Kailua Charms

Spent the afternoon on Kailua Beach today . . . along with a lot of other folks, but nothing was crowded. Just lots of people of all ages having fun in the sun (and the shade). I took my lunch (the couple sleeping here had their sandwiches, too) and loved the warmer water, which is aquamarine, green! Milky, like a gem. Strong waves and brisk winds, so in the water was the warmest place. Outside it was chilly so I wrapped up in a towel (forgot shirts--got burned).

There was a woman swimming with her 3 dogs, two on a small styrofoam board and one swimming along. Sorry for bad photo--ran across them on the beach later as they were going back in--she puts the two on the board and throws a Frisbee far out for the third, and she swims back (a long way!). Who was holding on the rope of the board I never found out. She's swimming out front on your right, the two dogs on the board in the middle, and the big, swimming dog, at the end. A beagle and a pug on the board, big dog alone.

Finished with dinner at Zia's--their special: pear, blue cheese, mushroom and chicken pasta--green flat pasta. It was so good!! Of course eaten outside. Since it's only a 20 minute drive from here, this charming little town is the place to do beach things. Big bookstore, Coldstone ice cream, and a lovely, cool green drive to and fro.

Kailua Simply Beautiful

Today I went to Kailua, directly north from Honolulu on the Windward coast for an appointment there. To my surprise, the drive took only 20 minutes through a cool rainforesty canopy of green. Passing through two tunnels, the vista opened on a distant view of Kailua and the blue ocean. After my appointment, I went to Kailua Beach, said perhaps the best in the world with its powdery white sand, its immensity, its crystal blue ocean. And lots of shade! May be worth the quick drive to go the beach there! Plenty of easy parking, non-clogged highway, small town feel.....and, yes, the bumper-to-bumper return from work in Honolulu traffic I saw on the way back showed how many people were willing to drive for the simple beauty of Kailua.

As for my "Mamasan Curry" at Mekong last night, it turns out that's a typo; it's Massaman curry, a "Muslim" curry with a Middle Eastern rather than Thai flair. Dark brownish red, spices so unfamiliar in curry, not Indian or Thai, it had chicken, carrots, onions and sweet potatoes! First ever sweet potatoes in curry! But it did have coconut milk (lite). The Bangkok Wings were deboned chicken wings stuffed with mushrooms, pork, carrots, long rice and spices and served with a thick peanut satay sauce. My leftovers tonight were just as delicious as the originals last night!