I hope the internet world is proud of me for executing my very first
plank upon a winding road on the way up to Waimea Canyon! It was a precarious endeavor to say the least, one that involved a quick paced game of plank-shoot-run between me and my sister, as to avoid being run over by on-coming cars. But alas... success!
Not only did the roads provide a great backdrop for silly photo-op ventures, they also lent a magnificent view of the landscape below... if you dared to look down from
such great heights! The immense valleys and the rivers that run through them paint a gorgeous sight of distant purple peaks, golden brown earth, volcano red dirt, bright green groves, and glistening blue water cascading through the land.
Once we reached the peak of Waimea Canyon, a sort of Grand Canyon of this Hawaiian island, the views were even more spectacular! The expansive mountains of untainted land looked almost prehistoric, as if preserved in time by man's respect for nature--a rare occurrence nowadays. It was refreshing being able to lay eyes upon a land free of dead shopping malls, skyscrapers, and suburbs.
Oh, just doing some high altitude reading amongst the fitting terrain.
Naturally, the best views of the canyon give rise to tourists beyond tourists... not excluding myself of course. I mean, does it get any more tourist than homemade postcards?
As you can imagine, mountain top explorations can work up quite the appetite. Aloha
Shrimp Station! & Mahalo for such a delicious lunch! I decided to go for the coconut shrimp--a classic and solid choice which never disappoints, I'd say. And this particular batch definitely satisfied, especially paired with their special sweet papaya dipping sauce and an ice cold can of guava juice. Gotta love those island flavors!
Now what's a trip to Waimea without a few heaping scoops of
Jojo's famous shaved ice? On vacation, a meal without dessert is simply incomplete. This cute little snack shack really lived up to my expectations! With so many flavors, it took the menu and I a few ponderous moments to finally come to an agreement--a combination of green tea, lycee, and lime shaved ice piled on top of a generous scoop of macadamia nut ice cream. Heaven in a styrofoam cup!
This sweet treat sure brought back some old memories...
Can you hear the ocean?
Next stop, the
Spouting Horn--a natural geyser at the edge of one of Kauai's coasts. Remnants of ancient lava tubes, these geysers produce nature's own Bellagio show of gushing sea water. These spouts of water reach heights nearly as impressive as the peaks of Waimea Canyon. Thar she blows!
