Winter

The snow hit Monday and stayed through Thanksgiving.  Some photos:

PreThanksgiving

Janie, learning the technique in her Nordic hairstyle.

It is cold. It is snowing. On Saturday we hunkered down inside and prepared for the festive season. It is always fun. It is much more fun with the grandkids.

In major production.  Two irons.

eating the krumkake

krumkake production

Chillin

Hawaii:  I had five objectives and I only met three.  Perhaps it is due to my increasing age, my lack of preparation or, it may be due that Hawaii is Hawaii, and it does not compare to any other state.  I have not journaled the last few days because I was spent.  The Jeep gave us access to some of the most remote spots of the island, yet my energy was not there.  After returning from the volcanoes, I had little energy left to explore the Big Island.  My number one objective had been met.  We saw, and stood on the rim of Kiulauea.  We did not see lava, but imagined the possibility.  We did experience the glow of her caldera.  We stood on land younger than us, and we checked off another National Park.

The island of Hawaii is so rural.  Much like home, it is a compilation of many homespun villages.  Unlike home, it is inundated with tourists to experience the uniqueness of its culture, its volcanoes, its unique topography (lava and beaches) and the pleasant weather.  Road travel is relatively easy but it is not home.

After returning from the volcanoes on Monday eve, Barb and I really chilled out.  We hit some of the local snorkeling beaches nearby.  We spent a lot of time in Kona, including the museums, and relished in the fact that we were located on the beach near a nationally historic place.  The adventure was over after Monday.  Tuesday through Friday, we enjoyed our environs.  We chilled.

Three of five?  I have two cousins, my age, who died on this island.  I failed at making contact with their families.  Part of that is me.  Part of that is Hawaii.  I tried.  I failed.  But Hawaii is different.  And that difference, I did not bridge.

Day 5 Volcanoes

Other condo members advised against it. But we did it and it worked great. We drove over to Volcanoes Nat’l Park, spent the day, and drove back tonight. The roads aren’t the best, but we felt they were adequate. It’s two hours each way (90 miles), some over narrow mountain roads, some over a volcanic landscape home to the one of the greatest resort ownership debacles of all time. At one point you look up at 11,000 acres of volcanic flow and you see houses doted across the landscape. The promoters sold one acre lots, promised great infrastructure that never materialized. Interestingly, about 3,400 people live (it was supposed to be 22,000 with a luxury golf course) there.

The mountains and lava fields change to fertile plains dotted with fields of grass and trees. The Black Sand Beach was a wonderful stopping point as several giant sea turtles were resting in the sun.

black sand beach

turtles resting on black sand

Volcanoes National Park is located on the southeast part of Hawaii. Kilauea dominates the park but unlike our mountains, you drive to an elevation of 4,000 feet and look down into the smoking caldera. We took a short hike through an area with steam vents and another through a lava tube. We also drove down another dead end road to the sea where the lava flow closed the highway. At one point you could see in the distance steam rising from the ocean where Kilauea’s lava is flowing into the sea. Currently, red hot lava is not visible on land.

entry to lava tube, lush area

road ended at lava flow

We stayed till nightfall to view the fiery caldera of Kilauea. The sun set over the flanks of Mauna Loa behind us. (Again, not like our mountains. The slopes are even and extend for miles, steadily upward to 14,000 feet making Mauna Loa the largest mountain on earth in terms of mass.) As the sky darkened the fiery Kilauea Caldera was revealed. An eerie red glow rose from deep within the caldera.

Kilauea Caldera

A Park Ranger stood near us as the sky darkened. Again, I was reminded as to why I enjoy our National Parks so much. He told stories of native Hawaiians who still hike to the cliff to give homage to the Goddess Pele. He skillfully answered some dumb questions like, “Where is the mountain?” “Duh, you are standing on it.” He also adeptly described the geological activity, the environmental impact of the volcanoes emissions, and the life that still flourishes in the area. I think the National Park system represents the best of organizations. There is no hype, no advertisements, and little commercialism. The Rangers let the landscape speak the loudest. The process of Creation is evident and still on going. God is not done yet. We spent a good part of the day driving and walking on land that is younger than we are. Yes, we are now older than a rock.

Land, much younger than me.

Day 4

Day 3 and 4

It was a bit drippy (just mist) on Saturday so we chose to stay in town to visit the site of the home and temple of King Kamehameha the Great. (1812 ) and Hulihe’s Palace (1838) both located in the center of Kona. It was a day of learning more of the history and the culture of the Hawaiians. For dinner Barb and I grilled the tuna, then sat under the palms on the beach next to the condo until around 9:30. There was no wind, moderate surf, and temps in the mid 70’s.


Volcanic landscape dominates east side

bay north of kona

Sunday morning shone bright and we decided to drive north, as far as the Jeep could carry us. Barb and I refuse to admit we are near the end of the road but today we experienced that feeling twice. One we expected. The other was a surprise and major disappointment. Kapa’au is a small town on the northern edge of east Hawaii. The lava dominated landscape turns to green grass, banana trees, lush vegetation, and deep valleys of running streams. The major road stops abruptly just past the town at a vista of the northern coast. Maui was visible to the north.



a puddle is no problem

off road to see heritage sites - actually a county road

these ponds are getting larger

now it is a river, how deep

water sprays over our heads

Just east of Kap’au we took a side road to find two ancient heritage sites. The (debatable) birth place of Kamehameha is said to be down a dirt road just off the main road near Kapa’au. Also on the road is the site of a structure dedicated to human sacrifice. Both are stone structures and guide books suggest 4WD to visit them. The advice was correct. Our friends, the Turners, had visited the sites last summer and told us what to do. Our challenge however, and we did not know this until we were well into the trip, was that heavy rain squalls had hit the area the night before and the dirt road was full of puddles, no ponds would be a better description. There were no other vehicles on the road, there were a few tracks ahead, but the ponds got bigger and deeper. Finally, after loosing sight twice due to muddy water splashing up on the windshield, we got to our destination. Then as we continued to progress out of the site, up a hill and seemingly out of the pools, the road was blocked and we had to return the way we came in, high water in all. In retrospect it was a dumb move. We enjoy the back roads but in this case we were in a very remote country and had no business taking on those conditions. Barb, the Everready tourist, urged me on, but later admitted that she was quite afraid during the most challenging part of the drive.

now where?



finally arrive at site, not much



end of road, beautiful



 

end of trail, beautiful views

 

 

 




 

 

 

 
We settled our nerves by spending the late afternoon on Hapuna Beach.



















Day 2

Hawaii Day 2

simple hut

walls, mostly of stone

Sure glad that Jesus lived.  He taught forgiveness.  If you study some of the ancient cultures that held pagan beliefs (not just Hawaii, but the Americas, Europe, Asia, and others) the civilizations had some pretty brutal rituals and punishments.  Today we visited a “place of refuge”, a community built to accept those who have committed a “kapu” or sin which may have been as minor as looking at the king or crossing the king’s path well after he had traveled through.  The punishment was death but if the transgressor could get to the place of refuge, his kapu would be forgiven and he/she could again go back to his village.  The display was simple, indicative of their simple life.  The ancients in the tropics didn’t need much; some shade, a place to lie down, and perhaps some sea walls to protect from high waves during storms.  The walls are impressive here, some along the shore but many jutting far inland.  There are plenty of stones here to make the walls.

barb out in the bay

could be a large white male

We drove down to Honounau Bay for some snorkeling.  I was proud of Barb as she jumped right in.  As a young adult she was fearful of the water but those many snorkel trips in Thailand had captured her zeal to explore the beautiful reefs.  The diving here was not great, but nice.  Entries into the water can be difficult as you are leaving from lava.  Getting out is harder as the waves can crash you against the rock.  In between time, however, you hover weightless, in serene-like state, watching the colorful fish frolic through the coral.

We did stop by to view the Captain Cook memorial marking the spot of his death in 1779.  It can only be accessed by boat, horseback, or a long 4 mile hike.  We had no time to approach the site today but if we do it will be via kayak.  The cliff above the bay where the memorial sits holds many secrets.  Kings and royalty had their bones stored within the crevices in the sheer face.  Since the family wanted to keep the location of the bones secret, after the bones were deposited, the rope lowering the man down the rock face, was cut, dropping him to his death.  A secret kept.

Kona Hawaii

morning cofee on lanai

sea turtle in front of condo

It seems like just a few days since we were enjoying the shores of Lake Oconee. Barb and I usually try to spread out our adventures but a promo to Kona by Alaska Air made this trip very doable now. We landed in Kona on Wednesday and we were glad that the tour books had warned us not to judge the Big Island by the topography around the airport. We landed on lava beds amid sparse and dried up vegetation reminiscent of some of the volcanic areas in central WA. After renting a Jeep we drove the few miles into Kona. Our condo (through our time share plan) sits 30 yards from the rocky (lava) beach with a small sand beach down the way. We don’t want to move from this place but we were told that this unit is temporary; we need to move Saturday to a condo in the same complex.



We have enjoyed the primordial sound of the waves as they permeate our condo, even our bedroom, and the reintroduction to tropical fruit. If you have eaten a CA strawberry, picked green, ripened during shipment and compared it to a strawberry that you have picked from the vine, then you can imagine how the bananas and pineapples taste here. They are a bouquet to the mouth. Add to that our revisiting the fruit that we grew to love when we lived in Thailand, the mangos, the papaya, the “hairy strawberry” the rambutan, all available at the local farmers’ market just a mile away. Barb and I also try to save by “cooking in”. Yesterday we visited the local fish market and bought mahi mahi and some ahi. I grilled the mahi mahi last night and it was scrumptious. Our intense exploration of the Big Island begins today. So many beaches and an active volcano, and so little time.

from condo lanai, sunset as cruise ship departs

roads to the sites are often rough

ancient hawaiian road through a lava field