A white parrot on the shoulder of a beautifully tattooed woman greeted me earlier today. As I left, the parrot eyed me (so did the woman), and I just said hello — half expecting either the parrot or the woman to respond, but neither did.
My parrot encounter happened as I was leaving the restroom of Morning Brew, a charming, local cafe in Kaihlua (www.morningbrewhawaii.com). I have set up my Hawaii office here over the last few days and explored the breakfast menu extensively.
While Peter oversees a summer academic program at Hawaii Pacific University, I’m splitting my time between work and play here on Oahu. I’ve begun to find my way around with a rental car, iPhone Mapquest app, and a willingness to try anything once. Lanikai beach was yesterday, Hanauma Bay the day before, and the Honolulu ‘swap meet’ is on the schedule for later today. I’m told a swap meet is a flea market. If parrots are roaming freely in cafes here, I can’t wait to see what the flea market offers.
During this two week stint in Oahu, I plan to check out as many locally managed cafes, studios, and restaurants as possible. I’m a big believer in supporting local economies, as they are the cornerstone to maintaining local culture and ecology. Tapping into the local economy of a place also helps avoid the urban homogenization that McDonald’s and industrial agriculture can cause on a landscape. I’ve got Morning Brew in my repertoire and I’ve already found a superb yoga studio, Aloha Yoga Kula (www.alohayogakula.com). It won’t be Lonely Planet guidance but a girl’s got to start her travel writing career somewhere, right?
There’s always a good sunset to catch or an indulgent coastal drive to embrace. I see Brazilian cardinals and mongoose regularly. Geckos line the ceilings at night. Divine tropics living. More to come from your satellite traveler in Kaihlua. Be well.