Microblog

This afternoon (Wednesday) Dwight flies home, arriving Minneapolis early Thursday morning, and I fly to Tokyo, arriving Thursday evening. In Tokyo, I’ll check into an airport terminal hotel. Friday morning, I’ll fly to Kochi on Shikoku, one of Japan’s four main islands.

At Stüssy, only a few customers were allowed in at a time. Those waiting patiently in line were mainly Asian, reflecting the demographics of Hawaii tourism. Nearly half of all visitors to Hawaii come from Asia, a trend that began with the early Japanese settlements in the 1870s. Perhaps this explains why we had the best tonkatsu, ever, in Honolulu.

At the Bishop Museum, we traced the Polynesian diaspora leading to the discovery and settlement of the Hawaiian Islands around 1,000 years ago. In the planetarium we learned about their sophisticated navigation techniques which relied on the stars and other natural elements, rather than instruments.

Our adventure today combined city bus travel with walking. At the (Queen) Liliʻuokalani Botanical Garden, Dwight located three trees he’ll feature in his blog. The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, situated within a volcanic crater, offered a serene atmosphere and spectacular views, while also serving as a poignant reminder of the Pacific War’s battles.

On my walk: a Baskin-Robbins in a strip mall. As a teenager, former President Obama scooped here. Nearby are his place of birth (Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children) and the apartment where he lived with his single mom.

Visited ‘Iolani Palace, once home to Hawaii’s monarchs. In 1893, the reign of the beloved Queen Liliʻuokalani came to an end when the sons of missionaries played a significant role in illegally overthrowing the Hawaiian Kingdom, disenfranchising the native people.

Hula, a tradition that tells stories passed down for generations, was banned in the 19th century by missionaries who dismissed Hawaiian culture as heathen. Today, we watched Hawaiian hula performers who had participated in an annual international festival of performers from across Polynesia.

After a beach walk, we headed back along a public beach access path located between two hotels. This narrow passage was lined with surfboard racks that surfers can rent.

Today’s adventure was a delightful loop hike through the jungly/rainforest hills above Honolulu. The trail, accessible by bus, combined the Kanealole, Makiki Valley, and Maunalaha Trails for a complete escape from the city.

Held on tight during a morning coffee cruise on the Vida Mia, a motor yacht built in 1929. It has a storied past, including serving as a coastguard vessel during World War II.

A longer walk than planned took us to a semi-industrial area to a place where beer is unlikely to run out, the holy of holies of Waikiki Brewing Company. Aloha Blonde for him, 808 Pale (a nod to Hawaii’s area code) for me, nachos with pulled smoked pork to share. A number 13 bus whisked us back to our VRBO.

Rode public transit one hour out of Honolulu to Koko Crater Botanical Garden where we hiked a trail surrounded by desert plants nestled within a caldera.

Jonathan Butler, the world-class South African performer, was the artist. However, the sound quality was poor, so we left because sunk cost is a poor reason to stay. A relaxed nightcap on our balcony wound down a good day.

After walking through a tunnel and across the Diamond Head crater floor, we reached the far side where we hiked up to a gun emplacement and were rewarded with a superb view. On our walk back to our VRBO, we stopped for a traditional Hawaiian mixed plate lunch, which, of course, included macaroni salad.

Took in a lovely Hockney exhibition at the Honolulu Museum of Art, filled with the artist’s humanity. Bonus: Hokusai prints from his final (1839) series, One Hundred Poems Told by the Nurse, a small sample from James Michener’s gift of thousands of significant Japanese prints.

We enjoyed this lunchtime view from the beach bar at the Royal Hawaiian, sharing an order of pupus. You don’t have to stay in spendy hotels to enjoy their public spaces! Afterwards, we picked up a creamy dessert from a nearby Japanese konbini to enjoy with tea back at our VRBO.