January 5th Waimea Canyon

Packed up for drive to the Waimea Canyon. Stopped first at Costco for gas which is 40-50 cents cheaper than at other locations. Still pricey at $3.9/gal. Waimea Canyon is rightfully called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. It has all the colors and is similarly one mile deep. We were lucky with the weather as the top lookout receives on average more than 400 inches of rain per year. Many great trails to hike and places to camp. On our return we stopped in the little town of Hapapepe where they have a street fair every Friday. The main street is lit up and lined with local artist and musicians. Food vendors offer great pulled pork, fish tacos, Gyros, and baked pies.

January 5th Kapa for Groceries and Dinner

After a long walk around the Princeville area we went to the farmers market in Kapa to buy fruit and vegetables then on to Foodland for advertised fish. No fish today "manager did not order it" the young clerk told us "maybe tomorrow". Hawaii is a little laid back even for advertised specials. We next exchanged tee shirts that we had bought yesterday for largers sizes (They must size them for pigmies). Time for dinner at the Olympic Restaurant specializing in "mexican food". Very generous proportions so we had one order of sizzling fajitas between us.

January 4th Ke e and Tunnels

We hoped to go snorkling today but waves are still hugh with some beaches marked "closed" though the surfers are having a ball. Went in the water at Anini Beach but current was very strong. Drove to check out the top sites at Ke' e and Tunnels. My son Michael and I went scuba diving out through the lava tubes from this location many years ago The scenery is lush with steep hill sides. Hard to believe that trees are growing on these almost 90 degree slopes. This is where the trail begins along the Napali coast.

Many hikers coming back with shoes covered in mud.Waves were still very big. Stopped in Hanalei for our favorite treat, shaved ice with macadamia nut ice cream. This could become a habit. Fish dinner back at our abode.

January 3rd Biking to Donkey Beach

We drove to Kapa to rent bikes to ride the 16 mile roundtrip new paved path along the east coast of Kauai. Beautiful views. Spotted several humpback whales breaching and spouting for many minutes. Later viewed large pod of porpoises. Stopped on our return for shaved ice with macadamia ice cream at the Coconut Cup. Stopped to buy tee shirts and a hat for Miriam. Returned to our condo for our home cooked pasta dinner.Save Now

Arrival in Kauai January 2nd

Arrived at Lihue Airport, drove rental car 29 miles to our condo in Princeville after stopping at the food mart in Kapa. Prices are high so Costco is a good option in Lihue. Our unit at the Alii Kai complex is 50 yards from the cliffs overlooking the ocean. Twenty foot waves are biggest of the year and lull us to sleep, at least one of us. Not likely there will be snorkling tomorrow. Night sky is providing massive display of stars.

Last Full Day in Zagreb

September 2nd Last Full Day

We are on our own so we took the Tram 12 outside the city to see more of the typical residences. The trams are clean and quite fast. A stop at the Botanical Gardens where it is nice an quiet. The city is one of the top 50 Green Cities selected because of its many parks. Overall Zagreb is clean only marred with graffiti like most European cities, not so bad as others. Back to the Ban Josip Jelacic Square for lunch with Larry and Myrna followed by a trip to the elaborate and beautiful Mirojo Cemetery passing by the St. Marks Church with it colorful tile roof . Our group went out together for a farewell dinner of Stukli (cottage cheese stuffed in pastry), veal, vegetables, and apple studel.

Walking through Zagreb

September 1st Zagreb

Our day was spent on a walking tour of the capital city. A long history of rule by the Austro Hungarian Empire is reflected in its architecture. A large square in the heart of the city is the meeting place with hundreds of restaurants. High on the upper city is the magnificent Zagreb Cathedral surrounded by a preserved wall built in the mid 13th Century. A very efficient and modern tram system funnels citizens in and out of the heart of the city and its large town square. We next visited the Museum Naiive which contains paintings and sculptures by unschooled often illiterate artists. Several became world famous like Grandma Moses. The afternoon was spent wondering through the large flower, vegetable and art markets.