“The breeze seemed to stall out for a while, so I gave this sailboat a little push with my big toe.” I was being creative with my camera as I snapped photos of my feet, leisurely crossed at the ankles. Fifty feet down to my right, Kalapaki Bay was a sea of calm. Usually waves crash against a cliff face and water spews upward across a pile of lava boulders, leaving tide pools in its wake. Not so today. Even the ocean was observing Sunday as a day of rest. A rustic sailboat bobbed on the quiet water, barely floating on a whisper of air.

It was a gloriously sunny afternoon. Gerald was dozing on the twin wicker chaise lounger next to me. Our view above the bay on the lanai from our cliffside retreat was heaven-sent rolling into our final week at the vacation condo. This is God’s love in action. Quiet waters; restoring the soul.

“What are you going to order from “Kick Shaws”? Everything in the world, man “. The line was ten people deep as Gerald stepped up to place our order from Chloe’s “Trucking Delicious” food truck. She flashed him an ear-to-ear dimpled smile. Her tattooed mom, Julie, was taking orders as fast as her fingers could write. We already knew we had to get the Kokobopo Cake (Kauai Beer Company’s signature dessert of chocolate porter cake, sea salted caramel filling, chocolate porter ganache) again since it totally blew our tastebuds away the first time we had it. Gerald fumbled with the name as he teased Julie before finally saying, ” Just give us that damn chocolate cake!” Peals of laughter followed.

The crowd was animated and excitedly chattering nonstop as patrons at outdoor cafe tables lined up their numbered table markers: 5, 3, 43, 22 so runners could deliver the food as fast as it came hot off the grills. Ours was on its way: Spicy Lobster Melt-spicy Langosta lobster salad, pepper jack cheese, sweet chili slaw. Yum! A refill of ice-cold beer set the stage in preparation for an amazing experience of culinary delight. Larry, the old hippie, acts as assisting manager. He stopped by the table to give Gerald an update on the local political ramifications of having a fantastic night for all parties involved. Arm-in-arm he and Gerald posed for a memorable snapshot of this first anniversary of Truck Stop Thursday at the Kauai Beer Company. “It has literally blown everything out of the water”, Larry shouted above the crowd.

Curls of woodsmoke drifted upwards from the beach as the sun barely peeked above the eastern horizon. It was one of those days when the aroma of barbecue pork arouses the senses and we had to catch a glimpse of its origination. Sitting on the edge of the Marriott Beach Resort, not far from the sand, was an imu pit that looked to be about three-feet deep and five feet long. It was obvious dinner was slow-cooking in the underground oven, producing an island favorite: Kalua Pork. Although we had heard about this technique, it was pretty exciting to see it evolve before our eyes.

Upon closer scrutiny, a sign was visibly posted at the cordoned off area which read “Private Function”. Just beyond, heat waves shimmered against a baby blue sky. There must have been at least a 200-pound sow covered in a heavy plastic tarp. The edges were buried in dirt. Apparently steam had raised the plastic into a taut dome. The aroma of salty meat infused with smoke struck me in the face on its way across the bay. It smelled delicious! Meanwhile, workers busied themselves moving about filling tiki torches, setting up tables, and stringing white lights. Tonight was the night for a traditional Hawaiian Luau.

Later on, outside the open doors to the lanai, the atmosphere of romance was infectious. The sound of the conch shell and the beating of the drums below was hypnotic. From our bird’s-eye view, hula dancers swaying to the music brought the evening to a thrilling conclusion. Aloha!

Daily sand sculpting happens on Kalapaki Beach this time of year. A slender man who goes by “Jeff”, in Hawaiian-print trunks, is focused on his next creation. Will it make us smile, scratch our heads, bring sea creatures to life, or inspire us? Whatever he chooses, it intrigues and entertains beach lovers of all ages. His style of sand art is pretty simple. Jeff mounds the sand into a solid base and then begins to sculpt. Upon close scrutiny, he persistently creates these masterpieces, stopping only long enough to chat with inquisitive onlookers. He works patiently all day on the warm sandy beach. And when energetic unmonitored children climb on top of the completed sculptured mounds to play “King of the Hill”, a few days later he begins all over again. We had the privilege of viewing three sculptures this trip: a mermaid, a tribute to the Year of the Ram, and Mahalo sign language. As I look across the bay, I catch sight of yet another hill of sand; a blank slate awaiting tomorrow’s inspiration.

“I’ve never lived anywhere else”, the energetic hotel valet stated without reservation. My eyes lit up as I blurted out, “Why would you want to? You’re already in Paradise.” That expression alone told him he was living somewhere special. He knew. Yet from his perspective, adventure lies ‘somewhere out there’. I could see the wanderlust in his eyes. “It’s just as costly and time-consuming for me to leave as it is for you to get here,” he added. Although he only appeared to be twenty-something, he spoke volumes beyond his years. To Kyle, living on a tropical island with the constant flow of tourists seeking excitement, thrills, romance, and serenity seemed ironic. Sure his Kauai zip code attracted single young women, but everyone has a dream. And his was to trade palm trees for snow caps, to get away from the daily grind and experience Life. I guess I’m pretty fortunate to live on the mainland where the scenery changes often and the seasons are as fickle as my moods. It’s a blessing to have the best of both worlds.

A middle-aged bikini clad woman stood offshore in waves reaching up to her waist just beyond the ancient mound of rugged lava rocks. She had a smile on her face that was as innocent as an eight year old child. “Come here. Look. See? It’s a giant turtle!” With one hand, she grazed the surface of the salt water before taking a step backwards. A crowd began to gather as beachcombers paused for a few minutes out of curiosity to watch for an indication she was not exaggerating. With each wave came a glimmer of intense emerald light. Suddenly a spotted head broke the surface of the swell and two dark eyes opened to peer at all the commotion. “He’s feeding”, I heard someone call out. Just about that time the turtle filled its lungs with air and dipped below the surface to catch the next wave which carried it to the fuzzy green seaweed growing along the base of the lava. Nearby snorkelers encircled the mound to watch the species underwater in an effort to capture photographic images of this intriguing reptile. I heard one shout to the other “He’s only got three flippers. One of them is sheared off.” Unlike other turtles, sea turtles cannot retract their legs and head into their shells. Still, its handicap did not seem to hinder its ability to streamline through the water. Touristy onlookers appeared mesmerized while a lively group of teenage boys merely shrugged their shoulders in boredom, having seen hundreds of sea turtles by now, and grabbed their psychedelic boogie-boards to ride the next wave.

I awakened at 2:00 a.m. to the sounds of silence. The overhead ceiling fan had ceased to move and the room was black as pitch. I got out of bed to make my way down the hall, but in my blindness had to retrace my steps. Gently I placed my hand on Gerald’s shoulder and shook him awake. “I can’t see. Something’s wrong.” He grabbed the flashlight off the bedside table, clicked on a beam of light, and flashed it around the suite. “The power is out”, he concluded. Raising the nine foot wall of window blinds confirmed his assessment. The entire Bay Area was in total darkness. The only evidence of the Marriott Beach Resort’s existence was the illuminated tiki torches along the cobbled walkway. Across the bay, Nawiliwili Harbor was only a shadow dimly lit by the crescent moon above.

As we stood there on the sheltered lanai in bare feet, we marveled at the sight before us imagining the early days of this Hawaiian settlement on Kauai. Captain James Cook arrived in 1778 when Nawiliwili was a center of island life, a home to fishing and taro farming. No hotel had yet been built. Just a beach, the stream, and the ironwood trees that grew on the hill above the beach.

We discovered later the entire island was without power just 23 minutes into the new year. Some areas were in total darkness for almost five hours due to a transformer’s automatic shutdown. A control system at the Eleele location detected a fault. The cause of the fault is still unknown. Some say it was due to antiquated equipment.

The teenage cashier at the roadside attraction in Kilauea shrugged his shoulders as his mouth curved into a half-smile when we ordered our favorite flavor combination of Hawaiian Shave Ice. One side was Banana, and the other Coconut, packed solid over two heaping scoops of Macadamia Nut Gelato in a red scalloped bowl. Tropical choices, right? Except when you think about the “presentation” when it’s all said and done. “We’re from the Midwest, you know”, I offered in casual conversation as he upended the yellow bottle of banana-infused syrup lacing it back and forth like a pendulum in motion. “And they’re hoping for a White Christmas”, I continued as if leading him down the garden path. Gerald gave me a quick jab with his left elbow and winked in my direction. Uncertain if he was clueless or just plain over-worked and exhausted from the tourist flow that day, the cashier finally looked me in the eye and asked, “Will that be all? If so, that’ll be $11.40 please.” I snickered when he handed me the finished creation surrounded by a cloud of white napkins. As Gerald completed the transaction, I scooped a spoonful of the coconut cream shave ice into my mouth and replied, “Thank goodness I’m not the one eating the YELLOW SNOW!”

“Is that another empty bottle of tequila I see on the wet bar?”, I wondered to myself this morning. Granted, when you’re on vacation it’s pretty easy to slip into cocktail hour any time of the day. After all, no matter where you go, waiters and waitresses are racing back and forth carrying trays of impressive cocktail creations featuring wedges of tropical fruit with bright paper umbrellas resting on the rims. Some drinks have names you will never hear again (i.e. “Agony or Ecstasy”. Seriously?) while others become popular stand-bys when you have no idea what you want to drink.

If there’s one thing we discovered on the island, it’s that tequila is always popular. We stumbled onto one of our favorite brands, Sauza, at the local Safeway Supermarket in Kapaa. To our delight, it was the same price we pay when we find it featured on sale back home. “How is that possible,” you ask, “when gasoline on the mainland can be under two dollars a gallon and on the island a real deal is when it’s down to $3.85 a gallon?” We wondered the same thing, but decided to go with the laid-back island perspective of “don’t ask, don’t tell”. Especially if it means the store can change their mind and suddenly make a price adjustment.

Since you’re probably still curious about the “Agony or Ecstasy” cocktail, let me tell you IT IS INCREDIBLE! Gabrielle, bartender at the oceanside Oasis On the Beach, has truly made it an art form. She gently crushes a wedge of lemon and lime together before adding habanero tequila, elderflower liqueur, a splash of grapefruit juice, topped off with ginger beer. All this is shaken, not stirred. The rim of an old-fashioned cocktail glass is dipped in a mixture of smokey-chile Alaea salt crystals. The garnish is an artist’s creation of chilled grapefruit peel splashed with sriracha sauce. Served over ice. Stir. Now sip it. The slow burn is followed by the smooth silkiness of tequila culminated by a crowning finish: a kick of ginger.

Tequila is a very sophisticated product; sip it, don’t swill it. When we weren’t indulging in the “Agony & Ecstasy”, we found it refreshing with a glass of sparkling water and freshly squeezed lime. We liken the aroma of Sauza tequila to “Mexico after the rain.” It goes extremely well with Kauaiian rainbows!