Three Days in Honolulu; No Agenda Beyond Painting – and Mascara

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Days 45-47, 2024 Majestic Japan

Tuesday-Thursday, Oct. 15-17, 2024; Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii

I leaned in close to the Sephora store greeter, somewhat embarrassingly asking in a whisper: “This may sound weird, but is there a mascara called “Better Than Sex?”

The Gen-Z young woman laughed and replied unabashedly in a normal tone, “Yes! Can I have someone show you to it?”

A few days ago, a reviewer in The New York Times described a mascara as worth all of its $30 price, but I wasn’t sure that I was remembering the name right. So when I walked past the makeup store in Honolulu’s giant outdoor Ala Moana mall, I thought I would give it a try. (I’ll let you decide the accuracy of the name, but I’m really liking this mascara.)

And so went my three days in Honolulu. After 10 sea days, we arrived a day early, having skipped scenic cruising by Midway Island to sail directly here due to a medical emergency. Of course, due to confidentiality, no word on the outcome. Some people left the cruise here, a couple for health concerns and one to fly home to be with an ill relative. It’s an easy port to disembark, and I had once considered ending my cruise here to fly to Florida for another one, but those plans changed.

We docked at Pier 2, not quite as convenient as the more colorful Aloha Tower dock, but still within walking distance of downtown.

Today, in my quest to do new things in familiar ports, I spent a few hours at the Honolulu Museum of Art. I highly recommend it. Half is dedicated to European and American art and the other half to Eastern and Asian art.

Following the numbered galleries provided me with an excellent overview of art history. I passed from early devotional art through portraits, 18th century art and impressionism to modern art.

Works by Monet, Modigliani, van Gogh and O’Keeffe are among the highlights. Equally impressive are the collections of art from Japan, Korean, South Asia and Southeast Asia. Another gallery focuses on Hawaiian art.

Eventually I found a convenient shaded table and chair off the central courtyard, where a waterfall of bougainvillea cascaded down a two-story wall. As usual, I lost myself in sketching.

I decided to stop after finishing my ink drawing, preferring to add paint with my better brushes back on the ship. I like the portability of my waterbrushes, but haven’t learned to use them with enough control.

Besides, I was hungry and the roasted turkey sandwich in the museum café was calling me. It’s odd the things you want after weeks at sea.

When we arrived on Tuesday morning, everyone passed through U.S. immigration in the terminal, and I headed on foot to Iolani Palace and the nearby Starbucks. I had planned to use its fast internet service to update files on my laptop. It turned out to be a “take-away” Starbucks in a bank lobby – without access to a restroom – so I didn’t stay as long as I originally intended.

Earlier I identified Kawaiaha’o Church, known as Hawaii’s Westminster Abbey, as a potential sketch subject. Kuhina Nui (Queen-Regent) Ka’ahumanu I established this national house of prayer in 1820. I claimed a bench under a bus stop shelter across the street. Crowds shuffled around me as buses came and went, and the shelter provided good cover from the sun and then the light shower that briefly passed overhead.

I’ve been to Honolulu several times, both on a cruise and on a land vacation, so I passed on the standard excursions. I have yet to visit Pearl Harbor, but I think I would rather go when I’m not on a strict cruise schedule. Some friends rented cars to circle the island, and others did the same on city buses, which cost all of $3. Waikiki always is popular, but I didn’t make it there this trip. I love brunch at Duke’s on the beach, but having been earlier this year I decided to pass.

Traditionally Holland America presents each passenger with a lei as we initially disembark into the cruise terminal, but as we came a day early, instead we received our floral necklaces at dinner Wednesday night. A group of local musicians and dancers came on board to entertain us after dinner.

That morning, I opted to take an Uber to the Ala Moana mall. I could have either walked the couple of miles there or taken a city bus from near the terminal, but chose the convenience of a door-to-door ride for just more than $10. I stocked up on a few things in Target, wandered the aisles of a few boutiques and stumbled across my mascara find.

My big purchase was a box of Hawaiian Salt Cookies, which we discovered here last February. As I was about to leave the store with my cookies, my sister Elaine texted me that she would like a box. Back I went for two more (Eloise will get one, too). They are not cheap, but worth the treat.

Another beautiful sail away and only one port left on this journey.