By:Marcia Abramson
I was thoroughly confused after arriving at Honolulu Airport to find myself in Oahu and Waikiki. The numerous names for the destinations and the Hawaiian words and pronunciations for mahalo (thank you), pronounced mah-HAH-low; kamaaina (old-timer or native born), pronounced kah-mah-EYE-nah; and keiki (child), pronounced Kay-kee were difficult for me to mouth until I saw them in print. But aside from that, Honolulu, Oahu or Waikiki are great places to visit with many things to see and do with a great gourmet food palate.
Donovan M. Dela Cruz, author of the "The Okazu Guide?" (Oh, Cause You Hungry) book, introduced me to the Okazus or Oahu's local-style delis where the concentration is on takeout Hawaiian comfort food with the contributions of the various immigrant cultures that make up a good deal of the population on this island in the sun. They consist of Japanese, Chinese, Filipino and the Kamaaina (native born) Hawaiian. I was surprised to learn that one of the favorite foods of some of the finest Hawaiian chefs is Spam, stuffed eggplant and fried chicken skins. I recall that Spam was the most disliked food of the World War II GIs. Another interesting expedition for the food writers in my party was a tour of Oahu's aquaculture farm, Hawaii Marine Enterprises, where farm-raised ogu (seaweed) and moi are cultivated in tanks of sea water. These are used for sushi and salads for a fast growing world market. We also got to the Hawaii Oahu Suisan farm to see how salt water shrimp are raised, and ended our tour at the Hawaii Seafood Fresh Water Prawn (Shrimp) Farm with a fabulous lunch of the farmed seafood prepared by the executive chef, Elmer Guzman of Sam Choy's Diamond Head restaurant.
After the sumptuous lunch, we went off to a cooking class with chef Karen Molina of the Outrigger Waikiki, featuring steamed moi and the Alli fish of Hawaiian royalty. It was a wonderful presentation and marvelously edible. Our day of eating continued with Pupu (appetizers) and salad at the Outrigger East Hotel, to the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Resort and Spa for a Chinese dinner at their Clao Mein Restaurant with dessert at the Diamond Head Grill in West Honolulu. The next morning I was off to the magnificent Royal Hawaiian Hotel for another wonderful meal prepared by chefs Alfred Cabacungan and Thomas Matsuda.
Another unique experience was in the offing for me and my party at the Polynesian Cultural Center. The center is actually run as an offshoot of Utah's Brigham Young University. The students stage all the exhibits of a Samoan Village, a Tahitian Village with authentic landscapes and costumes. There is also the famous Hawaiian Ali'i Luau which dates back to ancient Hawaii when it was a happy assemblage to celebrate and share in the catch from the sea. The luau was then known as the hukiluau, descriptive of a leaf-lined net which was hurled into the bay or lagoon. The people who helped drag the fish-laden net onto the shore would then claim a share of the bounty. It evolved into today's luau. Since luau means leaf, I was told that the pig which is covered with banana leaves and baked in the ground for hours has become synonymous with the current feast. Lifting the pig from its bed of leaves, literally in shreds from its all day roast was not an appetizing sight for me and I became a vegetarian that evening. The entertainment at the Polynesian Village was a Dance Recital by the Brigham Young University students of all the different cultures. The enthusiasm of the students was lovely, if a bit too long. It seems that all luau entertainment ends with an exciting fire dancer.
Hawaii's first water theme park, the Hawaiian Water Adventure Park, opened on Memorial Day, and to my amazement more than 200,000 people chose to come to the park over the summer vacation period to surf the man-made waves rather than the wild ones which have made Hawaii the world famous surfers' haven. They have even abandoned the 137 miles of some of the best sandy beaches for inner-tube slides, a 60-foot water slide and those artificial waves on a sandless beach. However, if my grandchildren, 10-year-old Bradley and seven-year-old Maris Wasser, were asked, they, too would go for the water park.
I was told by the tour leaders that September actually is a good time to come to Honolulu. Airlines reduce their fares, hotel rooms have lower rates and there are some reasonable package deals from your local travel agent. September and October also have great festivals with music, food tasting, hula dancers and the world championship races for men and women outrigger paddlers. The Foster Botanical Garden with 150-year-old shade trees and an area of exotic and endangered plants from world-wide tropical regions close to downtown Honolulu should be on your itinerary as well as the James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge for the recovery of the endangered species of the Hawaiian Coot, Duck, the black-necked stilt and the Hawaiian moorhen. Next week we are off to Hawaii's Big Island.
Copyright by Marcia Abramson
E-mail:mascribe@aol.com
