Travel

Living in Hawaii is by default, an invitation for friends and family to visit. As residents we are expected to be entertaining and knowledgeable tour guides.  My guest left today and though I tried hard to be a good tour guide I am not sure Hawaii lived up to his expectations.

He, like many of us, grew up in the Brady Bunch era. The Brady Bunch Hawaii episodes showed a lush tropical jungle full of hula dancers and innumerable palm trees.  I live in Waikoloa Village, on the Big Island, which is basically a town surrounded by an enormous field of dried red lava.  There are palm trees of course, however if you were dropped here blindfolded you would think you were in Anytown, USA.  Our town was developed to house the employees of the surrounding resorts.  The jungle is on the other side of the island.

Anyway, we started our touring with a drive around the Hamakua Coast. This is one of the most beautiful drives on the Big Island. Going through the rain forest is a true Hawaiian delight. The ocean is wild and gorgeous on one side and the jungle lush and tropical on the other. We happened to go when it was cloudy and rainy the whole way and my visitor fell asleep.

We did not stop at Akaka Falls because of the rain but went directly into Hilo.  We were headed to a King Kamehameha Festival on the waterfront and arrived toward the end of the festival.  I was hoping for some local artists and authentic Hula.  There was a small Hula presentation but with only two women and two men.  The male Kumu translated in a deep sonorous voice explaining the Hawaiian culture through dance.  That part was great. The rest of the festival was disappointing as it consisted of a couple of tee shirt vendors and a food vendor.

Leaving the festival in the drizzling rain we stopped for a beer at Cronies on the bay front.  My Hilo friends joined us and things livened up a bit. After a few beers we headed to a little local sushi restaurant called Ocean Sushi, which is low on atmosphere but great on quality and prices.  We started with a bowl of Edamame and ordered lots of different sushi rolls to share for dinner. Everything was yummy except the rolls with a mayonnaise dressing (my mainland guest did in fact like that one – go figure?)

We were staying overnight at my friend’s “hut” out in Kea’au.  He built and lived in it for a year while converting a Matson shipping container into a jungle bungalow.  All four sides are screened so you are still outside but it is completely mosquito proof, making it extremely pleasant to sleep in. The sound of light rain is soothing as it falls on the plastic roof.  There is also an outdoor shower rigged up with a propane torch heater and other rustic amenities, which make for an authentic jungle experience. We fell asleep to the lulling songs of the Coqui frogs.

Next morning after a breakfast of papaya, wild chicken eggs and sausage made from wild boars that a neighbor slaughtered, we headed to the warm pools at Ahalanui Beach Park.  I took the long way through Kalapana to see the old lava flow that wiped out neighborhoods in the 1980s and to see the steam from the new lava flowing into the ocean right now.  I was impressed as I watched the steam pouring up to form brilliant white mushroom clouds. I wished we could have stayed until dark so we could see the red glow of the lava flow.

However we needed to get back to Waikoloa for a barbeque so we set out again up the Hamakua coast. This time we did stop at Akaka falls and it is impossible not to be impressed by the Jurassic Park scenery and the gorgeous waterfalls.

We finished off his visit with a morning of Hawaiian Outrigger canoeing and Stand Up paddling in Anaeho’omalu Bay.  The water was so clear and calm we stayed too long and had to rush to the airport.

I really tried to be a funny and enlightened tour guide. I can usually tell if I have succeeded but honestly this time I think the reality did not match up to the fantasy. I guess I should either tone down my enthusiastic description of life in Hawaii or stop having mainland guests.  At least I got to do some touring myself.

Copyright © Johanna Kim

Longtime O’ahu residents know that it is that special time of the year when one makes a special effort to clean up the ole homestead, rearranging furniture and investing in a few sturdy book shelves in anticipation of filling them with all sorts of wonderful treasures. Yes it is time for the 62nd Annual Book Sale in support of the Library of Hawai’i with a special members’ preview on Friday June 19th and then the official opening at 9AM on Saturday June 20 2009.

The Book Sale is a time honored tradition that people plan on throughout the year their anticipation growing as Summer nears. For more than twenty five years it has been held in the cafeteria of McKinley High School (1039 South King Street, Honolulu, HI), and has brought in much needed funding. The Book Sale provides an amazing collection of new & used books & related items of every description imaginable; adventure, Bibles, biographies, cassettes, cookbooks, crafts, DVDS, dictionaries, encyclopedias, fiction of every hue, foreign languages, glossaries, Hawai’i’ana, horticulture, Idiot guides for every quandary, Jokes, Journalism, kid’s books, love stories, magazines, murder mysteries, nautical, nature, out of print rarities, poetry, quantum physics, records, recreational activities, religious books of many faiths, science fiction, sociology, text books, travel, video tapes, wildlife, youth fiction, zoology, to name but a few of the categories!

An amazing bunch of volunteers make all of this possible and those that truly love books and would like to spend a few hours in close company with books are encouraged to join up. Please contact The Friends of the Library via 808-536-4174. Workers perform a variety of fun tasks from helping to restock the tables, to adders who tally up the purchases, and cashiers, and many other jobs.

The history of the Friends of The Library of Hawai’i is fascinating here is but a blurb, the full account can be found on their website: “The Friends of the Library of Hawaii is a nonprofit organization whose primary objective is to maintain free public libraries in the State of Hawaii, to promote extension of library services throughout the State of Hawai,i and to increase the facilities of the public library system of Hawaii by securing materials beyond the command of the ordinary library budget. Other objectives are to focus attention on libraries and to encourage and accept, by bequest or gift, donations of books, manuscripts, money, and other appropriate material that can enrich the cultural opportunities available to the people of Hawaii.

The Friends of the Library of Hawaii was founded in 1879 by Honolulu’s business leaders, merchants, and Hawaiian royalty as the Honolulu Library and Reading Room . The illustrious members of the original organization included King Kalakaua, Queen Kapiolani, Queen Emma, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, Sanford B. Dole and James Campbell. The Honolulu Reading Room was formally opened in a building on Fort Street on March 1879.”

Veteran Book Buyers be aware that the dates and times are different for 2009. On Friday June 19th 2009 there will a Members Preview from 5PM To 9 PM. The Official Opening is at 9AM on Saturday June 20th and on Saturday and Sunday the hours will be 9AM to 9PM. Monday June 22 through Thursday June 25th the hours will be 11AM to 7 PM, on Friday June 26th 11AM 8PM, then remaining books & items will be 50% discounted from 9AM to 9PM, while on the final Sunday June 28th everything will be fifty cents the hours limited to 9AM to 1 PM.

New this year will be a Bake Sale and on opening Saturday & Sunday and on the final Saturday there will be a lunch wagon. The McKinley Cafeteria can be a bit warm so dress lightly, drink plenty of fluids and buy plenty of books!

One of the most endangered Waikiki landmarks is the Waikiki International Market Place a truly unique emporium encompassing several acres in the very heart of Waikiki nestled between the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani & The Miramar Hotel & the Ohana Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel. Conceived during the late 1950s as a way to “to meet the visitors expectations of Waikiki being a casual, tropical village with the arts, crafts, entertainment and foods of Hawai’i’s truly diverse people, the International Market Place reflected the early awareness that cultural tourism required a creative vision.”

Naturally time has altered that vision a bit, but the International Market Place remains a wonderful mix of kiosks & carts & shops & eateries set in a delightful maze much like a Medieval European Village with meandering footpaths & passageways that delight the senses while inviting exploration. What is truly wonderful is that though one might feel that they are ‘lost,’ or that they have lost a family member or friend along the way, all paths lead back to a few key entry & exits and thus all find themselves reunited, generating exhilarating commentary, “oh, there you are, I just discovered this wonderful – - – - .”

There are more than one hundred and thirty vendors scattered throughout the Marketplace. One can ‘Pick a Pearl’ from several Pearl Factory kiosks, or find that perfect ring or bracelet or necklace from several carts, there are T-shirts & Muumuus & beachwear vendors aplenty, along with an entire store devoted to magnets, a genuine local craftsman & family carving Tiki masks & wooden Honu (turtles) and other items daily demonstrating their skill with chisel & hammer, stores & carts selling crystals & souvenirs of every description, and all sorts of just plain wonderful gee-gads .

Entering The International Marketplace via Kalakaua one swiftly encounters a humongous Banyan tree reputed to be the oldest on O’ahu, judging by its massive size a justifiable claim. Nestled in front of the tree is a Koi pond & waterfall that delights all with its colorful inhabitants. To the left of the main tree trunk, protected by a smaller trunk is The Enchanted Banyan, where one can “get a peek at tomorrow today” courtesy of several psychics, a mix of clairvoyants whose talents are as individual as they are; astrology, tarot cards, palm reading, crystal gazing (808-923-4364).

Stepping deeper into the Market Place one finds an assortment of delectable eateries. Coconut Willies is a venerable institution featuring live music several days a week while The Tree Top Café offers fresh brewed coffee. Further on simply follow the yellow brick road, er ah yellow line, to the food court where one will find one of the best Mexican eateries on O’ahu, Toritos, as well as Choi’s Kitchen for scrumptious Korean food; my favorite, Kim-Cee fried Rice with Spicy Pork. The Food Court boosts a host of excellent choices for any palette, a shout out for Bautistas, Tiki Burger and The Peking Garden.

The Food Court has a stage and five nights a week there is free entertainment. Two of the perennial favorites are the ‘Voyage through Polynesia’ revue, and Greg & Junko MacDonald whose mastery of the steel drums is truly magical. One is guided to http://www.internationalmarketplacewaikiki.com/events/ for times and dates.

The International Market Place is open from 10AM to 10:30 PM seven days a week and is well worth a visit not only if you are a visitor to Hawai’i but if you are a seasoned kaimaina for there many unique gift items to be found and great deals as well as free entertainment and something rarer less definable, a sense of place, a truly unique experience.

Surf gods loping through the sand, boards balanced on sun-blessed hair, local wahines in Kapu bikinis emerge glistening from turquoise waves, an exotic fruit drink on the beach at sunset. These are tropical dreams.

Now that I have your attention I recently discovered Tropical Dreams Ice Cream. This company has been on the Big Island for over 20 years. Not having lived here that long I find the mere mention of Tropical Dreams Ice Cream elicits exclamations of “I love their _____ ice cream”. And as well they should. This stuff is addicting. It is not only delicious but it is a true Hawaiian made product. Tropical Dreams gets all their cream from Big Island dairies and most of their fruit is grown right here – pineapple, poha berry, ohelo berry, dragon fruit, mango, passion fruit, guava, apple banana and much more. Using locally grown ingredients earned them the only Hawaii Seal of Quality for ice cream in the state. They even plan on growing some of their fruit at Lalamilo Farm in Waimea where their ice cream is made.

And if you are not a big ice cream fan, Tropical Dreams offers Gelato, Sorbet and Yogurt. You can find these products in local markets, restaurants and hotels. For quick answers on where to purchase check out their website or give them a call at: (888) 888-8031.

Why buy locally produced products? Though Hawaii is a lush tropical locale with ideal growing conditions, we import over 85% of our food. Supporting local companies is not only good for our economy but a way to ensure safe foods for our families. So while you are here on vacation, or if you are lucky enough to live here, try some locally produced products and enjoy a Tropical Dream (or two).

Chris Lee

            The local economy is tanking, pigs are spreading the flu, most of your favorite television shows are airing their finale episode of the season and football season is several months away.  The prescription for these and other woes is Laughter.  Fortunately the comedic duo of Cheech & Chong have reunited and are on tour set to touchdown on O’ahu at The Waikiki Shell on Thursday May 29 2009 and on Maui at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center at the Castle Theater.

            Cheech & Chong’s Light Up America Tour was launched in 2008 and has carried the duo across the United States and Canada.  Their stoner humor and wry observations about life are a welcome tonic during these troubled times.  Tommy Chong a native of Alberta, Canada, a multi-talented musician and natural funnyman started an improvisational comedy troupe in 1966/67 in a Vancouver BC nightclub because, “It was a topless joint and I didn’t have the heart to fire the strippers,” recalls Tommy Chong “so when I turned the show into a comedy troupe known as ‘City Works,’ I put the girls in the skits. We had the only topless improvisational theatre in Canada.”

            Cheech true/name Richard Marin, born in the barrios of East Los Angeles, found his way to Canada and joined City Works, at a tremendous salary of $60 a week!  After two years the troupe disbanded and the two found that they could easily entertain an audience without an ensemble of strippers.  They made their way to Los Angeles where they became a fixture at the famous Troubadour Club where they were swiftly signed up by a record executive who soon had them recording their first comedy album, their self titled record Cheech & Chong debut in 1971 and was swiftly followed by Big Bambu in 1972, the Grammy Award Winning Los Conchinos in 1973, The Wedding Album in 1974, and many more to follow.

            Cheech & Ching successfully transferred their smoke fueled fun to the big screen with the 1978 film Up In Smoke followed by a slew of hilarious films including the grossly underrated The Corsican Brothers (1984). 

            Cheech and Chong are scheduled to perform at The Waikiki Shell on Thursday May 29 2009 at 7 PM.  Tickets are available via any number of sources, and prices have varied so it is best for you to research your best bargain, one option is via their website http://www.cheechandchong.com/.  

            Cheech & Chong are scheduled to perform at 7:30 PM at The Castle Theater at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, One Cameron Way, Kahuli, Maui.  Tickets are $59.50 and are available via https://www.mauiarts.org/tickets/ or call via 808-242-SHOW (7469)

The road to Hana is long, beautiful and has its challenges. At the end of it you’ll find an oasis with the laid back flair of a small Hawaiian town, full of history and that special something that can only be found in the remote areas of these islands. A flavor of the old Hawaii is still present, preserved by the lack of highways, ABC stores and large hotels. About 700 people call Hana home. Some of them were born and grew up here, like generations of their families did. Others came here to find peace and enlightenment in a tranquil environment that tries to make time stand still.

Hana is located about 52 miles along a mostly narrow and winding road from Kahului. That doesn’t sound very far, is everyone’s first thought. It was mine too and little did I know when I headed onto that road to find out. It can be very, very long if you are not prepared. Some of the essentials are a full tank of gas, refreshing beverages and a snack, lots of patience, love for nature, good music in the car and friendly passengers with even more patience and love for nature.

In the beginning the road has two lanes that narrow more and more until only one lane is left, interrupted by wider sections that don’t last too long. Get ready for a driving time of about 3 to 4 hours and put yourself into a relaxed, contemplative state. However the driver should never relax too much because every now and then a tour bus or a dynamic local driver could approach. In that case it is a matter of non verbal communication and courtesy to decide who pulls over to the side and lets the other pass. The curves are often very narrow and approaching vehicles cannot be seen.

You should get along well with your fellow travelers as you will spend a lot of time in a small space with each other and better have something to talk about. There are rumors that one or the other marriage found its end on that road.

On the good side you will be surrounded by the immense beauty of a tropical rainforest for most of the way, occasionally broken up by breathtaking views of the ocean.  There are more than 50 bridges and about 620 curves and sooner or later you will break into singing “The long and winding road”. It is inevitable and all comes together as an unforgettable experience even though the amazed “ahs” and “ohs” will become less audible after the first hour; soon to be replaced by an “is it still far?”

Around the time when you have fully surrendered to believing that “the journey is the destination” the walls of thick green foliage around you will open up and the wonders of Hana will be welcoming you. Grab a sandwich at the old Hasagewa General Store and stretch out your limbs at Hamoa Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in the islands, highly praised by the author James Michener.

Heaven is close in Hana, especially when you check into the historic Hotel Hana Maui. Expect island luxury galore! But even for smaller budgets there is a great range of accommodations from island style bed and breakfasts to vacation rentals of all sizes. The adventurous ones will find their piece of Eden under the canopy of huge trees where they can count the stars from a romantic tree house. Or perhaps a spiritual retreat away from all the hustle and bustle is the getaway of choice. Heavenly Hana has it all and whether you only spend one night or a whole month there, you will return with a few new stories to tell and the memory of a rare and very special place whose magic will stay with you forever. That is, if you ever will return…

Since the winds have been 20+ miles per hour for the past month, it only seemed right to visit one the best places in the world for windsurfing on my recent trip to Maui.  Located on the north shore of Maui off the Hana Highway in the town of  Paia, Hookipa Beach is where to go for excellent windsurfing.  This is also the site for two major world class windsurfing competitions.  Hookipa Beach is ideal for windsurfing because of the large well-shaped waves and strong winds.  Because of the powerful winds and strong currents this beach is not a place for beginners.

There are four distinctive surf breaks on Hookipa Beach.  The two breaks on the left closer to the lifeguard stand are  H’Poko and Lanes.  These breaks are reserved for the windsurfers.  Pavillions and Middles are usually reserved for the surfers off the lookout parking area on the rightside of the beach.

On my day as a Maui tourist, I got to see both windsurfers and surfers going at it.  The waves were chest high for the surfers there were lefts and long rights to be had.  On the otherside of the beach there were about 8 windsurfers taking advantage of the strong wind gusts.  I saw photographers out and many sightseers watching the action.

Windsurfers

Surfers

Recently,  on a short visit to Kauai’s North Shore I got the opportunity to surf Hanalei Bay.  I was not expecting to surf on that quick visit and did not bring any surfboards, but was surprisingly pleased to fine some fun waves and a surfboard rental place all in walking distance at Hanalei Bay.  It was a sunny weekday and the waves were 2-4 feet Hawaiian scale and looking fun.  On that same day that I was there Laird Hamilton was rumored to have been surfing Hanalei Bay and I even spotted his wife Gabrielle Reece and one of their children on the beach.

My rental car was not equipped with surf racks if I wanted to rent a board in the town of Hanalei Bay, so the rental shop or ”grass hut” Hawaiian Surfing Adventures that is located steps from Black Pot Beach was very convenient for me.  This place offered surfing lessons, board rentals, and water adventures at reasonable prices.  To rent a board it was $10 an hour, $5 additional or $20 a day.  The boards they have for rent were soft-top foam boards, hard-top longboard tankers, and epoxy boards.  They even had stand-up paddle boards for rent and lessons.

So, I rented a 6 foot 10 inch epoxy board and followed the locals out to a surf break called “the bowl” and had a great 1 hour surf session.  There were a few other surf breaks in sight and some out on the point that were coming in about 1-2 feet bigger than where I surfed at.  The breaks were pretty crowded with a mixture of locals, tourists, and some professionals, but everyone was friendly and got their waves.  Overall, I thought the surf at “the bowl” was A quality, an intermediate wave and I was wishing that I had brought my short board with me on this trip.  The ocean water was surprisingly chilly because of the closeness to the crisp river water.  This was my first time to surf the North Shore of Kauai and will definitely be back with my boards and long sleeve wet suit to try again.

“Butterflies of the Ocean” they have been called. With wingspans reaching up to 20 feet they glide silently through the water. I think they look more like giant ethereal bats as they barrel roll up to me. I am startled as one brushes lightly against my skin. I breathe through my snorkel and know I am safe as I watch the night dance of the Manta Rays.

Snorkeling at night with the Manta Rays in Kona might be the most awe-inspiring activity I have ever done.

Kona’s night Manta Ray Dive is rated one of the top ten best dives in the world. Not being scuba certified I went as a snorkeler. One diver told me he chose snorkeling over scuba diving to see the Manta Rays from another perspective and was equally impressed.

The thought of snorkeling in the ocean at night was a bit intimidating (my fear was that a shark would shoot out of the darkness straight at me). However, once the sun went down, a light anchored to the ocean floor illuminated the dive site like an in-ground swimming pool. The bottom was clearly visible from the surface 30 feet above. In addition, we were handed submersible flashlights to draw plankton toward us.

We were all given wetsuits to keep us warm and directions on how to get back to the boat (another fear of mine was getting on the wrong boat). The captain explained that the Mantas could touch and bump into us all they want but we were not to touch them in order to protect their delicate slime coat. Now the fear of being bumped by these giant sea creatures, who appear to be half mouth, was added to my list.

At last it was time to jump in and swim to the light. Scuba divers on all the boats started plopping into the ocean, one hand on their masks, the other holding their flashlights. Like underwater fireflies they formed a ring. All beams aimed at the center created a column of light drawing plankton in from the darkness.

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes for second and jumped into the blue-green depths. Snorkeling over to the site as fast as I could (there might be a shark right behind me) I found myself among dozens of other snorkelers. The divers were sitting in circle on the bottom shining their lights up toward us as we did the opposite.

Soundlessly the Mantas arrived, coming from the complete darkness, which loomed outside our pool of artificial light. There were seven in all sizes. They glided in and out of the light, their huge mouths filtering plankton as they moved around us like a surreal underwater slow motion movie. Streams of bubbles glittered as the made their way to the surface from the dozens of scuba tanks. The Mantas flew quietly through them as they dipped and rolled and glided all around us. I was so entranced by the experience that I hardly noticed I was one of the few snorkelers left in the water. Luckily I found the right boat so I wasn’t left to swim anxiously in the dark water for very long. The boat was quieter on the way back. The mood was more humble and contemplative than the boisterous rowdy crowd who went out.

Putting emotion into words is difficult at best, however I hope I have given you a glimpse of how wonderful this experience was so that perhaps you are moved to put this on your list of things to do whether you live here or are just visiting. There are many companies which offer this dive and snorkelers are usually welcome and most offer a small Kama’aina discount.

Copywrite © Johanna Kim

Hawaii’s New Hidden Treasures

The international phenomenon of geocaching has hit Hawaii. Residents and visitors alike put on their hiking boots and head into more or less challenging territory to find small boxes filled with a gift and a logbook.

“It’s like a high tech easter egg hunt,” says Alicia Greenwald, a Kane’ohe resident, of her new hobby. “It gets me off the couch and makes me do something really exciting.”

She finds the coordinates to a new location on the internet, and then uses her small GPS device to hunt down the treasure. There are approximately 900,000 of the waterproof containers hidden all over the world. About 500 are in Hawaii. Their number increases every month. The caches can be anywhere – from the slopes of Mt. Olomana to lava tubes on the Big Island, on beaches, in the rainforest, even in the water. The latest version is a cache in form of a small web camera. The finder has a trophy picture taken which is then instantly placed on the attached internet site.

The rules of the game are simple, and the game is free. Participants register on a website, for example on geocaching.com; they put a trinket and a logbook into a waterproof container, it can be Tupperware, a coffee can or anything that has a lid and withstands the elements. They hide it and publish a coded location on the website. The finders of the cache replace the gift with a new one and write their name with a friendly greeting in the logbook. Later they return to the website and list their success.

Pierre Michael came all the way from Switzerland to catch some winter sunshine and geocaches. “It’s such a great thing to do,” he says. “It gets you out into nature, to places that you’d never see and at the same time you can make new friends.”

Caching enthusiasts have quickly built a strong network on and offline. They exchange treasure hunting tips, reviews of gear and personal stories.

“Everyone wants to be a treasure hunter,” adds Pierre. “It’s a childhood dream and there is nothing more exciting than finding something that you really have to look and work for. It does not matter what is inside the box, there is no material value. It’s just about getting there and telling about it.”