Boys in Business Class

Our flight home was delayed several hours, but not until we were through security and stuck at the gate. That was the bad news.

The good news is that we got a complimentary upgrade to business class.

Wailua Falls

On our way to the airport, we stopped by the Wailua Falls. The falls are a drive-up view, by which I mean you drive down a road, park, and there you are.


The falls look about the same as they did in 2005.

2005:


2013:


Well, except this time there are more sightseers.


There is a prominent sign reminding all that vending is prohibited at the falls, but that doesn't mean there isn't any vending going on.

Boys with tattoos

Debris

When the trees in your backyard start dropping huge fronds and such, that might be a sign from the Hawaiian gods that your vacation is coming to a close.

Sunning

Shave ice

I was not as shave ice obsessed as I was in 2005, but the boys and I still tried several versions. This one is from the store across the way from Brennecke Beach. It's from a decidedly inferior machine (starts with ice cubes instead of a big block of ice, resulting in a coarser grind), but delightful nonetheless.

Makewehi Lithified Cliffs

After lunch, we reprised one of our hikes from 2005.

We started at the Grand Hyatt.




And from there, we hiked the Makewehi Lithified Cliffs.














As in 2005, we hiked to Gillin's Beach, and then turned back.





We also had after-hike silly cocktails at the Grand Hyatt.

Hamura Saimin

On our last Monday in Kauai, Sigrid's parents watched the kids while we got away for a bit. We had lunch at Hamura Saimin, which is Kauai's oldest (50+ years) and best known saimin shop. Saimin is a Hawaiian noodle creation, sort of a cross between ramen, Chinese hand-pulled noodles, and Filipino noodles.

Hamura Saimin was honored as an American classic by the James Beard Foundation. Businessmen are rumored to fly from Honolulu just to have lunch here. We figured we should give it a try.



The menu is pretty simple.


We got a regular...

...and a special.


Pretty good, but maybe I just prefer ramen.

Poipu Kai stroll

Poipu Point is dotted with resorts. The Villas, where we were, are on the west side of the point. The point juts into the ocean southward. The Grand Hyatt is on the east side of the point. There's a sidewalk that you can take between the Villas and the Grand Hyatt. Here it is.





And here's the Grand Hyatt, at the other end.

Back to Baby Beach

The reason Baby Beach is a beach for babies is that it has a bay-within-a-bay that is protected by rocks that almost turn it into a pool. In this inner bay, the water is only a few feet deep and the bottom is white sand. It's not very good for snorkeling (though there are a few fish over by the rocks), but it's very baby friendly.


Very good for kids who want to haul buckets of water back and forth.


Gary managed to be the pied piper of Baby Beach. Most notably, he managed to do this while seated. He sat, the kids (including complete strangers) flocked.


Nice brim, Soren.

Luau Kalamaku

We went to the Kilohana Plantation for a luau. Boys were given shell necklaces, while the women got leis. Anders preferred the lei, so commandeered one.



Before the luau, we took a train tour of the plantation.



We took Mai Tais and Blue Hawaiians with us for the ride. Here's my Blue Hawaiian.


In addition to seeing where they grow lots of tropical fruit, we stopped to feed some animals.


The children were given bread to throw. The goats courted the children aggressively.




After the train tour, we went in for the luau.


There was some dancing while the pig finished roasting.


Here's the pig.


(The shredded pig was brought to the buffet mere minutes after the pig was brought in, suggesting that maybe the pig we ate had been roasted the night before.)

More dancing.




The pit area, post-pig.


Anders is enjoying the evening.


The band.



And now, the main performance - "an original recreation... of one family′s courageous voyage from Tahiti to Hawaii; a passionate tale of life, love and devotion."








Fire dance!












Finale!


Bows.


The performers stuck around afterwards for pictures.


Anders was awestruck, and too shy to get his picture taken unless Sigrid went with him.