Saturday, May 11, 1968
It was early and the International Market Place was gearing up for a busy day. We started with a fresh hand-pressed juice (pineapple, orange and mango) called POM. It was a powerful combination which helped wake us up. Next we found a vendor offering “Malasadas,” a fried doughnut-like pastry covered in cinnamon sugar. They were warm, slightly chewy and a compliment to the Kona coffee served at the “Java Stand.” There was a vendor selling herbal lotions, and I was smelling the different fragrances. I asked the lady running the booth if there was something I could use to moisturize my burned hand, and she recommended cocoa butter. She looked at Jenny and made a revision, “a cocoa butter and coconut oil blend is excellent for massage.” I bought a bottle.
Our plan for the day was Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial. As we approached the entrance, there were signs regarding proper dress. We were wearing matching green flowered shirt and Muumuu, and I was wearing shorts. We felt uncomfortable with our “attire” and didn’t want to be disrespectful so we skipped this excursion, with much disappointment.
We returned to the Punchbowl (National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific); we had passed it on our drive yesterday. Our tour of the grounds was peaceful, and the gardens, statues and landscaping were beautiful and immaculate. The size and scope of the memorial was overwhelming with over 30,000 graves. It was a somber experience.
After lunch we returned to 323 and went through our ritual of undressing and hopping naked into bed. This routine had become an integral part of our repertoire. It was spontaneous and always different . . . no dress codes. We tried the massage oil.
My Vietnam Experience 