Saluting the Sunset

A tradition of my folks is to "Salute the Sunset".

The idea is to take an umbrella drink (or a beer...) down to the water and watch the sun go down.  It is like a huge competition to see who witnesses the green flash.  We could actually name the event, "Hawaii Wavelength Watchers" or something like that... (Ocean = Waves, Green Flash = "longest" wavelength to be seen as the sun dips under the horizon.  Sorry I had to explain...)

After the storm, the green flash was hidden behind clouds, but it made for a beautiful sky and the alpen-glow was truly magical.

Alpenglow on those taking pics from the sand spit

Beautiful clouds

Looking down the way from us

The waves were bathed in pink - very lovely

 I had come with my folks to Kauai in December, 1991.  We stayed at the Stouffer Waiohai, watched turtles in the surf, whales running out in the channels and found the signature "W" palm trees.  My mom still has a beach towel from the Stouffer.  Hurricane Iniki wiped out most of Kauai in September 1992 and destroyed the Stouffer Waiohai.  Marriott bought the resort and built...  The Marriott Waiohai.  Now, we are staying at the same locale, different resort, same signature "W" palm trees...

Waiohai signature palm trees

And The Alarms Went Off...

The boys had all been put in bed, my folks had just gone to bed, Eric was in bed, I in the shower.  And then the disco began...  The strobe was going, the alarm ringing and I was thinking, "ARE YOU KIDDING?!?  I'M NAKED!!!  I hope this is a false alarm..."  Apparently Eric was thinking the same thing since he came in the bathroom as I had jumped out of the shower and was attempting to dry off/get dressed.

He shut the light off.

Nice.  "Trying to get dressed here..."

Eric, "I'll turn it back on" (thinking: when I am done going to the bathroom and I have gone back to bed...).

Note: the alarm is still going off.

Finally Eric leaves and goes back to bed (and turns the light back on).  I get dressed.  The whole while thinking, "PLEASE let the kids not wake up!"

My mom and dad come FLYING out of their room in a kerfluffle - clearly not accustomed to "modern day" fire alarms.

The alarm turned off.  Phew!  Mom and Dad?  Let's just say the only fire in the building was that their hair was on fire!

One unfortunate side-effect of all that rain was that it got inside one of the fire alarm units and shorted the signal.  This series of alarms went on for an hour or so.

And the boys slept on...  Thank you, Lord!

Wondering what the remuneration was?  Four mai tai tickets.  FOUR.  Not per person.  Not per adult.  Per unit.  Hmmmm...  I think they should have at least opened the bar...

And The Rain Came Down...

It rained 8 inches night before last and yesterday.  8 inches!  We, of course, went to go see what that looked like!!!

It looked like the boats were on land - or mud, as it were

The stream is rushing out under the bridge (right side), the water is more red than the sand, but the Honu do not seem to mind; one is poking its head up just in front of the boat's stern and another is underwater, right next to the boat.

Red, Red, water...

Muddy waves wash ashore

The stream that runs through Koloa Town is about twice its normal size.  The water has receded about 8 inches by this time - check the waterline near the awesome graffiti

Chased a Northern Cardinal all over the Kauai Coffee Plantation - they seem to really love the coffee bushes!

Beautiful Pink Plumeria tree

Boys crossing the swinging bridge in Hanapepe to check out the rushing river.  Dougie turned tail and came back to me.

Then darted out across the bridge, chirping,  "I'm going to cross the bridge now".  I think Stefan on the other side was a motivator...

Ian crossed the bridge.  Mummy and Grammie stayed on the platform...

Passed this Buddhist Temple a couple of times thinking, "What a pretty house!" 

The Waiohai pond back within its borders (taken late afternoon - previous photo taken in morning)

And The Thunder Rolls...

Eric and I were awoken last night by an unhappy Ian.  After dealing with his woes, I was awake enough to be listening to the thunder in the distance.  I became more awake the longer I laid there.

So I got up to watch the light show.  Turned out to be a good one!  The sky was lit up and the thunder was soon to follow.  I did not see many bolts as they were apparently behind us.  The rain was coming down hard, but came down even harder the longer I sat there.  A bolt shot down behind the building in front of me and thunder cracked immediately.  WOW!  I sure expected to have a few more members to this light show audience.  But (thankfully), they slept on.

The sky lit up, the rain came down

After about an hour, my dad came out and joined me.  We went walking the halls to see if we could get a better view.  Another 45 minutes later, we both headed back to bed when the rain had calmed (to just a steady rain) and the thunder became more background noise.

Birds taking shelter on the window railings

Waiohai pond overflowing its banks this morning

This morning, Mom and I went to an "area orientation" and won a two-for-one Na Pali Coastline boat trip.  Eric's answer to going?  "No way!"  Mom had already bowed out.  Dad?  Stefan?  Come on!  The waterfalls should be great...

The lightening/thunder lasted most of the day, so the pools were closed.  The boys played games and then we all went for a drive to check out the rivers and such (more later)!

Stefan sandwich!

Can't breathe, Daddy!

Daddy sandwich!!!

Some Daily Joys

One thing we have missed while in Japan is a good, thick, juicy hamburger.  And great micro-brews.

First stop?  The Feral Pig (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60623-d2305229-Reviews-The_Feral_Pig-Lihue_Kauai_Hawaii.html) for an incredible burger and super hoppy IPA (Maui Brewing Brewing Company's Big Swell IPA http://www.mauibrewingco.com/mbc/MBCCannedBeer.html).  OISHII KATA!!!

Some of our other daily joys here have been:

The train store next door to the Feral Pig.  No complaining while we waited for our food!

Stefan looking longingly into the toy store window - and not asking if he could buy something...

The chickens that roosted on our deck.  Dougie getting a kick out of "catching" it under the coffee table.

Stefan comforting his little brother as Dougie sobbed for the baby gecko I put outside, ("He may get eaten by a CHICKEN!!!")

Ian's GREAT BIG HAIR when he wakes up

Ian attempting to help with breakfast: put knife into Nutella ("Chocolate, please, Mummy!!!")

Pulling the knife out - WOW! It is goopy... and blows in the wind...
Considering sticking knife in mouth and skipping the toast...

The Nutella-stache

Koi Feeding

I am not sure who gets more excitement from the Koi feeding, the kids or the Koi...

Holding Ian out, over the pond, so he can try to touch a Koi too

Dougie attempting to get the koi to swim on top of a rock to vacuum up its food...

A gentleman helps Dougie and Ian, practicing for when his grandkids show up the next day!

Anini Beach

After a little sustenance at Hanalei Gourmet: http://www.hanaleigourmet.com/location.html,

and a wee nap for some, we...

did some 4x4'ing in the Jeep (OK, just a misplaced parking block...)

made our way to Anini Beach for beach combing

Dougie finds some branch coral

were greeted by a rainbow!

dug for crabs, but only found Pop's finger :(

 

waded in the water

Dug our toes in the sand

could see the lighthouse from the beach

realized that I really, really need to clean my lens...