We started our Hawaii adventure with five weeks in Kailua, on the Windward (East) side of the island. Our current mode is to spend at least a month in one location, so we can learn how to live like locals, eating at the local restaurants, buying at the local markets, exploring local shops, and cooking at home. We’re also planning to learn some new recreational activities, so one of our first stops was a store that sells pickle ball gear (yes, there is one, with lots of inventory and an owner who loves the sport), where we bought a couple of paddles and some holes balls (top-left). We then went to one of the popular pickle ball courts in the Honolulu area, and met up with an instructor who can get us started. Our first attempts were dismal. It is unlike tennis, table tennis, badminton or racquet ball, and we found ourselves hitting and missing, and felt like uncoordinated novices. Also, we need to buy real hard court shoes, which provide more ankle support than the walking shoes we normally wear. Like almost everything else, there seems to be a shortage of these on the island.
Our next adventure was renting a couple of e-bikes for a tour. We hired a guide (lower-left) to show us around Kailua on the e-bikes, riding over to a historic local temple, crossing a marsh reserve, riding to both Kailua Beaches and over the hill to Lanakai Beach. We covered an amazing amount of land on those e-bikes, including a lunch stop in a secluded cove at the picturesque Lanakai beach.
Fourth of July was a muted affair again this year, with the pandemic banning the local parades and fireworks on the beach, which Kailua is known for. Instead, our AirBnb host, Sara (top-right) hosted a small backyard potluck barbecue that she invited us to. The afternoon was spent with grilling hot dogs and hamburgers (middle) and meeting new friends (bottom row).
The cottage where we stayed in Kailua was incredible. It was a short walk to Kailua Beach in one direction, and a short walk into Kailua town in the other direction. We had access to a mango tree in our backyard, and the Hawaiian mangos are sweeter than we’ve ever had. When we first checked the weather reports prior to arriving, we were concerned how windy it appeared. In reality, the tradewinds have been a blessing in keeping down the otherwise unbearable humidity. We slept with the windows and doors open most nights, and it was a treat hearing the birds singing starting at 5:30 each morning. And, then there was “Ocean”, the neighbor’s dog who crooned to the sound of every emergency vehicle and the sounds of the concert violinist, who practiced every morning.
Of course we explored many of the restaurants in the area while in Kailua. Probably the most memorable was Haleiwa Joe’s, shown above. The restaurant is backed by a huge garden and lake area, which makes a nice stroll while waiting for them to open.
Though it does not open until 4:30 pm, we were warned that we needed to show up by 3:30 to get a table (no reservations are accepted). When we got there at 3:30, there were already a dozen people ahead of us, waiting for the doors to open. By the time the doors did open, only about a third of those in line were able to be seated… good thing we heeded the warnings!
Everything here was over-the-top excellent. Though it calls itself a seafood restaurant, we were told by several people to get the prime rib. Well… we got an appetizer and another meal (swordfish) along with the prime rib… then our jaws dropped to the floor when the steak arrived! It was 24 ounces, 2 inches thick and covered a large plate.
As a result of that surprise, I got the chance to see just how good their prime rib is when cold as a leftover at home too…