In “The downside of paradise,” the San Francisco Chronicle’s travel editor writes:
News flash: There are problems in Paradise.
Actually, I don’t believe that any place is heaven on earth — though I’ve been to my fair share of purgatories, or worse — but some readers are disappointed that I don’t always highlight the lowlights of Hawaii.
What about the sluggish traffic on Kauai’s Coconut Coast or in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island, they ask. What about the helicopters that crash during sightseeing tours? And, did I know that many Hawaii residents oppose the coming interisland ferry service?
The article highlights the problem of somewhere perhaps being too good for its own good, and is, in some ways, the mainland perspective on these local stories on the development vs. preservation dynamic that is so common locally in land use. About the photo — can you see Waikiki’s iconic Diamond Head behind all those office towers, condos and hotels?
In a similar vein, Hawaii Reporter has posted “Loving Hawaii to Death” by Kevan Blanche, an article discussing the delicate “balance between man and nature — between development and preservation.” I may not agree with all of his reasoning or his conclusions, but it is worth a read.