Day 2: Jan. 19, 2014---around the east side and on to Poipu

 It was another short night.  Somehow, no matter how tired we are, the 4 hours time difference from St. Louis to Hawaii wakes us up early for the first few days.  Good thing is, I did get to see sunrise from our lanai.  No ocean view, but the mountain and garden views are nice.

The day after we fly all day, we're pretty tired, so we don't usually snorkel that day.  But we did get out and enjoy the island.  First we headed to Kapaa for breakfast at our favorite breakfast place---Olympic Cafe.  Then rode along the East side a while checking out a couple viewpoints and to Kealia Beach.

 Looking towards Kealia.

 Silver sword??  I didn't know they would grow at sea level, but it sure looks like one!(Apparently this is not a Silversword, but perhaps a relative of one.)

Then we took a ride inland.  The road we were on ended by a ranch with this interesting stone monument outside of it.  I have no idea what it's for, but it sure was in the boonies. (This is Spaulding monument. Spaulding was an early landowner.  The whole area used to be cane sugar and there was a sugar mill and plantation town mauka of the highway at Kealia beach.)

We headed back to KCR for a while.  I wandered around the coast while Ken watched the Bronco's whip up on the Patriots.

I also admired the flowers around KCR.  We haven't seen flowers, or greenery for that matter, in St. Louis for a couple months now! 

One BIG thing we've noticed since the last time we were here----Kauai has gone solar!!!  Solar panels are everywhere now!  I especially like the way they made covered parking with solar panels on the roofs.

After Ken had enough football, we headed to Poipu.  I love the jewelry at NaHoku, but last year I bought a piece that broke shortly after I got home from Maui.  We took it to NaHoku here to see what they would/could do.  I'm happy to say, they replaced it.  They should be happy, too, since it inspired me to buy yet another NaHoku piece--this cute little monk seal necklace.

Then we went to The Point at Poipu where we like to look for whales.  We did see quite a few.  None were breaching, but we did get a couple tail waves.

 We almost always see turtles there, too. 

Love the view of Shipwreck Rock and beach from here, too.  

We drove along the coast past the Blow hole.  That's where we found another nice new path along the coast.  The sign said something about it being a test area.  Will have to go back there for a sunset.

 the gravel walkway.

We thought if we went to an early Happy Hour, maybe we'd be able to catch sunset afterwards, so we went to Keoki's Paradise.  It was excellent---$6.50 pina collada, $3 Caesar salad, $6 nachos, $9 fish and chips.  

 Views from the open air dining are great,too.

we still had time before sunset, so we rode over to the Sheraton and checked out that beach.  Came across this new monument at the corner of an area being cleared away of brush---(the Kāneiolouma Complex in Poipu.  It is considered sacred to the Kanaka Maoli culture, and is a historic landmark.  Until recently, the complex was overgrown and hidden.  Apparently it's being cleared up and turned into a cultural center.)

 We have never tried snorkeling by the Sheraton, but it looked like it had potential. 

 More palm trees

With sunset still an hour away, we decided to ditch sunset and head back to the east side. Stopped at Walmart for a few supplies, then back to KCR.  It was time to hit the water, just happened to be the jacuzzi today.   That does it for our first full day here.