Aloha Hawaii - April, 2018

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Aloha Hawaii – Hilo, Lahaina and Honolulu, April 2018



After five “at sea” days, if I don’t get my ten tootsies onto terra firma soon, I’ll probably kill something! I have enjoyed the peace and quiet up to a point, and one of the highlights of these days has been the opportunity to sample one of the onboard specialty restaurants. As I have never considered trying any of these previously, when I was offered a complimentary meal, I selected the Tuscan Grill for dinner one evening.



All specialty restaurants are located at the stern on deck #5, with glorious views from the massive windows, overlooking turbulence from the twin propellers, as they drive the ship forward at 17 knots. I was seated at a small table next to the window and within seconds, I was mesmerized by this boiling white wake following the ship and disappearing into the inky darkness. Subdued lighting from hanging lamps and a single flickering candle on each table, like pinpricks in the gloom, were the only source of light throughout the restaurant, but the effect was very soothing, and I relaxed instantly.



First up, a basket of fresh-baked bread, including parmesan cheese sticks and a small loaf of warm parmesan bread. For dipping these delicious breads, fresh basil was roughly cut at the table into a small porcelain dish, and doused with extra virgin olive oil…..and so the bacchanalian feast begins! My appetizer was a crab cake, accompanied by sliced cherry tomatoes soaked in more virgin olive oil and fresh basil leaves, served on a spicy mayonnaise bed. A classic Caesar salad followed, and then my entrée…. (here’s where the groaning in delight starts). A superbly-cooked filet mignon (rare of course), with sautéed spinach and eggplant parm, both served in small, cast iron pots and a dish of rosemary-peppercorn sauce. OMG…this had to be the best meal I have eaten in months, I kid you not. I ate very slowly, savoring each bite of this heavenly rare beef…. onboard restaurant dining simply doesn’t get any better than this!



And of course, the best was yet to come – wait for it – Limoncello Cheese Cake, made with mascarpone, giving it a much lighter and fluffy texture than regular cheese cake. To accompany this masterpiece dessert, a shot of Limoncello liqueur was presented in a fluted glass, compliments of the Maître ‘de, along with thick, black coffee…. for the second time on this trip, I’ve died and gone to culinary heaven. The Limoncello liqueur is made on the ship from their own recipe, using a specific type of lemon…. unbelievably good. The service was impeccable. The food incredible. The ambiance exceptional. And the views from my table - hypnotic. Do I even need to say I had a fabulous evening? I think not.



At 3:15am this morning we crossed the Equator, leaving behind autumn in the southern hemisphere and entering spring in the north. I have crossed this imaginary center line on the earth’s surface many times, but always via plane – this was my first onboard a ship, which makes me a “pollywog”. What the hell is a pollywog you ask? Various navies around the world have always marked this line-crossing event with an initiation ceremony which commemorates a sailor’s first crossing. It was created as a test for seasoned sailors to ensure their new shipmates were capable of handling long rough times at sea. Those who have previously crossed the Equator are known as “shellbacks” and those that haven’t are called “pollywogs”. Trusty shellbacks are organized into a “Court of Neptune” to induct pollywogs into the mysteries of the deep. Onboard this ship, the passengers get off relatively lightly but not so for the officers and entertainers. Royal handmaidens bring out a fresh fish which King Neptune decrees must be kissed by these lowly, scrum-sucking pollywogs. Sometimes flour and eggs are added to their humiliation, but they do receive a certificate to mark the occasion, which serves as proof they are really shellbacks, just in case they are ever accused of being pollywogs in the future.



Great news broadcast on the ship this morning – overnight the active volcano Kilauea on the Big Island rumbled and grumbled, and the lava lake has some overflow…. obviously, this is the island’s way of welcoming me back onto American soil – how convenient is that? There’s something magical and mysterious about new land being created, and the Island of Hawaii is one of the few places in the world where you can get a front row seat to Earth’s birthing process. Kīlauea Volcano began erupting in 1983 and currently shows no signs of slowing down. This extended eruption makes Hawaii Volcanoes National Park the state’s most popular tourist attraction, bringing over a million visitors to the island every year. The 377-square mile park is home to both Kīlauea and Maunaloa volcanoes, both helping form the Island of Hawaii almost half a million years ago. With Maunaloa’s last eruption in 1984, Kīlauea is currently the star of the show when it comes to visitors wishing to catch a glimpse of its molten lava flow.







On Hawaii Island lava lovers can experience the powerful force of nature like nowhere else. Kīlauea volcano is the youngest volcano in Hawaii and the most active volcano in the world. Documentation of Kīlauea’s activity began in the 1820s when visitors from around the world began to descend upon this magnificent tropical hot spot. Unlike the steep, conical volcanoes built in middle school science classes, Hawaii’s volcanoes are “shield” volcanoes. Shield volcanoes create lava flows that gently glide down the slope of the mountain rather than spew out the top of the cone. At certain times, the flow reaches the ocean and performs a dramatic, steam-filled entrance. Witnessing this process of earthly creation and destruction is what draws people near and far to this island paradise.



The central crater of Kīlauea volcano is called Halemaumau and, according to Hawaiian legend, is the home of Pele, the fire goddess. Since its eruption in 1983, Kīlauea had produced hundreds of square miles of lava flow and added new coastline to the Big Island. The best way to experience this primal wonder is to visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Established in 1916, the park extends from the summit of Maunaloa down to the ocean’s coastline. With 150 miles of hiking trails traversing through rainforests, deserts and volcanic craters, the natural diversity of the park is truly extraordinary. Visitors can also walk through a lava tube, search out petroglyphs and peruse the museum.



The best place to start this volcanic adventure is to visit the Kīlauea Visitor Center and get acquainted with the park through films, maps and ranger-guided activities. Next, the 10.6-mile drive along Crater Rim Drive that circles Kīlauea Caldera and contains all the park’s primary attractions including two overlooks, Jaggar Museum, Halemaumau Crater, Devastation Trail and Thurston Lava Tube. Weather is variable, so visitors are advised to wear layered clothing and close-toed shoes. It’s a good idea to bring sunscreen, water and snacks as well. And of course, don’t forget the camera! Volcanic activity in the national park is unpredictable, varying from day to day.



A little bit of history:



Based on archaeological evidence, the earliest habitation of the Hawaiian Islands dates to around 300 AD, probably by Polynesian settlers from the Marquesas Islands. A second wave of migration from Raiatea and Bora Bora took place in the 11th century. Some archaeologists and historians think it was a later wave of immigrants from Tahiti around 1000 AD, who introduced a new line of high chiefs and the practice of human sacrifice.



The history of the islands is marked by a slow, steady growth in population and the size of the chiefdoms, which grew to encompass whole islands. Local chiefs called Ali'i Nui, ruled their settlements and launched wars to extend their influence and defend their communities from predatory rivals. Ancient Hawaii was a caste-based society, much like that of Hindus in India.



It is possible that Spanish explores arrived in the Hawaiian Islands in the 16th century - 200 years before Captain James Cook's first documented visit in 1778. Ruy Lopez de Villalobos commanded a fleet of six ships that left Acapulco in 1542, bound for the Philippines, with a Spanish sailor named Juan Gaetano aboard as pilot. Depending on the interpretation, Gaetano's reports describe an encounter with either Hawaii or the Marshall Islands. The exact route was kept secret to protect the Spanish trade monopoly against competing powers.



The 1778 arrival of British explorer Capt. James Cook was the first documented contact by a European explorer with Hawaii. Cook named the archipelago the Sandwich Islands, in honor of his sponsor John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich. Cook published the islands' location and translated the native name as “Owyhee”. This spelling lives on in Owyhee County, Idaho. It was named after three native Hawaiian members of a trapping party who went missing in that area.







Cook visited the Hawaiian Islands twice. As he prepared for departure after his second visit in 1779, a quarrel ensued as Cook took temple idols and fencing as "firewood" and a minor chief and his men took a ship's boat. Cook abducted the King of Hawaii Island and held him for ransom aboard his ship, in order to gain return of the stolen boat. This tactic had worked in Tahiti and other islands. Instead, the King’s supporters fought back, killing Cook and four marines as Cook's party retreated along the beach to their ship. They departed without the purloined boat.



After Cook's visit and the publication of several books relating his voyages, the Hawaiian Islands attracted many European visitors - explorers, traders, and eventually whalers, who found the islands to be a convenient harbor and source of supplies. These visitors introduced diseases to the once-isolated islands, causing the Hawaiian population to drop drastically. Native Hawaiians had no resistance to Eurasian diseases, such as influenza, smallpox and measles. By 1820, disease, famine and wars between the chiefs killed more than half of the Native Hawaiian population. During the 1850s, measles killed a fifth of Hawaii's people.



Historical records indicated the earliest Chinese immigrants to Hawaii originated from Guangdong Province; a few sailors arrived in 1778 with Captain Cook's journey and more arrived in 1789 with an American trader, who settled in Hawaii in the late 18th century. It appears that leprosy was introduced by Chinese workers by 1830; as with the other new infectious diseases, it proved extremely damaging to the native Hawaiians.



Fun Factoid:



Hawaii is one of four U.S. states that were once independent nations, prior to statehood. The others being the Vermont Republic, the Republic of Texas and the California Republic. Along with Texas, Hawaii had formal, international diplomatic recognition as a nation.



The Kingdom of Hawaii was sovereign from 1810 until 1893 when the monarchy was overthrown by resident American and European capitalists and landholders. Hawaii was an independent republic from 1894 until August 12, 1898, when it officially became a territory of the United States. Hawaii was admitted to the Union as a U.S. state on August 21, 1959.



The first of the Hawaiian Islands slowly creeps over the horizon, and in a couple of hours I’ll be in Hilo and ready to again explore – it’s been quite a while since my last visit here. Before I can leave the ship for my planned exploration however, all passengers are required to have a face-to-face immigration interview with a CBP officer, as Hilo is our first point of entry into the USA.



For my return visit to Hawaii after many years’ absence, I’ve decided on my usual mode of transportation: the HOHO bus, which stops right at dockside, perfect. Just $20 per person and I can ride around the city all day in a somewhat rickety tour bus – works for me. Hilo offers breathtaking natural beauty plus all the amenities of a vibrant town. On the geographic flipside of the volcanic Kohala Coast, the region is blessed with dramatic waterfalls, fertile rainforests and blooming gardens. It’s also home to Hilo International Airport and is a convenient stop on the way to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, located some 45 minutes south. It’s a picturesque old sugar town that curves around the broad rim of sparkling Hilo Bay, and sits upon some of the most extravagant natural attractions to be found anywhere. A busy farming and fishing area in early times, Hilo evolved into a commercial center for the sugar industry in the 1800s. Downtown Hilo was built around its crescent-shaped bay and became the seat of county government. Today, the downtown area is a charming place offering museums, art galleries, shops and restaurants.



Having been cleared by immigration to re-enter my homeland (even had a gold star applied to my room key card, I must have been extra good this trip), I exited the ship and into the terminal. An early soaking rainstorm had stopped, but there were puddles everywhere as I picked my way out to the shuttle for the ride to the main depot for the HOHO bus. Not particularly hot, probably in the high 70’s, but the humidity was thick, which matched the thick, dark grey overcast covering the entire island – not a ray of sunlight to be seen anywhere. Not a promising day weather-wise, but perfect for sightseeing. Once the 40+ passengers boarded, we were off to the first stop at Rainbow Falls, located in the Wailuku River State Park, just west of the downtown area. It is approximately 80’ high and 100’ wide and feeds some beautiful pools called Boiling Pots. Entrance is free and it’s an easy stroll from the bus to the bridge, which is an ideal spot for photographs. Located behind this waterfall is a deep cave, the legendary home of Hina, mother of Maui.



The rest of the circle drive included the downtown area for shopping, Reed’s Bay Beach, Banyan Tree Drive, Liliuokalani Japanese Gardens, with the final stop at Richardson Blacksand Beach. Banyan Tree Drive was probably the most interesting stop of all. In 1933, the Hilo Parks commission began lining an entire drive with massive banyan trees. It is composed of a canopy of banyan trees outlining the Waiakea Peninsula. Along the drive, most have plaques noting which celebrity planted the tree and when – many of these would be instantly recognizable, such as Amelia Earhart and Babe Ruth. The clouds continue to darken, and rain was on the way…. that was enough to convince me to return to the ship in the early afternoon and start my packing for the flights home in a couple of days.



For my second stop in the Hawaiian Islands, after an overnight cruise of 159 nautical miles, we drop anchor in the bay at the famous (or infamous if you prefer) old whaling port of Lahaina in Maui. In antiquity, Lahaina was the royal capital of Maui Loa, the Ali’i Nui of the island, after he ceded the royal seat of Hana to the ruler of Hawaii Island. In this iconic town, the focus of activity is along Front Street, which dates to the 1820’s and is lined with stores and restaurants, frequently packed with boatloads (no pun intended) of tourists. The Banyan Court Park features an exceptionally large banyan tree (brought to Maui from India) planted by William Owen Smith on April 24, 1873 to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the arrival of Christian missionaries. It is the largest banyan tree in the entire US. It was once an important destination for the 19^th century whaling fleet, whose presence in Lahaina frequently led to conflicts with the missionaries living here. On more than one occasion, the conflicts were so severe that it led to sailor riots, and even the shelling of the town by the British whaler John Palmer in 1827. In response, Maui Governor Hoapili built the Old Lahaina Fort in 1831 to protect the town from riotous sailors.



Having taken a ship’s tender to the port, I decided to stroll along Front Street and see what I could find in the way of interesting. Didn’t take long: behind the Hard Rock Café, I came across Hale Kahiko, a traditional Hawaiian village. The three thatched roof houses, offer an insightful glimpse into Hawaiian life before missionaries and their Western developments swept through the land. The thatched buildings are authentically constructed of Ohia wood posts, native Pili grass thatch and coconut fiber lashings. Each of the hales (buildings) have its own specific purpose. One was used as a workshop for women to make tapa (bark cloth), another was for family sleeping quarters, and the last for a kane (man) only eating house. The grounds around the hales were planted in beautiful native plants that Hawaiians used on a regular basis for their food and medicinal purposes. On the premises you will also find tikis, a longboat, woven baskets and gourd containers. The village is open to the public, 7 days a week, until sundown.



I’ll admit it, I’m not a big shopper - in fact, in many ways I loathe it. However, when I discovered Hilo Hattie and the ABC Stores here, I had a change of heart. Both happen to be in Lahaina and both are great places to pick up plumeria hair clips, lauhala baskets, Hawaiian candies and other food, clothing and pretty much anything else you could want Hawaiian. Yeah, I actually did some shopping here!



My third and final port of call is Oahu, known as “the Gathering Place”, and is the third largest of the Hawaiian chain. It is also home to about two-thirds of the Hawaiian population and the state capital of Honolulu, located on the southeast coast. My final morning on the ship dawned early – I was out of my cabin and in the dining room for breakfast by 6:30am. It was bittersweet saying goodbye to all the restaurant staff who have gone out of their way over the past weeks to ensure my food selections were exactly the way I expected them to be. I will certainly the personal service I received on a daily basis. Shortly after 9am, my group was cleared to exit the ship and find our bags in the massive terminal baggage claim area. Thankfully I had been assigned group #1 which was right by the exit door – a no brainer to find. Just a few steps to the tour bus outside and we were on our way.



As my red-eye flight home didn’t depart Honolulu until 9pm, I decided to pass a few pleasant hours touring the southeast section of Oahu, seeing all the sights. This is the easy way to pass 4 hours with beautiful views of the beaches, and be dropped off right in front of the Delta terminal at HNL. First stop was Diamond Head Crater, the world-famous location which towers over Honolulu and Waikiki. Access is via a tunnel thru the crater wall – who knew you can actually drive into a crater? Wonders never cease! I was amazed at the history I learnt from the tour guide: first new fact, Diamond Head is not a volcano and has never erupted. It is a “tuff cone”, created from volcanic activity and earthquakes, probably formed at the same time as the Punchbowl crater nearby. Second new fact: before WW1, the military transformed the crater walls into a warren of passageways, rooms and gun emplacements (none of which can be seen from outside), and the entire area served as a fort until after WWII. This is the actual place where a recent alert was issued regarding incoming nuclear missiles, which of course proved to be a giant mistake, to the embarrassment of all concerned. It is one of the most-visited attractions on the island.



Next stops were in and around the gorgeous beaches and headlands of Oahu…..views for miles at the higher elevations and even a blow-hole in the lava rocks surrounding the ocean. We climbed into the tropical rainforests and then plunged back down to the dry, desert-like plains on approach to Honolulu. It was four hours well spent and I learned a few things.



By 2pm, I had checked in, cleared security and was happily curled up in a comfy chair in the Delta Sky Lounge, sipping on a delicious Mai Tai, hand mixed by a friendly bartender…. just keep ‘em coming honey I have a few hours to kill. LOL



A little bit of history:



The 304-year-old Kingdom of Oahu was once ruled by the most ancient Ali’i Nui, Malilikukahi the Lawmaker, who was followed by many generations of monarchs. Kaulii was the first of the warlike kings and so were his sons. The Iolani Palace is still standing in downtown Honolulu and is the only royal palace on American soil. Oahu was apparently the first of the Hawaiian Islands sighted by the crew of HMS Resolution on January 19, 1778.



Fun Factoid:



Oahu is known for having the longest rain shower in history, which lasted for 200 consecutive days from August 1993 thru April 1994.



So endth the latest adventure….stay tuned for the next one coming up in early May….cheers!

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