Signs of Hawaiian life in 2016

SPARKS DAVIS

Paris: Sparks and Nadine Davis of Waikiki vacationed in Europe earlier this year. Sparks snapped a photo of Nadine in front of the Ala Moana fast food restaurant near their Paris apartment. “Now if the menu only included Spam musubi, we would feel right at home,” he wrote.

ALEX LEE

Laos: Alex Lee traveled with daughter Ava Lee, 4, and wife Liz Erickson to Vientiane, Laos, in January where they saw a Pizza Aloha cart. Lee said it was “exciting to see signs of Hawaii that far away.”

MICHAEL CHONG

Atlanta: Jennifer Chong and Katelyn Chong found a Waikikie Hawaiian BBQ in Atlanta.

MARILYN SELVITELLE

Washington, D.C.: Best friends Marilyn Selvitelle, left, of Kailua and Stephanie Bates, also of Kailua, found the Hawaii column at the World War II Memorial on the Washington Mall.

BEVERLY WINSTON

Benicia, Calif.: Mary Bergmann of Kailua met up with friend of 40 years Beverly Winston of Atlanta to visit Winston’s 94-year-old mom in Benicia, Calif., where they discovered Got Plate Lunch.

JON VON KESSEL

Manila: Nelly von Kessel was dwarfed by a huge sign advertising Hawaiian Pork Ribs near the entrance of Robinson’s Place Manila in Malate, Ermita, where she and husband Jon von Kessel were staying while visiting relatives in Manila.

THUAN GIANG

Canada: Sisters Alyssa, left, and Amanda Giang of Aiea spotted the Hawaiian flag above the Village Center during Hawaii Week at the Big White Ski Resort in Kelowna, British Columbia. They were there during their spring break.

GAIL GOTO

Tokyo: Gail Goto snapped a photo of her son, Donovan, at Aloha Amigo, a cafe serving Hawaiian and Mexican food in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. Donovan Goto is from Kaimuki and is working in Matsue, Shimane, Japan, as a translator.

LAURA M. FINK

Panama City: Bruce Fink posed for wife Laura M. Fink outside Mahalo cafe during a visit to Panama City in November.

LESLIE BOVAIRD

Eugene, Ore.: Leslie, left, and Kai Bovaird discovered the aloha spirit at Hawaiian Time plate lunch restaurant in Eugene, Ore., in October.

STEVEN DANG

Madrid: Sammy Dang, left, Margaret Dang and Tyler Dang were in search of a “local restaurant” during their trip to Madrid in August. They found what they were looking for at Cafeteria Hawaii.

DAVID TAKAKI

Seoul: David Takaki of Hawaii Kai snapped a photo of his son Devan outside Lanai Pizza in Seoul while visiting South Korea in March.

JIM QUIMBY

Istanbul: “I was in Istanbul this summer when I took this rather poor selfie,” wrote Jim Quimby of Honolulu.

JON VON KESSEL

Manila: Nelly von Kessel was dwarfed by a huge sign advertising Hawaiian Pork Ribs near the entrance of Robinson’s Place Manila in Malate, Ermita, where she and husband Jon von Kessel were staying while visiting relatives in Manila.