Aloha, part 4

SO many more photographs… haven’t even begun to edit the helicopter trip photographs!

Anyway as a wee change from the scenery/landscapes that I’ve been posting, I thought I’d post some people pics. Most of these were taken with my compact (Fuji F900exr) so the quality isn’t as good, plus the lighting was bad at the Luau, but I think the atmosphere of the time was captured pretty well, so no, they’re not perfect shots, but they tell a story.

Hula dancers

Telling the story, through dance, of the first people to settle in the Hawaiian islands from Polynesia.

Beautiful Hula dancer

As I said, not the greatest photographs, but a great memory.

Hawaiian dancer

Laka

At the Luau we attended we sat next to some friendly people who were happy to tell us their life stories. A lot of people we talked to had been in the military and stationed there at one time or another and kept coming back. I think Hawaii must have that kind of effect on people.

We met some fascinating people in Kauai, everyone was so friendly and relaxed. The ‘Hang-loose’ atmosphere was evident everywhere.

One guy we talked to at the airport had flown over 400 helicopter missions in Vietnam and as he told us “Only got shot down 5 times”….. People kept coming up to him and shaking his hand and once he started talking to us another man told us the reason why he was being mobbed. He was so genuine and really down-to-earth and funny! Aren’t people great?

 

Tiki carver

The local crafts were fabulous. We packed so much into a week that it would be impossible to relay it all, but I’m throwing up the next set of photographs as a quick guide to ‘things-to-see-in-Kauai.’

Tikis

Coffee plantation

Unfortunately I’m not a coffee drinker (but I love the smell of coffee) so this visit was more for my mum and sister. Kauai Coffee Company has over 4 million coffee trees grown on 3,100 acres.

Coffee beans (I think?)

Leis

On the Friday evening there was an arts, food and music festival at Hanapepe. We had fun strolling the streets, listening to the music and popping in and out of shops. Of course being an ex-library employee and total bookworm they had to drag me out of the bookshop – the farthest west bookshop in the USA.

Bookshop, Hanapepe, Kauai

Arts and crafts shop, Hanapepe

Cool truck, Hanapepe

Elephit

We saw these notices everywhere and after a quick Google (what would we do without Google?) found out that it was a clothing company in Kauai that donates 100% of it’s profits to saving the elephants. Very cool, eh?

CHICKEN!!

Whenever we saw a chicken we had to yell out “CHICKEN!!” Yeah, childish but fun. This particular one was walking around under the tables at the restaurant one morning when we were eating breakfast. Pretty, isn’t he?

Allerton Garden Jurassic Trees, plus tour guide

The place he’s standing in is the exact spot where Dr. Alan Grant discovered the T-Rex eggs in Jurassic Park. The tour of Allerton Gardens in Kauai was fascinating, even for non-gardeners like myself. These Moreton Bay Fig trees were enormous and very cool for photography (more pics of them to come). The tour guide was equally fascinating. He was one of many people we spoke to who had decided Kauai was the place for them. He back-packed there 40 years ago and never left again. So many people had told us the same sort of story. I guess there’s something about the Hawaiian lifestyle that just grabs people and captures their imagination.

Shaka!