Holiday Aloha Part 'ekolu on the Golden Princess to Hawaii 12/19/12 to 1/2/13

[cr8tiv1]

Thank you for posting your photos of Coco Palms. It is so sad to see her in ruins for so many years. Kauai was directly hit by two hurricanes (1982 and 1992). This left Kauai devastated. Not only her structures, but places like the Fern Grotto. Kauai is one of the least developed but most naturally beautiful of all the islands.

 

I am enjoying your review but need you to hurry and finish before I set sail.

 

Renee (displaced local girl)

[Cruisin' Chick]

 

 

 

 

 

[Cruisin' Chick]

Thank you for posting your photos of Coco Palms. It is so sad to see her in ruins for so many years. Kauai was directly hit by two hurricanes (1982 and 1992). This left Kauai devastated. Not only her structures, but places like the Fern Grotto. Kauai is one of the least developed but most naturally beautiful of all the islands.

 

I am enjoying your review but need you to hurry and finish before I set sail.

 

Renee (displaced local girl)

 

 

As I noted some posts before, I had looked at a brochure for my first trip to Hawaii and saw that we had lunch at the Coco Palms (unless somehow those plans had changed).

[Cruisin' Chick]

 

Then he had our group walk outside to where the lagoon was. This was the site for the final scene in Blue Hawaii, in which the character played by Elvis and his new bride would climb on a canoe and sail off into the sunset. The wedding chapel here was the scene of some 500 ceremonies performed annually over its 40 year history. The chapel was used in the movie Miss Sadie Thompson.

 

 

 

 

[Cruisin' Chick]

 

 

 

While we were standing outside, the girl noticed a massive spider web.

 

 

 

[Cruisin' Chick]

 

We bid fond farewell to Larry and piled back into the bus (hubby with his newly purchased CD). Michelle, our driver, turned onto Kuamo’o Road and we drove west until we reached a parking lot, from which we can walk to a vista point for our next movie site.

This was the 151-foot ʻŌpaekaʻa Falls. The name comes from the Hawaiian words for shrimp and rolling, dating back to the time in which freshwater shrimp was seen rolling and tumbling down the falls. Some of the films featuring the falls include Donovan’s Reef, Lt. Robin Crusoe, USN, Blue Hawaii, and The Wackiest Ship in the Army.

 

 

 

 

[Cruisin' Chick]

 

If you cross the road (carefully, of course), there’s supposed to be ancient heiau, but since they’re sacred, we just stayed on the road and looked at the signs.

 

 

[Cruisin' Chick]

From here, you can look onto the Wailua River Valley. Movies shot in this area include Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park and Outbreak, The Hawaiians.

 

 

 

 

 

[Cruisin' Chick]

Back in the parking lot, there’s restroom facilities next to a patch of grass that is populated by many chickens and birds pacing about. Among the tour buses and rental cars, there are vendors selling nuts out of their vehicles.

 

Our trusty bus headed back to the main highway and traveled north, alongside the shoreline. We passed by Waipouli, Kapa’a, Anahola.

 

 

 

 

[Cruisin' Chick]

We stopped in Aliomanu, where there are some ritzy homes (for this island, that is). Around here, is an airport set that was constructed specifically for the movie Six Days, Seven Nights. Shonoa pointed out one mountain, Kahalea mountain, to look at. It’s nicknamed King Kong Mountain for obvious reasons.

 

 

 

 

[Cruisin' Chick]

 

 

 

 

 

[Cruisin' Chick]

Pointing to our location.

 

 

On the way to our next stop, Shania talked about how there are about five major ranches on the island. One of them, in Princeville, supplies beef to some premium stores such as Whole Foods.

On our way to our next stop, the weighty subject of Gilligan’s Island was discussed. Shonoa played the beginning of the never broadcasted original pilot. She asked us to count the various differences from the show that finally made it on the air. Among the differences in the first pilot: the original theme song was more of a Calypso-style song that was composed by John Williams (yes, the Oscar winner). Different lyrics and different feeling. Also, besides Gilligan, Skipper, and the Howells, there was a high school teacher and two secretaries. The cruise was “a six-hour ride.”

 

The president of CBS nixed these elements. The song was changed to that classic tune we all know and love, the teacher was changed to a professor, and the two secretaries were changed to Ginger, the movie star, and Mary Ann, the Kansas farm girl. And the last three were recast with different actors.

 

We reached Moloa’a Bay in northeast corner of the island, where the original pilot of Gilligan’s Island (“Marooned”) was filmed. After we walked down the path to the beach, Shania pointed where the featured coconut trees are.

[Cruisin' Chick]

 

 

 

 

[Cruisin' Chick]

 

 

 

 

[Cruisin' Chick]

While we were going back up to the bus, I was talking to some of the British people with us. So, that proves me wrong that we all know that song. They had never seen Gilligan’s Island so they were asking me questions.

We now continued on the highway to the west. We passed a grassy plain that was populated with dinosaurs in Jurassic Park. Fortunately, the little buggers weren’t around this day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also saw some trees that looked like Christmas trees in the Princeville area. I think they are Cook Island Pines.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Now it was time to satisfy our rumbling tummies. Earlier during the tour, Shonia took lunch orders. We stopped in Hanalei (ye, the Hanalei of the song Puff the Magic Dragon). At the Tahiti Nui, we were given a choice of cheeseburger, teriyaki chicken, kahula pork, or a salad. All with sodas and fries included (you can buy a MaiTai, if you wish). If you’ve seen the movie The Descendants (which I recommend watching with tissue at the ready to dry your eyes), this is the place where George Clooney’s character ran into his cousin (played by Beau Bridges).

We sat at a long table. The tour that had left Nawiliwili right before us was at the next table finishing their meals.

 

 

 

 

Outside there's the imu pit where the pig is cooked for the Kalua pork for our lunch today and for the luaus that are held at the restaurant weekly. They also are known for their shows on the indoors stage.

[Cruisin' Chick]

 

 

 

Note the photos on the wall.

 

[Cruisin' Chick]

After our lunch, we boarded our bus and headed to the Hanalei Pier and beach. The bay used to be used by whalers and traders as well as for the sugar industry. Some scenes from Miss Sadie Thompson, Wackiest Ship In The Army, South Pacific, Beachhead and Acapulco Gold were shot here.

 

 

 

 

[Cruisin' Chick]

 

 

 

 

[Cruisin' Chick]

 

 

 

[Cruisin' Chick]

On the way to our ship, including another pass by the land where dinosaur roamed in the 90s, Shonoa showed a part of a Weather Channel special about Hurricane Iniki. The segment we saw described the Jurassic Park cast and crew’s experiences at that time.

 

 

 

Unfortunately the Central Pacific Hurricane Center had guessed wrong about the ultimate path and strength of the storm, thinking it would weaken and stay south of the island. Instead it hit Kauai head on as a category 4 hurricane.

The group was staying at the Westin Kauai (now the Marriott in on Kalapaki Beach in Nawiliwili) in, 1992 . On September 11,which was scheduled to be the last day of filming on the island, but were caught unaware that they were about to be stranded in a disaster zone.

Much of Kauai was without power for several months. The living conditions had an effect on normal activities, and for Shona, that meant her hula classes taught by Larry Riviera’s daughter ended.

The hotel itself, which had suffered much damage, was allowed to be rebuilt through a loophole of the Coconut tree law that was passed as a result of Iniki.

Another end result of the hurricane is that many chickens had gotten loose from coops holding chickens used in illegal chicken fighting contests. They multiplied like, um, rabbits, and added to the already extensive feral chicken population. And these chickens (through diet, etc.) were not exactly prized for their meat. The old joke (heard on our previous trip to Kauai by a shuttle driver) is that the way to cook them is boiled the chickens for hours, throw out the chicken and use the broth.

We ended back at the pier, said our aloha’s and mahola’s to our guide and driver, and headed back into the terminal to go through security.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Back on the ship, we made our way to the pool deck for the sailaway from Kaua’i.

 

 

 

 

Those waiting for the sailaway were entertained by Elua.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cruisin' Chick]

 

 

 

 

[Cruisin' Chick]

 

Marriott, Kalapaki Beach, Nawiliwili Bay as we sailed off from the lovely island of Kauai.

 

 

 

[Cruisin' Chick]

Dinner:

Grilled Filet of Striped Corvina over Melted Leeks

Cognac-Flamed Crawfish Etouffee with Louisiana Hot Sauce

Roasted Asian-Spiced Duck Breast with Honey-Garlic Glaze

Oven-Roast Prime Rib with Natural Pan Juice

Pan-Fried Pork Chop with Fig Demi-Glace

(V) Tempura of Seasonal Vegetables

 

Tonight was the Ultimate Deck Party. When we got there, Elua was about to perform. Leialoha led everyone in the hula dance to the Hukilau Song. Then the band new Deal took over.

The cruise director and her staff were very much in evidence, getting everyone dancing.

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s the Cruise Director Sammi Baker.