We started the day talking through what it was we wanted to do on our last day here. It was good to talk it all through and to figure out what it was we really wanted to get, do, or experience on our last full day here. We're going to have to leave first thing in the morning to catch our plane to Las Vegas, which should let us get on a plane to Denver. Hopefully there won't be another foot of snow delaying everything there...
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Today started as something of a random walk, mostly because of the rain showers that were ribboning their way across the island. We never really knew when it would happen, but there would be a sudden downpour and then it would eventually stop. So we started out by going to look at waterfalls.
( Read more... )We started the day by going out for breakfast. John had been making our breakfast most mornings, and he'd discovered a little cafe that was only open for breakfast and lunch in the second story of one of the buildings in our little town, and they had some intriguing specials.
So we woke up and walked over to the Olympic Cafe.
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Friday was mostly a recovery day. After breakfast we went on a walk. Then we headed back to the complex, and I went and worked out in the gym. I have hip and lower back things now that really respond well to me doing strengthening work. John went and got us more poke for lunch and we spent lunch on a Zoom meeting with Jet. He was on campus and talked with us via his phone until he ran out of charge and ran off to his board game evening get together.
We went on another walk and scouted out bakeries, coffee shops, and found another place that actually sold Kaua'i grown, medium roast coffee. The darker the roast for coffee, the more the roast profile takes over the taste of the whole cup. If you want to enjoy the varietal, then you really want at worst a medium roast that doesn't go too far into the second crack. Yes. We roast our own coffee for Reasons, which include knowing what varietal I have and where I want the roast profile for the coffee involved and if I really want to taste the varietal. Hawaiian coffees, like Blue Mountain coffees are notorious for the fact that they don't actually have a lot of varietal character. They're MILD. People loved them for the fact that they have no taste. It's so funny in some ways.
Thursday, the 7th was a plan to get to see the Kilauea Lighthouse and wildlife sanctuary and to go and walk the Limahuli Botanical Gardens. Both required reservations and some exact timing with those reservations. The Kilauea reservations were done on the half hour, and you were expected to take no more than forty five minutes on the site, and that was stated on the ticket and website. The gardens suggested that one plan for at least an hour and a half on the grounds, and Google maps said that getting there could take everywhere from an hour and a half to forty minutes, depending on the construction that was along the way.
So our plans got a bit more extensive to make sure everything worked.( Read more... )
On Wednesday we walked.
Right after breakfast, we put on our walking shoes and headed north on the trail. There's a trail right behind the complex we're living in, and it goes fourish miles in either direction, along the coastline, so it accesses a lot of different beaches. I didn't want to go for more than half an hour, as we'd have to make our way back. John had a meeting around lunch time, so we weren't going to go too far this morning anyway.
( Read more... )I was just going to keep going, but we got really knocked off our emotional feet on November 5th, and not for just the reasons a lot of folks did. We actually didn't pay any attention to the Election Day news until late in the evening, and in Hawaii, late is really late for the rest of the country. 7pm in Hawaii is already tomorrow in New York.
( Read more... )Planning...
So today was the day we decided to scout the whole of the North Shore, just heading north from our base and going as far as it was possible to go. Kaua'i is like most of the islands here, i.e. an island with a road around it, and a few roads that go up to the top of the mountain in the middle of the island. The road around this particular island, though, isn't a closed ring. The shaping and wear on the mountains to the north cut deep valleys between ridges, and the roads get less and less possible to make the more they try to cross the deep cut valleys from the wear of the water that falls constantly on the top of the mountain. Both Kaua'i and Hawai'i are shaped that way. Not so much Maui or some of the other islands.
But that means that there is an End of the Road going either way along the ring around Kaua'i. And to day we went North.
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I'd missed my lesson by Mayee Futterman last week, while we were at Vera's house. I thought about missing it again this week, but decided not to, so I did get up a little earlier than usual and John and I got on the trolley to go into town.
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John was up and about early, and I got up a little later, but with plenty of time to make a fried egg and some toast. It was very nice for a simple breakfast, since we had plans for most of the day. It was supposed to be rainy and cool, and it was definitely cool enough for me to wear my leggings instead of shorts.
( Read more... )We started around the apartment, because the Garden District of New Orleans is a beautiful place, full of live oak and local businesses. The Trolley runs through it all, from east to west and back again, and both Saint Charles to the north and Magazine to the south are filled with businesses, restaurants, and coffee shops. Our place is between the two and we could walk as we needed between them. Saint Charles has the trolley that heads downtown and to the French Quarter and a block away along it is a little grocery store that's perfect for vacationers.
( Read more... )Vera was wonderful and baked us a full breakfast casserole and we sat with Phyllis and her to eat a very hearty breakfast with fresh fruit and fresh coffee and a lovely conversation. They then took us over to Linda's, we got to take a photo all together, and then John and I went off with Linda to explore the local wonders.
( Read more... )I've been binge watching The King's Avatar on Netflix. It's based on Chinese graphic novels which, in turn, I believe, were based on serial novels, and it's been fascinating seeing so much of what it was like to be on a competitive team. And old friend of mine recommended it and I've been really grateful for the distraction.
It's been a balm after the happenings in DC.
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