma, the baby girl – both American citizens – will be refugees of the United States of America as of July 23, 2008. They will move to Germany, a country where gay and lesbian couples can legally marry and where their marriages are recognized for immigration purposes, like they are in many other European countries and Canada. Rita said she paid 1.4 million in taxes last year (she has an entertainment marketing business in L.A.). She pays a lot of taxes, but the laws of the U.S. force her to move into exile just because she loves a woman with whom she wants to spend her life with. What freedom is that? Is she allowed to be the woman who she is? Of course not. She can’t, and unfortunately she is not the only one. It is estimated that there are about 40,000 binational same-sex couples in the United States who are struggling with a similar fate.

Bottom line is, what Independence Day and freedom is that? The only way to be free in the United States is if you play by the rules… and to be easily brainwashed, be quiet, and just be what they want you to be. All that reminds me of the story:

Jesus told Adam:
You are now a free man, Adam. You are so free that you have the choice of choosing your wife.

Well, Happy Independence Day…

Address
2881 South Kihei Rd, Kihei
Island of Maui, HI-96753
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The ResortQuest Maui Hill resort is an ideal staying option for your Hawaii vacation, especially if you are planning visiting the exotic Maui island with your kids and other family members. The hotel with its lavish 140 living units provides all required amenities to make sure your family will have a great time. The ResortQuest Maui Hill hotel has emerged as one of the most wanted after residential option for tourists visiting the Kihei and adjoining areas from around the world. I am sure that the warm welcome offered at the front desk will take away all your traveling weariness at once!

You may notice that few rooms and furniture of the hotel ResortQuest Maui Hill are quite old, and if you feel they may cause hindrance to your vacation enjoyment, you must talk to the manager and change the room. In order to ensure a hassle free stay at the ResortQuest Maui Hill hotel, you must book your room well in advance, especially during peak vacation period. Located within 16 miles of Kahului airport, this Maui hotel offers splendid recreational opportunities coupled with buoyant nightlife.

Amenities to all rooms of the hotel include air-conditioning, microwave oven, daily maid service, coffeemaker, exclusive non-smoking zone, balcony/terrace, iron, ironing board, kitchen, kitchenette, telephone, refrigerator, and cable/satellite television, etc. You must not forget to check-in at 2:00 PM daily and checkout time for this Hawaii hotel is 11:00 AM.

For more info and reservations visit http://www.resortquesthawaii.com/hawaii/propertyOverview.do?propertyGroupId=25570

The largest annual Honolulu book sale

If you love reading books, you should not miss the 61st annual Friends of the Library book sale taking place at the McKinley High School cafeteria, starting Saturday June 28 and ending on July 6. The book sale hours are:

June 28 and June 29: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
June 30 and July 1-2: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
July 5: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
July 6: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

At the book sale you can find books on different topics: travel, health, science, fiction, literature, poetry and many more. The prices are more than affordable - $1, $3, $5 or so for a book. If you go the last day which is July 6, you can buy every single book for $0.50 only. On the second last day, they are all 50% off.

You can easily spend hours and hours in the cafeteria looking at all the books, magazines, videos and music tapes that interest you. This year there is also a large collection of music CDs for sale. One thing you should know though is that the cafeteria does not have AC, so it is quite warm and muggy inside. Be prepared for that.

If you get thirsty or hungry while there, you can buy some water and cookies.

And here are some photos I took inside the cafeteria:

It is the gay month! And like it or not you will see many gay events happening in June in Hawaii and in many other places in the world.

Yesterday in Honolulu gays and lesbians celebrated the annual event with a pride parade in the morning and a festival afterwards. The gay and lesbian festival took place at the McCoy Pavilion and began at 11:30 am. Many couples gathered and celebrate with their fellows. There was music, drinks, food and the police was there as well. The reason the police was there was to make sure that nobody disturbs the gay festivities due to the fact that some people don’t like gays. Luckily there was not any accident because Honolulu and Hawaii are more open-minded than other places in the world when it comes to homosexuals.

Unfortunately, quite a few states in the U.S. are still backwards in their thinking and the majority of people in these states do not look favoritely at gay. Also, some European countries are still behind in their acceptance of gays as well. For instance, yesterday in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, where the first gay pride festival took place, 88 people were arrested because they were violent against gays. They threw gas bobms, stones, and other stuff at gays and called them bad names. Luckily, no one was injured.

If you love food and you live in Honolulu or you visit Honolulu in June, you should not miss the Flavors of Honolulu annual festival, a three-day event that takes place at the Honolulu Civic Center Grounds, across from the Mission Houses Museum in downtown Honolulu.

Yesterday, June 28, 2008, was my second visit to the Flavors of Honolulu. My first one was a year ago in June 2007. Honestly said, I was a bit disappointed by this year’s presentation. When I arrived at the festival I noticed that fewer restaurants participated in the event compared to last year. Last year there were more than 20 Oahu restaurants participating in the event, including the health food store Down to Earth, which had a very delicious veggie lasagna and mango cheesecake, Dave and Busters, Greek Corner, featuring delicious hummus and baklava and many more.

At this year’s festival there were only 13 local restaurants. As a person who loves Greek food, I wanted to eat something Greek. So I started with a falafel dish from the Da Spot Restaurant. This was the worst falafel with flat bread I have ever eaten! It was very bitter and covered with a sour-tasting tahini sauce. I was very disappointed! Da Spot Restaurant also featured a chicken and lamb dish, which I did not try because the meat looked too dark. So I did not dare to risk.

After my first disappointed experience I decided to try a veggie crepe from the Le Crepe Café. This time I knew I would not be disappointed because I knew their crepes from before. Le Crepe Café is a recent addition in the collection of Honolulu restaurants. It is not a typical café. It is a small booth in the Waikiki Food Court. They have mastered the knowledge in preparing delicious sweet and non-sweet crepes.

Le Crepe Café was surely my Flavors of Honolulu favorite and for other people as well. You could see long lines all the time of people waiting for their strawberry-banana-chocolate crepe. After I first ordered my veggie spinach crepe, I returned for another one of those strawberry-banana-chocolate crepes, which was a good top-off of the day.

Anyway, after I tasted Le Crepe Café’s food I felt I could still eat some more. My next stop was in front of the Planet Hollywood booth. I tried the Pasta Primavera. It was a delicious pasta with broccoli and cheese sauce dish. Next to the Planet Hollywood booth there was the Senor Grog’s Mexican Restaurant. I had never heard of it before, but the long line in front of it triggered me to try their food, so got a portion of Crispy Chicken Tacos, which were pretty good as well.

After all these dishes I had tried I was already ready for dessert. Then I stopped by the Bali by the Sea booth and got Tiramisu with Kona Coffee Anglaise. Hmmm yummy! You can see the picture below. And since I was already in a dessert mood I had to top it off with a strawberry-banana-chocolate crepe I told you about!

Other participating restaurants at the festival were Cream Pot, Village Steak and Seafood, Ichiriki Japanese Nabe Restaurant, India Café, Koi, Laverne’s Catering and Restaurant, Mangea!, and Mark’s Specialties.

Gay discrimination in the media in Hawaii - gays and lesbians don’t have a voice and are not properly represented

About three weeks ago I wrote a letter to the editor to the Honolulu Advertiser. I commented the recent debate about same-sex marriage. Now that California, the second state in the United States, legalized it, it is again being debated more nationwide. My article was about what these gay marriages in California and other same-sex civil unions, such as the one in Hawaii, mean to same-sex binational couples in the United States, binational meaning one partner is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and the other one is from a foreign country.

Since none of these gay marriages or civil unions in the U.S. are recognized by the federal government, a U.S. citizen or permanent resident is not allowed to sponsor his or her foreign partner for permanent residency in the U.S. In other words, if a gay or lesbian American citizen falls in love with someone from a foreign country, he or she can do nothing so that they can both legally live in the U.S. Therefore, many U.S. citizens had to go into exile, to leave the U.S. permanently, to be with the person they love. The U.S. forced them to choose between their home country and their life partner.

For binational partners of the opposite sex, there is no issue of permanent residency at all because a U.S. citizen or permanent resident can sponsor a foreign opposite-sex partner so they can both live in the U.S. In my letter I also wrote about the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA), a bill still pending before Congress, which would allow binational same-sex couples to stay in the U.S. If this bill passed, a gay or lesbian U.S. citizen or permanent resident could sponsor his or her partner in the same way how a heterosexual U.S. citizen or permanent resident can sponsor an opposite-sex partner. But until today there hasn’t been any sign of the bill passing anytime soon.

I sent my letter to the Honolulu Advertiser on June 16. A couple of days later, I got a reply from the letters editor. She said my letter is too long and needs to be cut. I told her I can shorten it and did so. She said it needs to be between 200 and 250 words. I shortened it to 249 words and sent it back to her. She wrote me back the next day that my letter is still too long. I asked her why because it is now under 250 words. She told me that it is 263 words long. I told her that according to the word count function in MS Word, the article is exactly 249 words, but she kept on saying that it is 263 words. It was pathetic. She then said that she will forward my letter to the chief letters editor. She said that hopefully it would get through. That was the last thing I heard from her.

I waited a couple of days, but my article wasn’t published. In the same time, I saw a handful of other articles about the same-sex marriage issue being published, all of them were anti-gay, except for one, which was from a local church pastor, who wrote that he wishes the gay and lesbian couples who recently got married in San Francisco well. The church pastor’s article was published on June 19. On June 23, a letter was published from a woman saying that the church pastor needs to revisit the bible. She said that according to the bible, it is not in God’s will that man and man or woman and woman sleep together. Other negative letters followed; all were clearly sent to the newspaper after I had sent mine, on June 16. These negative letters were published right away, usually just 3-4 days after they were written. Up until today, June 29, my article hasn’t been published, and I don’t think it will.

What also disturbed me was to see that the Honolulu Advertiser doesn’t have fair letter guidelines for all. On Sunday, June 22, a letter to the editor from the Sierra Club was published in the Honolulu Advertiser. It appeared quite long to me, so I counted the number of words in the article. It was 312 words long. Many other times in the past I have seen articles that were similar in length. So the word restrictions only appear to some people and topics and not to others? After all these anti-gay letters and the oversized one were published, I wrote one more email to the letters editor a couple of days ago asking why my article wasn’t published but so many other ones were, but didn’t receive a reply.

This month is Gay Pride Month worldwide. Yesterday was the annual LGBTQ Pride Parade in Honolulu. The parade started in Ala Moana Park and marchers walked along Ala Moana Boulevard through Waikiki and ended in Kapiolani Park. About 200-300 people (a rough estimate) marched in the parade. Some on foot, some in cars and trolleys and a few drove on motorcycles. Many people stood on the sidewalk to cheer them on. The parade was followed by a community gathering and party at the McCoy Pavilion in Ala Moana Park. When I opened today’s Honolulu Advertiser (Sunday paper), all but three pictures of the whole event were published. Three pictures and three picture captions, but no story.

I had also watched the local news last night (KGMB9) and they also didn’t mention the day-long events in their broadcast at 10 pm (while they did mention the Flavors of Honolulu food festival and the Friends of the Library book sale that are also annual events and also happening this weekend). But nothing was said about the gay pride festival, which is actually even a worldwide event and not just happening in Honolulu. Why is it that the gay and lesbian community is not represented enough in our local Hawaii media?

Address:
1801 Kalakaua Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815
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The Convention Center in Honolulu is a place where many conventions, meetings and fairs take place year round. It is located in one of the best areas in Honolulu - between Ala Moana and Waikiki and near the Ala Wai Canal. There are many shopping, dining and entertaining places near it. If you plan to visit the
Convention Center, the best place to stay at would be the Ala Moana Hotel that is located a few minutes by walk from the Convention Center.

Bellow I list some photos from the  Convention Center, mainly taken inside.

It is a tradition each year in June in Honolulu, Hawaii gays and lesbians to get together and celebrate the Honolulu Pride Festival.

This morning at 9am there was the gay Pride Parade starting from from Ala Moana Beach Park and going all the way to Kapiolani Park in Waikiki. On the sidewalks you could see many gay and lesbians fellows, as well as relatives and friends of gay couples. Of course there were some curious tourists who did not know about the parade and what was going on but by seeing the Rainbow flags they could easily figure it out.

Many of the participants at the parade had wallpapers expressing their thoughts regarding equal marriage rights. Other just had fun dancing, dressed in extravagant clothing. Here you can see some photos from the Parade. Enjoy!

Address:
440 Aleka Place,
Kapaa, Kauai, HI 96746
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The ResortQuest Islander is just six miles away from Lihue Airport. This beautiful Kauai resort is located on six acres of beachfront tropical gardens.

The ResortQuest Islander on the Beach is on the east coast of Kauai at the Coconut Plantation Resort. There are several local attractions available nearby the resort, and these are Poipu town and Wailua Falls. Poipu is approximately 20 miles away and Wailua is approximately 10 miles away from the ResortQuest Islander.

The resort features an outdoor swimming pool, whirlpool, pool bar, and sundeck .All these amenities are steps from a white sand beach on Kauai’s eastern coast.

During your vacation in Kauai, you can relax by the beachfront swimming pool and spa, or just take a walk on the beautiful white sand beach. This great Hawaii Vacation experience will surely make you come back to the ResortQuest Islander on the Beach.

All guest rooms offer charming Island-inspired teak furnishings and have private lanai. Coffee makers and mini-refrigerators are available in every room. Barbeques are available for guest use, and the activity desk can arrange a variety of tours. Condominium units feature telephones, lanais, irons and ironing boards, safes, hairdryers, air-conditioning, alarm clocks, high-speed Internet access, microwaves, dataports, and minibars.

A complete list of room amenities includes:

Air Conditioning in the rooms, Refrigerator, Iron, Telephone, Television (both Cable and Satellite), Microwave Oven, on-Smoking Rooms, Television, Daily Maid Service, In Room Broadband Internet Access, Safe in the rooms, Coffee Maker, Telephone for Voicemail, Kitchen and Kitchenette, Balcony and Terrace. There is also a Mini-Bar.

For more info and reservations visit www.resortquestislander.com

Address:
2253 Poipu Road,
Poipu, Kauai , Hawaii, 96756
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Kiahuna Plantation is located on Kauai’s sunny south shore, right on the beach at Poipu.The atmosphere in this Kauai resort is relaxed and happy-go-lucky, giving you a memorable Hawaii vacation experience. This beautiful hub is surrounded by palm trees and manicured lawns. The beach is also just a stone throw away from the resort.

The Outrigger Kiahuna Plantation features fabolous condominium units. Accessing Kiahuna plantation is quite easy because the distance from Lihue Airport to this is just 15 miles.

The Outrigger Kiahuna Plantation has been recently renovated. The cordial plantation-style architecture is fully restored and freshly painted. However, it still retains its laid-back ambiance.

Staying at Outrigger Kiahuna Plantation gives you the chance to visit popular attractions which are nearby, such asWaimea Canyon State Park. Other attractions within reach are Spouting Horn and the National Tropical Botanical Gardens.

The resort is one of the places in Hawaii that features gardens of cacti and orchids. You can see tropical flowers as well. If you love swimming, then you can enjoy several swimming opportunities available at the resort. Swimming opportunities include the resort’s stretch of beach, an outdoor swimming pool, and a whirlpool. Other amenities include a tour desk, barbeque and picnic areas, beach services, laundry facilities, free parking, kids’ programs and laundry services.

For more info and reservations visit http://outriggerkiahunaplantationcondo.com/

Address:
3610 Rice St,
Lihue, Kauai, HI 96766
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This great Kauai luxurious hotel is located two miles South of Lihue Airport, seven miles North of Opaekaa Falls, and three miles West of Huleia Wildlife.

If you prefer a mix of rain forests, beaches and misting waterfalls, the Marriott Kauai Resort and Beach Club is the place to go.

The Marriott Resort & Beach Club gives you the warmest Kauai island generosity in a luxurious idyllic destination. The resort fronting Kalapaki Bay offers its guests a wide variety of recreational activities. You can enjoy a superior beach experience and 18-hole of Jack Nicklaus championship golf at the adjacent Kauai Lagoons Golf Club.

All these will give you a memorable Kauai vacation experience. Guests also get to enjoy one of the largest family-friendly pools in Hawaii, and the resorts spacious rooms, most of which offer spectacular views and feature a balcony, in-room safe and air conditioning.

A complete list of room amenities include; Air Conditioning in the rooms, free newspaper, Refrigerator, Iron, Telephone, Television; both cable and satellite, on-Smoking Rooms, Television, DVD/VCR, Daily Maid Service, Broadband Internet Access in the room (there is a room Broadband Internet access fee), there is a safe in the room for keeping your valuables, Coffee Maker, Whirlpool, Telephone for Voicemail and a balcony or terrace. Other Hotel features available include; Family rooms, a fitness facility, wheel chair access, Scuba Diving, Health Club and Health Spa. During your Hawaii vacation, you can also go bicycling. The beach craved by most Hawaii vacation seekers is also available next to the resort.

For more info and reservations visit http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/lihka-marriotts-kauai-beach-club/

Address:
5380 Honoiki Rd
Hanalei, HI 96722
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Have you ever thought of a pacific paradise? Your mind will be put to rest if you choose Hanalei Bay Resort as your Hawaii vacation.

The range of amenities, activities and attractions will make your vacation very exciting. The Hanalei Bay Resort is strategically located; overlooking the breathtaking Bali Hai.

The place is is what your mind pictures when you think of a Hawaii Pacific paradise. It is located next to a soft and white sand beach.

There are 134 spacious one bedroom suites overlooking either the tropical courtyards or wide expanses of open blue ocean. There are several attractions and activates available if you choose stay at Hanalei Bay Resort.

Hanalei Bay Resort introduces you to the rich Hawaiian heritage inter-mixed with the diversity of Hawaii’s ethnic potpourri; a fascinating history peopled by kings, queens and sugar barons; plus vast fields of taro, a Russian fort, a long love affair with the movies and many more. If you love golf, then you will enjoy your self if you stay at this Kauai resort.

The resort is surrounded by a challenging 45-hole golf course. There are also several tennis courts. In fact, you will struggle to keep your eye on the ball because of the breathtaking view.

For dining, you can enjoy great Luscious Pan Pacific cuisine at the Bali Hai restaurant, located in the resort. With gentle wind and the stunning sunset, dining here will give an unforgettable Hawaii vacation experience.

Hanalei Bay Resort captures the fundamental nature of Hawaii, that atypical mixture of beauty, romance, fun and aloha.

For more info and reservations visit www.hanaleibayresort.com

Gay marriage - Same-sex marriage debated in Hawaii and across the United States and what it means to binational same-sex couples

Gay marriage news are currently debated in Hawaii and the rest of the United States, mainly because California is now allowing it, the second state in the United States after Massachusetts. However, for same-sex binational couples the issue is much broader because none of these same-sex marriages are recognized by the federal government. This fact may be inconvenient or disappointing for gay and lesbian couples who are both U.S. citizens or permanent residents. But for binational same-sex couples it is devastating because a foreign partner can’t be sponsored for permanent residency in the U.S.

While a U.S. citizen or permanent resident can sponsor an opposite-sex partner from another country, this right is denied to binational same-sex couples. There are many U.S. citizens who were quite literally forced into exile, to leave the U.S. permanently, because the U.S. doesn’t allow them to live together with the person they love. So they chose their partner over their country.

The Uniting American Families Act (UAFA), a bill still pending before Congress, seeks to fulfill the pledge of family unification under current U.S. immigration policy by adding the term “permanent partner” where the word “spouse” currently appears in the Immigration and Nationality Act. This would allow gay and lesbian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their partner for immigration benefits without challenging the Defense of Marriage Act.

Currently more than 20 countries allow same-sex marriages or civil unions with immigration benefits, such as Canada, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, Germany, Sweden and New Zealand, for example. How long will the United States continue to deny U.S. citizens this basic civil right? A country, that has the statement “liberty and justice for all” engrained in its constitution.

Address:
4-820 Kuhio Hwy,
Kapaa, HI 96746
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The Outrigger Waipouli Beach Resort and Spa is located on the eastern shore of Kauai Island. The Beach Resort is the perfect safe haven for relaxation if you want a dream Hawaii Vacation. The Outrigger Waipouli Beach Resort & Spa offers you great scenic views of a fantasy pool of lava rock and cascading waterfalls. You will also get to enjoy the gleaming sunrise and shimmering sunset from the immaculate beachfront. The Outrigger Waipouli Beach Resort & Spa is designed
with sophistication and peculiarity to make your Hawaii Vacation a dream experience.

One of the most exciting aspects of Outrigger Waipouli Beach Resort & Spa is the accommodation facilities. They are elegantly accented with warm Indonesian woods and fresh Peruvian travertine. The kitchen features great fittings .The well stoked kitchen features superb Sub-Zero refrigerators, Wolf convection ovens, and sleek granite countertops. Some of the room amenities include; Blackout drapes, Cable TV, Central air conditioning, Complimentary wired high-speed Internet access, Crib 10 USD per night, Daily maid service, Direct dial telephone/data port/voice mail, Hair dryer.

Your Hawaii Vacation is even made more interesting with the heated soft-water river pool which spans over two acres with flumed water slides and three sand-bottom whirlpool spas.  If you like shopping, there is Kauai Village shopping center just around the corner. It will give you an unforgettable Hawaii Vacation shopping experience. It features all your favorite stores like Starbucks, Long’s Drugs, Safeway and Jamba Juice. There are also several restaurants and galleries. Just a mile away, there is the Coconut Marketplace which features even more shops, dining places and a Cinema complex. There is Wailua Golf Course nearby to give you a memorable Hawaii Vacation experience.

For more info and reservations visit http://www.waipoulibeachresort.com/index.php.

Address:
520 Aleka Loop
Kapaa, HI 96746
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Located on the east shore of Kauai, the Kauai Coast Resort at the Beachboy is strategically located approximately 10 miles from Lihue Airport. This beautiful Hawaii Vacation resort stretches and spans a wide section of the beach. With famous attractions nearby, Kauai Coast Resort at the Beachboy will give you a real treat during your Hawaii Vacation.

Attractions in close proximity with the resort include Fern Grotto Tour Boats which is just a mile away and Opaekaa Falls is approximately three miles away.

Hotel amenities available at Kauai Coast Resort at the Beachboy include the casual dining restaurant, sundry shop, Hawaiian library, children’s pool, children’s activities, free parking, fitness facility, daily housekeeping, freshwater pool, hot tub, spa services, sundeck, and poolside bar overlooking the ocean. To give you an incredible Hawaii Vacation experience, guests get to enjoy great water sports, tennis, volleyball and shuffleboard. You can also play some traditional Hawaiian games at the hotel. If you are into golf, championship golf is just a mile and a half away.

If you want to shop during your Hawaii Vacation, the Coconut Marketplace nearby features great shops and restaurants to make your Hawaii Vacation a dream experience.

All rooms have a king bed, air-conditioning, refrigerators, safes, iron and ironing board, VCR, D/stereo, hairdryers, high-speed internet access (fee), and private lanais overlooking the tropical grounds or the blue Pacific. Other room amenities include; Air Conditioning, refrigerator ,Iron ,Telephone, Television (Cable/Satellite) ,Microwave Oven ,Non-Smoking Rooms, Television ,DVD/VCR ,Daily Maid Service ,In Room Broadband Internet Access ,Safe (available In Room),Coffee Maker, Kitchen , Balcony and Terrace. You get to enjoy all these features during your Hawaii Vacation at the resort.

For more info and reservations visit www.kauaicoastresort.com