Hawaii, the paradise..

By: Laurie Doré-ouellet

Hawaii counts 132 islands and islets. Some of them are deserted and others are industialized. It's very far away in the middle of the Pacific ocean. The closer continent from there is a North America, 4000 km away. The main island are Big Island (Hawaii), Maui,O'ahu, Kaua'i, Miloka'I, Lana'i and Ni'ihau. Honolulu, the capital, is on O'ahu island.

The fauna and the flora

• Hawaii is very isolated, so the fauna and specially the flora is unique. A lot of mammals have been brought by the people on Hawaii. There's only one that really comes from this place. This animal is the hawaiian hoary bat. For the sea mammals, there are whales, seals, turtles, dolphins and other fishes.

The temperature

• A lot of people have come to Hawaii for the climate. In fact, the coldest season is a winter and at this time of the year, it's 25°. That is not so bad! In the summer, it's approximatly 30°.Of course, it's the most sunny season. But whenever we go to these islands, we will see the sun and a beautiful sky!

Population

• When Hawaii was discovered by James Cook, there were approximately between 300 000 and 500 000 inhabitants. Now, with all the immigrants, the population counts 1 244 898 people. A lot of them are Filipino, Chinese, Korean, Spanish and Puerto Rican. The result of the last census claims that there are 33% white people, 22% Japanese, 15% Filipino, 13% Hawaiian, 6% Chinese and 11% of other people.

Culture

• The official language of Hawaii, with English, is Hawaiian. It comes from the Polynesians. Today, we don't use the language frequently. But, we can hear it in the Hawaiian songs and in the hula dances. The Hawaiian language is also called “pidgin”.

• The hula is one of the most graceful and signifiant dances. It was very important for the Polynesian. Their dances were inspired by sad and happy events and facts. Today, in Hawaii and in other places in the world, it's possible to take hula lessons or to attend hula shows.

• Hawaiian music is often someone who sings without any instrument. But, in few songs, the 'umeke (gourd), the pabu and a type of maracas can be used. Today, there aren't many singers of Hawaiian songs.

For the tourist…Hawaii is an amazing place to visit. There are activities and things for

everybody and it doesn't matter how old they are.Beaches: • If you like to stay under the sun, to swim in the ocean, to go surfing, to

snorkel, to build sandcastles or just to lie on soft sand, Hawaii is there for you. There are a lot of beautiful beaches everywhere on those islands. Like:

• Ala Moana Beach Park• Hanauma Bay• Kailua Beach• Makaha Beach• Sandy Beach

Diamond Head: The Diamond Head is a crater on O'ahu. It's so beautiful! From the top, you can see the ocean, Waikiki Beach and downtown Honolulu. You can't go to Hawaii without seeing it.

• Surfing: Everybody who goes to Hawaii has to surf. There are different waves for each level. If you have never surfed, there are «Beach boys» who can give you lessons. It's the perfect way to learn with experts.

• Shop: For the people who love shopping, Hawaii is an amazing place. There is a shop for each popular brand, such as Chanel, Louis Vutton, Billabong, Quicksilver and a lot of others. Of course, there are also flea markets where craftmen can sell their trades.

• Museum and sightseeing: In Hawaii, there are many museums and sites where we can learn more about his history, plantations and a lot of other interesting things. There are also art galleries, a zoo, an aquarium and a place where we can swim with dolphins.

Finally, I hope that it'll encourage a lot of people to go to Hawaii. This is paradise.