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Mary Ann and I celebrated our 15th Wedding Anniversary this year
(1996), by taking our dream vacation to Hawaii. It started with a
cruise of the Islands.
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First stop, KAUAI, the "Garden Isle", where we saw the spouting horn
at Poipu, viewed Waimea Canyon "The Grand Canyon of Hawaii", took
a river boat ride to Fern Grotto and visited Olu Pua Gardens. Of course,
orchids were everywhere at the gardens. The main collection was
housed with nothing more than a fiberglass roof over them. It was
Oncidium season (June) and yellow dancing ladies were everywhere. We
also saw a ten foot square area of terete Vandas blooming in full sun
planted directly in the ground.
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Second stop, MAUI, the "Valley Isle", where we took the Hana
Adventure tour. We boarded a tour van which took us throughout the
island viewing black sand beaches, many waterfalls, and much of the
tropical, unspoiled, mountainous beauty of the isle. The next day took
us to Haleakala Crater. We weren't able to see the crater because of the
fog. We didn't see any orchids either, but did view the rare flowering of a
Silver Sword plant found nowhere else in the world. That night, we
went to a Hawaiian Luau in Lahaina. The food was delicious, the
entertainment exciting, featuring native Polynesian Island tribal
dances, including a breath-taking fire-knife dancer and beautiful Hawaiian
maidens in tribal costumes. Orchid leis were everywhere and any drink
you ordered had an orchid flower in it.
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Third stop, HAWAII, the "Big Island". The first day we were in
Hilo and explored the primal terrain of the volcano goddess Pele. We
had lunch on the rim of Helemaumau Crater where we saw steam rising
from the floor of the crater. We also walked through a rain forest to
the 34 mile long Thurston Lava Tube, that we could journey through. We
walked on the 1982 lava flow that destroyed hundreds of houses and
extended the island's perimeter by 4 miles. As we traveled this area, I
saw many bamboo like plants with 3 inch lavender flowers on them. I
was sure I knew what they were, but was not positive until the bus
stopped at one of the steam vents. Arundina graminifolia (the Bamboo
Orchid) was growing wild everywhere, thousands of them. I became faint
with excitement. We got everyone on the bus excited too, looking for
wild orchids. That night, we sailed from Hilo toward Kona around the active
volcano. Clouds were over the cauldron and we could see the red
glow of molten lava lighting the sky. We sailed past two areas where we
saw lava flowing into the sea, hissing and shooting up steam. The next
morning we awoke in Kona. We visited a coffee plantation, a winery,
the City of Refuge, and St. Benedict's Painted Church. The church gardens
had orchids naturalized throughout.
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Our cruise ended with a 4 day stay in Honolulu, OHAU at the Hawaiian
Regent Hotel, overlooking Waikiki Beach. We had a breath taking view
of the ocean, city and mountains from our room on the 32nd floor. Four
wonderful days of swimming, shopping and ORCHID BUYING. I have a small
collection of items with orchids on them, which are not too easy to
find on the mainland, but in Honolulu........... Orchid plates, vases,
towels, thimbles, bath oil bottles with Dendrobium flowers in them and
clothing with orchid patterns. Orchids were painted on phone
booths, buildings and just about everywere you looked. After
purchasing 10 such items, we gave up. I had to go lay by the pool
sipping a drink (with an orchid in it) to recuperate.
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Our last day in Honolulu was truely my dream come true. We rented a
car and visited three orchid farms. Our first stop was Hawaiian Island
Orchids. It was amazing to see how they grow orchids. The orchids were
housed under nothing more than shadecloth structures. Acres and acres of
blooming plants. Dendrobium flowers everywhere. When I commented on the
great number of flowers, they said I should come when the plants are really
blooming. I can't imagine!!!
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Next stop H & R Nursery. I was a bit disappointed with this visit.
Anyone that knows me, knows I love to roam through greenhouses looking
for blooming treasures. H & R has a showroom area where plants are
offered for sale. You can't go into the growing area. I sat down and did
order some plants from their catalog, but I could have done this from my
family room chair.
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Our last stop was Kawamoto Orchid Nursery. The nursery was terraced
down the side of a mountain. Again, shade cloth structures were the
only protection. Many orchids are planted in the ground in full sun.
Many Dendrobiums were in pots in full sun throughout the area. They,
too, had a show area with many blooming plants for sale, only they
did not discourage us from roaming through their growng area. I was
very pleased. I found many plants I could not live without. As we
searched through the area, there was a section of SLC 'Jeweler's Art'
"Waiomao's Plum" all blooming. But to my dismay, a large "Not for
Sale" sign was in their midst. I had to have that plant! After some
pleading, begging and hard negotiation, we added a plant with 2
lead growths to my acquisitions. A perfect ending to a perfect
vacation. All of the plants we acquired were mailed home. It is
much easier to mail plants than to carry them on the plane, due to
limited cargo space and plant inspection leaving Hawaii. The plants
arrived in perfect condition within a week of our return.
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Mary Ann and I boarded the plane that night, settled in our seats, and I
dreamed of an orchid filled paradise all the way home.
Wally Boguslaw
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If you want a taste of Hawaii of your own, come to the Christmas
Banquet at Ernesto's. The table favors will be Hawaiian grown orchids.
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