Kahaloa

The state fish, humuhumunukunukuapua'a, was swimming with it's partner just off the dock on Waikiki Beach....no snorkel needed! Throughout the city are bronze statues of kings, queens, and surfers. There is an ABC store or two on every block....think 7-Eleven on steroids.....and they are always busy day and night.

I checked the statistics out of curiosity and tourists from Japan make up the 3rd largest market to Hawaii (US and Canada are 1st and 2nd) but are the biggest spenders. So it makes sense that there are so many Japanese restaurants. I was anxious to try their traditional food so I selected Marukame Udon because there was always a line-up out the door. It was very good but John wasn't impressed. The Ala Moana Mall just opened the Shirokiya Japan Village Walk, which is supposed to represent a traditional Japanese town. There were rows and rows of food stalls serving food with names that I couldn't pronounce. I played it safe and ordered vegetarian ramen from a stall that had won first place in a ramen food competition. It was delicious but I still haven't mastered the art of chopsticks, especially when it involves noodles! John wasn't adventurous and was happy with a burger from the Honolulu Burger Company, one of the few non-Japanese stalls. They also had $1 beer kiosks, which is how I lured John there in the beginning!

Initially we were concerned about spending 2 weeks in Waikiki but surprisingly we both enjoyed our time there. Today we had to move to a one bedroom condo at the Royal Kuhio just for one night as we don't leave Oahu until the morning.Read more