Humuhumunukunukuapua'a
Mar. 7th, 2012 09:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shannon_aThe final two requirements of a Hawaiian trip were met today. I saw a picasso triggerfish while swimming and Kimberly and I played Lost Cities.
First, though, a few things I missed from yesterday.
I didn't mention that on our trip to Kapa'a, we saw some considerable flooding. The highway was mostly OK, but there were numerous parking lots which were entirely covered with water, also a golf course that had water all over the green. My dad said it was even worse when he was forced to go up there the day before (due to water going through the wall of one of his rentals). Apparently some of this flooding made the national news. Yes, it was impressive.
Also up in Kapa'a we saw what was apparently the island's only Hare Krishna. She was dressed in pretty heavy clothes, robotically chanting, and spinning around in the sidewalk in such a way as to usually take up all of it. We had to quickly dart around her to avoid getting smacked as we trudged through the cold, gray rain.
Also yesterday, when I went swimming, I discovered that I didn't have a towel afterward. Not a problem heatwise, as it was perfectly nice in Lawai, so I wasn't cold or anything. But I didn't want to sit down in the car until my suit was a little drier.
So, my dad and I hiked about a bit, first circling the Beach House, then some fancy hotel. Then we came to the Prince Kuhio Park, which is across the street from the waterfront. I know that Kimberly & I saw it when we here in 2001, and I'm going to have to find my paper journal from that period to see what I said about it. But, I don't think we ever walked around it, like my dad & I did yesterday.
It's got all kinds of walls made out of red stones, with a big water area in the middle, in a large pit that's a couple of feet below the rest of the area. In the back there's rock piled out into a very large area that reminds me of a bandstand or something. It all looks like old and authentic Hawaiian rockwork, and today it's almost totally deserted, with no one bothering to wander around it (except my dad & me).
The whole park marks the birthplace of Prince Kuhio. The nearby hotels also bear the name "Prince Kuhio". He was the last heir to the royal throne and a representative to congress in the early 20th century when Hawaii was still a territory. This appears to be him, though it doesn't reference the park. One of the scant descriptions of the park says that we were looking at the "foundations of the family home, a royal fishpond, and a shrine". (The shrine was a little monument to Kuhio that I didn't mention, as it was much more recent work than all the stones.)
So, back to today. As you may guess from my Humuhumunukunukuapua'a sighting, I did end up swimming. It was a beautiful day, so we went out to Poipu. Not only was it packed full of people, but the fish were back. I saw lots more of the scaly guys, including the rare fourspot butterfly fish and the aforementioned picasso triggerfish. Great swimming for the last day.
After lunch and a nap, we went out for dinner (ah, that's living, eh?) at the Keoki's Restaurant, which Kimberly & I hadn't been to since our 2001 visit. We got their sunset specials, and there was great food all around. I got calimari for an appetizer, shrimp & chicken with some Japanese seasoning as my main course, and chocolate mousse for my desert. Very delicious. Kimberly & I got to treat, which was nice after my parents put us up for the week (and put up with us).
This evening I talked with the folks for a long while, then finally retired downstairs to get things packed up. I'm mostly ready to go, but we'll have a very leisurely morning, as our plane leaves at about noon and I'll be up at about 7 or so.
First, though, a few things I missed from yesterday.
I didn't mention that on our trip to Kapa'a, we saw some considerable flooding. The highway was mostly OK, but there were numerous parking lots which were entirely covered with water, also a golf course that had water all over the green. My dad said it was even worse when he was forced to go up there the day before (due to water going through the wall of one of his rentals). Apparently some of this flooding made the national news. Yes, it was impressive.
Also up in Kapa'a we saw what was apparently the island's only Hare Krishna. She was dressed in pretty heavy clothes, robotically chanting, and spinning around in the sidewalk in such a way as to usually take up all of it. We had to quickly dart around her to avoid getting smacked as we trudged through the cold, gray rain.
Also yesterday, when I went swimming, I discovered that I didn't have a towel afterward. Not a problem heatwise, as it was perfectly nice in Lawai, so I wasn't cold or anything. But I didn't want to sit down in the car until my suit was a little drier.
So, my dad and I hiked about a bit, first circling the Beach House, then some fancy hotel. Then we came to the Prince Kuhio Park, which is across the street from the waterfront. I know that Kimberly & I saw it when we here in 2001, and I'm going to have to find my paper journal from that period to see what I said about it. But, I don't think we ever walked around it, like my dad & I did yesterday.
It's got all kinds of walls made out of red stones, with a big water area in the middle, in a large pit that's a couple of feet below the rest of the area. In the back there's rock piled out into a very large area that reminds me of a bandstand or something. It all looks like old and authentic Hawaiian rockwork, and today it's almost totally deserted, with no one bothering to wander around it (except my dad & me).
The whole park marks the birthplace of Prince Kuhio. The nearby hotels also bear the name "Prince Kuhio". He was the last heir to the royal throne and a representative to congress in the early 20th century when Hawaii was still a territory. This appears to be him, though it doesn't reference the park. One of the scant descriptions of the park says that we were looking at the "foundations of the family home, a royal fishpond, and a shrine". (The shrine was a little monument to Kuhio that I didn't mention, as it was much more recent work than all the stones.)
So, back to today. As you may guess from my Humuhumunukunukuapua'a sighting, I did end up swimming. It was a beautiful day, so we went out to Poipu. Not only was it packed full of people, but the fish were back. I saw lots more of the scaly guys, including the rare fourspot butterfly fish and the aforementioned picasso triggerfish. Great swimming for the last day.
After lunch and a nap, we went out for dinner (ah, that's living, eh?) at the Keoki's Restaurant, which Kimberly & I hadn't been to since our 2001 visit. We got their sunset specials, and there was great food all around. I got calimari for an appetizer, shrimp & chicken with some Japanese seasoning as my main course, and chocolate mousse for my desert. Very delicious. Kimberly & I got to treat, which was nice after my parents put us up for the week (and put up with us).
This evening I talked with the folks for a long while, then finally retired downstairs to get things packed up. I'm mostly ready to go, but we'll have a very leisurely morning, as our plane leaves at about noon and I'll be up at about 7 or so.