Tuesday 19-11 - Rain and Sunshine

It rained today and boy, did it rain. We finally left Wailua Bay when there was a short break. Not long afterwards there was lightening and thunder and the heavens opened once more.

We couldn't find the suspension bridge ... too much undergrowth. We did find the harbour, bit wet. Then there was the fish ponds ....  no fish from our distance but you got what they were about. We stop off at the Hawaiian trading post. Not quite what we expected. Lot more upmarket than other trading posts we have visited on the mainland. We do our own tour at the biggest coffee plantation in the Hawaiian islands plus a few tastings of the various coffees they produce.

Glass Beach is interesting as there is natural glass in the sand, produced in the distant past by the volcanic eruptions. There is also an old sugar plantation cemetery mainly with Japanese and Chinese burials. The sugar business was a dangerous business for the workers when it was in its hey day.

We have lunch at Hanapepe, which was used as the model of the town in Lilo and Stitch and a few of the buildings in The Thornbirds. We do get a suspension (or swing) bridge here across the river. We stop at some salt ponds that are still in use today and spot a tent embassy for the Kingdom of Hawaii. In the distant past there was a Russian-American alliance with the Hawaiian king, which resulted in the Russian Fort Elizabeth being built. Just ruins today, but 200 years later you wouldn't see an alliance between Russia and USA and there is a very small push to bring back the Hawaiian monarchy!! Maybe Prince Andrew could give them a few pointers on diplomacy and speech writing!

By the way, the rain has gown and blue skies appear. Our last couple of stops involve an old timer by the name of Captain Cook. We visit his first landing site and a statue of him in the town of Waimea. This is where we will be for the next couple of days. Another great day in paradise and our cottage faces the ocean. The sound of rolling waves puts us to sleep.

Rain, rain go away!

Fish ponds

Coffee bushes

Ted and the coffee lady!!

Glass Beach

Sugar plantation cemetery

Swing bridge

Near Cook landing

Captain Cook

Ted always loves a beer

Sunset at the Oasis


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