Where’s the Hawaiian Host?

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Oreos for APEC delegates?

That’s right. Because of a shipping problem, instead of Hawaiian Host chocolates, delegates arriving at the Honolulu International Airport for the 2011 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit are being offered packages of miniature Oreos.

The Hawaiian Host candies aren’t expected until Wednesday. (No word on why no one has made a quick trip to Costco to remedy the problem.)

Here’s the detailed protocol for how APEC delegates are met at Honolulu International Airport:

APEC volunteer greets delegates outside customs with orchid and tuberose lei and a packaged hand wipe. Delegates are then escorted to the official “hospitality room” — also known as Baggage Claim D.

The Hawaii Host committee has tried its best to spruce up the baggage claim area, placing clusters of potted palms, red ti leaf and ferns around the idle baggage claim carousel.

A thin welcome banner hangs from the low room’s low ceiling and large display boards advertising Hawaii as a convention hub and place to do business are in the middle. Occupying one corner of the room are a handful of musicians and a hula dancer.

The hospitality room also has beverages (water and miniature cartons of passion-orange-guava or “POG”) and snacks.

We’ve got pictures:

APEC Live Blog

3:22 PM
http://www.tumblr.com/blog/apecliveblog

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