Recently, I had an “Aha” moment, realizing that many of the places I visit were inspired by books I have read. With that in mind, I will share some of those as I continue to write about new vistas.
I was drawn to travel to Hawai‘i because it is one of the three states I had not visited. My knowledge of the area began with reading a biography of the Last Queen of Hawaii: Liliuokalani, as a child, then as a young adult, James Michener’s iconic Hawai‘i, and more recently, Moloka’i by Alan Brennert, which focuses on the impact of leprosy on the people. I had little knowledge of the area as a modern vacation destination, and being a tourist who generally avoids beach sitting, I looked for more to do than water recreation. This is what I found.
Birds!!!! Hawai‘i has many different species. The montage above holds creatures that happened to be around us; I didn’t go bird watching. They landed on our 22nd-floor balcony, on top of tables and chairs close to our dining area, and all along the walkways. Grateful for the AI of my iPhone, identification was easy. I am guessing that because the tourists are plentiful, the avian creatures are not shy and can be downright aggravating if food is around.
It has been a while since I visited a tropical island, so I delighted in the choices of fruit as options. Besides the ubiquitous pineapple, which is quite yummy, the menu also included mangoes, papaya, and guava, as well as the “apple banana,” a species unique to Hawai‘i. I drank shakes and juices, and ate açaí bowls, fruit cups, and pancakes. In addition to the fruit, fish was a staple, with my first try at a poke bowl that included ahi tuna, mahi-mahi burgers, and swordfish covered with a macadamian nut coating.
The Valley of the Temples was a tranquil stop on one of our tours. Fascinating in that it is a place of rest for all faiths, its position against the Ko’olau Mountain Range, and Japanese influence result in an aesthetically pleasing atmosphere. The water was filled to the brim with koi.
I had heard of Diamond Head most of my life, not really understanding that it is a volcanic structure, not a mountain, with a developed area inside the “dome.” Out-of-state visitors require advanced reservations and must pay to park. We were able to go to the crater area of another structure, the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, or commonly called the Punchbowl Cemetery, as it is located in the Punchbowl Crater. Many of the soldiers of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, or the group known for the motto “Go For Broke,” are buried there, as well as the well-known journalist Ernie Pyle.
Some of the less pleasurable experiences were the high cost of goods, especially food. Hawai‘i must import these items, and since tourists make up almost as many as the actual population of Oahu, this is reasonable. A Lua!! I tried to prepare for this experience, likening it to seeing the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but it still was a mostly regrettable evening. Sitting for three hours at a picnic table and paying over $100 a ticket for the privilege of the “cheap seats” wasn’t fun. The venue was situated near the water, and we were treated to fresh floral ornaments; however, the drinks were watered down, the food was average, and the show didn’t feel authentic. However, I did try poi, something I had wondered about, and if sour and starchy are your go-tos, then this is it.
Mahalo! Oh, and I did some research, the Hawai‘ian language has 12 letters and one character, the ʻokina (ʻ), making it relatively simple to pronounce the words.
We also tried poi and found it to be very starchy and quite disgusting. With the exception of fresh fruit in the summer, nothing really stood out.