Honolulu, HI

It’s summer and the start of lychees season. I just had lychees flavored icecream in one of the restaurants downtown Honolulu and I couldn’t help it, I’m craving for more.

Come. Let’s go hunt for the cheapest lychees in Chinatown.

The adventure begins walking towards Ewa direction (West) along Hotel Street. It’s always fascinating walking at Chinatown, generally because of these reasons:

1. The simple structed but complex designed two storey buildings give character to the place. Good they didn’t rocket up the establishments, otherwise, they will block the sweet sunshine that lights up the pavements.

2. It’s a cultural fieldtrip! Hear different languages and see different people - all of them with eyes roving around the place looking for the next thing that will catch their interest. I hear french people haggling for a lower price of muu-muus (hawaiian dress), loud Chinese people arguing over vegetables, stylish Japanese girls waiting for the bus and yes, police vehicles parked just outside hot bars (even when it’s noon time).



3. The ultimate reason why I love Chinatown - shopping. Find everything here cheaper. Maybe not everything is of best quality but if you have a good eye, good smell and great inter-personal skills, you’ll get the best deals. There was a rack out in one of the stores where I bought a nice sun dress for 3 dollars. (Will throw it in the washing machine first)

Now on with the lychee hunt. We went in one of the stores selling fruits. There was a pig pile of mangoes in a box. Well let me just say this - Hawaii has mangoes EVERYWHERE! Big mangoes, small mangoes, green, yellow, red, purple and bloody looking mangoes. I am a mango fan and it has been many times I went up our mango tree in our backyard in Kaneohe but I still find it weird people are buying mangoes for $2 for a pound when they seemingly just come free anywhere in the island. I feel bad for mango trees overflowing with fruits and no one picks to eat them.

Anyway, we found lychees. They are wrapped in packs and from the looks, they seem to be okay. I can taste them already. There’s a sign saying $4.99/lb Big Island. I think because I’m in Chinatown and probably some Chinese blood got in me but I feel really eeky with the price. Too high, too high. I’ll go look for more.

Cherries. What about cherries at $2.99/lb? I’ve tasted this kind before and they’re good. I could just settle for cherries. But no, I can imagine lychees fresh from the refrigirator - me peeling the rough red skin and popping the cold sweet ball in my mouth.

I gotta find good but cheap lychees.

I continued canvassing - $4.99/lb, $4.75/lb, $4.50/lb - prices are going down as I go deeper in the jungle. Finally, I went inside one of the buildings, it’s a wet market. Soon shrimps, tilapias, catfish, crabs and squids welcomed me - not sure if they’re happy I arrived or crying out for help for their ives. I wish and I hope I can find lychees in this place.

So tip: wear comfotable clothes when going to Chinatown, specifically closed walking shoes like sneakers. Who knows you can go in a wet market like me and get eew wet stuff on your slippers.

Finally… a group of mommies were hoarding over this one stall at corner. LYCHEES $3.99/lb! GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME! So I squeezed in and grab as many lychees I can - Ha! I say it was a good buy, still expensive in my standards, but I’d say good buy for now (just to make me feel better). I paid the lady and put the bag of lychees in my big tote bag - recommended too because they give you small plastic bags which add up harming the environment. I can go home now and chill these new babies!

On the way out of the wet market, I see another stall selling lychees $3.50/lb. Oh well. It was still a lovely day.