Soft and Easy Kauai

Hawaii has been soft, comfortable and easy. Hawaii has English menus, great soft sand beaches and a gentle tropical climate. It doesn't have any bugs, but it does have food we can recognize, Starbucks and Mai Tais. What more could you ask for? Well, it’s been almost too easy.

Those of you who know us well, and, in particular the way we usually travel, will realize that this is not the norm for us.  We haven’t encountered any poisonous snakes, food that would make a Survivor winner blanch, dangerous hikes in the dead of night up a Chinese holy mountain, or any of the other hazards that normally make our journeys more “interesting.” If you don’t remember these, reread our blogs.

In fact, the only danger so far has been too much sun, surf and a surfeit of food.  Well, okay, the hula dancing on a moving cruise ship was a trifle dangerous and the photos were potentially damaging to my reputation, but, other than that, it has been a cakewalk. Why, I remember sliding from side to side in a plastic chair across the floor of our cruise ship in the Galapagos during a gale while trying to watch “Titanic.” Now that was no cakewalk! Staring down a poisonous green viper in Borneo. That was interesting!

Plumeria (Frangipani)

The reality is, however, that this sojourn in Hawaii was meant to be a slow and graceful transition into our arduous seven-month adventure in Asia and Africa.  It’s Carolann’s vacation after working hard to finish up her work assignment before starting her self-funded leave. We know that our upcoming hiking expeditions in Bhutan and Nepal, and our visit to India will test our stamina and stomachs as much as any of our previous trips.

In fact, I had two extra notches drilled into my belt in anticipation of the weight loss I usually experience on my travels to South America and Asia. So far, I’m still at the same hole I was when I left Canada. Which, I guess is a good thing given the amount of luau pork, “Shave Ice” stuffed with Macadamia Nut ice cream and Mai Tais that I have consumed over the last week. Not to mention the American-sized meal portions.

Yes, Kauai has been laid back and soft. It’s just like being back home, but with 85 F temperatures, gentle cooling breezes at night, and surfers on the waves at every beach we visit. Add a luau or two, Mai Tais and a verdant tropical Bali Hai scenery everywhere we look and it’s pretty much the same, right?

Pink Ginger (Alpinia purpurata) 

Spider Lily

Kauai is the oldest of the Hawaiian islands and it has everything, except night life and too much development. The north has rough, rugged surf and mountains, but it’s blessed with soft, golden sand beaches and lush, tropical rain forests. The east coast has sunshine, more beaches and a sedate bike trail along the Coconut Coast. The south shore is gentler and dotted with more beaches and historic sugar plantations and resorts (but not overly developed like Mexico).

The west coast is different again with a dry, arid climate, great hiking trails and a Jurassic Park landscape. In fact, parts of it were used for the films “Jurassic Park,” “King Kong” and the opening scene of M*A*S*H where the helicopter flies over the mountain top.

So, today we drove from Lihue down to the south coast and around the bottom of the island to the west coast to hike into Waimea Canyon. It’s touted in the guidebooks as the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific.” But at 10 miles long and 3,000 feet deep, it’s a fraction of the size of the real Grand Canyon in Arizona.

Waimea Canyon

The colours of the red volcanic soil contrasted dramatically with the black volcanic rock and the patches of green vegetation clinging desperately to the sides of the dusty, dry canyon walls. It was even more dramatic when the sun highlighted this colourful patchwork and several helicopters buzzed by so far below us that they looked like tiny mosquitos. They really did demonstrate how deep the canyon was.

But in all honesty, it compares poorly to Australia’s Rainbow Canyon for stunning colourful vistas or even Argentina’s Valle Fertil with its archaeological interest and cathedral-like spires. The views of Waimea Canyon from the few lookouts are limited and restricted.

In fact, the most exciting parts about our visit were when a hunting dog came dashing down the road looking lost, but safely wearing his radio tracking collar (they hunt wild pigs in the mountains) and the sinuous, winding, and quite dangerous 11-mile drive up into the mountains to the canyon.

My friend Gerry would love racing up there on his Harley. Carolann, on the other hand, kept cringing at every corner and begging me to slow down as the car edged closer to the cliff side and the oncoming cars crossed the centerline to try to clip my mirror. It was quite a roller-coaster ride, but the Subaru Impreza that we had rented was more than capable. Not fun for Carolann, though.

Last night, however, was fun for both of us. We did our first real Luau! The Luau Kalamaku at the Kilohana Plantation had pig roasted in an underground pit wrapped in banana leaves for almost 10 hours then unearthed in time for dinner. Later, an avant-garde stage performance told the story of the Polynesian journey across the oceans to Hawaii.

Pig Roasting in a Pit

Pig Wrapped in Banana Leaves

Hula dancers, Hawaiian singers and an incredible flaming baton artist put on a dazzling show. The young flame juggler was actually a Tahitian who taught himself the art of spinning and tossing the flaming sticks. It took him nine years and, as he told me afterwards, “hundreds of burns” to perfect his act. In the darkened open-air theatre, he had everyone cheering. Some of the dancers performed a skit right out of Cirque de Soleil twirling flaming poi balls on ropes. In fact, one of them was actually from Montreal.

The food at the luau was traditional – shredded pork, fish, purple yams and poi. Now, we had been warned about poi, a traditional and very typical Hawaiian treat.  Slightly mauve/purple in colour and with the consistency of gravy, it looked and tasted more like wallpaper paste than any treat I have ever had.

The hostess explained that they had never run out of it at any all-you-can eat buffet. Perhaps, she said, it would go down better with sugar or chili sauce. “What’s the point?” I asked. Well, it turns out that poi is made from Taro and is one of the most nutritious, well-balanced foods on the planet. So much so, that Gerber’s actually puts it into their baby foods. The good news is that the bartender at the open bar made a fantastic Mai Tai, and it almost removed the Elmer’s Glue taste from my mouth. Well, two did.

Part of the luau experience was a ride on the plantation’s authentic train pulled by an original 1948 GE locomotive. It was supposed to be a tour of the plantation’s 103-acre historic plantation’s fruit orchards featuring banana, papaya and other tropical fruit trees. I learned that the banana tree is actually not a tree at all, but rather the world’s largest herb. Hmmm! I also learned that papaya juice is great for counteracting jellyfish stings.

Unfortunately, the train got stuck about a quarter of the way around the track because the rails were too cold and wet from an earlier rain. After several unsuccessful attempts to back up and take a run at the slight incline that bested the 1948 relic, accompanied by all of us chanting “I think I can, I think I can…,” the train that could, couldn’t, and we had to back up to the station.

We didn’t quite make it all the way, however, and had to disembark and walk back to the plantation. Doug, the 25-year old engineer was very apologetic. The glib conductor who was the narrator for the tour, was equally apologetic, but then punished us by doing a terrible karaoke version of one of his favourite pub-crawling songs as we inched our way backwards. Ouch! That was worse than the walk back in the rain.

Oh, did I mention it rains a lot on Kauai. They call it “blessings” here – hence the tropical, lush forests that cover the mountains and line the highway on all but the west coast. Kauai is known as the “Wettest Spot on Earth” and we were told the north shore was the worst for rainfall.

But the winner of the title of "Wettest Spot on Earth" is Mt. Waialeale in the deep interior of Kauai, where the average annual rainfall is an incredible 486 inches (over 40 feet). That’s right near the spot we hiked to in Waimea Canyon today.

Wettest Spot on Earth

We, however, have been exceptionally lucky, because it has only rained heavily at night, and we have had only a few rain showers during the day, with the exception of the one day we took the ruined train ride.

Our own little blessings have been the constant trade winds and the surrounding ocean that keep the climate comfortable all year round and provide a natural cooling breeze in spite of the 85 F temperature. The yummy “Shave Ices” help too.

Slow down, you're movin' too fast

So all in all, it has been incredibly comfortable here in Kauai and we have quickly settled in to the slow, laid-back style of life that Hawaiians and the friendly people of Kauai are famous for.

Tomorrow we are heading back to Honolulu for our flight to Manila. It will be interesting to see how long our state of Hawaiian bliss lasts once we return to the big city.

Traveler, Be Brave (Carolann's Story)

(This and other stories by Carolann can be found at Maturetraveler)
 
We're transiting to Kauai, the first island north of Oahu. The flight is hardly one hour from Honolulu and I look out the window onto the sea and wonder how the Polynesians crossed these waters in an outrigger canoe. Such bravery.

We've been in Hawaii now for five days and I'm discovering that it does indeed live up to its reputation for tropical beauty. Kauai is not over-developed, nor is its capital, Lihue, frantic or commercial. For this menopausal traveler, I'm delighted to find a place that actually doesn't annoy me.

We converted our timeshare property through the international RCI program in order to book into the Wyndham Bali Hai Resort in Princeville. This north part of the island of Kauai is the "rainy" side since the trade winds catch on the mountain peaks and drop their load, especially in the winter months (Jan/Feb) but it can happen any time. Golf courses love it. Tourists put up with it.

Development has come late to this part of the island and the resorts are generally new and frequently time-shares. Though the rain so far has been a mere sun shower, when it came, we just picked up and drove thirty minutes southeast for the sunshine of Ka'paa.

The Wyndham Bali Hai property is fast becoming our best time share experience. There's no hard-sell by the office, just a smiling invitation to an "orientation" breakfast the next morning and a quick retreat upon its decline. Since I'm schooled on the pressure one gets in Mexico at a time-share, I instinctively show my teeth and spit "no"; my body language adds, "back-off". Dan tugs on my shoulder bag and calms me. He understands that I may still need more time to unwind. He's hoping that menopause will go away in Hawaii.  

The resort is tucked into a richly landscaped residential community abutting a golf course, which in turn, is back-dropped by the mountains. There are two swimming pools within the complex and each one has a patio area with multiple propane BBQs for our use. Artfully placed waterfalls muffle driveway noise and reinforce the Hawaii brand. Most of the guests, like ourselves, are mature travelers; it's quiet at night.

There's a paved walking path along the single-lane road that sees moderate traffic during the day. We walked a few kilometres one morning to where it ends at the gracious St. Regis Resort (see below). Along the way there are stunning ocean views. We're high up on the cliff. With so many attractive hibiscus in flower and red-crested cardinals along the route, we were out two hours without noticing.

Each day we explore more of the coastal road which tunnels through woods of monkey paw tress and we want to stop and put this on film, but it's impossible. The road is narrow and winding with no place to stop. Then we emerge into the sun and it's behind us. The open sea cliffs lie ahead flanked by soaring green mountains.

It's been five days since we arrived on Kauai. Perhaps after much complex and intense planning to support seven months of travel, I'm unwinding like the coastal road. The signs tell drivers to slow down, and they do. Day by day, I can feel myself falling into this pace. Case in point. Yesterday I realized I forgot to pack a bathing suit. Who comes to Hawaii without a bathing suit? Last month I would have broken down, spilled tears, and some ill-placed object would be broken.

 Note to self: retire to Hawaii.

Yesterday we were in Ka'paa for bike riding. Although we eagerly took a full day rental from Coconut Coasters ($21 including helmet, lock, and basket) hoping to ride up into the mountains, we threw in the towel after only four hours, including our picnic lunch (see recipe below).

The fact is, the best and most scenic biking is only along the four-mile, paved coastal path. In fact the path is fabulous for a wheelchair as well, or even power-strolling your grand child. But biking on the narrow, twisty main roadway and even the narrower, corkscrewing side roads is the land equivalent of braving the big surf.

Biking is just recreational. You must have a car here to get around. Knowing this from friends, we booked a rental car well ahead and found a good rate from Hertz by pre-paying online through Hot Wire ($196 USD/week for a Suberu Impreza).

We collected our car at the Lihu'e Airport, the main town of Kauai and about fifty minutes from Princeville.

With two exceptions, the St. Regis and the Hanalei Colony Resort, accommodation in the area of Princeville is not on the beach. You must drive for groceries, restaurants, and even to the lovely beach of Hanalei Bay, though it's less than ten minutes away. Today, we drove to the very end of the road to start a hike into the mountain. It's a rough path with lots of rocky, uneven surfaces and it's straight up. After half an hour we decided enough of this. We'd rather twist an ankle in the ocean, so we headed to the surf of Hanalei Bay.

Along the way we stopped at Haena Bay Beach and discovered how much difference a few kilometres make in the quality of beaches. Today the surf was strong and, unlike other beach bays, there's no protective reef, so the waves break hard onto shore. There's such a strong backwash and powerful rip currents that the sand bowls under the erosive force of the surf.  Still, I'm mesmerized by these obviously dangerous waters. Not only does the cresting wave submerge and pulverize brave (or stupid) swimmers each year, I see how the retreating surf would dig a grave for its victim as it sucks back the sand in one, angry, intentional motion.

Dan's not aware of the big one behind him

While it's not calm in Hanalei Bay, it's not dangerous, despite red flags. Life guards are on duty. Dan and I body surfed until the school bell rang and the mop-headed pros took to the waves. We watched the action from shore until Dan suddenly realized he had forgotten his custom-moulded orthothics in a suitcase stored in our friend's locker. With four weeks of hiking in the Himalaya in front of us, I admire his calm. In spite of the progress I'm making here in Hawaii, if it had been me, I'd require sedation.

We pack up and walk to the parking lot.

Arriving in his pick-up truck (the second most common vehicle next to rented convertibles), a 60-year-old surfer-dude lifts his board out of the back. He tells me that the marine reports are talking about big swells over the next 24 hours. It's a full moon.

"I can teach you how to mount the board and you'll see that you'll be able to catch a wave in no time," he brags.

"I guarantee it will catch me first," I reply.

"I'm hearing fear," he responds. "Traveler. Be brave."

Then he disappears to catch his wave.

Note to self: Traveler. Be brave. Suffer the small stuff.

************

Grocery Logistics 

I know you're saying "who cares" by now. Trivia. Space-filler! 

The reason why I wish to share my sandwich recipe is because when you spend a week at a time-share, a good cook is challenged. Time-share regulars may, like me, travel with baggies of Montreal Steak Spice, oregano, flour, and other staples... and we take our chances through customs. Still, there's never enough flavourings.  

And another reason why we're not buying a lot of groceries here is because they're expensive!  

As usual, our first job at a time share is to stock the fridge. I experience my first disappointment about Hawaii in the cost of food. 

Dan says, "suck it up". 

He is so not a cook. 

One lemon is $1.79; $1.25 for one potato. One carrot, one dollar! I will never again complain about food prices at home. An island has a downside.  

Here's the routine:

At the beginning of the week, I buy, among other things, cheese,  a few local vegetables, two lemons, avocado, some mixed deli olives, and one roaster chicken. I strip off the legs to make one meal BBQ'd with Montreal Steak Spice; de-bone and de-skin the breasts, marinate in lemon, flour, and pan-fry for a second meal; boil the carcass with onion, half of a spent lemon, salt and pepper for a third meal of thick soup with added carrot and potato. The cooked meat from the carcass will be the core of the sandwich.

Needless to say, we interject eating out throughout the week for some variety.

I have no mayonnaise therefore I mix the chicken pieces in the flavoured oil at the bottom of the mixed olives. Then smash some ripe avocado with lemon, use it to butter the bread (toasted first) and then stack the chicken, sliced tomato, lettuce, and sliced cheese. Wrapped tightly (saved plastic from fruit purchases) and in our back-packs, after three hours of biking in the hot sun, voila, the cheese will have melted and you have something like a chicken pannini. Bring napkins.

Dinner

Accommodations

Wyndham Bali Hai Resort

Our one-bedroom suite is spacious, has wide corridors and doorways (easy for a wheelchair to navigate but with notice the management will need to lay in a ramp for the few steps at entry). It's well appointed with all the usual audio-visual toys, stainless steel cookware, a full sized fridge, dishwasher, and washer/dryer. The dressing room is separated from the bath and toilet so couples can co-exist in harmony. This unit however doesn't have a separate shower. The tub, a jacuzzi, is high and difficult to step over.

Surprisingly, there's no air conditioning, which is great for our sinuses but a curiosity nevertheless. We discovered, as everyone does who comes to Hawaiifor the first time, that the ocean breeze provides constant cooling. Air-born sun hats are casualties of the phenomenon.

St. Regis

St. Regis

The St. Regis Resort is very new and built into a slice of an outcrop that forms one corner of the iconic, crescent-shaped Hanalei Bay Beach. It is very wheel-chair friendly in that you can get to the garden level by elevator and then walk along a ramp. At this level, there's the pool, an outdoor restaurant on various terrace levels and then there's grass to the small, private beach (a tiny tip of Hanalei Beach). This is an upscale hotel and yes it's large but it gave us good vibes. The staff were helpful and not at all disdainful of travelers in clunky hiking boots. I think it's worth researching discount deals for this hotel. At between $300 - $500 per night, it's too rich for Dan and I, but if you travel less and want to put more into each outing, the St. Regis is for you.

Hanalei Colony Resort

Another resort directly on the beach is the Hanalei Colony Resort. This is a resort of two-bedroom units, very small compared to our time-share. In fact, I'd be inclined to use the second bedroom for our luggage it's so small. The outstanding feature here is the waterfront. You are really on the beach although you'll pay lots more for a unit that is directly ocean facing. The beach is very rough now and you cannot swim. In the best summer months, however, snorkelling and swimming is at its best.

Hanalei Colony Beach Front Unit

But I have reservations however about the comfort of the units. The sea breeze is everything and these units only have one patio door to their balcony that opens. Our Wyndham unit by comparison allows us to open the lower portion of our bedroom windows for the breeze. These parts are slatted for security and with screens so you can keep them open all night.

There is a small pool, but it abuts the roadway so there is car noise despite the dense hedging. Guests need a key to enter, obviously to bar it from outsiders.

From a survey of the Mediterranean menu (the chef is Lebanese), the on site restaurant looks very good. The ambiance is lovely too as the tables overlook the sea. I'm eager to have lunch here, even though we are not staying at the hotel.

 From Carolann's Blog Maturetraveler

In the Land of Hanalei, Kauai

Hanalei Bay

 I love the ocean. I was born near the sea in the Maritimes, so the smell of salt water and the crash of the surf are in my soul.

It makes sense then that an island surrounded by the ocean would be the ideal place for me. And Kauai, one of the smaller islands in the Hawaiian chain fits the bill with the aquamarine, sapphire and cobalt waters of the Pacific Ocean caressing it on all sides. I haven’t found Puff, the Magic Dragon, yet, but this island is magical to me.

The island of Kauai, called the Garden Island for good reason, is small, laid back and underdeveloped compared to Oahu. Picture golden sand beaches, lots of surfer dudes and lush green jungle-clad mountains a la Bali Hai. In fact, we’re staying at the Bali Hai Villas in Princeville at the north end of the island. Someone told us that South Pacific was actually filmed here and I can believe it because the tropical scenery is spectacular.

We were warned that the north end is where the rain falls and that it would be wet and rainy all the time. I guess we’ve been lucky, because so far it has rained only at night. And besides, you can just head down the highway to the sunny east coast and you drive out of the rain. We actually did that today as a couple of sun showers swept over us on the highway from Princeville down to Lihue.

Princeville Lookout

The entire island is only 33 miles long and 25 miles across at its widest point and there is only one road that circles the island. Nothing goes into the mountainous interior The only downsides we have found so far are that the road doesn’t completely circle the island and there is only one road! So, there are – surprisingly given the small population – traffic jams on this tiny island and there is no way around them.

Kalalau Trail -- not for wimps!

Also, as we have discovered, if you want to visit Waimea Canyon on the remote west side of the island from where we are staying on the north side, you have to drive three quarters of the way around on the single highway and then come all the way back again. On parts of the highway, several one-way bridges make for additional delays and exciting head-on encounters. But it’s only a 3-hour drive, so it’s no big deal, and the dramatic scenery keeps you enthralled.

Our favourite drive is down highway 56 to Kapaa. At one point the road descends suddenly like a roller-coaster into a deep valley with towering jungle trees that block out the sun on either side. It reminds me of the movie Avatar, which was also filmed here. We love surreal feeling so much that yesterday we turned around and did it over again.

The temperature is pretty constant all year round between 70-80F, but it cools down at night. This week it has been 85F most days, but the ocean and mountain breezes take care of the heat. Our unit doesn’t even have AC, just fans.

With 69 soft sand beaches, Kauai offers more beach per mile of coastline than any of the other Hawaiian Islands. The surf is great for boogie boarding or surfboarding. You can rent a boogie board for $5 a day and surf on some of the best waves in the world. We have opted for strolls on the sand beaches and today even did some body surfing, which was absolutely hilarious.

An aging surfer dude told us two days ago that big swells were coming in the next 48 hours. And sure enough today the waves at Hanalei Beach, the calmest one we could find, looked to be at least 10 feet high and were pounding the beach with a dragon’s thunderous roar. Braver souls were attempting to boogie board the bigger waves, but we stayed closer to shore and still took quite a beating. What a hoot! It brought out the little boy in me, even without the dragon.

Earlier we attempted a hike up the extremely rocky 11-mile Kalalau Trail at the very end of the north shore road. You can’t go any further except on foot. The guide books describe it as “not for wimps.” Well, we didn’t get very far before the wet, slippery rocks made us turn back. The trail was actually worse than the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Besides the roar of the beach was calling to us again.

Spouting Horn

Yesterday, we drove down to the south end of the island to view the Spouting Horn, a dual-lava tube on the ocean. One hole breathes air and makes a loud dragon roar while the other shoots up a powerful jet of salt water 30 feet into the air. Hawaiian legend says that a dragon once terrorized the south side of the island and was speared by a warrior. The dragon chased the warrior into the lava tube and was trapped there forever.

We rented bikes and rode along the Coconut Coast from Wailua north to the end of the trail for about 4.5 miles. The trail was flat for the most part and provided a great view of gorgeous ocean bays framed by lava rock promontories and crashing surf.

Afterwards we asked the bike shop owners where we could get a good “shave ice,” a local treat, and he recommended the Ono Family Restaurant about a mile down the road. Shave ice is similar to a Slushie but better, especially when it’s 85F and you’ve just walked the hot sidewalk for a mile.

Kauai "Shave Ice"

To make “Shave Ice,” (and that spelling is correct) you shave off crystals from a block using a circular cutting wheel. It comes out looking like white candyfloss, but then you pack it down by hand as it goes around to give it the shape of a large rounded volcanic cone. Ice cream is packed into the middle, more ice is added and then then you drizzle tropical flavoured syrups on top, adding a final slather of condensed coconut milk that they call a “snow cap”. I had a Margaritaville one with Macademia nut ice cream and three different syrups, but there were at least 100 other flavours to choose from, including Pina colada, Root Beer, Tamarind, Creamsicle, Mai Tai and Passionfruit.

Tomorrow night we’re going to a luau. I hope I can stay off the stage this time and keep my inner child under control. There’s something about this island that just brings out the kid in me.

P.S.: Hanalei actually has nothing to do with Honah Lee from the Pop the Magic Dragon song, but I thought it sounded good.

Hawaii, Honolulu – Book ‘em, Dano!

Honolulu from Diamond Head Crater

Day 1: Aloha!

Flowers, flowers everywhere! Streets lined with Monkey Paw trees, Bougainvillea, and your normal houseplants, but on steroids. Blue sky and fabulous beaches! Hawaii is exotic without being foreign. Exciting and different, but still comfortable and familiar.

Lolipop (Pachystachys lutea)

It’s like Mexico without the touts, Montezuma or the language barrier. It’s like Singapore – clean, English speaking and familiar –  but Japanese instead of Chinese. In fact, Honolulu seems more Japanese than American. Japanese signs dot the store windows and the service industry speaks Japanese as easily as English.  Every store, restaurant and tour group is full of Japanese tourists. And it would appear, Honolulu is even more popular with Japanese honeymooners than Niagara Falls. We visited the first hotel built in Honolulu the Moana Surfrider Hotel (circa 1910) and there had to be 10 wedding parties on and around the grounds, all with smiling, young Japanese couples.

Today is Saturday, and we started with a city circle tour on a hop-on, hop-off bus, the Waikiki Trolley. We only have one day here, so we thought a quick circle tour of the city, with Waikiki Beach, Diamond Head Crater and everything else in between would be a quick way to get the flavour of Honolulu without wearing out too much shoe leather or tiring ourselves out too much after a full day of flying.

It was kind of like a drive-by shooting without having to do any driving and it actually worked out pretty well, especially given the 85 degrees and high humidity.

We started out early enough to see all the city highlights and still have time to hike up to the top of Diamond Head, one of the most famous volcanic craters in the world. The climb wasn’t as bad as it looked from the bottom. Although the 99 stairs at the top to get to the gun emplacements almost did us in.

Diamond Head is actually a huge volcanic crater and you hike from the base up one side of the bowl to a point overlooking the ocean. The climb takes you up many switchbacks that traverse the steep slope of the crater, followed by an exhausting set of 99 steep stairs and through a lighted 225-foot tunnel to enter the Fire Control Station completed in 1911.

At the peak of the climb is a four-level underground complex with a reinforced bunker and a narrow spiral staircase that winds its way up to a concrete gun emplacement. Navigating the tight turns of the narrow staircase with hundreds of other tourists was difficult and we had to wait several times on landings to let others descend.

The same was true once we reached the bunker where egress to the summit was through a narrow, low portal with lineups on both sides. It was so low that Carolann banged her head on the overhanging concrete ceiling as she was crouching down to climb back inside.

The view from the top, however, was worth the effort. In the distance, you could see all of Honolulu wrapped around the golden sand of Waikiki Beach with tiny surfers dotting the white waves offshore.

Later on, the Waikiki trolley took us through “Millionaires Row” where houses ranged in price from $1 million to over $5 million dollars and one rental property boasted making three cars, a Bentley, a convertible and a Lincoln, available to short-term renters at $1,500 per day.

Waikiki Beach

After a lengthy wait at a trolley transfer from the Green Line to the Pink Line, we headed off to Ala Moana Shopping Mall, the largest open-air mall in the world, for a quick bit of shopping. Prices seemed high, by Canadian standards, but there were some interesting jewelry shops with handmade artistic pieces that caught Carolann’s eye.

The mall’s food court reminded us of a typical open-air Singaporean food court, but the stalls were all American-style chains, with lots of Japanese noodle bars thrown in. Prices here too were high by our standards and the heat and humidity were difficult to handle, but lunch was calling and we were on a tight schedule to get back to our hotel to prepare for a special dinner to celebrate Carolann’s birthday. But she didn’t know about it.

I had prearranged a surprise dinner on a sunset cruise with Atlantis Cruises on the Navatek catamaran to see the Waikiki skyline lit up like diamonds from the water. Shrimp cocktails were followed by Maine lobster and beef tenderloin, with a chocolate mousse chaser. Lovely! 

At one point the MC identified honeymooners (most of them from Japan) and those who had a birthday. I couldn’t resist singling out Carolann because I had told her this was her surprise birthday dinner. By coincidence, a Polish couple next to us was also celebrating the woman’s birthday and her name happened to be Karolina.

We all had a good time watching the hula dancers. But I think the Mai Tais may have gotten to me because somehow I ended up on the dance floor showing lovely Hawaian maidens how to do the hula. Unfortunately someone took pictures, so I can’t say I wasn’t there. By the way, I’m the pretty one in the middle without the coconuts (see photo at bottom below).

After sunset, we went back to the Moana Surfrider Hotel to stroll along the famous Waikiki Beach by moonlight. But the gorgeous, soft sand and crashing surf weren’t the stars of the show tonight. No, we stumbled upon a private party just down the beach at the Westin, where a troupe of dancers right out of Cirque de soleil – but a little bit naughtier – were cavorting around jets of water with gold-painted bodies, and swinging from high trees on silk ribbons with flashing coloured lights and a sensuous, throbbing musical backdrop. The Iona Dance group was hosting a fundraiser and had taken over the entire pool and patio area on the beach. The whole affair was extravagant at $250 a plate and totally bizarre! Some of the costumes and gyrations of the scantily clad dancers made my hula performance in a grass skirt look pretty tame.

Well, all in all, we packed in a lot and it wasn’t bad for our first day in Hawaii. Tomorrow we’re off to the island of Kauai, where I’m told things will be a little quieter. Although we’ve heard that hundreds of wild roosters roam the island and wake people up in the wee hours of the morning.

Quick Trip to Unspoiled Tropical Paradise -- Belize

Former Pirate haven still has lots of treasures for those who want to be pampered

Ambergris Caye

A short flight south will get you to a little known treasure that boasts the second largest barrier reef in the world, lush tropical jungles, and abundant opportunities for adventure travel. And to make it even better, this eco paradise is the only country in Central America where the official language is English. This shouldn’t be a surprise since nearby Belize was once a British colony.

At one time, Belize was home to pirates who sought refuge from the Spanish fleet. After raiding gold-laden Spanish galleons, the pirates would dart through the sharp coral reefs and hide up the country’s many jungle rivers. Now Belize welcomes tourists with white sand beaches, exquisite Conch ceviche, and ancient Maya ruins.

Life in Belize is laid back and relaxed. In fact, everything is easy here. Everyone speaks English and you can use your US dollars for all purchases. While the Belizean dollar still has the Queen of England on it, all the stores, restaurants and hotels take U.S. currency. Most things are priced in Belize dollars (except hotels), but it’s easy to figure out your bill because the exchange rate is simply two to one. So just divide all prices by two to get the price in US dollars. Regardless of whether you pay with Belize dollars or U.S. dollars, they’ll give you your change in Belize dollars.

Travel is simple here as well. The main roads are well paved and little traveled – the entire population of this small politically stable country is only 300,000, so there’s little traffic.

Once you land in Belize City you can easily drive to Maya ruins or jungle adventure tours in under two hours. In fact, the whole country is only some 70 miles wide by 180 miles long. Major archaeological gems like Lamanai (Submerged Crocodile), Caracol (The Snail) or Xunantunich (Maiden of the Rock) feature soaring Maya pyramids, stone temples, and carved friezes. All can be easily visited on a day trip organized by your hotel or tour operator.

Or you can quickly fly to most locations on the country’s small airline Tropic Air.  A short 20-minute hop will get you to San Pedro town on Ambergris Caye with its fabulous seafood restaurants and posh beach resorts. This is the island made famous by Madonna. Even Leonardo di Caprio has bought land here. Superb snorkelling, diving and deep sea fishing tours on the barrier reef can easily be arranged. Or just lay back and gaze at the lovely turquoise waters of the Caribbean on one of the island’s lovely white sand beaches.

But if lying on a beach with a cold Pina colada isn’t your thing, take a quick flight south to visit the lush tropical jungles around the town of Punta Gorda. Tropic Air will take you there in roughly one hour for around $120 US.

Here, deep in the rainforest, we stayed at the Machaca Hill Rainforest Canopy Lodge, a real treasure, where your every wish is catered to by attentive, English-speaking staff who can plan a guided tour of a chocolate plantation, a private picnic on a sandy beach, or a snorkelling tour to see Eagle Rays and colorful coral.

The lodge’s trained guides will take you on jungle hikes or river cruises to see howler monkeys, numerous tropical birds, or even freshwater crocodiles. On a cave tour to the Hokeb Ha cavern you’ll see colourful stalactites and a sacrificial altar once used by the ancient Maya.

Night tours with special night-vision aids and low impact, red-filtered spotlights will have you searching for the elusive jaguar, ocelots and the tiny kinkajou, a timid tree dweller that looks like a cross between a koala and Yoda.

Machaca Hill Lodge

Machaca Hill Lodge has 12 private suites perched like tree houses on the side of a lush green mountain. Each has a screened fresh-air veranda and a luxurious tiled spa-style bath overlooking the jungle treetops. Book a massage and you’ll be drifting off while looking out at the jungle canopy caressed by soft music and a soothing waterfall.

The all inclusive package features exquisite meals made with local foods, most of which are grown organically, served with your choice of over 80 distinctive wines from some of the finest vineyards around the world. After dinner you can enjoy entertainment by local Maya performers and one of the resort’s choice Cuban cigars from their private collection. Every day, high tea and pre dinner hors d’oeuvres will waken your taste buds.

Belize, however, is best known for its eco-tourism and it offers a veritable treasure chest of protected jungle parks, marine reserves, and wildlife sanctuaries. In fact, over 40 per cent of Belize benefits from some form of protection and has been described as a “living zoo”. The jungles are teeming with rare animals, exotic flora, and over 600 species of spectacular tropical birds, including flying jewels like the iridescent hummingbirds, Emerald Toucanets, and Scarlet Macaws.

The Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary in northern Belize is a one of the top bird-watching sites in Belize. This famous wetland is home to the rare, giant Jabiru stork, just one of hundreds of resident and migrant bird species that you can search for.

Another famous site is the Cockscomb Basin Forest Reserve. Located in southern Belize it is the home of the Scarlet Macaw, as well as the elusive Belizean jaguar.

Then there is Belize’s Barrier Reef, the second largest after Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Extending 186 miles from the Mexican border in the north almost all the way to the Guatemalan border in the south, it boasts seven marine reserves – all of which have been declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. This reef is one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, home to close to 500 species of fish and numerous coral species.

The shallow turquoise waters inside the reef provide a calm and well-lit environment for all members of the family, young and old, to enjoy snorkeling over the colorful coral. At the very popular Shark Ray Alley, snorkelers can even swim with large, but safe, nurse sharks and watch huge Eagle and smaller Sting Rays glide under them. Glass-bottomed boat tours are also available for less experienced swimmers.

And if fly fishing is your thing, the salt flats inside Belize’s barrier reef are one of the world’s best locations for Bonefish, Permit and Tarpon. In fact, Belize has more Bonefish, a popular sport fish, than anywhere else in the world, especially now that the government has imposed a strict catch-and-release policy on sport fishing that has seen numbers increase.

This year Belize is destined to become a popular destination. It still has a large Maya population and they, as well as the rest of the world, are awaiting the winter solstice of 2012, much rumoured by Hollywood as “the end of the world” according to the Maya calendar.

But Dr. Awe, one of Belize’s foremost archaeologists and of Maya descent himself, laughs off suggestions that the Maya feared 2012 would herald in the Apocalypse, as suggested by the popular film 2012.

“Hollywood drama has very little to do with the reality of what the Maya Calendar and Long Count calculations are all about,” says Dr. Awe. “This represents the ending of one cosmological cycle and the beginning of another. So Belize will be celebrating New Year’s 2012 with much excitement. Imagine a New Year’s party that comes only once every 52,000 years,” Dr. Awe predicted.

So if the adventure seeker in you would like to follow in the pirates’ footsteps and party, Belize offers treasures for the whole family in a tiny package that is easily accessible from Miami and easy to explore once you arrive. Just about every activity from archaeology and bird watching to scuba diving and zip lining can be accommodated in this ecological paradise.

And in addition to the warm sunny climate, Belize’s English-speaking people are warm and welcoming as well.

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Going to Belize, Central America

Getting there: American airlines has daily flights to Belize landing at the Philip Goldson International Airport in Ladyville, 10 miles from Belize City.

Links: www.aa.com  

Major rental car agencies are located at the airport.

Connecting flights on local airlines can be caught to smaller towns throughout Belize on Tropic Air (http://www.tropicair.com/) or Maya Island Air (http://www.mayaregional.com/).

Information: www.travelbelize.org/ is the official website of the Belize Tourism Board. They also have an office at the Philip Goldson International Airport.

When to go: High season in Belize is late November to late April, which is their dry season. The weather in Belize is subtropical, like that of southern Florida, with average daytime temperatures around 80°F. Rainy season is from June to mid-November and hurricane season is from July to October. Generally, the southern part of Belize gets the most rain, while the north is drier.

Where to eat (On Ambergris Caye)

Wild Mango’s, on the beachfront in downtown San Pedro at the south end of Barrier Reef Drive, is a small laid back restaurant with a covered deck and one of the largest selections of ceviche anywhere. I had the delicious bacon-wrapped shrimp grilled with a rum glaze. Dinner mains from US$14-US$26, but lunch menu items like tacos and sandwiches are lower. Phone: 226-2859

Elvi’s Kitchen, on the main street Pescador Drive in the heart of San Pedro, features a beach sand floor and local dishes like Jalapeno Conch fingers and spicy ceviche. Be sure to try Elvi’s homemade hot sauce. Mains from US$8-US$25. www.elviskitchen.com/

Portofino Resort, on the north end of Ambergris Caye, with boat access only to town, offers romantic, elegant dining on a raised deck overlooking the Caribbean and specializes in Euro-Caribbean Fusion Cuisine, a mix of French, Italian and local cooking, including Blue Caribbean Spider Crab rolled in a snapper fillet and Coconut Caribbean Shrimp and Scallop Newburg.

http://portofinobelize.com/

Lodging

Machaca Hill Rainforest Canopy Lodge, nestled in the hills in southern Belize, provides luxury accommodation in 12 private suites overlooking the jungle tree canopy. All inclusive packages range from $485 to $565 per person per night and include accommodation, all meals, high tea, pre dinner hors d’oeuvres, full day and complimentary activities, park and entrance fees, laundry services, and all beverages (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) with the exception of premium brand beverages. www.machacahill.com/

Chaa Creek, on the banks of the Macal River in the foothills of the Maya Mountains near the Guatemala border, has 23 palm thatched cottage rooms set on a private 365-acre nature reserve and offers eco-adventures for the entire family, including horseback riding, canoeing, bird watching and tours of Maya ruins.

Rates vary depending on type of accommodation chosen and range from $150 to roughly $550 per person per night, breakfast included. www.chaacreek.com/

Phoenix Resort, in San Pedro town on Ambergris Caye, is a modern and luxurious beachfront resort with 30 spacious condominium suites. The resort has partnered with local dive and snorkelling shops to provide tours to Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley. Rates range from $295 to $385 for double occupancy in a one-bedroom beach view suite to $725 for a three-bedroom beach view suite. www.thephoenixbelize.com/

Don’t Miss

Community Baboon Sanctuary and its resident Howler monkeys

Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave with its famous Crystal Maiden skeleton

Blue Hole dive site, a circular hole 1,000 feet in diameter and 412 feet deep. Popularized by a Jacques Cousteau television special in the 1970s this has become the most famous dive site in all of Belize.

Fly fishing the saltwater flats off Ambergris Caye with Go Fish Belize www.gofishbelize.com

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About the Author:

Dan Cooper is a freelance travel writer and photographer who has travelled extensively throughout Central and South America.

His trip was partially subsidized by the Belize Tourism Board.

High resolution digital photographs are available. A few lo-res samples are attached. Please contact Dan Cooper for additional high res photos.

Dan Cooper

18 Barbara Cr.

Toronto, ON

416 422-4488

coopermoisse@hotmail.com

Top 10 Things to Do in Madrid on a Sunday

Living la Vida Loca

There is so much more to Madrid than El Prado and the bullfights. Here are my top 10 things to do on a sunny Sunday in this fabulous city:

El Retiro Park

1. stroll through El Retiro park with thousands of Madrilenos, watching bands perform, boats on the pond, and clowns making balloon animals,

2. visit the terrace lookout of the Circulo de Bellas Artes building for a view of the city skyline and the Gran Via, Madrid’s main street (admission to the rooftop is 1 Euro),

3. enjoy tapas and beer at one of the sunny outdoor tapas cafés in the La Latina quarter,

Plaza Mayor

4. sip a beer under an incredibly blue Madrid sky at one of several restaurants with tables set up inside the Plaza Mayor, Madrid’s main square,

5. dunk “churros” into a thick, sweet chocolate drink at La Chocolateria de San Gines, one of Madrid’s most popular chocolate bars just off the Calle Arenal pedestrian mall,

6. take in the buskers and musicians along with thousands of Madrilenos on the Puerta del Sol plaza then join them as they amble along the Calle Arenal pedestrian mall towards the Opera House,

7. savour a coffee and watch the elegantly dressed Madrilenos stroll by at the outdoor patio of Café Gijon a few blocks north of El Prado museum on the Passeo de Recoletos,

8. take in the sunset view of Madrid while enjoying a light snack or a glass of wine at the glass enclosed rooftop restaurant on top of the department store El Corte Ingles on Gran Via near the Callao metro stop,

9. stand shoulder to shoulder with the locals drinking draft beer and enjoying inexpensive tapas at the Almeria tapas bar in the La Latina quarter,

Mercado de San Miguel

10. wander around the newly refurbished, glass enclosed Mercado de San Miguel, the oldest in Madrid, and visit the food stalls while sipping wine and sampling thin slivers of Spain’s famous Pata Negra ham.

Belize Time

I confess. Yes, the thought of visiting Belize in December sounded glamorous and exciting. I was expecting old, British colonial elegance and architecture. Of course, sun and white sand beaches were a given.

Our arrival at Belize City international airport is met with a thunderous downpour. The airport is so small (as in most Central American countries) that we deplane on the tarmac and I make a mad dash down the slippery metal stairs to seek the relative dryness of the terminal. It’s hot and sticky.

After a brief and very cursory rush through Customs, we’re rerouted back into the departure area for a short hop flight over to Ambergris Caye, Belize’s largest island and home to the world’s second largest barrier reef after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

The ticket agent hands out numbered cards. This is odd, I think. What kind of boarding system is this? On previous journeys, we’ve survived the disorganized chaos of boarding a flight in China, where it’s women and children last, as everyone scrambles to fit into one of the undersized seats that seem the norm on Chinese airplanes. But numbered cards are a new twist on the time-honoured system of queuing invented by the British. Oh well, Belize is a former British colony.

But then I see the tiny Tropic Air plane that rolls in front of the departure gate and it starts to make sense. There are only 14 seats on that tiny Cessna puddle jumper, and there doesn’t seem to be any pre-flight seating arrangement. In fact, even though we have our numbered cards in hand, someone else manages to take two of the seats that should have been ours and we’re stopped at the door.

“No worry,” says the ticket agent as he scratches someone else’s name off the passenger list, “there’ll be another one in 5 minutes.” Of course, being that this is Central America, 5 minutes turns into 25 Belizean minutes. But eventually anther tiny Cessna pulls up and he calls out our names.

This time, we rush on ahead, determined to make the flight as we have someone waiting to pick us up at the terminal in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye. This is an important connection because our resort is way up the coast and not easily accessible on the pot-holed road that runs north from San Pedro. We have a water taxi waiting for us and we’re not certain how the whole water taxi system works or even where we’re supposed to be going. So getting there on time is critical.

I can barely squeeze between the rows of seats and as I’m first to board, the pilot beckons me into the co-pilot’s seat beside him in the open cockpit. It’s an even tighter squeeze wedging between the pilot and co-pilot seats and I have trouble swinging my legs over the controls without hitting the throttle to ease into the narrow seat. My camera bag barely fits into the space between my legs and periodically hits some of the pilot’s controls.

The pilot introduces himself as Robert and revs up the engines. We wait for a large American Airlines 747 to clear and then we pop up into the darkening stormy sky. I see several large white egrets and Turkey Vultures near the runway and I’m tempted to ask if he’s ever hit one, but given my fear of bad karma, I decide to wait until we land.

I’m nervous, but Robert is so calm. He does this all day long, making the 20-minute flight over and over again, back and forth between the two airports. I relax and admire the gorgeous view through the front windscreen. I’m flying over a patchwork of turquoise, blue and green shallow waters of the Caribbean, dotted with coral outcroppings, beige sand flats, and large dark fish.

The runway on Ambergris Caye is a short strip of pavement that doesn’t seem long enough from my vantage point at the tip of the plane, but the Cessna doesn’t need a lot of space and with a roar we pull up right in front of the open baggage area at the tiny terminal. Our bags are thrown onto a cart and then unceremoniously dumped onto the floor barely 20 feet away.

It doesn’t take long to retrieve them – there’s no counter or conveyor belt here – but we quickly realize that no one is there to greet us, pick us up or even tell us where to go. Soon we’re the last two standing in the rain as all the other passengers board taxis or are shuttled away into the early darkness.

Another flight arrives and the same evacuation of passengers starts again. I ask to borrow the cell phone of one of the baggage handlers and am about to make a call to our resort, when someone points us out to a shuttle bus driver. He missed us on the first run because we missed the first flight but now we’re whisked off barely 200 metres down the road to a dock where our water taxi awaits.

In the small town of San Pedro people get around in motorized golf carts, but most of the travel on Ambergris Caye between hotels and even restaurants is done by water taxi. In fact, the recent heavy rains have made the bumpy, main dirt road impassable to anything but a Range Rover so water taxis are the way to go.

Twenty minutes later we arrive at the Belizean Cove Resort dock and Michelle, the marketing manager for the resort, is waiting to greet us and show us our suite. It’s gorgeous and large enough to house two whole families. Our private patio area out front has its own bar and the pool is right in front. We face a beach studded with palm trees and a lovely ocean view.

It’s late and because all eight suites have their own kitchens, the resort doesn’t have a restaurant. Michelle tells us, “Normally, you could walk ten minutes along the beach to a restaurant, but it’s dark and you don’t know where to go. So I’ll call over to the restaurant at our sister resort, the Belizean Shores, to have someone come over in a golf cart to pick you up.”

Shortly, Alex picks us up in an electric cart and we soon see why you travel by water taxi on the island. The road is like a war zone with large water filled potholes everywhere. Even the golf cart has a hard time navigating through and around them.

But the Upper Deck restaurant at the Belizean Shores proves to be the perfect spot for us after a long day of travel from Toronto, via Dallas to Belize City, and then San Pedro. It’s a raised, open air tree house-like affair with a 360-degree view of the ocean on one side and the bird filled lagoon on the other. The night is warm with a slight breeze and we quickly tuck into an exceptionally fresh Conch ceviche and a chilled bottle of Chilean Chardonnay. A main course of blackened red Snapper with cilantro rice goes down nicely as well.

The service is on Belizean time, but we soon realize we’re on vacation and it’s time to unwind. After dinner we decide to walk back to the resort along the beach. The path is lit by the moon and lapped at by the surf. The air is warm and soft and soon we get into the rhythm of the island. We’ll sleep well our first night in Belize.