Old guys in convertibles

We were visiting the Kauai Coffee plantation yesterday and this older gentleman pulled up in a convertible with his wife (I assume). He saw me notice his car and evidently felt the need to explain that it was an upgrade from the model they had reserved because the intended rental was not available. It was his need to offer this explanation to me, a total stranger, I thought was interesting. As an older winter tourist, he may have made a similar conclusion to what I have made about these old guys who rent sports cars (Mustang convertibles, etc) when vacationing in Hawaii.

I understand that the lack of a car top has an advantage in warm and sunny climates. You do drive with more sunlight on your head and the breeze in your hair and folks do find this appealing. Or, some old guys (the guys do seem to be the drivers) driving the kind of car they couldn’t afford or weren’t allowed to own when young, may just make them feel young again when behind the wheel of this kind of vehicle. I tend to judge such behavior as pathetic, but this may just be sour grapes. I no longer have hair to blow in the breeze and I must wear some type of head covering to prevent a sun burn that seems impossible to avoid when my head is exposed to the sun. Cindy also does all of the driving because she can instantly understand the roads, connecting roads, and strange town names that allow us to get around. 

On the other hand, the top highway speed on the Island is 50 and many of the roads require limiting your speed to 35-40. There just seems little reason to own or rent a fast car, so I will continue with my attitude problem. 

Haena Surfer

 We drove around today after the rains. I was able to video a lone surfer on Haena Beach. He had the waves to himself. I got as close as I could on the beach and had to deal with the occasional wave that reached me. The power of only a few inches of water kept scaring me off. I did not want to fall with my phone. That was enough of my feet in the sand for a while. 

Feral Chickens

I usually come up with one post each visit about the chickens of Kauai. They are everywhere even with broods of baby chickens rummaging around parking lots for food. Here is my entry for this year. 

The chickens on Kauai have become an interest of some scientists (NYTimes article) because of their unique genetic history merging birds brought to the island by Polynesians centuries ago and domestic breeds brought more recently and because the release into the wild allows the study of what might be described as the reverse of domestication.

I think the final image is a graffiti chicken, but I am not certain.

I have been exploring ChatGPT and have used it in a few of my posts. I write my own content, but sometimes I ask ChatGPT to write a post on the same topic. You will note some discrepancies from my post which was based on my own observations and discussions while on the island and my research such as the NYTimes article.

[Feral chickens are a common sight in Kauai, which is one of the Hawaiian islands. They are descendants of domesticated chickens that were brought to the island by Polynesian settlers and later by European explorers. Over time, some of these chickens escaped or were released into the wild, and they have since established themselves as a population of feral birds. Why feral chickens are so numerous is a question that generates numerous opinions. Most speculation includes two observations - several hurricanes have struck the island directly and overturned coops releasing domestic birds (direct hit rather than the glancing blow to other islands) and the absence of the mongoose on Kauai which eats eggs on other islands. 

Feral chickens in Kauai are known for their colorful feathers and distinctive crowing. They can be found in many parts of the island, including residential neighborhoods, parks, and even along hiking trails. Some people enjoy seeing and hearing the chickens, while others find them to be a nuisance due to their tendency to roam freely, scratch up gardens, and make noise.

The exact number of feral chickens in Kauai is not known, but it is estimated that there are tens of thousands of them. The chickens are not protected by any laws, and they are considered an invasive species by some people. Efforts have been made to control their population, but these have been met with mixed success.

Despite their status as an invasive species, feral chickens have become an important part of the cultural and natural heritage of Kauai. They are featured in many works of art and literature, and they have become a symbol of the island's unique character.]

Beach Access

 The land immediately adjacent to many lakes, rivers, and oceans is prime real estate. Resorts and condominiums advertise if a rental comes with a view even if only a sliver of actual water can be seen. If you own a property adjacent to any of these land features you understand you pay a premium for your location. A block removed and your costs are far lower. 

Hawaii generates a great amount of money from the structures with views of the ocean. Exclusive resorts line up next to each other with beaches that stretch down to the water. The beaches come with umbrellas, lounge chairs, and often a bar. What these resorts, hotels, and homes cannot do is restrict your use of the beach and access to the beach between their buildings and the water. In Hawaii, everyone, land owner, renter, or not, must have free access to the water and the sand. 

Those making big money off ocean views are not above causing problems. Here is what they did near our location in Kapaa. Rather than provide a view, some spiteful owner decided to pay for a giant fence that ran for hundreds of yards. Doors and a path provided access. What is weird is that the area beyond the fence was pretty much just a field of weeds. Not Aloha at all.

Hibiscus

 I have yet to post flower pictures so here are a couple. As I have said many times the Garden Island is covered everywhere by dense vegetation. I suppose the climate (warm, rainy, and sunny) has a lot to do with this, but the care invested in landscape plantings is also part of the tourism industry. 

The Hibiscus is recognizable by most with any interest in flower gardens. Hawaii does have a native species of Hibiscus, but most ornamentals are Chinese Hibiscus (according to Wikipedia). I continue to find opportunities to photograph something that looks new to me so there must be quite a few varieties. 

Amenity Fee

 Hawaii is a very expensive place to visit and also to live. The locals do get a break from some costs through Kama'aina (it means locals) which means a different cost for locals and others, but many things are simply more expensive. A barber did cut my hair today including neck shave with a straight edge for $20. I haven't had a barber do that since the barber in the UND union retired. I thought a shave may have been outlawed as a health hazard. Anyway, such benefits are rare. Taxes are high and there are strange taxes I don't understand.

I guess taxes are what it takes to keep things running in a location that requires nearly everything to be shipped in and so much of the economy depends on the money spent in one way or another by tourists.

Biden recently made this kind of side comment during the state of the union speech about what he described as "junk fees". These fees are different taxes and additional charges added to the advertised rate by airline companies. hotels, etc. Biden provided some stats about what these fees add to costs in his speech (billions), but mainly focused on the deceptive nature of these fees. You may technically be able to understand that you will be charged junk fees if you read the fine print, but these extra charges are not mentioned if you go through a booking service. In some cases, you can avoid such fees because they are optional (you don't have to bring a suitcase on a plane), but in some cases, the charges cannot be avoided.

We have had to piece together three different providers during this state in Kauai. The condo we typically stay in had already been rented for part of the time we intended to visit and Cindy had to find two other locations to cover this lack of availability. We are now in the second of these accommodations and more of a motel than an actual condo. No dishwasher. I understand this may sound like a first-world problem and I have washed dishes by hand, but not in a "home" for several decades.

I can handle the dishes, but the $25 amenity fee (before taxes) has me a bit annoyed. This is simply a charge for amenities which is required. Examples of such amenities appear to include anything that is consumed - coffee, soap, toilet paper, etc.  I have plenty of coffee because we have a kitchen and I buy coffee from the coffee plantation. That leaves soap and toilet paper. Nice to have I admit, but $25 a day seems a bit much. 

Travel Hawaii does not endorse resort fees, but the fees are still legal and at the Plantation Hale Suites are still required. I agree with Biden. Just stop with the deceptive practices and clearly state your prices. It seems slimy when some providers do not engage in such practices and some do.  

More heavy rain coming and the emergency alerts keep activating our phones. I think the danger is from travel over roads with a tendency to being covered with running water and mud/rock slides. Not something you want to encounter at night. Of course, friends at home are dealing with ice storms and blizzards. Stay safe whatever your weather challenges. 

In Hawaii you get rainbows

Rainbows are associated with Hawaii. The collegiate sports teams of the state’s university are named the Rainbow Warriors.

Rainbows on the island are in fact more frequent and more intense than we would see back home. It obviously rains frequently here and rains are often brief with sunshine bursting through at the same time. The reasons for the frequent showers and the angle of the sun are responsible for the frequent rainbows and the photo opportunities they provide. Evidently, a 40 degree angle is ideal. Individual raindrops act as prisms with light waves bent both as they enter and as they leave. The separation provided by the prism is what generates the different colors.

Gizmodo on rainbows

Smithsonian on rainbows

ChatGPT on Rainbows

Is there anything unique about the frequency and beauty of Hawaii's rainbows or are these claims myths?

Rainbows in Hawaii are not necessarily more frequent or beautiful than rainbows elsewhere, but they can be more easily visible and photogenic due to Hawaii's tropical climate and geography. Hawaii's frequent rain showers and mountainous terrain can create ideal conditions for rainbows to form, and the clear air and ocean surrounding the islands can provide a stunning backdrop for viewing and photographing them. However, the beauty and frequency of rainbows can vary depending on weather conditions and other factors.

Holey Grail

 The Holey Grail is a taro donut shop. Holey - get it?

The donuts are great and made and decorated while you wait, but cost $14 for a sampler pack (4). You can purchase them individually but I have only visited with others and the 4/14 is the best deal. 

I am not a foodie so I probably don't appreciate the unique experience that is a taro donut. I kind of eat them like I eat other donuts so they disappear before I can actually contemplate just how unique the experience I just had was. I always take pictures and post them so I feel a sense of value from my experience.

Of the different things I have consumed that were made from taro, a donut has been the most pleasing. Poi is clearly an acquired taste. Taro chips seem very much like potato chips. The starchy derivative of the corm (the starchy thing at the base) I suppose is something like flour made from potatoes. 

Beach Creatures

I took some more video on Poipu today. A seal and fishermen. The interesting about the men fishing in surf is way the bait is taken out further than it can be cast. One of the men swam it out. We have seen several techniques on other trips to accomplish a similar thing. The use of a kayak and a kite.

 

Shaka

Hawaii is the only state that has its own wave. There is that farmer's wave of raising one finger from the steering wheel (the pointer finger) that is unique to Iowa, but that is more of an occupational thing. 

The Shaka takes a little practice. Mom usually employs it when she is driving mainly to thank someone for her letting her merge. I do think that some also use the shaka to say "excuse me" when they accidentally or purposefully cut someone off. 

I read some of the speculations about the origins of shaka. These ideas range from a train conductor who lost his middle three fingers giving a signal to the engineer to move on and having his gesture mimicked by the local kids to the Spanish sailors who used this gesture by holding the thumb to the mouth indicating let’s have a drink. 

 

Wailua Falls (again)

 This is one of those repeats I warned might occur because we spend so much time on the small island of Kauai. 

Some of the common photo stops for tourists are the waterfalls which are fairly numerous. Kauai is mountainous and rains are common so it is possible to view small falls after any rain. The more permanent falls were what attract the photographers.

Last year was very dry and the falls were so wimpy I don't think I even generated a post about them (post from 2019). Just how dry was it? It was so dry that the gardeners started to break out the sprinklers and this is impressive when you understand that Kauai has areas that receive among the most rainfall on earth. I did take a few photos of the falls last year. This is Wailua Falls.

This year has been different and has probably been as rainy as we have experienced since we began coming here. A recent rain dumped over 5 inches and this is enough to close some roads due to water over the road and mud and rock slides. You can get caught and unable to get back to where you came from under such situations so emergency alerts are common when heavy rains are expected or underway.

Here is what the result looked like the day after for the water coming over the same falls.

Impressive. 

People Pictures

 Some photographers need to have people in every photo no matter the focus of the photo. I am not one of those persons and from time to time people wonder if I ever purposefully take a picture of a person. I do, but people pictures are not what I tend to write about.

However, just to prove I can photograph at least a couple of the people on our trips here are a couple of those individuals.

The food was really good, but I am unable to write about both people and something else in the same post. 

Hawaiians for Trump

 Hawaii has a very diverse population, but only about 10% Native Hawaiian. In the most recent election it voted 64% for Biden so it is more Democratic than Minnesota. In fact, it is the most Democratic state based on registration data/

So, I was kind of surprised to see this truck sitting on a beach road. So bright and Trumpy. And orange.

I couldn't really think of anything else to say. In these rare occasions, I have taken to asking ChatGPT for suggestions. The AI bot suggested - “This truck is giving off some serious Aloha-right-wing vibes." I guess I will go with that.