Honolulu, Hawaii, Jan.22 – 25, 2025
Honolulu Museum of Art, Chinatown and Roast pork belly at Mei Mei
I never thought I could see the paintings of Modigliani or Monet here in Honolulu. Yes, I was standing in front of those paintings here at the Honolulu Modern Museum of Art. Originally I was in the central area of Honolulu to visit Hawaii state museum of Modern art. But, I found the museum was closed temporarily at the door. I googled the Honolulu Modern Museum of Art, which is also in the center of the Honolulu and I decided to visit the next day. I would not have been there had the state museum been open. It is located a few stops from S Hotel St + Richards St near Iolani Palace. It is just about 10minutes by walk. The following day, I started from the bus stop and walked to the museum. The museum is on the bus street. However, it is in a quiet area. The museum’s calm appearance is mingled with the surroundings. It looks Chinese or Spanish. Most of the Museum buildings are single story. There is a courtyard. I later learned the design has influence of Chinese, Hawaii and Spanish cultures. The admission was $25. Not cheap for me. They have a discount for my credit company and I bought it at $15 by the card.
The picture above was Georgia O’Keeffe’s paintings she draw when she travelled to Hawaii for three months in 1939 by Doll company’s invitation. It took nine days to get to Honolulu from New York two days in train and other seven days. Dole wanted her to paint for their advertisements in exchange with fully paid trip. Her first visit gave her a lot of occasion to study local botany and landscape. She visited the islands again in 1951. The Museum is proud of its vast collections of Asian artifact: China, Korea, Philippines, Indonesia, India and Japan. They have a section for modern art as well as those for old artifacts. They even have a movie theater in the same place. “Chungking express”, a Hong Kong movie in 1994 by Wong Kar Wai, was scheduled to show at the theater on the day I visited. I skipped some of the sections as I wanted to have lunch at Chinatown. One day is not enough to see the museum. I want to visit again especially to see the China, India and Japan sections well. I walked down to King street looking Honolulu Police Headquarters on my left and Honolulu Water Supply management, Max’s medical examiner’s office on Hawaii Five-O on the right.
Chinatown is a few block away from Iolani Palace. It is one of my favorite places in Oahu. People say the town is not safe. But I’ve never met a situation I felt danger until now. There are restaurants, Lei shops, markets, etc. where I can smell people’s ordinary life. I walked down to Chinatown for some 15 minutes from near Iolani palace this time. Walking for some ten minutes, Woo Fat building was coming into my eyes. I wanted to buy some roasted port belly at Mei Mei, Chinese BBQ shop at Maunakea Market, where my dad used to buy for night snack. Mei Mei is a Hong Kong style shop that sells Roast duck, Ginger Chicken, BBQ pork, Roast Pork Belly, etc., in the food court of Maunakea market. A couple, I guess around in their 50’s, runs the shop. The woman is handling customers. She “looks” unfriendly. I have not seen her smile before. But she handles order professionally. The Roast pork belly’s skin got crispy and it tastes tender and moderately salted. It goes well with cold beer. I bought a half pounds to go the first day. I visited the other two days for lunch. I ate a combo of Roast duck and BBQ pork with rice, lunch special of US$7.00 and a combo #6 of Ginger Chicken and Roast pork bell with rice for US$14.00. I sat at the table near her shop in the food court, and washed them down with Cold Coke. I’ve been here for some years. I saw her smile when I ordered this time. She is an old school merchant. She reminds me of my grandma who had run her own store. It seems she is not a bad person. Price is way reasonable, quality is good. I would visit again next time. I like Chinatown. I like the smell of the streets. It smells dried mushroom, Chinese medicinal herbs, fermented soy beans, fresh pork meat, fruits, vegetables wafting the streets. My mom used to own and run a dried food shop in a market place way fifty years ago. I spent many time there surrounded by Miso, Soy sauce, dried mushroom. I guess my fond memory at my childhoods would make me head towards Chinatown.
The neighborhood lies near Honolulu Harbor where whaling vessels and passenger ships arrived with sugar plantation workers The stores and shops supplied groceries to those who came to the harbor. The community of Chinatown continued to grow as the city developed. There was a big fire which destroyed the whole area in 1900. They faced business decline as the island economy shifted to Tourism. However, they have survived them and continued to be an important community of the island.
They are in the mode of Lunar New year celebration now. It is not that obviously like in China or Taiwan. I could see it through an ornament for new year hanged on the door. Happy new lunar year to Honolulu Chinatown!
Pandemic is over. Our life has come back to normal. Waikiki is full of vacationers. Streets of Waikiki are crowded now. Price is expensive. After avoiding crowded places during the covid, I feel more comfortable being in a quiet place. I think I want to spend relaxed time like living. This time, I spent a lot of time away from Waikiki. I walked a lot other areas: Iolani Palace, Honolulu Museum of Art, Chinatown on foot. Downtown Honolulu is a good location to go any other places by the bus. I am thinking of staying around those area next time. Then, I would have more chance to see what I have not seen yet. I will try to find a hotel near there next time.