Was that really Pierce Brosnan on the bike?

My wife and I recently returned from our second trip to Kauai. We spent four nights on the Big Island before arriving on Kauai. Spent three nights in Hanalei, then three nights in Kalaheo. Our thinking was to minimize drive time by doing stuff on the north shore from our Hanalei base, then shifting to Kalaheo for our south and west activities. I%26#39;ll do this in two parts---first, the northern part.

Arrived on Kauai in the morning and slowly made our way to Hanalei. Stopped to rent snorkel gear at Snorkel Bob%26#39;s in Kapaa. Worked out good because we were able to return it to their store in Koloa when we were ready to leave. Also stopped at the Safeway and the natural food store in Kauai Village shopping center. It was thrilling to be back on Kauai and the thrills deepened as we got closer to the northern mountains. It%26#39;s so stunningly beautiful and seems to strike some deep chord in me. Stopped at the lookout, which takes my breath away. Looked at it differently this time, as we would be staying in a cottage a couple of miles up the river and tried to understand just where it might be. Stopped in Hanalei for fish tacos at Tropical Taco and some iced mocha at Java Hai. Felt ourselves slipping back onto Kauai Time. Didn%26#39;t seem like six years since we%26#39;d been there. More like yesterday, or that we%26#39;d never really left, just had a long dream about being in Massachusetts. We also discovered Melona ice cream bars. Ice cream is one of those expensive items on Kauai, but Melonas are good and so affordable that I could have as many as I wanted without thinking $. I liked the melon flavored ones best. Went down to the bay and walked out on the pier. We were delighted to see that it really is just as wonderful as we%26#39;d remembered it being. What a remarkable place.

Then to the cottage. We rented one of the two cottages at Taro Patch Hale (www.hanaleivalley.kauaistyle.com/index.htm) We really loved it there, but it%26#39;s certainly not for everyone, Some folks would find it more than a little rough. We liked being relatively in the middle of nowhere---2 miles up the Hanalei Valley--the Hanalei River running through the yard. The river is still pretty much a stream that far up the valley. The owner is a pleasant, interesting guy, but not a doting host. The cottages are basic and very affordable. We were happy there. Felt like being in Hawaii.

We had good snorkeling at Tunnels, even better at Ke%26#39;e. We don%26#39;t feed the fish. I was introduced to snorkeling many years ago on St John in the US Virgin Islands,where most beaches are within the National Park. It%26#39;s clear there that the ecosystem is not to be tampered with and needs to be respected. The fish are not there for my entertainment. I get to observe and respect. I don%26#39;t get to take or arrange or manipulate for my enjoyment. I get to experience being a part of an ecosystem.

Had a rainy morning, so drove over to Kilauea light, then poked around the village for a while.

Hiked to Hanakapiai beach, which is a trail I love. Seeing the Napali coast unfold is magnificent. It%26#39;s one of the strongest images that stayed with me from our previous trip. On our last trip we hiked up to the falls, but this time we were satisfied reaching the beach. A theme of this trip was to do less and take a longer time doing it.

We ate at Zelo%26#39;s---food was pretty good, but service was pretty poor. It%26#39;s one thing to have poor service when a place is busy, something else to have poor service when a place isn%26#39;t busy at all. Different story at Hanalei Dolphin, where we were very pleased with everything. Final meal was at Polynesia Cafe, which was nothing special.

When the day came to pack up and head south to Kalaheo, we had some misgivings. What had we been thinking? Why did we think it would be a good idea to leave Hanalei? But we had a last snorkel at Ke%26#39;e, stopped at the Overlook and headed south.

Oh, Pierce Brosnan. Yeah, we saw him riding his bike. It was a little quirky, but no big deal. Hanalei, that kind of place.

Was that really Pierce Brosnan on the bike?

Great report, thanks!

Was that really Pierce Brosnan on the bike?

Great post bellman3! Good to read that you savoured the trip, rather than flitting from one place to another, looking for a constant amusement ride adrenalin rush.

Hopefully your statement: ';The fish are not there for my entertainment. I get to observe and respect. I don%26#39;t get to take or arrange or manipulate for my enjoyment. I get to experience being a part of an ecosystem.'; Will serve to enlighten future travellers to the Hawaiian Islands, and will also hopefully use their time on Kauai with their children to teach them to better understand and respect the amazing environment around them.

Unfortunately there will always be those few who choose to do as they please, without any thought to the consequences of their actions.

What a delightful surprise! I was just thinking this would be a brief celebrity sighting post, and here is your wonderful trip report . . . I just so enjoyed what you shared . . . and I can even smell the air thinking of Hanalei. We somehow had good service at Zelo%26#39;s, but I agree about Hanalei Dolphin, our first dinner there was so good we decided to dine there again for our last night in Hanalei. I bought a print when we were there of Ke%26#39;e beach - I just love that place . . . it%26#39;s nice to read about another experience . . . mahalo for sharing that Kauai magic with us all. :)

Just wanted to mention----perhaps the oddest thing about seeing Pierce Brosnan riding his bike in Hanalei was that he was alone. No entourage, nobody. Just him. Just another guy enjoying a day in Hanalei. I asked my wife what she thought he might have been thinking about at that particular moment. Her guess was that he might have been worrying that a chicken would run out onto the road in front of him. My guess was that he was getting thirsty and wished he%26#39;d brought some water with him. There%26#39;s time to speculate about stuff like that when you%26#39;re on vacation in Kauai.

We%26#39;re pretty sure we saw Mr. Brosnan in his car at the Hanalei Bridge.

bellman...love your reports. I hope you had the opportunity to drive Hanalei River Rd beyond the taro fields to experience the mighty bamboo forests. I was totally enchanted.

Thanks. We did get up there, in fact, we stayed up there. The cottage where we stayed is two miles up Ohiki Rd, which is the road that follows the river up the valley. You pick it up just as you cross the Hanalei bridge coming from Princeville. It%26#39;s really nice up there. The river is still a stream and hasn%26#39;t widened out yet.