Discovering the Beauty of Hawaii, Peanut Butter and Pink Pineapple

Today's explorations included floral, fauna and food. We spent our day walking amongst Chinatown; each store featuring showcases of BBQ meat and fish delicacies that were beyond my taste buds. In one store, everything was pickled in brine's and the next carried a sporty selection of Betty Boop purses that my daughter ( a huge fan of BB)  would have bought half the store! The neighboring store that I enjoyed was Cindy Lei's flower shop. Her vibrant array of orchids, tiny bud roses and greenery, strung together beautifully was a wonderful discovery. The Lei's I inquired about were only $5.00, while the most expensive we could find were still a mere $20.00. My next perfect blend of delights came when we found Napoleon's Bakery. I was thrilled to when I spotted a Reese's Peanut Butter Donut that was massive in size and light in taste; meaning it was fluffy, but not enough peanut butter for me. My daughter knows I indulge in anything with the combinations of chocolate blended with Pb. Across the street from the bakery was Foster Botanical Gardens; a fusion of the tallest trees, a butterfly garden, and countless array of orchids welcomed us. One of my favorites was the Pink Fuchsia Pineapple, whose eye catching color made it unique. Another interesting tree is called the Sausage Tree, which has thick sausage looking seed pods dangling from its limbs. My boyfriend spotted a tiny lizard chilling out on a sign and it seemed amused that I wanted to take its picture. After three quick snapshots, I swear it gave me a wink and headed off to its next photo shoot of the day. We had a long day of walking, so it was nice to relax and eat at Rainbow Drive-in, featured on Drive-ins Diners and Dives. Our plates were heaped full of sticky rice, BBQ pork and other meats, while the macaroni salad had some of  the creamiest, tastiest sauce on it, I was a bit perplexed over the tartar sauce that try as I might, I could never figure out what exactly went in it? Today's activities were chock full of randomness, including a refreshing homemade watermelon smoothie, but our adventures were infused with culture. We have successfully booked a Big Volcano Eco- Tour that will see us on a flight to travel to the Big Island of Hawaii. That will take place in a weeks time. Meanwhile, as I sit here in Starbucks, ironically listening to Michael Buble and K.D. Lang crooning over the speakers, I had to look up. A quick glance at the Hoku Craft store filled with Lei`s, as I take another sip of my Kona coffee and see the palm trees swaying in the breeze, remind me I am indeed still vacationing in Hawaii.