There's just something about the place we rented for the second week of our stay. 100 Shades of Green is a two level house in the upcountry between Hanalei and Ha'ena. When we first walked into it, I got that feeling about it that just made me feel like we had come home. It's decorated with all sorts of fun objets d'art and walking through the place, you just get the sense that many happy memories have been created here. It has a good aura, if you'll forgive a little bit of new agey-ness from me.
On the seventh day of the trip, we didn't do very much. We enjoyed the house, took a trip out to see Tunnels Beach (I didn't take any photos because we were planning to snorkel and I didn't want to leave my camera unattended on the beach). Then we came home, relaxed and got ready for a relaxing dinner at a restaurant at the Princeville Hotel. We had dinner while watching the sun go down over Hanalei Bay.
A lovely way to end the day -- and dinner was quite good, too.
Princeville, however, struck us as very strange. It was as if someone had taken a gated community from an upscale Houston suburb (yes, I know what these look like, I've been to Houston a number of times) and dropped it down on a tropical cliff overlook. It just seems completely out of place in Kaua'i, an island with a very down-to-earth and natural feel. Not a place where you need to worry about feeling unsafe, or where you would want to trade the beautiful tropical landscape for golf-course manicured lawns and exactly placed palm trees. But to each their own, I guess. Clearly it is the comfort zone that a large number of people desire.
I visited Hawai'i a couple of years ago with my sister. I loved it! We spent one week each on O'ahu and Kaua'i. On O'ahu we went the hostel route, not being rich, but on Kaua'i we got to stay at a timeshare in...you guessed it... Princeville. (The timeshare was an exchange that my parents arranged for us - thank you mom & dad!) I agree with the gated community feel of it, and the general weirdness of it. But, I can't complain really, because I got to visit such a lovely island because of it. (I wonder what the residents of Kaua'i think of it though...)
Cool, seems maybe it was built by Texan developer? ;) Enjoy!
I just heard about a Hawaii earthquake . . . I'm assuming you're okay. It sure looks like you're having a wonderful time!