hawaii 07

lunch at pizzetta

historic hanapepe

theater in hanapepe

western-most bookstore in the US

outside an art gallery in hanapepe

having a virgin maitai at the luau kalamaku

luau food

Short Version

Day 07: Poipu, Koloa, Hanapepe, Lihue (for the Luau Kalamaku)

Wore: daytime - thrifted linen pants and J. Crew "york" shirt, Old Navy flip flops, nighttime - Down East tee (gift), thrifted cardi, thrifted linen pants, Born sandals

Dined: Pizzetta, Luau Kalamaku

Activities: snorkeling, gallery stroll in Hanapepe, Luau Kalamaku

Long Version

Only two days of Hawaii left! On day seven we went snorkeling. We rented masks and fins from our hotel, and went to a beach in Poipu. I was kind of terrified, because let's face it: I'm not a swimmer. I was pleasantly surprised to find that snorkeling is actually pretty easy! I just floated on the surface, and most areas were shallow enough I could touch the ground or quickly reach somewhere where I could. I only got a few dings on my legs from rocks on the ocean floor, and my mask only leaked the few times I smiled or squealed when the fish came too close! We brought some cooked rice to entice the fish, which A craftily kept in his pocket, and it really worked! We saw so many cool fish.

After rinsing off at the beach, we had lunch in Koloa at Pizzetta. A had a calzone, the parents split a shrimp pizza, and I had a grilled ono fish sandwich with pasta. It was excellente. Pizzetta also sells gelato, so I got a salt pond caramel sugar cone on the way out, and it was fantastic. 

We then headed to Hanapepe, where they have a gallery stroll every Friday. We walked around the galleries and shops, and visited the western-most bookstore in the US. It was sort of heavenly, with books stacked haphazardly on every flat surface but the floor.

We also went to a luau on day seven. To get a good deal, we attended a time share presentation earlier in the week for Shell Properties (or something). We had a pep talk beforehand, about how no one would ask questions, provide excuses, or show interest, so we got out of there pretty fast. The salesman was actually really nice, and we didn't feel pressured at all. They also gave us $40, which was unexpected and really nice.

We went to Luau Kalamaku, which was at the Kilohana Plantation in Lihue. We visited the plantation earlier in the week, I think I forgot to mention it. The old house is still there, now filled with shops and a restaurant. There is a train you can take around, but it is expensive, as are the tours. We thought we could just walk around the plantation, but as we got to the area where they grow papayas, avocados, pineapples, etc., we were promptly asked to leave by a staff member wielding a large knife! He was actually part of a tour that was tasting fruits, hence the knife, but we joked about it the rest of the week anyway.

Back to the Luau. We got there, and there was confusion about our table. First the waiter said that the table they had assigned us wasn't even set, so I mentioned that we would love to sit close to the stage. He made an inquiry, and then took us to the table literally furthest from the circular stage (but close to one of the buffets). We were a little disappointed, but we settled down with our drinks and enjoyed the food. Here's what we had: fresh coconut meat and pineapple, purple sweet potato rolls, fresh papaya, salad, mac salad, thai coconut chicken, chow mein, white rice, khalua pork, that taro stuff, pineapple upside-down cake, chocolate cheesecake, rice pudding, and banana cream pie. The food wasn't great, but I didn't expect it to be. It was adequately good.

After we ate, they had a brief break before the start of the show (during dinner they had live music and some hula dancers). A waiter approached our table, and said he had a seat closer to the stage for us. We ended up really close, at a table for four, between the band stage and the circular stage where the dancers were. It was so cool! I love to watch people dance, probably because I can't do it and so I admire it a lot. The fire dancers were especially cool. Plus, the musicians were excellent, and everything was live. Overall, a great show. Even my Dad liked it, who was perhaps the most skeptical of the luau experience!

It was a great way to spend our last night in Kauai.

As we walked back to our car after the Luau, there were some puddles in the pathway. I was walking out front, and warned the rest of the group of a particularly large puddle. Immediately after my warning, A stepped in the puddle! It wouldn't have been funny if I hadn't just said, don't step in the puddle! I'm mostly posting this story here so I can remember it later.


After the Luau, we went to Walmart and got some Locals flip flops and chocolate covered macadamia nuts. They were cheaper at Walmart than even at the ABC store, fyi. We chose the macnut-toffee-chocolate-powdered sugar ones that A's sister always brings back from visiting her in-laws, and then a new flavor: macnut-coconut-chocolate. Oh, they are so good.