A few things I’ve learned from life here at a big convention hotel in Waikiki:
– Concierge! I want a concierge for life. Everytime I need something, I call or drop by their desk and get an answer. They’ve made me reservations and even got me $5 off my tour ticket to the Iolani Palace today. It occurred to me that I’ve been my kids’ concierge for years now (although that’s changing now that they’re in college.)
– Beware the tour package: The concierge did suggest a $20 tour to Hamauna Bay but when you read the fine print it’s more than that – and it’s easy enough to take the #22 bus, which I did, to the bay. Both there and back, a van driver pulled up and offered us a ride for $5, claiming that the bus was long delayed. They got a few customers that way – and each time the bus pulled up about 10 minutes after they left. (the fare is $2.50 and I realized today that the transfers everyone seemed to get aren’t transfers but instead free return trips (if made within 2.5 hours I think. never seen that anywhere.)
– Everything is cheaper off the strip. And just as good although maybe not the view… We ate very good fast good Korean bbq, dumplings and bim bin bop (sp?) at Me BBQ, a popular place with, yes, locals on Uluniu Ave. Also found a good gift shop run by an Argentian couple nearby.
– Touristy places can be fun. Case in point: Having a drink at sunset at Duke’s Canoe Club, a shrine to the famous surfer Duke K. in the Outrigger hotel near ours. We also popped in at the Royal Hawaiian hotel next door – a pink Moorish palace. What a cool place. And today’s tour of the Iolani Palace was interesting, as was a stroll around Chinatown where I found Obama’s favorite restaurant there (according to my Obama-centric guidebook). We’re going to another Obama favorite tonight – the foodie-in-chief tends to like the same stuff we do. I stumbled upon a terrific little place called the Char Siu House on Maunakea Street – and had terrific Char siu pork served atop rice with steamed greens. Fresh and high quality meat. And a Hawaii Food tour dropped by – it’s a stop on the tour. So I guess I picked right. Around the block is a cute place for a smoothy – Sunshine Frappe.
Hanauma Bay was gorgeous and it was fun snorkeling, although a little unnerving at time since I found myself several times almost stuck atop a coral reef when the water suddenly got shallow. A nice Cambodian guy I met showed me a cut he got from just such an episode.
TakeBetsywithyou 