Short proof

Jamun

I have had much fun with guava on this trip, not to mention the other offerings of Katie's garden (including, yes, mulberry!). However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover very purple trails in the eastern part of the national park, covered with fallen jamun. Like mango trees, jamun is abundant on the easter part of the island. Unlike mango, it is in season, which make for great fun on the trail.

According to a ranger, it is only the Indian visitors who fancy the java plus, as he calls it. According to him they become quite animated upon sighting it and start jumping to reach the fruit. No jumping is required, however, on many sections of the trails.

Another [bizarre] curiosity -- the supermarkets in Hawaii feather virtually no local produce (with the exception of the occasional pineapple), offering the standard Mexico-grown fare at eye-popping prices. And when a tourist family saw me grabbing guava off the tree for quick trailside lunch, they asked, "Wow, eating fruit from the forest, are you not afraid?" Dude! Who fears a guava?! -- even if the noble fruit is not on the menu at Burger King.

posted by Vijay Kumar @ 8:21 PM