No regrets about the bath last night. Very swanky. And very public since I was with no less than nine or ten other bathers at all times. I ran into a son and his mom at the leave-your-slippers-here station. It was clear they were clueless and nervous, so I said “Follow me, let’s figure this out together.” I coached my bath buddy through exactly what I remembered doing 50 years ago and then we got in the soaking pools. Her son was on his own. There was a large soaking pool inside and five smaller ones outside.

My morning meal was a breakfast of champions! A little dish of sweet red beans, a tiny vial of custard, a small dish of fresh fruit, and two divine pastries. I’m learning to choose better as the days go by. I found my bathing buddy in the dining room, so we shared a few laughs (“Hi, this is what I look like with my clothes on.”) and I had a chance to say a proper hello to her son.

This morning offered us a chance to see more of Takayama. With its wealth of museums, galleries, and impressive temples, it is often called Little Kyoto. Our walking tour included the remarkably preserved Edo-period merchants’ shops and houses in the Sanno-machi Historic District. We popped in and out of the upscale stores that many of the old houses are used for today. We visited the morning market along the Miya River with farmers and craftsmen offering choices ranging from vegetables to clothing and hand carvings.

Besides being known for its meticulously preserved Old Town, Takayama is also well known for a festival held twice a year, in the spring and in the fall. The festivals date back to the latter half of the 16th century and have as their centerpiece intricately designed wooden floats (yatai). Intricate being the key concept. Takayama Yatai Kaikan Exhibition Hall displays four of eleven floats at a time. They are changed three times a year to show visitors like us the entire collection. Some of the floats date back to the seventeenth century and, as you can well image, require extra special care. A ginormous, gorgeous portable Shinto shrine is also on exhibit. It is used in the festivals too, and at 2.5 tons (!) is the largest one in Japan. Around 80 bearers are needed to carry it. We enjoyed our visit to this exhibition hall and were dazzled by how elaborate and well preserved the floats are.

A beautiful Shinto shrine as well as a hall exhibiting detailed miniatures of famous old buildings is in the same area as the floats and very much worth a visit.

After a quick lunch (tempura for me and a sandwich and fries for Dan) we drove to Nagoya and boarded the bullet train to Kyoto, founded in the 8th century. Once in Kyoto, Hiro offered us a quick tour of the train station which is like no other I’ve ever seen. It’s modern architecturally and houses a couple dozen small restaurants, a shopping mall, theatre, amphitheater, and it offers panoramic views of the city and Kyoto’s iconic tower which is right across the street. It is even a popular wedding venue.

No public bath in our center city hotel, so I had to settle for a plain ole fashioned shower tonight.

… Betcha Didn’t Know …

The Edo period:1603-1867

Tokugawa Shogunate: the military government of Japan during the Edo period.

Ittobori, traditional wood carvings, are a local craft.
The best ones are carved from yew and come with a certificate of authenticity.

Although not as well known as Wagyu or Kobe beef, the locals in Takayama swear by Hida beef.

Sarubobo means baby monkey, but around here it refers to a red doll without a face.
It’s a good luck charm, especially when a grandmother gives it to her grandchildren, that does not resemble a monkey. 
Watch out Jack, Bryce, and Evy!

Our day started by exploring the historic village of Ogimachi in this mountain region famous for its, of all things, farm houses. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, the village is home to several dozen well preserved gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old. The farmhouses were designed to withstand the harsh winters (think seven feet of snow) while providing a place to work and live. Their steeply pitched, thickly thatched roofs are responsible for their name which translates to ‘praying hands.’ Many of the farmhouses are now restaurants, museums, and B&Bs. We toured multi-storied Kanda house and learned about the silkworm industry that was carried out upstairs and the gunpowder industry in the basement. Both were cash producing sidelines for this farming family.

Our next stop offered a total contrast to the seemingly simple country life of Ogimachi: Takayama Jinya, a branch office of the Edo government from 1692-1868. A National historic site, this complex of buildings is the only one (there used to be 60+) of its kind still existing in Japan. We strolled from room to room and saw the court, conference room, offices, guests rooms, rice storehouse (taxes were paid in rice), bathroom, living room of the head official, and on and on. It’s now a museum dedicated to life under the Tokugawa Shogunate. The ornateness of the trim or lack of trim altogether on the tatami was pointed out to us and it was explained that the rank of the people working or living in a space was indicated in this way. No trim whatsoever = servant or low ranking. Trim of a single color with no design = a mid-level worker. And trim with a design woven in = someone influential spends time in the space.

My favorite meal in terms of food (versus artistic presentation) was lunch today. I found everything on my plate wonderful from the cold, grilled fish to the hot bites of local steak to the pickles to the rice to the salad and sweet little red beans. The only thing missing was dessert, but Hiro surprised us with a small, delicious cake once we were back on the bus.

With full stomachs we were off to explore the intricacies of brewing the national beverage, sake. This wine is made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove some of the bran. Despite the name Japanese rice wine, sake is produced by a brewing process more akin to that of beer except for two difference. The conversion from starch to sugar and then from sugar to alcohol occurs simultaneously and the alcohol content in sake is considerably higher. We enjoyed three samples, my favorite being the one flavored with the local citrus.

We are staying at a beautiful mountain resort tonight. Determined not to make last night’s mistake, I plan to head to the hot bath decked out in my yukata and slippers in about 10 minutes.

… On a Personal Note …

Each of our experiences bring back such fond memories of Dan’s parents and his sister, Deb.
They lived in Japan one of the three years we were here.
We took a few trips together, stayed in traditional inns, bathed in communal baths, slept on the floor, saw lots of interesting sites, and ate delicious as well as strange-to-us food. It’s where Deb and I got acquainted and became fast friends.

Our besties were our neighbors, Mary Kay and Gary, who were always up for an adventure, shared meal, party, or trip.
Cormorant fishing … Hong Kong … Toba.

We had a chance to visit our bowling partners, Ann and John, when we were in the Northwest last year. Going through their scrapbooks brought back memories of some embarrassing outfits, many homemade, as well as fun adventures like the Fertility Festival. Ann and I taught English as a second language with another Ann who was not home (darn) when we were in the Northwest.

We woke up pumped to take Japan’s famous bullet train, or shinkansen. With a top speed of 200 miles per hour, it is renown for punctuality, comfort, and its flawless safety record. Before boarding the train for our two and a half hour ride, we shopped for a carry on lunch at a labyrinth of gourmet shops.

We headed to Kanazawa, former home to the second most powerful and culture-loving feudal clan. With that distinction it’s easy to understand why it rivaled Kyoto and Edo in terms of cultural achievement. Like Kyoto, the city avoided major destruction from air raids during World War II and fires from centuries before that. Consequently its winding cobblestone streets, samurai residences, geisha houses, and lavish gardens have survived in pretty good condition. We walked the narrow lanes and enjoyed the ambience of this quaint neighborhood. Some homes remain private residences and others are now used as restaurants and boutiques.

We strolled through Kenroku-en Garden which used to be the outer garden of the local castle. What we enjoyed today is thanks to the efforts of gardeners who have worked on it for nearly two centuries. It was open to the public in 1871 and is classified as one of Japan’s three most beautiful landscape gardens. Chinese theory says there are six essential attributes of a perfect landscape garden: spaciousness, seclusion, artificiality, antiquity, abundant water, and broad views. That being the case this garden hits it out of the park. A sophisticated water system constructed in 1632 diverts water from a distant river to feed the streams and ponds. Each season brings new color to the landscape. We hit the tail end of the cherry blossoms.

The castle grounds are near the garden. The castle is long gone but the enormous barracks and the wall next to the moat are still intact and have been kept in wonderful shape. We strolled around and admired how well maintained the remaining structures are.

Our last stop was at a gold leaf company. A reproduction of a gold leaf-covered suit of armor greeted us at the door. A samurai of days gone by actually wore one like it which had to give the enemy the advantage of knowing right where he was at all times. We learned about the labor intensive process of producing gold leaf and the importance of the paper layered between each leaf before we watched a man pounding gold leaf and a lady cutting it to size. We were offered the opportunity to apply gold leaf to a set of black laquor chopsticks before heading to the snack shop for ice cream with a sheet of golf leaf on top!

We are sleeping in a traditional inn (ryokan) tonight! Although they have existed since the eighth century, ryokan are no longer common in large cities because of the expense of operating them. So lucky us to be in an area where this experience is still available. Guest rooms are typically constructed with tatami flooring, sliding doors, and a small entryway large enough to remove shoes and put on slippers before walking on the mat floors. Almost all ryokan feature common bathing areas which are usually segregated by gender. Guests are provided with a yukata, an unlined cotton summer kimono, to wear after their bath. We didn’t have time for a bath before we ate, but everyone in the tour group wore their yukata to dinner.

We luxuriated in a full course kaiseki dinner here at the ryokan. This cuisine elevates farm-to-table dining to a whole new level! Seasonal food meets art meets presentation. Kaiseki features a set course meal chosen by the chef to highlight the season of the year. Japanese kaiseki dining is considered the epitome of formal dining and is characterized by a calm atmosphere, subdued lighting, and elegant tableware. New to this whole concept, we were wowed! Our meal had 12 courses, some room temperature and some served hot. Each person had two small hot pots, one with rice and one for sukiyaki. It was hands down the most beautiful dinner I’ve ever had.

We were both tired from our long, full day, so we passed on luxuriating in the hot bath. No sooner had we turned out the lights than I regretted that decision.

… City Trivia …

Kanazawa is the #1 producer of gold leaf in Japan.
It is used extensively in decorating temples, shrines, folk crafts, and even food.

Kanazawa is the ice cream capital of Japan.

Instead of plows and shovels, Kanazawa uses a system of warm-water sprinklers to keep roads and sidewalks clear.

Buffalo, New York is Kanazawa’s sister city.
A bronze statue of a buffalo was given to Kanazawa and is now in Sister Cities Park.

Amazingly Japan did not open to international trade until 1853. Tokyo, then a small fishing village called Edo, slowly morphed into a major trading hub with the West and is now the most populated urban area in the world. In spite of its population density, the crime-rate is very low. The city boasts the most Michelin-starred restaurants in the world as well as a hotel and a restaurant staffed by robots. The Shibuya (pedestrian) Crossing, known as the incredible scramble, is the busiest intersection in the world with 7 crossings that accommodate up to 2,500 people at a time. There’s obviously no end of things to see and do, and we four were excited to see what Gate1 had in mind for us in this ancient meets state-of-the-art city.

Friday

Our first stop this morning was at the serene Meiji Jingu, a relatively new (1920) Shinto shrine nestled in a 170-acre artificial forest right downtown. It honors Emperor Meiji, the 122nd emperor of Japan, and his empress, honored here for their successful efforts in ending Japan’s long isolation and ushering a very reluctant population into the modern era. No small task.

We approached through the peaceful forest, planted 100 years ago by 100,000 volunteers. Our route took us past a wall of beautifully painted sake barrels and a wall of unpainted French wine barrels, nods to the emperor’s love of western wine as well as the traditions of his country. We walked through three huge wooden tori gates before arriving at the wooden structures nestled in the trees. Hiroko, our tour manager, explained the appropriate way to approach the main entrance of the temple (drop a coin into the appropriate box, slowly bow twice, slowly clap twice, say a small prayer, bow once). She pointed out the area at the base of a sacred tree where people hang messages they’ve written on small blocks of wood and she explained the thick twisted rope on each sacred tree near the shrine. The shrine is an unexpected, peaceful retreat in a city of 13 million.

For a complete change of pace we went next to the Tsukiji Fish Market. Opened in 1935, it eventually became the largest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world. It kept that distinction until 2018 when the inner market, famous for its 3:00 AM wholesale tuna auctions, relocated. The outer market remains, however, and that is where we spent some time this morning. It is a mixture of wholesale and retail shops that sell kitchen tools, restaurant supplies, groceries, and seafood. As you can imagine it is an ideal location for restaurants, especially seafood restaurants. Our biggest surprise were the white strawberries going for $1.30 each.

Wouldn’t ya know it, we had to make our own lunch! Kinda. After strolling around the market we enjoyed a demonstration led by a professional sushi chef. He ran us through the art of creating sushi and sashimi and then we ate our little creations. Sandy and I gave all but one of our five pieces away, but Dan and Alan thoroughly enjoyed the treats. Once the dishes were cleared away, we were each brought a tray with more food: miso soup, tempura, sashimi, salad, and a savory custard.

After a couple hours of downtime at the hotel, Hiro (short for Hiroko) offered an optional walking tour around our neighborhood of Shinjuku. My favorite parts were the old, narrow alleyways that have been preserved just as they were years ago with their five-seat bars and restaurants. Patrons have to sit shoulder to shoulder. Once the person the furtherest in wants out, everyone must get up to allow this exit to transpire. In total contrast to the neighborhood’s nod to the old are the 3D space ship and larger than life 3D calico cat (3D glasses not required) as well as all the bright lights and countless billboards.

Saturday

We jumped on our bus this morning and drove about 50 miles south to Hakone, the most famous National Park in Japan. Along the way we made a stop at a museum devoted to textile artist Kubota Itchiku (1917-2003) who spent his entire adult life reverse engineering and then mastering the labor-intensive silk dyeing technique used to decorate elaborate kimono during the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. The thought of it makes my head spin. The art museum highlights Itchiku’s kimono creations that depict themes of nature, the cosmos, and the seasons. A bit mind boggling is his unfinished masterpiece, Symphony of Light, a huge work comprised of 80 kimono that together form of a picture of Mount Fuji. The pyramid shaped museum, situated in wooded hills, is supported by 16 wooden beams that are 1,000 years old! It is surrounded by the Itchiku-designed gardens and buildings made of coral and limestone from Okinawa.

With heads dazed and amazed by Itchiku’s talent and determination, we continued along the scenic rural road to Hakone. Once there we rode a gondola on the Hakone Ropeway to the Owakudani Valley’s volcanic zone which is an area around a crater created during the last eruption of Mount Hakone 3,000 years ago. Much of the area is still an active volcanic zone as evidenced by the sulfurous fumes, hot springs, and hot rivers. Eggs cooked in the hot pools have shells blackened by the sulfur. With the promise of prolonging lives by seven years or more they are a popular item in the gift shops. We were each given one as a gift from Hiro.

Next up: a relaxing cruise around peaceful Lake Ashinoko. This beautiful crater lake, surrounded by mountains smothered in trees, was formed in the caldera of Mount Hakone. The lake’s shores are mostly undeveloped adding to its allure. We were hoping for a clear day because the location is ideal for great views of Japan’s iconic Mount Fuji, also known as Fujisan, which stands proudly above the rest at 12,000+ feet. Although clouds drifted in and out we had great views of this famous volcano, still snowcapped, that Dan and I climbed 50 years ago.

To finish our circle trip we took the train, the romancecar actually, back to Tokyo. Dan and I picked up sandwiches and chips at the station, so we ate our dinner during the pleasant ride to Shinjuku station. The train attendant, neatly dressed in her uniform, bowed as she entered and exited our train car.

We rallied for the bus ride to Hakone before 8:00 this morning and did not get back to our room until after 7:00 tonight, so it was a full, fun day. I woke up at 3:30 this morning (jet lag) and Dan is still not feeling up to snuff, so we made it an early night.

Today (Easter Sunday)

As long as we’re in town, why not pop by the Imperial Palace. Right? The current palace is built on the former Edo Castle grounds and is surrounded by a moat and large stone walls. It includes residences for the current imperial family. Dropping by is not encouraged although we did get to see the lovely Nijubashi Bridge that stretches over the inner moat of the palace. It is used as a main entrance to the inner palace grounds and is only open to the public twice a year, today not being one of those days. The east garden is open to the public, so that is what we enjoyed this morning. The azaleas and flowers were in full bloom and beautiful; the stone walls along the moat were more than impressive; and the large traditional garden with its hybrid koi known by their extra large delicate tails was peaceful and pretty.

Next up: Tokyo National Museum, the oldest national museum in Japan. It has a comprehensive collection of Asian art and cultural objects but is focused on ancient and medieval Japanese art and Asian art along the Silk Road. Our focus today was on the permanent displays of traditional Japanese art and artifacts of all kinds ranging from silk screens to kimonos to samurai armor to delicately carved netsuke to swords, saddles, and statues.

Our last site in Tokyo was Asakusa Kannon Temple. Completed in 645, it is the city’s oldest temple. The approach takes visitors through the outer gate which is a 38-feet-tall Buddhist structure that features a massive paper lantern weighing a whopping 1,500 pounds painted in vivid red-and-black tones. From there the faithful walk along a centuries-old shopping street that is about 200 yards long where opportunities abound to buy souvenirs and snacks. The casual stroll ends at the second gate which is two stories tall and leads straight to the main hall and, to the left, a five-storied pagoda. The beautiful, warm day coupled with the fact that it was Sunday brought out massive crowds, but it was none the less a worthy stop.

Before calling it a day we had a short, fun calligraphy lesson in a private home. Talk about being our of our element.

Dinner tonight was at a local restaurant.

… It’s a Fact Jack ...

A top of the line kimono can cost over $10,000, no small investment, not counting the undergarments, obi, socks, and sandals.
We saw lots of women dressed in kimonos at the Asakusa Temple today, but Hiro told us the kimonos would have been rented for the day. She also said that no doubt the women had gone to what is called a beauty parlor for assistance is getting dressed.

Mt Fuji is an active volcano that last erupted in 1707.

There are sushi conveyor belt restaurants here.
A slow moving belt moves along in front of diners who just reach up and take what they want.

$1.00 = ¥132 (yen)

They drive on the left here.

Japan consists of 6,852 islands. We will do all our exploring on the southern part of Honshu.

Time to head to the Land of the Rising Sun, home to Sumo wrestling; baked potato, hot chili, and corn Kit Cats; cherry blossoms; anime; kimonos; crazy-expensive fruit (think $200 heart-shaped watermelon); sushi; haiku; and a vending machines for absolutely everything (think hot pizza, underwear, eggs, ties, sake shots, t-shirts, bear meat). Dan and I lived here for three years in the early 1970s and were really looking forward to experiencing it again after all this time.

We had time for a quick snack in the All Nippon (ANA) lounge before boarding our plane. Of course a stop in the restroom was called for if for no other reason than to sit on one of the heated, bidet toilets! Luxury.

Our flight passed quickly. We all treated it like a down day. I finished my book, watched two movies (The Fabelmans and This Beautiful Fantastic), ate two meals, and slept through one movie (Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams). The service on ANA was wonderful. We took off before noon on the 4th, flew eight hours, and miraculously landed at Japan’s Narita Airport at 3:15 PM on the 5th. The 19 hour time change is thanks to that little troublemaker: the International Dateline.

There was a long line at immigration, but customs was a breeze. The ride from the airport to Keio Plaza Hotel took a solid hour and a half in good traffic. We were checked in and trying to navigate room service by 6:30 with the hope of staying awake for a couple more hours. Our compact room has a tub with shower and a fancy toilet with a heated seat.

We arrived a day ahead of the rest of our Gate1 Discovery tour group intentionally, in part to make sure we know what day it is and in part to get slightly ahead of more jet lag.

Today

Sandy and Alan met us at the buffet breakfast where we sampled from the large selection of both international and local favorites. With nothing pressing, we enjoyed a leisurely meal. Our goals for today, besides staying awake and not getting lost, were to find an ATM and peruse a department store. We were successful on both counts. We spent so much time in the Keio Department Store that we eventually made it up to the restaurant floor where we enjoyed our first Japanese meal which we successfully tackled with chopsticks.

Our tour group of 20 had their Covid vaccination cards verified (required) before our meet and greet at 6:30. Then dinner before calling it a day. Dan and Alan have caught what Sandy and I are slowly recovering from, so they were ready for bed.

… The Devil is in the Detals …

The International Dateline, established in 1884, is an imaginary line between the North and South Poles.
It arbitrarily demarcates each day from the next and passes through the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
Travelers moving east across the line set their calendars back one whole day, and those traveling west set theirs a day ahead.

The bow is still an important form of greeting in Japan. Lower bows indicate more respect.

In business since 578, Kongo Gumi, builders of temples and shrines, is the oldest operating business in the world.

Japan is home to roughly 10% of the active volcanos in the world and is very earthquake prone.

80% of the country is mountainous.

Free is a bit of a misnomer since we had all three days planned before we left home. We are not the kind to leave anything to chance. We went from the ship to the Hale Koa Hotel, a home away from home for US military members and their families. After checking in we took a nice walk, had lunch, and then got organized for our brief stay in the city.

Our attraction for the day: Iolani Palace, the only official royal residence in the United States. Chew on that for a moment. Meticulously restored to its former grandeur, the palace is a throwback to a time when their majesties, King Kalakaua and his sister and successor, Queen Liliuokalani, walked the grand halls. Built in 1882 by King Kalakaua, Iolani Palace was the home of Hawaii’s last reigning monarchs and also served as the residence of the kingdom’s political and social life until the overthrow of the monarchy in 1893. The palace, registered as a National Historic Landmark in 1962, was built a couple blocks from the water, but thanks to land reclamation the water is no longer within sight.

We had a crackerjack guide who did a great job of explaining what a prominent place the Kingdom of Hawaii played on the world stage. The first ruling monarch to attend a state dinner at the White House, hosted by President and Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant in December 1874, was King Kalakaua, After a face-to-face with Thomas Edison it was decided that the palace should be electrified and, as a matter of fact, was four years ahead of the White House in doing so. All bedrooms were built en suite and there was a telephone! King Kalakaua was the first monarch to circumnavigate the globe (1881).

If we had the time I’d love to go to the museum that has the queen’s cape made of feathers. We saw it in a picture which did not do it justice I’m sure. Our guide explained that two (only) feathers were taken from zillions of wild birds (who were released to live another day) and made into a piece of wearable art. We did see the gown designed with peacock feathers that Queen Kapi’olani commissioned for Queen Victoria’s Grand Jubilee in 1887. On Queen Kapi’olani’s trip home she popped in on President Cleveland. I clearly underestimated the global reach of these fashion forward leaders.

Sidebar: Dan and I got engaged 54 years ago today.

Yesterday

Before leavening home we arranged for a privately guided, full-day tour of Pearl Harbor, the number one visitor destination in Oahu. The sites around the harbor commemorate the events of the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. Against formidable odds, the Japanese Imperial Navy ordered an armada that included 414 planes aboard six aircraft carriers be set to sea with strict orders not to communicate with one another. The six carriers rendezvoused at a predetermined time in an area 230 miles north of Oahu. At 6:00 a.m. Sunday, the first wave of Japanese planes lifted off from the carriers, followed by a second wave an hour later. This surprise attack killed over 2,400 Americans, sank twelve U.S. ships, and instantly cemented the entry of the United States into World Wat II.

Our first stop was at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial. There are two films that layout the details of December 7 and two small museums that augment the films. The centerpiece of the park is the USS Arizona. We had tickets for the 9:30 boat ride to the memorial which was built above a small section of the sunken battleship. The centerpiece of the memorial is the shrine room which amounts to a huge wall that lists all the men who died on board that fateful day. Listed separately are the names of survivors who later chose to have their remains brought to the site so that National Park Service divers could place their urns within the barrette that once held gun turret four. The memorial is treated as a burial ground, so guests are asked to silence phones and remain quiet and respectful at all times.

Adjacent to the National Memorial is the USS Bowfin, a fleet attack submarine that conducted nine war patrols in the Pacific between 1943 and 1945. Each patrol lasted about two months and required the Bowfin to patrol a designated region of ocean for Japanese ships or boats. We walked on top of the sub and then went down into its belly. Talk about Tight Quarters! Bunks were anywhere one could be squeezed in, including next to torpedoes. Everything was in miniature to include showers too small to turn around in. Water was in short supply, so the men did not shave making for some scruffy looking dudes at the end of two months. Before leaving the park we saw a submarine rescue chamber and a Japanese manned torpedo with room enough for one kamikaze.

Our last stop of the day was on Ford Island where we stopped briefly at the USS Utah and the USS Oklahoma Memorials. Both battleships were total looses. We spent much longer at the Battleship Missouri Memorial. This ship’s connection to WWII was totally different than the others referenced in the harbor since it was not even officially commissioned until June, 1944. She served honorably in the Pacific and was later designated the surrender ship. We saw where the ceremony took place on September 2, 1945 while it was anchored in Tokyo Bay. We explored the maze of rooms below deck, which were huge compared to those of the Bowfin and learned about the one kamikaze pilot that grazed the side of the ship. We saw the spot where the American sailors on board gave him an honorable burial at sea recognizing that he was bravely serving his country at the time of his death just like they were bravely serving theirs.

It was a long, full, brain-busting day that Dan and I decided to polish off with a stroll down to see the statue of Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku, an old school (think late 1800s) waterman who became an Olympic swimmer known for popularizing the sport of surfing. I had watched Waterman before the trip, so seeing his statue on Waikiki Beach was of interest.

Sandy is not feeling so great, so she and Alan did not tag along.

Today

Today was a long, fun day too. We went to the tour bus pick-up spot at 9:30 this morning and the bus dropped us back at the hotel 13 hours later. We were pooped but very satisfied with the day we spent at the Polynesian Culture Center (the PCC), a nonprofit Epcot Center-esque educational park. It’s no small undertaking to explore the rich heritage of six Polynesian Islands in a 42-acres park, plus attend a luau and a stage production, but we gave it our best shot.

The Center has six separate villages, each dedicated to an individual island: Fiji, Tonga, Tahiti, Hawaii, Aotearoa (New Zealand), and Samoa with a shoutout to Easter Island. Each park has a show highlighting traditional music (nose flute anyone?) and dance plus games, crafts, and skills that we were welcome to participate in. We watched in awe as two guys scurried up and down coconut trees. The centerpiece of the luau was a large roasted pig, head and feet attached. The show that ended the day was a true spectacle with something like 100 people participating….all in native costumes. Add water falls, flaming-baton tossing hunks, a volcano, pretty women, live music, sword play, and beautiful vocals. Then wrap that around a circle of life storyline. It was the highlight of the day for me. That and the comedian/artist who MCd the show in the Samoa park.

… For Trivia Lovers …

More birds have become extinct in Hawaii than in any other part of the world.

The fish with the longest Hawaiian name is the lauwiliwilinukunukuʻoiʻoi.

Hawaii was made a United States territory in 1900 and the 50th state in 1959.
By a legislative act in the same year, Hawaii became officially known as the Aloha State.

Hawaii does not participate in daylight savings.

Hawaiians have the longest life expectancy in the U.S.

The first Polynesian to play in the NFL was Al Lolotai, a Samoan, who played for the Washington Redskins in 1945.
The PCC has a small Polynesian Football Hall of Fame.

We had a lazy day. By we I mean Dan and I. Sandy and Alan were up and out early taking full advantage of the trip.

The rugged Napali (technically Na Pali) coastline stretches fifteen miles along the northwest coast of Kauai. Its cliffs rise as much as 4,000 feet above the water. Add sea caves, lush green valleys, and cascading waterfalls and we soon saw what the big deal is. It’s so remote that there are only three ways to see it: by boat, helicopter, or a grueling 22 mile hike.

Dan and I sussed out an ideal spot to view the coast and guarded it with our lives for 5.5 hours through lunch, potty breaks, drink runs, naps, and a number of rain showers. We spotted a few whales in the distance. Just their backs as they came out of the water. We were hoping for dramatics, but just got their backs. Around 3:30 fog set in and it poured rain causing us to give up the ghost. With little hope of it clearing we cleaned up for dinner and lo and behold the fog lifted and the rain stopped. The cushions in our hideaway were soaked through, so we joined the throngs at the rail to appreciate the view. It was beautiful even with the fog that persisted on the cliff tops, but we had a good idea that it would have been spectacular had we hit it on a sunny day.

Once we saw the beautiful, shrouded coastline we headed to dinner and the ship headed south toward Honolulu. All of us agreed that it has been a fun cruise and that we have had a good taste of Hawaii.

...Food …

More spam is consumed in Hawaii, per capita, than in any other state of the U.S.

Taro, a root vegetable, is a staple of the Hawaiian diet and grown on the islands.

Loco Moco anyone? Think white rice topped with a hamburger patty, fried egg, and brown gravy.  

Diced pork filling inside a steamed white bun = the ever popular Manapua (translation: delicious pork thing).

Kauai is a standout among the other Hawaiian islands in that it is the oldest and has the most beaches. It is home to either one of the wettest or The wettest spot on earth, Mt. Waialeale, with its average annual rainfall of 450 inches. We’ve heard it both ways. Ninety-seven percent of the island is undeveloped and cannot be accessed by car. An ATV or good hiking shoes give a little more access, but the majority of the island is not accessible. Wild pigs don’t seem to have a problem with the rugged terrain though as evidenced by their ever increasing numbers. There are more wild chickens here than on the other islands since, luckily, mongooses were never introduced. In fact when we sat down to enjoy our lunch at the water’s edge, chickens showed up ready and willing to accept any scraps.

Our tour guide, Domi, outdid himself in a high energy, give-it-your-all, good humor sort of way. His commentary went on for six straight hours. He shared his language, history, top tips for a good marriage, recipes, personal philosophies, horticulture, celebrity updates, and, at my request, his first-date with his wife story (not as good as yours, Walter and Cleone). To keep us on our toes he tested us throughout the day on what he had already shared with us. A confident vocalist and ukulele player, he even played and sang us a few songs.

We visited the Weilue River State Park Fern Grotto, a fern-fringed lava cave. We accessed it by taking a short boat ride up the Wailua River, the only navigable river in Hawaii. Nothing but lush vegetation, including dense mangroves, lined both sides of the river. There was an Hawaiian combo playing music and a brief hula demonstration and explanation during the trip. Once at the grotto the singer took advantage of the wonderful acoustics to perform the Hawaiian Wedding Song. That particular song was chosen since there are so many weddings in front of the beautiful grotto.

Another fun stop was at the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge located on the northern most point of Kaua’i. An old lighthouse is the centerpiece of the small refuge situated atop a cliff 200 feet from the ocean. Albatross glided over our heads and red footed boobies were visible on a cliff on the other side of a small inlet. Wedge-tailed shearwaters were just ending their migration back from Panama. A few were clearly visible in their underground burrows that serve as home while they are here. They were unfazed by our presence. The state bird is the nēnē (nay nay), a distant relative of the Canada goose. One proud representative of the species rested on the ground like he was doing us a favor by posing so handsomely. Like the shearwaters, he was not concerned about our wandering around.

Right off the coast of the refuge sat the smallest of the Hawaiian Islands. I didn’t catch its name, but it’s tiny. Whales come here to calf before heading back to Alaska for the summer. We spotted spray in the distance where a few were coming up for air but never saw any actual whales.

As we made our way back to the ship, we stopped for a quick look at a couple of gorgeous waterfalls and a couple of temple reins. All that remained were their lava rock foundations.

Kaua’i is popular with celebrities and movie producers. 100+ movies have been filmed here plus a few TV series. Domi was carful to point out which celebrity lived where as we passed. Other firsts for the trip included seeing taro fields, beetle nuts, and a small herd of bison. We learned that Russia once had a presence here (think 1800s), sugar cane waste used to be used to make electricity, peeled green (unripe) papaya is the secret ingredient when cooking wild pig and feral chicken, Bette Midler went to high school in Hawaii, and coconut buttons are a must on any good aloha shirt. As I mentioned, Domi covered the waterfront.

I did not join Sandy, Alan, and Dan for dinner tonight since I seem to be flirting with a cold. I grabbed a quick bite at the buffet and they ate a proper meal in the dining room.

… Mea’ole (Hawaiian for trivia) ...

Each Hawaiian island has an official color, and Kauai’s official color is purple. 

Kauai is home to the largest coffee plantation in the U.S.

There is a building code here that states no structure can be taller than a coconut palm which nets out at around four stories.

Nawiliwili is the only other word I know that has four i-s in it other than the word Mississippi.

Kauai is not cheap: gasoline is $5.50 a gallon.
Domi told us eggs are $13.00 a dozen and milk $13.50 for a half gallon.
No Costco here.

Overnight we scooted around the north end of the island and docked on the west coast to see more of the Big Island. It just happens to be National Vietnam War Veterans Day, dedicated to heroes like Alan, Ronnie, Ricky, and my dad who served in theatre. Here’s to you and your fellow service men and women.

We had a fun, high energy guide, Chance, and a wonderful day. Hawai’i is the youngest of the islands with lots and lots of lava that has yet to breakdown enough to support agriculture or transition into forest. We drove past two kinds. One that is smooth and looks like shiny brownie batter and one that is very course, irregular, and rocky with countless loose, sharp stones and boulders. Most of the beaches are rocky, not sandy, for the same reason: not enough time has elapsed to create sand.

We stopped at Kaloko-Honokohau National Historic Park with its lava path leading to the water’s edge where we saw a traditional A-frame, palm-frown-roofed canoe shelter and a fish trap. In days gone by the locals stacked lava rocks 30 yards or so from shore in the shape of a large squares. They did this during low tide. When the traps were complete, fish would be forced to shore during high tide and get tossed into the traps. Fish too small to eat could escape through the cracks in the stone and the big ones would be there to retrieve at low tide. Clever. A large green turtle was in the crystal clear water just hanging out a couple yards from shore. Good news: management at the park has decided to remove all nonnative species of plant life, no small task. Huge stacks were bundled up and ready to be carried away by helicopter.

We had a quick tutorial about macadamia nuts, so closely associated with Hawaii. They are grown here but are originally from Australia. Those grown here have to harvested by hand because the root structure of the trees is so shallow, thanks to the relatively young lava soil. Shaking the tress, as it’s done in other countries, would result in uprooting the trees. We stopped briefly at a macadamia nut processing center and gift shop. We found it hard to resist the Spam-flavored nuts.

King Kamehameha, born and raised here, was the focus of most of the day. He died in a modest grass structure at the water’s edge right where we docked. We visited one of the four statues known to exist of him in the world. Just like the one in Hilo, he is shown wearing a gold cape, crown, and sash. We saw a short film explaining how, once the English arrived, it because apparent that the four separate kingdoms in these islands needed to band together and act as one kingdom under a single ruler. The issue was who the king should be. After much warfare, determination, and persuasion, Kamehameha became ruler of a united kingdom in 1810.

Probably the highlight of the day was our visit to Pu’ukohola Heiau National Historic site. It features a temple dedicated to the god of war that was built at the beginning of Kamehameha’s efforts to unite the four kingdoms. The huge, open-air structure was built in one year out of lava rock by forming a human chain nearly 25 miles long. Laborers handed the rocks from one person to another up and over Kohala Mountain to this site. Without the use of mortar, cement or other bonding materials, skilled laborers placed rocks in exact locations in order to meet specific building specifications.

Somewhere between macadamia nuts, statues, and temples we enjoyed an el fresco lunch at the water’s edge and a short film about the awful volcanic eruption in 1918.

We had a full day capped off by a four course meal with Sandy and Alan. We shared the details of our respective days and then headed to our rooms to prepare for tomorrow.

… Who Knew? …

The annual Ironman Triathlon starts in Kona.
Athletes swim 2.4 miles in the open ocean, ride bikes for 112 miles through lava fields, and then run 26.2 miles.

The aloha shirt with its colorful and exotic designs became fashionable in the 1980s.
Try as we may, Sandy and I have not been able to talk the guys into buying one.

The ukulele came to Hawaii in the 19th century…from Portugal. Who knew?

Hawaii is the fourth smallest state in the United States.

Kona Coffee is not a variety of coffee but a growing region on the slopes of two volcanoes near where we were today.

My resolve to ignore the elevator and only use the stairs is proving to be exhausting, especially when getting on and off on deck three. Our stateroom is on the ninth floor. Ouch. I digress.

Hilo is one of the seven regions that make up Hawai’i Island, better known as The Big Island. Big as in the largest in the state of Hawaii but in most other ways, quite small. From the southern tip to the northern tip it measures a mere 93 miles, while the distance between the extreme points on the east side and the west side is 76 miles. Five volcanoes and their subsequent lava flows created this ultra green haven.

A busy farming and fishing area in early times, Hilo, located on the northeastern side of the island, evolved into a commercial center for the sugar industry in the 1800s. Downtown Hilo was built around a crescent-shaped bay and became the seat of county government. 

Today’s guide, Gary, was nothing if not jolly and enthusiastic. A confident vocalist, he even sang us two songs. What he lacked in relaying history, customs, and culture he made up for in sharing stories about his family, first surfing experience (the board he had saved up for broke), a memorable fishing trip (he caught a coconut), and his love of food (bring on the Spam).

On our way into town we went down Banyan Drive, a road lined on both sides with banyan trees planted by or in remembrance of celebrities of one kind or another. The first trees went in the ground in 1933. Fifty trees, marked with wooden plaques, still line the drive. Names on the plaques include folks like Babe Ruth, Amelia Earhart, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Richard Nixon, Louis Armstrong, Cecil B. DeMille, and various religious leaders. It was hard to fully appreciate how beautiful this road is from the bus, but we got the gist.

Located on Banyan Drive is Liliʻuokalani Gardens, dedicated in 1917. Built as a tribute to the Japanese who immigrated to work in the sugarcane fields, it is actually the largest authentic ornamental Japanese garden outside of Japan. Even from the bus we could tell it was magnificent.

We stopped to see the 14-foot statue of King Kamehameha with his gold sash, cape, and crown. It was sculpted in Italy in 1963 but not installed and dedicated on this site until 1997. Hum? There’s gotta be a good story behind that delay. Speaking of Kamehameha, legend has it that whoever had the strength to move the Naha Stone would rule the islands. He moved it and the rest is history. The stone is now in front of the public library.

Our ride out of town took us past macadamia trees, wild sugarcane, banana orchards, dracaena farms, cattle properties, and breadfruit farms. Everything was green and beautiful. Most of the buildings we saw had galvanized tin roofs which hold up well with all the rain. Speaking of rain, we did get wet off and on today but ended the day with sun. Our objective was to see two beautiful waterfalls: Rainbow Falls with a drop of 80 feet and Akaka Falls with a drop of 442 feet. Both are hidden in dense tropical vegetation. Just passed Rainbow Falls is a large circle of huge banyan trees with intertwined, gnarled roots and branches. Barely any light penetrated the dense canopy. Spooky meets romantic meets bandits’ hideaway. It’s fantastic.

Our last stop for the day was at Big Island Candies, a factory that makes gourmet cookies and candies.

Maui might have Oprah, but Hawai’i has Dwayne The Rock Johnson’s uncle. On our way back to the ship we passed his two restaurants as well as gorgeous umbrella-shaped monkey pod trees, a memorial to the victims of the 1946 and the 1960 tsunamis, and the state flower, yellow hibiscus, in full bloom.

All in all a great day that ended with a chef at the Japanese steakhouse who really got into entertaining us while grilling our supper.

… I Kid You Not …

Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corporation, just south of Hilo, is the world’s largest processor of macadamia seeds.

Captain James Cook died on The Big Island during a struggle with the native population in 1779.

The Hawaiian goose is the official bird of Hawaiʻi. 

There are four green sand beaches in the whole wide world, two of which are in the United States.
One of those two is on The Big Island.
(The unique color comes from olivine crystals that wash out of a 49,000-year-old cinder cone next to the beach.)

Hawaiʻi’s Mauna Kea is the tallest sea mountain in the world and,
if measured from the ocean bottom, is 4,000 feet taller than Mt. Everest.

Hawai’i has a population of a quarter of a million.