Published Sunday, March 23, 1997,in the San Jose Mercury News.

HAWAII FACTS

Hawaii is endlessly fascinating -- and not only for its scenery. Consider:
The island of Kauai has seven distinctive climates, ranging from
desert to rain forest.

The Hana Highway on the Hawaiian island of Maui has 56 bridges and 600 curves.

Legend has it that the mai tai drink originated at the Sheraton Royal
Hawaiian Hotel on Waikiki Beach. In any case, its mai tais are legendary.
The rum-and-fruit cocktail served at the hotel's Mai Tai Bar is both
flavorful and powerful. So watch it -- if you have more than one or
two, you could be in danger of mai tai-ing one on!

Hawaii comprises 132 islands.

Hawaiians greet tourists by saying ``Aloha!'' But Hawaiians often
greet each other by saying ``Howzit!''

In our 50th state, a goat is sometimes referred to as a ``Hawaiian lawn mower.''

Of all the major U.S. cities, Honolulu has the least air pollution,
thanks partly to the trade winds.

For more information on visiting this special state, call (800) GO-HAWAII.

Source: Richard Carpenter, Boston Globe

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