Ono Family Restaurant, Kapaa (2012)

Moon Glow I (2012) - by Schar Freeman

When I bought this original piece of art in Hanapepe last week, two things of note are worth mentioning.  I'm typically not a seascape-type of person.  Never had been and probably never will be.  Nothing about other artists' work have interested me from the overpriced blue-ocean-whale-dolphin gallery products are most tourist traps to watercolors of waves splashing on the shore.  The other thing is that I don't usually buy mixed media pieces just because I just can't decide whether they are paintings or sculpture.  When I found 3"x2.25" painting at the Banana Patch Studio, I knew I just have to buy it.  Just the previous night, the kids and I sat at the beach just outside our hotel and this image is what I had embedded in my mind to represent that special moment.  We had just got back from dinner around 9pm and Sam and JJ asked if they can eat their treat by the ocean.  I hesitated but agreed when I realized the ocean was moonlit and the breeze was most pleasant.  I've been searching for any sign since we got to Kauai days earlier and at that moment, I realized that it was all in front of me all along.  My kids happiness is the key to my happiness.  I probably will never buy another artwork by Schar Freeeman but this particular one titled "Moon Glow I" will forever remind me of that thought I had on the night we all sat on our beach chairs enjoying what we have in front of us.  Life.

Smith's Luau

In Kauai for 11 days and not eating in the same restaurant more than once is a worthy feat.  But the main meal we all looked forward to was going to a luau -- which we haven't done since December 2007.  Ironically, the last luau we went to was held at the Marriott, which is were we stayed on this trip.  However, that luau (Hiva Pasefika) is no longer around so we tried Smith's Garden Luau just steps from the Wailua River.  Above is the obligatory luau photo that was taken with me and my two hapa haole boys as we entered the Smith compound.  Who would risk going to a luau named Smith's and not question its Hawaiian authenticity, right?  (Turned out Smith is 3rd generation Hawaiian but is the paternal name from England.  Maternal is full Hawaiian.)  The food from Smith's is much better but maybe that's not a valid comparison since it's been 5 years since I've been to a luau.  One thing I'm sure, however, that the Hiva Pasefika show was better, had audience participation and more professional.  Smith's is a family-run business and that includes performers.  Overall, if I have to go to a Kauai luau again, I'll probably go back to Smith's.

Hike #8 - Pihea Trail

Two words to describe this trail we did today. Breath-taking. Muddy.  Most of the 3.5 miles we did to Alakai Crossing and back were of the breath-taking variety with amazing views of the Na Pali coast on the west side of Kauai or the greenest of forests we've had the good fortune to hike through.  However, there is a 1/3 mile stretch just after Pihea Vista that is muddy, slippery and fun.  I'm guessing the elevation to be somewhere between 4000 and 5000 feet and I don't think the ground ever dries anytime.  The red Kauai dirt coupled with ever present mist creates the most challenging hike we've done to date.  And the most fun as well.

Below is Sam with the Na Pali coast below.  A good 4000 feet from the ridge where we started the hike.  We heard several helicopters -- the primary way to tour the coast.  The other way is via boat (usually a catamaran) and I'm assuming hiking is the least popular method.  I'm still hoping the kids would like to hike down the coast some time in the future.

We didn't expect mud when we started.  In fact, I started hearing complaints about this hike being boring, as if views of the Na Pali coast was not good enough.  About 1 mile into the hike we started seeing people on their way back with mud on their shoes, legs, shorts, hands, etc.  At that point, I knew we were in for an adventure.  So it became a game of who can hike through the mud without getting any on their leg.  Nobody got any mud on their leg but Sam fell on his butt at least 3 times from slipping.

There were these wooden boards covered with chicken wire that was laid over the forest floor that made trekking across the swamp easier.  At some point in the future, I'd like to do the entire Alakai Swamp trail as well -- which I've read had these boards for most of the hike.  On our way back the car, we were talking about how boring our hikes back in California would be.  These last 10 days were just the most amazing time I've ever had on these islands.  I don't see how we can ever consider any other island for next year's Hawaii trip.

Strawberry Guava

I was introduced to the strawberry guava during our hike to Nounou Mt Trail a couple days ago.  Little did I realize that these trees grow at an alarming rate and tends to take over countless acres of native Hawaiian forest.  Also known as "waiawi", the plant was introduced in the 1800s from Brazil and is actually Hawaii's most destructive non-native species.  I never really had an appreciation for why I had to fill out the agriculture declaration forms flying into the islands but after what I've read on the strawberry guava, I do now.  The only thing worse than the strawberry guava taking over Hawaiian forest is the state government using herbicide (poison) to eradicate the plant -- which had been proposed but hopefully rejected for obvious reasons.

Hike #7 - Nounou Mountain

I was a little hesitant to do this hike based on what I've read on its dangers but today, I decided we take a conservative approach to the ascent up Nounou Mountain in Kapaa.  The good thing about the hike is that it's literally a mile from where we're staying in town.  There's actually several good things about this hike including the excellent workout I got (1.6 mile with 800 ft elevation gain), a great view of Kapaa, Wailua and Lihue and the nice tropical terrain.  This is Hike #7 for the kids and the 3rd we've done while in Kauai.

This is the 10th year the kids have been going to Hawaii and for the first time ever, I felt that we can actually appreciate much more what the islands have to offer. We tried some hiking in Oahu last year but those were more of the short, tourist walk variety.  Maybe next year, we take on longer adventures like backpacking or day hikes.

Below is a good view of Wailua and Lihue in the far distance.  The eastern trail that we hiked up took over an hour and our shirts were soaked from the humidity.  One of the things I read about is the number of accidents on this hike especially during the wet months.

On our way back, we were fairly relaxed so we started looking for some of these small guava plants for ripe fruit.  Unlike the guavas I grew up eating (typically the size of a ping-pong ball), these are no larger than a small grape.  Sam tried a couple ripe ones and of course, I had several.  There were literally thousands of guavas growing in the wild it seems.

Kalihiwai Beach

On our way trying to find Secret Beach, we ended up in Kalihiwai Beach just half a mile west of the Kilauea.  There was no sign on the main road whatsoever about this beach so there were hardly any tourists(except us) enjoying the surf.  Mostly locals, which I can tell from the cars they drive (no self-respecting local would get caught dead in a Chevy Malibu.).  The waves are not as good as Brennecke's but I got a few good rides on the boogie board, nonetheless.

The lava pools, which is supposed to be accessible only from Secret Beach is actually just to the right of the cliff in the photo below.  I looked it up in the map when we got back to the hotel and realized we were oh, so close.  But the consolation prize of Kalihiwai Beach wasn't bad.  We stayed at over 2 hours, playing in the sand, boogie boarding and body surfing.

 I did notice this surfboard memorial nailed to a tree for a certain Bruce Sinjin Perdue who died at a young age of 23 sometime in May 2012.  With a little bit of research, I found out he died in car accident driving home to his residence in Kilauea.  I've never been to Kalihiwai Beach before but it certainly looks like a small, tight-knit community and can only imagine how devastating it must be to lose someone so young to tragedy.  If I lived here, I would have my ashes spread here as well.