We wanted to get a sense of the area. Jack was obsessed with coconuts, while Ry wanted to see how a pineapple grew.
We drove to Hanalei, still early. Hanalei is a very nice village. It reminded me of Corrales, a small oasis of pleasant shops and informal but tasty restaurants along a remote, rural road, with some of the shopping elements of Santa Fe and Sedona, but with more humidity and a beach. It didn't feel over commercialized, and, yes, there were many tourists, but it never felt touristy. I think this may because many of the people here are long-time tourists, almost part-time residents, and make this their home while they are here.
Jack and I visited a shop, where he wanted to buy Cyndi some "real jewelry", while Cyndi was across the street, scoping out a yoga center for possible morning classes. We visited one store, Hot Rockets, where Ry chose a radical surfing tshirt, and we'll probably go back for it in a few days. There were also shops for surfing and kayaking. We ended up back across the street, first at an organic market where we bought a pineapple, a coconut and a mango (and Cyndi found a perfume oil), and then at Java Kai for coffee, a smoothie, pastries and a breakfast burrito, Kauai-style. We struck up a conversation with an older man as we ate on a picnic table near the road. I'm sure he must be retired and he and his wife lived here three months out of each year; he joked that he got up early every day, did his four-mile walk, and talking to us this morning was the highlight of this day. He was the second person to recommend a "luau" out in Ha'ena at the Mediterranean Gourmet. Someone's toddler also hung out with us.
We backtracked to the end of the road that follows along Hanalei Bay to where it meets the river. And there, still early in the day, we walked on our first beach in Kauai.
We walked under the pier and the better part of a mile, and as we walked the boys played in the waves. They were wild with glee and soaked. The sun came out. There were a few others along the long beach, two or maybe three getting their first surfing lessons in very gentle waves. Sailboats were moored out in the bay. Mountains backdropped the sand and pines.
Back at the car, the boys changed their wet pants. The car is now full of sand. Thankfully, I suppose, midsize rental cars in Kauai are mostly PT Cruisers, which oddly feel right, looking very similar to the classic surfer woody car. A very simple little car, reminds me of a VW in handling, a hatchback. We figure about one in five cars on the road from the airport was a PT Cruiser--either they are popular here or there are a lot of tourists driving them around.
We drove towards the end of the road. We found the Mediterranean Gourmet at the Hanalei Colony Resort and continued along the road, over maybe five more one-lane bridges. I looked for places to turn out for Tunnels Beach. It didn't look promising. We did stop at Haena Beach Park. The swimming didn't look good there but you could see Tunnels, about a half-mile down the sand, and I started talking to a lifeguard who pointed out a flag that marked Tunnels for the guards. I also talked to him about cooking out on the beach at evening time.
There was a little stand there, selling fruit and shave ice. I saw a man next to a pick-up truck, and it looked to me like there were coconuts in its bed. There was no sign he was selling the coconuts but I asked him if he was.
He husked it, opened the top and stuck a straw in it. Not surprisingly, the boys weren't turned on by the liquid. Then he broke the nut into halves, cut the meat out, wrapped it, and gave us the meat and the shells. They were fresh coconuts. It cost so little.
Across the street was a dry cave, which sheltered us from a light rain. It rained on and off all day.
Finally, at the end of the road we found the trailhead to the Na Pali and Ke'e Beach. We didn't stop, but it helped to see it for when we do come. It was very crowded there, more so than I imagined.
Going out we toured Princeville a bit. Found the trails for the beaches below the resort, but the resort is totally closed for renovation and it looked like much of the golf course was also being redesigned. In the morning, there were many joggers and strollers along the paths around the golf course. Coming back, we stopped at the Princeville Shopping Center, found the hardware store (scoping out beach and grilling supplies; Jack found a flashlight he liked), the toy store (where Ry eventually got a surfer woody car with a surfboard on top), and a few other shops before stocking up on some groceries there at a supermarket. I applied for a Mailka'i card, which saved a bunch over the tourist prices, and we also bought some sand toys, detergent, toilet paper, and mostly food for breakfast.
Back "home", we had a little lunch. The boys and I went swimming at the pool,and after showers and mai tais on the linai, we went back in to Hanalei. The winding road already seemed more familiar, and in the distance you could see waterfalls cascading down the mountains. We ended up at Bar Acuda, a tapas place of some renown, where Ry napped and Jack played with his new, very high-tech flashlight. Cyndi and I had a couple of tapas, one with mahi mahi, and Kona ales. The place began to fill up as we prepared to leave with the tired boys. Cyndi checked out the yoga schedule again, and Ry, who woke up in my arms, and I went to get shave ice. It was served over pineapple and coconut ice cream and passion fruit and coconut syrups were poured over the shave ice. Before leaving, we found a very nice clothing boutique.
Back home, Jack asked and I cut the pineapple and grated some of the coconut. Yum.
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