Home of the $20 Pineapple & Lots of Marching Around

Lots of great street art

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The farmer’s market in old town drew me in the next day. I was there fairly early (10ish), and only the produce stalls were set up. I can’t stress how few tourists were there then and throughout the rest of the day in old town along Kamehameha Ave, the main drag. The Governor’s request a few days ago that visitors postpone their trips had real impact.

Oh, the flowers and fruit. Nearly everyone had the same foods, so it was a random choice except for a gorgeous bouquet of Anthurium and other local flora in a hand-made basket of leaves for my friend – I bought the last one there and wished I could get one a week for my own table. 

Planning on spreading the wealth, I went to another vendor and selected a papaya, a mango and a pineapple. For which I was charged $31. After I picked myself up off the concrete, I went to my car making one mental excuse after another as to why that was OK. I drove around the block, parked in the same spot and marched back. I took the fruit out of the bag one by one, and asked the prices (which I should have done in the first place). Papaya= $2. Mango=$9 (“But it’s special, imported!”) – she got that one back. Pineapple=$20. I didn’t see the gold leaf on it, and she said, “But it’s a white pineapple, and I can’t take it back because I’ve already taken the green leaves off.” 

I was handily had, with a very expensive pineapple. I marched to the car, got my phone and marched back. I took her picture, told her she should be ashamed of herself, and that I would make her famous (well, infamous, but I didn’t want to go into detail). Haole Revenge! So here she is, The Premium Pineapple Purveyor of Hilo Farmer’s Market; do not buy from this scoundrel! Or at least ask the price...

You can't hide behind that $6 mango, lady!

The fruit was delicious, even the pineapple. Even the one third of it that was close to rotten, but darn, I paid for it, I’ll eat it!

The big, not particularly inviting KTA

Hilo Surplus

I did walk around old town, passing lots of hairy brown-tinted surfers and the occasional change-requester, joint in hand. The buildings remain charming, though crying out for a loving touch of maintenance here and there. The real local action is on the side streets, with the big KTA discount grocery (on Mamo St. near Keawe – good lomilomi by the pound here)... Hilo Surplus (great camping equipment, Mamo near Kilauea),

Puna Chocolate Co. (Keawe St. near Furneaux – what can I say: brilliant chocolate, locally grown, ground and packaged), and my secret go-to, L&L barbecue on Kino’ole St. at Mamo. Yes, it looks like a dump with a steady stream of customers, and everything is actually made to order. I miss L&L already.💖

But that night is when things really got interesting…