For my last day in Hawaii… we really didn’t have much planned. Mark and I were both tired from the week and the day before. We did want to do two things though – head to a place called “Pancho and Lefty’s” for lunch, as they have something called “Besos Calientes” (hot kisses) that are essentially deep-fried jalapenos with cheese and bacon, and then head up to Kawaihae, HI – where I’m told I was going to have one of the best seafood meals of my life at the Seafood Bar.
Excited for both, after some domestic work at Mark’s house to help set up some speakers with the help of Mark’s roommate Tim, we headed off to lunch. I should take a moment to acknowledge Tim. I haven’t mentioned him here in the blog post but he was a fantastic person all week long. He was talkative, welcoming, encouraging, and helped us do everything from drink to clean up after ourselves all week at Mark’s house when we were home. He’s a generally good guy, and I’d be remiss not to mention him somewhere along here. Anyway – we made it to Pancho and Lefty’s only to find out they were out of the Besos Calientes, but we stayed anyway and had a few drinks and a quick lunch before heading out to watch the sea again for a while – only Tim had other plans… so we met him for a drink instead! It was fun, we went into “Da Shark Shack“, and completed what Mark and Tim told me was “a ritual” of always taking one another to this bar before heading to the airport. Looking out at the sea… (check their website for a photo)… I could see why. It was a good reminder of all I’d be leaving behind as I boarded my flight back to the US – sun, waves, delicious drinks, and a slow, unhurried speed of life. We talked for a while, and as bartenders and service people came and went (even those delivering kegs), it was clear again that Mark knew everybody here, or knew them from somewhere else where they had a second job. The small-town vibe settled in, and all too soon we tipped our hats and headed out – one more trip back to Mark’s place to pack and relax before the final trip to Kawaihae and then the airport.
The road to Kawaihae was worth a photo – I wish I’d thought to take one. We took the western-most route this time and drove through basically the remnants of hundreds of years of old lava flows with a road paved over it. Grasses grew where they had found root near the roadway, but much of the surrounding land was not beautiful or bountiful – just hard lava rock for miles and miles with some resorts and hotels where someone had invested the time and money to literally dig out a living for themselves from the hard ground. Eventually we made to the Seafood Bar – where around front there were only two cars. I gave Mark trouble about bringing me somewhere so unpopular… and then we pulled around back where we almost had trouble finding parking due to the tens of cars filling nearly all the parking spots in the back. Mark said this was a low day – being New Years Eve perhaps people were staying home – but the nice part of it all was even with all those cars we still found seats at the bar and everyone around us all agreed that Mark, who had been raving about the Black Bean Seafood special all week, was right – I had to get it. And yes – it was everything he promised and more – especially with the garlic bread with browned parmesean cheese to dip into the sauce after you at the seafood.
The Black Bean Seafood Special – They’re lucky I didn’t lick the bowl!
Tummy full after we scarfed down our respective seafood bowls… we met the owner of the bar and talked to him about everything from opening the Seafood Bar 23 years ago to football, basketball, and growing up in Connecticut. And just like that… my time in Hawaii was over – it was time to head back to the airport. Mark dropped me off… I checked in… and was on my way back home after a short delay for fueling and catering the airplane. I slept almost the entire way back, which in my opinion is the best sign of a busy and fulfilling trip – sleeping through the boring part.
I’d like to say a huge thanks to Mark for letting me stay with him this week, and for showing me just a sliver of what he calls home in Kona. I will definitely be visiting again soon, and I greatly appreciate the time, expense, planning, and imposition that you took upon yourself to have me visit. I wouldn’t have gone or have had nearly the same experience without you! Thank you again!
