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.