Sweet Smells of Hawaii Farmers Markets

by Jennifer
(Albuquerque, NM)

There is such a wide variety of activities available on the Big Island, enough to please any traveler. Whether you just want to relax, have an adventure, relish a new culture, or enjoy different food, it is all there. Our family vacation to the Big Island was my favorite vacation we took growing up. I had just started high school, and it was a great break to spend time with my family and not be overwhelmed with the worries of high school.

My favorite experience is actually a quite simple one: going to the farmers market! There is nothing like fresh exotic foods, especially for someone hailing from the desert. The farmers market had every type of fresh tropical fruit you can imagine. To this day every time I smell a passion fruit I think of that trip to Hawaii. As we entered the market you could smell the fruit mixing with the misty scent of salt water in the air. Every booth had something different, freshly picked pineapple, juicy mangos, coconut that still had the husk on it with straws for the milk inside. One merchant had star fruit; I thought they looked beautiful so they must be good as well. I was quite disappointed when I discovered they tasted like a potato! The passion fruit stood out to me the most; I had never tasted one before, but had always loved the smell. The woman selling them cut it open for us, she told us that to enjoy it the most, just let it sit in your mouth for a second before biting down because there are seeds covered in a small amount of fruit and they slightly take away from the flavor. It was the most delicious thing I had ever tasted. We went around sampling and savoring. The farmers market is a great stop for those looking for souvenirs as well; there is a wide variety from shells to leis to sarongs. Our trip to Hawaii will always hold a special place in my heart, I hope to one day be able to take my own children there so they can enjoy the splendor of it.