The Island of Kauai
Kauai is known as the Garden Isle of the Hawaiian chain of islands and it truly lives up to its name. Here you can see cascading waterfalls, enormous sunken canyons, lush vegetation, dazzling sunsets and crescents of white sand beaches along jagged coastlines. The food in Kauai might be Philippino, Japanese, Chinese, Portugeuse, Korean, Vietnamese, Pacific Rim, or any delicious combination of the above.
For this stay I choose a bed and breakfast overlooking a Tuscan like valley. Marjorie's Kauai Inn is a good fit for us as they can cater to vegan, vegetarian, gluten free and other lifestyle culinary choices. Mike, our host, is so accommodating that he provides steamed kale and other greens each morning for breakfast along with steel cut oats, Hawaiian granola, rice milk, buckwheat pancakes and fresh pineapple, strawberries and blueberries. Our large room overlooking the pool and patchwork valley comes equipped with a television and DVD player, private bath and refrigerator. When we arrive, the frig is stocked with a welcome platter of fresh fruit, Hawaiian chocolates, macadamia nuts, and Ezekiel bread. Mike greets us warmly and shows us all the wonderful things he has stocked for us to borrow during our time in Kauai. These treasures include a collection of well over 100 movies, snorkel equipment, boogie boards, water bottles, books, life jackets and many travel brochures to lead our way. Every morning he makes suggestions for our daily itineraries and always includes some hidden gems not in the guide books. The third day, Mike's wife Alexis arrives to prepare some gluten free scones sweetened with dates as part of our repast. Our breakfast companions are a lovely couple from Vienna, Virginia, only 25 minutes from our home in. Maryland! We share our travel experiences over tea and breakfast on the outside porch overlooking the spectacular view. The next day we meet two doctors from Calgary, Canada and have a lovely conversation about health and western medicine. I am interested to hear about their views on medical care and whether diet has any place in their practices. They have just returned from a 22 mile round trip trek along the North Shore, camping out on the trail! We envy the three weeks the Vienna couple have put aside for their first visit to the islands. We are sorry to miss the celebration they have planned to celebrate their 25 th anniversary after we are gone. The experience of a friendly, vegan, homey bed and breakfast with interesting fellow guests can supersede any five star hotel, in my book.
Upon arrival, we opt for a drive to the North Shore of Kauai. It is an hour drive from Lihue along the sole coast road before we arrive at our destination. At this time of year, the water in this region is more suited to surfers as the waves get up to fifteen feet. We visit Hanelei town, filled with beachy shops and restaurants and KO gets his dose of L and L, a typical Hawaiian fast food joint. The traditional plate lunch with its two scoops of white rice, macaroni salad, and Ono fish must be consumed by every true Hawaiian. Personally I do not get the appeal of it and opt for some Humous and carrots from a nearby grocery. Princeville is filled with upscale resorts and shopping centers. The views from the lookouts here are picturesque with tall cliffs over curvy beaches below.
Following a long drive south, we reach the South Shore in the dark in time for a delicious oceanfront meal at Beach House near Poipu. Our waiter, Edwin, is a delight. He asks KO what nationality he is, as, like everyone else we meet, he thinks KO is Philipino, like Edwin is. KO gets these inquiries many times, especially from the waiters on the Holistic Holiday at Sea cruise every year. He must have similar features to Philipinos, but he is actually half Chinese and half Japanese and from Hawaii. We do occasionally partake in fish and decide to try the ones that are often found on Hawaiian menus, Ono and Mahi Mahi. It is served over risotto and accompanied by some lovely greens. Later we arrive at our bed and breakfast in the darkness and our parking space is on a very steep incline. We go to sleep wondering if our car will be at the bottom of the hill when we awake at 5 am to the cocka doodle do of the multitude of roosters found all over the island.
Since we only have two full days here, we try to cover a lot of ground in a short time. This morning we head out to Waimea Canyon, labelled the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. The eighteen mile ascent to the top takes us about an hour, winding up the passes on the mountain. Arriving at the summit, 4000 feet above sea level, the views are spectacular. The canyon layers of red, green and brown rock were formed by a volcano that collapsed. Waterfalls spout out over the rocks in a haphazard fashion. Over the western side of the mount we can just barely spy the Na Pali Coast, with its pristine beaches, through the clouds overtaking us. The temperature up here is 15 degrees colder than at the base and a misty rain is falling. Juraissic Park was filmed nearby and I am expecting a Tyrannosaurus to appear at any moment!
Old town Koloa is one of my favorite stops on the Southern Shore. In 1835, the first sugar plantation was established here. Immigrants from Japan, Portugal. China, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines flocked to Koloa to work in the sugar cane fields. KO's dad grew up on a sugar cane plantation in Oahu which we got to visit and in one of the houses they had photos of the immigrants from Okinawa named Oshiro and there was a very close resemblance to his family. The Koloa History Center and the plaques on many of the buildings give us an idea of what life was like back when sugar cane was king.
The walkways are dotted with friendly shopkeepers selling Hawaiian Aloha shirts and dresses. A Hawaiian's idea of dressing up is putting on his colorful Aloha shirt. No ties or suits can be found here, even in fancy restaurants or when conducting business. They have the right idea about comfort!
Pizzeta is our restaurant of choice as Italian food can lend itself to a plant based diet. We partake in delicious pasta and fresh veggies.
The Poipu Beach near the Grand Hyatt is the place to be at sunset. We casually wander into the resort, as if we belong there. Amazing lagoons and waterfalls create the hotel's backyard and we meander along the paths, past the salt water pools to the beach. A sunset in Hawaii is always spectacular. Crowds gather to watch the sun making a slow than quick trip toward the horizon and then out of sight to warm the other side of the globe. Cerulean blue skies and a Windsor sea is the back drop as the bright yellow sun creates muted purples and pinks to stretch in a watercolor palette of colors for our enjoyment. I never get bored with nature's magic.
On our last day we have planned a catamaran ride along the Na Pali coast. Promises of a dazzling coastline dotted with snowy white untouched beaches have convinced us to spend the money on this excursion. When we arrive at the departure site, we get the disappointing news that the seas are too high and rough and the trip will not take place. Unfortunately, since we are leaving the following day, we will have to miss this experience. Feeling let down, we head north to the Wailua Falls, site of the opening scene on the popular TV show, Fantasy Island. The Wailua River is said to be the first landing spot for all Polynesians to the island. We travel up a four mile road that leads right to the falls. Nearby a homeless person with long dreads is creating lovely baskets by hand, weaving reeds together in a criss cross pattern. Two mangy dogs sit nearby. I am not sure if he is selling the baskets as he does not speak but continues to create his beautiful work. The falls meet our expectations and we take some nice photos.
We are leaving the Hawaiian islands today, after a brief stopover in Honolulu. The memories I will take with me are the friendly spirit and laid back attitude of the people living here, the watercolor sunsets and sunrises, the majestic scenery, the multiethnic foods, and the serene feeling created by all of the above. In my hurried existence on the east coast, I forget that there are people around the globe living a slower, less pressured lifestyle and treating others with the kindness and cheerfulness found here in Hawaii. I am thankful that I got to experience this, if only for a little while......
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