Day 4: E Ho Imau Ka Holomoana

Janine and Derrick both had days off of work yesterday, so we planned a drive up the windward side of O'ahu with a few via points in mind. Our first destination was the Byodo-In Temple in Kaneohe, a scale replica of a temple at Uji Japan that was built to commemorate the first Japanese Immigrants to Hawai'i. Interestingly, Byodo-In was built entirely without the use of nails. It is home to Amida, a golden Buddha lacquered in gold as a reflection of the essence of the culture of the Fujiwara aristocracy. The temple and the grounds were serene, the silence was only broken by the tolling of the five foot high, three ton brass bell (bon-sho) that was available for visitors to toll upon their arrival to the grounds. The tone of the bell is thought to create an atmosphere of tranquility for meditation and is customarily rung before entering the temple to spread the teachings of Buddha. Upon entering the temple, we removed our shoes and lit a stick of incense to show respect. All around the temple were bamboo forests, rock gardens, and hordes of Koi. I have never seen so many Koi fish in one place before, especially when the promise of food is near. The normally majestic fish flopped and thrashed on top of one another, mouths gaping, in an effort to feed (see pictures below).

Upon leaving the temple, we continued up the coast to a Macadamia Nut Outlet, where we sampled Macadamia nuts in dozens of forms and flavors - coffee, lotion, oil, accessories, Kona-coated, onion-coated, glazed, popcorn, chocolate covered... etc. My favorite part of this experience was a spot out back where you could try your hand at cracking open a macadamia nut shell with a rock (simple pleasures).  The ground was littered with shells and roosters openly walked about searching for scraps among the crunchy carcasses. I managed to remove the husk of my macadamia nut, then squish it flat in an effort to get it out of its shell - too much power, not enough finesse, but Janine was rather successful in getting hers out in one piece, as was the little boy next to her who determinedly smashed macadamia nut after macadamia nut to get at the white nuts inside.

Continuing up the coast, our eyes peeled for pickled mango stands, we stopped off at Kualoa Regional Beach Park to see Mokolii, also known among locals as Chinaman’s Hat because of its resemblance to peasants hats worn in rural China. Apparently, at low tide, you can walk over to the island and explore. We walked up the shoreline briefly, then jumped back in our car in search of other adventures.

Derrick, Janine, and me in front of Chinaman's Hat

Pickled Mango from a local market

We spotted a local gathering of food trucks (which are very popular in Hawai'i) and tents from the road and pulled over to explore. Here we finally found some pickled mango, which we all tasted for the first time with mixed opinions. They were sweet and sour with a tangy juice and a crunch that is normally unexpected in a mango. The main ingredients are vinegar, sugar, salt, and green mangoes, although there are many variations on that recipe, some of which include red food coloring, li hing mui, five spice, and sugar and salt plum preserve.

Lunch break at Turtle Bay Resort

Around 1pm we approached Turtle Bay Resort, a resort on the north end of the North Shore where Janine had stayed with her choir in high school.We set up shop under a tree, as the mid-day sun was especially aggressive, and ate lunch, followed by pina coladas and poke at the bar. The beach was relatively empty, although it had public access, and we enjoyed the pleasures of the beach without the hassle of crowds and wailing children kicking sand about. As I was the only one with a bathing suit, I splashed about by myself in the water for a while, scaring myself by kicking up sand and thinking a small marine animal was hunting me.

Shave Ice on the North Shore

Lastly, we visited Matsumoto's in Haleiwa for Shave Ice, a treat that I had not yet tried. We stood in a 20 minute line and chose from a  menu that offered Adzuki Beans, Condensed Milk, Grean Tea Syrup, and Ice Cream as add-ons to shave ice. I was not feeling quite that adventurous, so I ordered a traditional Tropical blend - Guava, Papaya, Pineapple. It was delicious, but a little too sweet for my taste. On the way home we drove by the Dole Plantation, which I hope to visit with Alicia when she comes. Hopefully I'll make it back to the North Shore next week to visit Samantha while she's still in the state!