legend

James Dean: Heartthrob and Rebel in One

Raised by an aunt and uncle in a rural town of central Indiana, James Dean learned early on sometimes Life is not fair. Perhaps he had a Death Wish or, on the contrary, a zest for living on the edge. This sandy-haired dreamer who often wore a pouty grin attracted men and women like a moth to flame. His love of fast cars, specifically a Porsche 550 Spyder, ended in a head-on collision that catapulted him into eternal legendary stardom. After all, James Dean died at the age of 24 years old with only three major films under his belt: “East of Eden”, “Rebel Without a Cause”, and “Giant”. Today, In Fairmount, Indiana, his legacy lives on. Visitors from all over the world flock to the hometown of James B. Dean to walk in the footsteps where he lived. Buried in Park Cemetery, his lipstick-covered headstone is physical evidence adoring fans exist half a century later.

Ghost Bride is Urban Legend 

The Urban Legend of Ghost Bride Is Shockingly Real. The infamous bridal ghost of Fairmont Banff Springs continues to aimlessly roam the hallways of the century-old prestigious hotel. And who can blame her? Years ago, on the most important day of her life, while descending a spiral staircase, the hem of her gown caught fire from lighted candles causing her to fatally tumble down the marble steps. From the ballroom above, imagine the terrifying gasps as her body lay crumpled like a rag doll at the foot of the stairs. To this day, hotel guests claim the presence of a young woman,dressed all in white, visibly wanders around the staircase or can be spotted waltzing in the ballroom above. Beware the icy breeze. It’s enough to raise the hair on your arm. 

Mermaid Tears at Glass Beach 

One can search for treasure without ever setting foot offshore if you believe in the legend of Mermaid Tears. Long ago, when pirates ran amuck and terrorized the sea, they ruthlessly pillaged cargo ships. Countless glass jars, perfume vials, wine flagons, and beverage bottles were cast overboard to lighten the load. Over time, the discarded glass became broken, weathered, smooth, and frosted in appearance. The edges were rounded and polished as the glass was tossed between the saltwater waves and the fine sandy beaches. Eventually the sea glass washed up and down the coast by longshore currents and ended up beached. What about the mermaid legend, you ask? Well, every pirate ship has a gangplank. Whenever a captured sailor was forced by a raider to walk the plank, he helplessly plunged into the water below and drowned. As mermaid tears were shed at their untimely fate, they magically turned into polished sea glass in hues of blue, green, amber, and red. Glass Beach, in Hanapepe Bay, is covered with thousands of colorful sea glass pebbles. Because of the rough waves and rocky shore, beach combing is permitted in this remote area, but swimming should be avoided. 

Spouting Off For All to See

At the traffic circle in the road, an arrow pointed in one direction guiding curiosity-seekers to Spouting Horn. The scenic byway south of Poipu hugged the coastline for a short distance, passing impressive condo developments, sandy beaches, botanical gardens, and a golf course. Near the end of the road, Nature takes center stage, fueled by Hawaiian legend. Before the car door is slammed, the sound of crashing waves and heavy surf are heard. People are congregating along a chain link fence with digital cameras, cell phones, and selfie-sticks in hand. Beyond their shoulders is a water plume that could be nicknamed “Old Faithful #2” by the oohs and aahs ringing upward on the mist. If one snapshot isn’t enough, wait a minute for the next big swell. Take another photo; they’re free. When ocean salt water crashes into impenetrable lava rock, the natural blowhole produces a roaring sound with a hissing geyser that has been known to shoot 100 feet into the air. Awestruck like the others, snapshot after snapshot was taken. Down below, a tour boat could be seen drifting in on the tide for an up-close-and-personal experience worth writing home about. It seemed conditions were perfect for spouting off for all to see. The legend continues:
“Ancient Hawaiians believed this coastline was once guarded by a giant moo (lizard) named Kaikapu. Everyone was afraid of the moo because it would eat anyone who tried to fish or swim in the area. One day, a young boy named Liko entered the ocean to outwit the lizard. Kaikapu attacked him, but Liko thrust a sharp stick into her mouth, swam under the lava shelf, and escaped through a small hole to the surface. The moo followed Liko and got stuck in the lava tube. To this day, you can hear the lizard’s roar and see her breath spraying from the blowhole.” *

*Reference m.gohawaii.com