legends and liabilities

There is much to see & experience on Kauai. Much that can be revisited every year and still be awe-inspiring. But there is much that has been lost and never replaced in memory ... only by living thru legend. If one has never been to the islands, watching the movie HAWAII (Julie Andrews, Max Von Syedon) is very educational & enlightening. It's authenticity has often been confirmed and it makes one more appreciative & respectful of the traditions that still hold strong here. That being said ... with the national economy taking it's toll on much of us ... Hawaii struggles as well because it's TOP industry is tourism. As little as 4 years ago- there were cruise ships lined up to make port at each of the islands everyday and often MORE than one ship at a time. ONE of the greatest things about that was that NCL had, by that time, 3 US registered flag ships positioned here. The ONLY US registered ships in over 40 years. IT MEANT hundreds of jobs created for American citizens! (and the ships were beautifully outfitted). Every other day, you were likely to see one of them in port, no matter what island you were on. Finances & business could not withstand the pitfalls of bad housing loans, ponzi schemes, & over-stuffed government, and the cruise line had to whittle it's threesome down to a single ship- to "stay afloat". It appears that other lines have done the same- as we have been here a week and only seen 2 the entire time. Businesses we once looked forward to visiting are gone now .... no longer able to sustain on local patronage or the slighted tourism. The beaches are less inhabited, that's nice .... but at the expense of some of the little guys- and that's not nice. Believe it or not (for those of you who understand) .... there even seems to be less chickens and cats!!

HOWEVER ..... thankfully, Mother Nature doesn't abide by the rise & fall of the Dow Jones or a new presidency. She does her own thing. Occasionally held at bay due to the evil presence of a hurricane or tsunami, she is otherwise doing her best to provide the beauty (and my personal allure) to the islands- by way of flowers and waterfalls, wide beaches, etc. Our outing yesterday included appreciation of such natural sights. To me- the most enjoyable times of our Hawaiian retreats. As I sit on the lanai to update my blog this morning, the frequent sunrise showers accompany rooster crows & myna bird songs, as the sun plays peek-a-boo with the clouds to my left. My coffee percolates inside and the smell of macadamia nut is beginning to waft in my direction. I've been up for an hour and I can hear the creak of the floor indicating the Capt is waking now. Cars are sneaking into the landscape stretched out before me, signaling the true beginning of the day ....... and I'm ready.