The Market.

Shopping in Lanai is quite the experience. I will never again forsake the great wonders of an HEB. The choice is limited, aisles are small and prices are high but the experience is worth it. There are three options here in Lanai. One has better produce and baked goods while the other has fresh sushi on certain days and plays 1940's music that transcends you. No matter which one you choose, there are certain rules to shopping in Lanai. Rule number 1. ALWAYS check dates! 2. The best day to shop is on Wednesday afternoon (Barge day) or Thursday. 3. Get out of the locals way. We survived our first real shopping experience this week after we got a working refrigerator. We actually found it entertaining. Its the little things on Lanai that bring great joy.


The third option is truly special. You must wake up at dawn to be there in time and you have to search each week for the location moves every Saturday. This past Saturday we rose early, picked up a new friend and headed to the Filipino stands. In our home we call it the Filipino Farmers Market, but that is almost too generous. Each Saturday the locals gather with tarps on the ground and sell what they have grown in their gardens or found from wild trees. In addition, there are three stands that are filled with smells of local cuisine. Filipino do-nuts, Papaya Chicken, Crab wantons, friend banana and more.

We approached with eagerness and an awareness that we were out of our element. Each one of us tried to buy something from the vendors in hopes to have more time to introduce ourselves and talk story for a while. This proved to be important. Kelsey and I picked out what looked to be string green beans that you can find on the mainland. A local man standing back from the crowd swiftly informed us that we were to not eat the out side of the bean, for we would get sick from it. Oh, how I appreciated his ability to see the novice in us.

The hospitality of the ladies was humbling. Each vendor opened their pots and pans and urged us to try it all! I made the mistake of asking while chewing, "What is this?" Kelsey begged me after that, "Just eat it, we don't want to know." Which is true, somethings we didn't want to know. In the end one of the ladies fixed us a big plate and once we offered to pay, she refused. She pointed her index finger in the air with eyes beaming inner joy and said, "He will bless us". I have never had an experience like that before. The sights, smells, culture and unfamiliar territory. It was exhilarating.

The convenience, choice and freshness cannot compare to that of an HEB but the trip was totally worth it.