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Thursday, January
24th, 2002 |
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8:43 am - Hawaii - Day 5
Always 
the
daring adventurers, last night we decided to dine at Pacific Rim-type cuisine
place called Roy's Bar & Grill so Beth made an 8:15 PM reservation. Roy's
is located in the Po'ipu section of Kaua'i that is about a half-hour drive from
the Marriott. A very dark half-hour along roads that are not particularly well
marked. We got a map from the concierge that marked the way and then was re-marked
a little more clearly by the valet parking attendant. Beth navigated and I
drove. We found the restaurant with just a few minutes to spare, but retracing
our movements on the way back proved a little more daunting. When someone gives
you drive directions, the landmarks are usually only for one direction…turn
left at the Exxon station, etc. In theory, you should be able to retrace your
steps in the opposite direction. That is, turn right at Exxon station, right?
It never seems to work that way. At any rate, we missed a turn and, ten minutes
later, miraculously came back full circle to where we had made the mistake! We
had missed a turn onto what I had referred to on the inbound trip as "the
dark road" (real name: Mahuhia Road). We then properly hooked up with
Kaumualii Highway, but managed to pass the entrance to the Marriott. Once we
started climbing, we knew we had done it again and reversed ourselves finally
making it back to the hotel.
We had a wonderful meal at Roy's; an Asian fusion place owned by Roy Yamaguchi
that Beth knew of from her various culinary readings. We started with a flight
of saké. The flight consisted four different types saké, Wind, Sky, Rain and
Snow, moving from dry and clear (the saké we see mostly on the mainland)
through semi-dry to a sweet of the Snow. Perhaps that affected our drive home
adventure, eh? I started with some Wood Grilled Szechaun Baby-back Pork Ribs
that were out of this world while Beth tired some delicious Minted chicken and
Basil Spring Rolls. She proceeded on to a Macadamia Nut Crusted Hawaiian White
Fish while I stayed with an enhanced appetizer of an Escargot Cassoulet. We
finished by sharing a White Almond Ice Cream concoction.
This morning Beth has headed for a workout at the fitness center and I'm off for
some relaxing exploration.
10:43 pm - Hawaii - Day 5
(con't)
Under cloudy skies and with a 6:30 reservation at a restaurant called
Postcards, we headed up highways 51 and 56 through East and North Kauai to the
land called Hanalei. We didn't see Jackie Paper or Puff, but we did see a
reference or two about them in some of the shops once we got there. As with our
drive up East Oahu, some of the scenery is pretty fantastic, if not as dramatic
under the less sunny conditions.
We
stopped at the Princeville Hotel where we had drinks on the terrace called The
Living Room. An extraordinary site appeared in the mists before us. The
mountain that substituted for the famed view of the island Bali Hai in the
motion picture South Pacific was directly before us under ominous cloud cover.
As I downed something called a Shark Proof (two different Capt. Morgan's and a
floated ark rum among other things) and Beth sipped a Saketini (Saké added to a
traditional martini), she decided to give our friend Jim in New York a call on
the cell. A little over a year ago, Jim was sitting in this very spot as a
prize he received thanks to a drawing he won at Bloomingdale's department
store.
Our drive then continued to Hanalei where our drive guide warned us to listen
to a local radio station for possible flash flood warnings when bridges
sometimes become impassible. Beth shopped and I even got another Hawaiian shirt
from a place named, of all things, Hula Girl. I was somewhat overdressed for
the town of Hanalei merely by the circumstance of wearing long pants. This is
definitely a surfer's town and surf gear is unmistakably de rigueur.
Then on to Postcards restaurant where we both enjoyed the same fish called
Monjong (something like Halibut, but tastier and moister) with different
sauces. She had the Honey Ginger Dijon and I went with the Macadamia Butter
Sauce. I think I won that one. I also sampled a creamy crab, spinach and potato
soup. Yum. We managed again to skip dessert.
The drive home in the dark was somewhat hairy, but the major event was stopping
at one of the ubiquitous ABC stores and spending nearly $50 on I don't know
what.
Tomorrow morning we are scheduled for a helicopter tour of the island. This was
Beth's idea about which I am somehow enthusiastic and apprehensive at the same
time. Well, wish us luck.