Many of my peers have journeyed to Hawaii over the years but this winter was my first visit. Being situated right downtown in Waikiki, Oahu, a block from the beach, was a perfect location to start my first experience on the islands.
It was a trip down memory lane for Ron, who spent a number of years visiting the island during the 80s and 90s. Some of the places he frequented in Waikiki were still there. The Shorebird Lounge, right on the beach and now attached to the Reef Hotel, had remained an icon in the area. It had changed over the years though and become much more upscale. Even though he couldn’t get his favourite beer there anymore, Primo, we still managed to visit the place 3 times during a 10 day stay. Ron was on a quest to find more of his old haunts that also carried his favourite beer but didn’t luck out with either.
The International Market, which had always been a place to take visiting friends to see, and an area Ron frequently talked about, was also gone. Many of the international stalls have relocated in an area just north of the old site but “It wasn’t the same,” Ron said. The original land, with the giant Banyan tree, was making room for high end stores like Saks 5th Ave. The Banyan tree was struggling with age and disease and may or may not make it into the new landscape.
We rented a car one day and headed up island to visit some more of Ron’s old memories. After a quick stop at Diamond Head we continued on to Hanauma Bay. It is a beautiful lagoon, still used for snorkeling and diving, but environmentally protected. It was a great place, but with a cold front suddenly passing across the island, it was not really a place we spent much time visiting.
We continued north with stops at Sandy Beach and other well-known surfing areas. The waves, sand, and colour of the water were incredible. The drive was slow going because of the traffic and only a 2 lane highway, but we enjoyed it.
One of the things the north end is well known for are the shrimp farms and shrimp trucks. We stopped at the first one we saw, ready for lunch by then. It wasn’t a fancy set-up. We ordered what we wanted from the back of a big van and then I headed for the corner store next to the shrimp truck to get our beverages. Guess what? The store had Primo beer! I was happy with a small bottle of California Cab-Sav.
The store clerk remarked, “Are you drinking these outside?” The plan was to eat at the picnic tables set up by the store so I answered yes. “The state says you gotta keep it in paper bags then,” she said. I thanked her and took my finds outside.
Ron was excited about doing the bag routine on the side of the highway. They called his name and we got our food. There was something special about sitting on the side of the highway, staring at the ocean, eating delicious shrimp prepared in a truck, and drinking booze out of a paper bag. It was a great new memory for Ron, and me too!
We eventually continued on our journey, heading toward Kuhuku. Kuhuku was the place Ron spent 9 consecutive winters visiting. He, and some of his buddies, rented a house right on the ocean. He knew the house was long gone but he wanted to share the memories with me. I had already heard most of the stories but looked forward to seeing the places where the memories took place.
We found telephone pole #33, Ron’s actual address while he stayed there. It took a few minutes to walk down to the beach and locate the original home site. Most of the neighbouring houses had been torn down over the years and the land was now a state park. I understood why Ron wanted to show me the area. It was so beautiful.
After spending awhile soaking in the peace and quiet of the ocean shore we continued on with our journey. Our next stop was the party place from days gone by. Pat’s at Punalu’u is a 1970s condo building that is still rented out to full-time residents and vacationers and situated right on the ocean. Ron’s memories were of many evenings spent at the lounge, closed down now and in a state of complete disrepair. He remembered the times when Hawaiian women tried to teach them how to hula. No-one was successful!
Our next stop was the Kuhuku municipal 9 hole golf course, again located right by the ocean. Driving down the local road took Ron by the site of another old local hangout, Yuki’s Bar. The bar and Yuki were long gone, replaced by a small retirement community.
The golf course was still there but over the years the green fees had increased. Instead of a $1.50 per round it now cost $16.50. I’m sure if the weather had been better, he would have suggested playing a round!
We left Ron’s memories behind and continued on our journey. Neither one of us had any interest in visiting the Polynesian Centre. We preferred the real Hawaiian music and dancing available to enjoy at many of the local lounges in Waikiki. We stopped at the Dole pineapple facility though. It was part of my memories growing up and finally seeing how a pineapple grew from the ground was interesting.
The drive around most of the island took less than a full day and we were back in Waikiki in time for dinner. The tour gave me a better idea of what Oahu was all about and introduced me to some of the other culture. I’m glad we took the time to get away from Waikiki.
We were in Oahu for 10 days but I think taking just a week to visit the island is about the right amount of time. We had rented a place with a kitchenette, which helped keep the costs down but Oahu is expensive to visit. It’s well worth seeing at least once though.
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