The Day at Hanalei Bay

So today (Sunday) was an amazing day!!!
Actually slept fairly well, and a bit later then the last couple days!!

We had a yummy breakfast...scrambled eggs on toast - the eggs are big here, btw!  And fruit smoothies!
Since Doris has had a hankering for fresh sushi from the Dolphin Fish Market, since May when we were last here...Hanalei Bay was one of the first places we planned to visit.  And today was the day!  So we packed up our beach stuff and headed north.

A little side bar, Hanalei Bay is famous from the song
Puff the Magic Dragon...

"Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
  And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called 
Honah Lee"

Honah Lee refers to the town of Hanalei, Kauai....



Anyway, the drive up north is amazing!!  The scenery is breathtaking!! Mountains, trees, lush vegetation line the streets...the 401 has nothing on this!! lol

We eventually arrive at the town of Hanalei which is filled with shops, restaurants, fish markets...very quaint little town.  We are looking for Hanalei Pavilion Beach - its a calm little beach tucked away from the strong currents and waves...perfect for Doris, since her swimming skills leave something to be desired!!

It has been almost 6 months since we have been there so the directions are a little fuzzy... and Doris has many skills and strengths, but map reading is NOT one of them.  She is definitely of the GPS generation!!
So we drove a ways past Hanalei but again, every road and view is stunning so not really a horrible tragedy in anyway!!  Once we got turned around and headed back to town, I looked at the map and determined our course!  We found the beach!!  And it was as spectacular as I had remembered!!  Beautiful sandy beach, blue water, mountains in the back ground!!  Perfect!!

 

We had a nice relaxing time on the beach....it was super hot!!!




So only one thing to do at that point....take a dip in the ocean!!

After a little more laying on the beach, in the super hot sun and we were ready for some lunch.  We had seen a restaurant on the way into town offering fresh fish tacos, so our plan was to have these for lunch and then stop for sushi to bring home for supper....seemed like a god plan.

So we drove back into town, found a place to park and headed to Tropical Taco.....

View from our seats!!

After our very, very yummy fish taco lunch we explored around town, did a little shopping, Doris got her coffee fix....it was very pleasant!
It's now about time to be heading home....and stop at the Dolphin fish market....


Doris is very excited at this point....we had sushi
here last year, thanks to Sony's knowledgeable
suggestion and she has been raving about it ever
since....and even I had to admit, it was pretty good!!



So we pulled up to the market and Doris went in while I waited in the car.  Sadly, she was back very quickly with that pouty look she gets on her face...
they were sold out for the day!!!  :-(


It was truly devastating news!!!  This is what she had been looking forward to for 5 months...but not to worry, we will be back!!  So we head towards home now...in a saddened silence....
Until, a ways down the road we see a roadside market....we decided to stop!!
It was the mango bread that caught Doris' eye, but then another treat tempted us....fresh BBQ wild boar!!!
I mean come on....how could you not???  Its just angry pig!!!   And oooohhh so tasty!!!


All in all, very good day in paradise!!!!