Pele's Impressive Show

In the months leading up to our trip to the Big Island, I watched news reports of events happening at the Kilauea Volcano, which included lava lakes filling, oozing, falling and some lava flows into the ocean.  I also paid attention when all went quiet in the crater, outside of just plumes of billowing smoke.  This was all of interest since a long-time wish of mine has been to take a helicopter ride over a volcano to see lava flowing.  I certainly didn't want to pay a good chunk of money to fly over a smoking crater, knowing that active lava flows had not been noted in quite some time. 

I was more than thrilled when just weeks before our trip, reports of heightened activity at Kilauea debuted on the five o'clock news.  Lava had been spotted!  We went ahead and booked a helicopter ride, since the company allowed for cancellation within 24 hours.  I had researched reviews, finding that morning times were recommended due to low probability of thick clouds.  So, I requested a 9 am flight, even though it meant driving a couple of hours from the Kona side of the island to the Hilo side early in the day.

What a clear morning it was, the day we woke up prior to sunrise for our helicopter ride.  Stopping at Starbucks on the way made the drive a bit easier, but really, the sunrise over the mountain was gorgeous and kept my full attention for a while.  Jeff sipped his coffee while I rambled on.  I took over as driver at some point, and he dozed.  The trip was easy and took less than 2 hours, so we stopped at a scenic point and took in breathtaking scenery.

After checking in with Blue Hawaiian Helicopters, we crowded in a room with about 15 people to watch a safety video, get our pilot groupings, seat numbers, and flotation device belts.  I got placed in a window seat with Jeff right beside me, and a family of three joined us.  The whole group walked single file to the landing strip area where our chopper flew in, touched down, and parked for us to load. 

The beginning of the flight was pleasant, flying over a few waterfalls, quaint farms, tiny towns, and amongst pretty, puffy clouds.  But, eh hem, nice pilot guy, I'm here for the good stuff, so let's get to the volcano!  Ten or so minutes later, we finally started seeing black lava rock fields.  Seeing the line of where the flows took out trees, homes, and farms was quite astonishing.

A thin line of white smoke was rising out of the Pu'u O'o Crater as we neared.  I had ants in my pants, to say the least.  The pilot was preparing us for the worst, saying that nothing red had been seen in the past day or so.  Well, wow!  There was definitely red LAVA!  It was so amazing!  Not only were there little ponds of it, but there were narrow flows and a few bubbling spots. 

As we circled the crater, more shapes could be picked out where the red and black met.  Oh my gosh!  It was just the coolest experience.  I could've watched it all day, much like when a Zamboni is on the ice; it kind of mesmerizes you.

Pictures absolutely don't do it justice.  The stark contrast between the black and red and the shear size of it all is something that can only be appreciated in person, if then.  I really don't know that the awesomeness can be understandable or truly appreciated.  Too, too neat!

I think we circled the crater 3 or 4 times.  It's difficult to remember since I was paying attention to the birth of new land and couldn't take my eyes off the crater.  What a sad moment to fly away, letting the next helicopter in line take its turn, but we were more than satisfied with what we witnessed!

No kidding, my cheeks began to hurt from smiling so much.  Jeff and I were both so amazed and excited about something that really only lasted 10 minutes.  The pilot shared with us that the area was incredibly clear at the crater and that it's extremely rare for the conditions to be so good for viewing.  He explained that recently it had been filled with smoke, preventing any good views of the lake and flows inside.  Pele was in a good mood.

The final leg of the flight took us over macadamia nut farms and a beautiful coastline.  However, none of it would compete with the sight we'd just witnessed.  We continued to beam as we touched down and prepared to disembark.  The views from the humungous windows were fantastic, and the ride was quiet and comfortable.  The whole experience left us with a high for the rest of the day.

Sip in Paradise

While walking around Kailua-Kona on the Big Island, Jeff and I stopped into a touristy info stand to peruse the flyers and posters.  Naturally, Jeff started a conversation with the lady at the desk, who turned out to be interesting, truthful-seeming, and funny.  Her relocation-to-Hawaii story was one of the most unique I've heard.  She was a talent agent in NYC when she was laid off.  Having a chunk of money to burn (In this economy?) she did a bunch of traveling.  One of those places was the Big Island with some friends.  Of course, she fell in love with it.  After a bit more time situating herself in NYC, she packed up and changed her address to the Orchid Isle.  Wow, the Big Island is WAY, WAY slower than NYC.  Two years later, she's still thoroughly pleased with the decision. No kidding.

Once we'd asked her a couple of dozen questions about things to do on the island and with whom, best company for this...best place to grab a...had she been to...etc, Jeff wanted to know one of her favorite places to grab a drink and watch the sunset.  Her recommendation was the Four Seasons, roughly 15 minutes up the road.  At 5:30 and with messy beach hair, we valeted the car and checked out the grounds a bit at the Four Seasons Resort at Hualalai.  Holy mackerel!

Since sunset was nearing, we made our way to Beach Tree and were immediately impressed by its "barefoot elegance" and glorious views of the ocean.  I was so glad that there was an open table near the perimeter, so we would have an unobstructed view of the Pacific and sunset.  Jeff described our seating arrangement this way: "It's like we walked into a Pottery Barn catalog."  He was so right.  The beautiful wood patio furniture, blue and white cushions, dark metal lanterns, umbrellas, good-looking people all around...exactly like a full page spread in a catalog.  Funny enough, there is a picture of the beach, patio seating, and tree on the opening page of the Four Seasons' website that is either the table we sat at or one over from it.

Refocusing on choosing a drink to enjoy while the sky shifted colors, we glanced through the menu.  I'd recently discovered that I really like a classic daiquiri, not the typical frozen concoction, but a martini-style drink.  Since nothing on the Four Seasons menu screamed, "Drink Me," I went with what JFK and Hemingway ordered regularly, a classic daiquiri.  Jeff decided on his typical rum and Diet.  While waiting for our drinks, we stared at the pristine sand, long row of Adirondack chairs, and a tree (koa?) that appeared to have been expertly painted into the setting by an artist.  Nearby, kids in cute dresses and bows ran around, tumbling on the green lawn.  Several people posed for pictures and strolled by. We sipped.  We smiled.  We kicked back and took it all in.

Along with the tasty drinks came a bowl of mixed nuts, which I really enjoyed.  We talked about people sitting around us, trying to figure out what they did for a living and other random things.  It also came up, more than once, how amazing this and other experiences we've had in the past year have been.  I still think I see fairy dust on my shoulders sometimes.  I'm astounded that we've had far more than one once-in-a-lifetime experience in so many months.  Ridiculous.  Glorious.

Drained our glasses, took in the sights, including a breathtaking sunset of purples and pinks.  After dusk, we copied other folks we'd seen and strolled around the grounds, finding that the pools and lodging mimicked the feel of a magazine photo shoot, to say the least.  I was delighted to stumble upon a hammock, a must-have for our future house.  I mentioned to Jeff that I'd recently read an article about how to successfully and easily get onto a hammock.  Then, I proceeded to tip off, landing under the rope canopy, hard on my duff.  At least we got a good laugh out of the show, and I was thankful I was wearing a bathing suit instead of flashing my underwear.

Walking back toward the lobby and our car, we strayed off the path to the cool sand.  Lights from the bar reflected off the waves just a little bit.  The beach was empty.

Slow dancing on the sand to the sound of an ukulele in the distance and twinkling stars overhead was the highlight of the day.

Sweet Tooth, USA

Hilo, HI is a quaint, somewhat forgotten about town.  Before I ventured to the Big Island, I asked people around O'ahu what to be sure and check out while visiting, mentioning that I was going to have time to explore both sides of the island.  I am surprised, even more now having been there, that the impression of Hilo is so lukewarm.  First off, it was much larger than I anticipated, since everyone talks about and recommends the Kona side.  I figured the Kona area would be more bustling. It's not.  Also, the county seat of Hawaii County is on a calm, quiet bay (one of those rock walls protrudes a ways out to calm the waters for cruise ships and such) and is easily unnoticed when walking the streets checking out shops.

Besides some great restaurants (we loved Cafe Pesto), charming art shops, and interesting goods, there is the best candy shop I've ever been in.  I've probably loaded up small paper bags and the like in a half dozen or so candy shops.  OK, probably closer to a dozen.  Nonetheless, I do have some previous experiences to draw upon and put the Sugar Coast Candy shop at the top of the podium.

What colors!  Oh my, to be greeted by lollipops when opening the fire engine red door and then seeing the Oompa Loompa-size barrels of taffy lined up in the center of the store!  Though there were no actual kids in this candy store at the time, I am sure that all who pass under the door frame must lose at least a few decades when presented with nearly every kind of penny candy, individual chocolates, rock candy, taffy, and dried fruit along with cute cellophane bags and shiny twisty-ties to tote them in.  Strolling down the aisles on a black and white checkered floor was the icing on the cake...er, comic strip inside the Bazooka gum?

For those who will visit a candy store such as this in the future, a few tips:

         1. Walk slowly and look carefully.
         2. Scout out the offerings prior to touching anything.
         3. Look both ways when rounding corners, as the selection will look different from multiple
             vantage points.
         4. Avoid anything you can get at a local grocery store, as some of the magic is in the rarity of
             the pieces.
         5. Never mix chocolate and fruity pieces.  The same rule applies when mint is involved.  Keep
             like flavors together and separated from others.
         6. Shop with other people who find joy in such simple pleasures, so as not to be rushed.

I took my time scouting out the scene and taking pictures.  Jeff tried not to rush me, but it's somewhat in his nature.  He'd already picked a few favorites and a couple new things to try, such as chocolate dipped peanuts, white chocolate covered pretzels, and a couple of Tootsie Pops by the time I'd finished taking photos.  I grabbed a few pieces of dried papaya and pineapple, some licorice wheels, and dark chocolate cranberry clusters.  Amazing.

On our way back to the Kona side of the island, we sampled some of the picks and were not disappointed.  The only let down is that a return trip is incredibly difficult.  I will be sure to share my high opinion of Hilo when the opportunity arises, since it is definitely worth a few hours' visit and a stop in at the Sugar Coast Candy shop at the very least.

Underwater Adventure

At the top of Jeff's Hawaii Bucket List was SCUBA diving, since he received certification during undergrad but had never gone diving outside of the cold, dark Michigan lakes.  I've had somewhat of an interest, mainly because I hope to dive at the Great Barrier Reef someday.  I have some sense of adventure, so when Jeff suggested going out on a Saturday, we picked a SCUBA shop and set a reservation.  Then, anxiousness ensued.

Thankfully, one of my good friends recently went diving for the first time and had many of the same concerns that I did: worry about clearing ears properly/ear pain, getting freaked out 35 feet down and not having the option to just swim right back up, being cold.  After a 15 minute conversation, she pretty much calmed all of my fears and explained the whole process she went through, raving about the experience.

I'm sure this is done anywhere diving is prevalent, but a short program is offered to non-certified divers that consists of a very short class and skill practice before being allowed to get in the deep ocean.  Jeff and I both attended the pool class, actually I had taken it once before as an experiment to find out if I'd really freak or not, but Jeff only took it as a refresher.  The pool class was no big deal, unless you count the small children and adults who don't seem to care that you are at the bottom of the pool beneath them.  I got kicked and jumped on and was probably more afraid of the 3 year olds kicking my mask off or my reg out of my mouth than anything else.  Hmmm, maybe that's part of the class as a forced distraction.

Since we had a car and knew of a delicious ice cream place (Bubbies) near the harbor, we drove ourselves over to Koko Head Marina in Hawaii Kai.  Apparently, a new boat captain and high winds caused us to sit tight for a while, a long while.  After almost ninety minutes of waiting, we got on the boat to head out for our first of two dives.  Eek, I had had time to get nervous and was quite fidgety.  Chit chatting with the 6 other people on the tour helped some but not entirely.  On the boat ride out, the head diver began describing some of what we should expect to see under the sea.  I actually began to get excited.

Since Jeff is certified and confident, he got to go in the water first with me following behind.  Basically, they had us hold our mask and take a giant step off the boat. Then, down we went.  After a few feet down the rope, I finally figured out how to really clear my ears well.  It was funny to hear my left ear squeak each time.  Going down the rope was not too big of a deal except that there were strong currents pushing us around.  Upon reaching the bottom, Jeff looked at me expectantly, like "Are you going to panic?"  But, I didn't.  I was uncomfortable since the amateur divers are not allowed to touch any of the gauges or the buoyancy control device.  I had to roll around on the ocean floor waiting for my diver to come over and help me float a little.  I was jealous of Jeff who could control his own BC.  This proved to be a source of aggravation during both dives, as the currents would drag me to the bottom or lift me toward the surface, and I would have to wait patiently until my diver could get to me and level me out. 

One of the coolest parts of being 35' down happened almost immediately.  The diver picked up a sea urchin and placed it on my hand.  She had me turn my hand over to show that it had sucked to my palm!  It was amazing!  I wanted to exclaim but the reg prevented me from doing anything but awkwardly smiling.

We swam around for a while on the bottom, but there really wasn't much to see.  Jeff and I traded the camera back and forth.  Best use of the underwater case yet!  Some colorful fish swam by, I did my best to dodge the spiny sea urchins as I dipped toward the floor, and here and there was coral.  Finally, it was time to go back up.

Dive two was tremendously better than the first with weaker currents, better visibility, and an eagle ray siting before we were even off the rope!  Also during our decent, we saw a couple of sea turtles (honu) swimming around.  They couldn't have cared less that we were there.  So fantastic.  During the tour, I saw far more brightly colored fish, a couple of eels, and several honu.  Time went by so quickly!  A few times, I held my reg in my mouth with my hand to give my jaw a break.  I'm sure I was clenching.  Clearing my ears was needed every few minutes, something, I imagine, would taper off with more time in the water.

Being so near the honu was simply amazing.  I couldn't get enough and wanted to follow them...but I wasn't really supposed to venture away from the group.  Jeff took almost all of the pictures since he had more freedom than me.  He did such a wonderful job.

I look forward to going on another underwater adventure.  Jeff loved it and had no trouble getting back in the groove after 8 years of distance between dives.  We were both thrilled with the chance to explore a different part of Hawaii.  What a blast!

Farmers' Market at Kapi'olani Community College

Can't pass up a good farmers' market.  Not only did we hear that the Saturday morning Farmers' Market held at the Kapiolani Community College brought amazing island food and produce options together for easy shopping, but we had also heard that there was some amazing, fresh pizza also.  Jeff's coworker, Matt, and his wife, Erin, were in town and planning to go, so we decided to carpool for a fun start to the weekend.

With tote bags in hand, we arrived mid-morning to a crowded market.  So many people, smells, and colors.  The heat and sun didn't deter me or anyone else from slowly parading through the rows of tents.  Within the first five minutes of walking, we'd already purchased a baguette and some fresh sweet corn.  In between the typical US farmer booths (greens, carrots, corn, radishes), exotic flowers, fruits, and Island fusion food options were plentiful.  It was so neat!

Interesting observation...the longest line I noticed was at the Fried Green Tomato booth.  The plates that drifted by me did look delicious, but I'll wait until I get back to Nashville for some fried green tomatoes and instead spend my calories on fresh seafood and Asian dishes that are superior here.  We saw a booth selling live abalone and many other plate lunch choices.  Along with fresh salsa and chips, we grabbed fresh romaine from the Big Island - the crispiest lettuce I've ever had. 

Just before calling it a morning, we returned to the pizza tent to get a piece of margarita pizza, all fresh, local ingredients.  I wasn't very hungry after a filling breakfast and couple of handfuls of kettle popcorn (will have to go back next Saturday to buy a bag), so Jeff just got one piece to try.  Matt and Erin also got a piece.  It smelled divine!  Jeff had a couple of bites before passing it to me.  The look on Jeff's face was not becoming.  He told me that his mouth was feeling odd as well as his throat. 

Now, we are aware of one tree nut allergy to walnuts, and suspect another one to almonds, but he's had pesto before without trouble.  Poor guy was a trooper as we made it back to the car, drinking a whole bottle of water while part of his lip swelled up.  We all kept a conversation going, while I watched to see if Jeff's symptoms worsened (they didn't).  After grabbing another bottle of water, we dropped Erin and Matt off at their hotel.  I began to do my thing - Google.  Since the only thing on the pizza besides tomato, cheese, and crust was the pesto, I searched for info on allergies to pine nuts.  Apparently, people can be allergic to just certain types of pine nutst.  We figured out that Jeff is allergic to whatever one is growing in Hawaii.

Thankfully, after a little snack and more water, Jeff's symptoms diminished.  We were both super relieved.  I have my fingers crossed that a return trip to get more salsa and some of that kettle popcorn will be much less problematic.

Photography Challenge - Day Thirty - Self Portrait

Final day of the photograph challenge project.  I had a great time becoming better acquainted with our camera and learning/developing new skills.  There is still loads to refine and figure out, but this project has been extremely worthwhile.  The timing was perfect, allowing me to capture so many snip its of our time in Hawaii.  I'm planning to continue my new habit of taking the camera along with me pretty much everywhere, just in case.

Photography Challenge - Day Twenty-Nine - Black and White

The ukulele is highly prized everywhere in Hawaii.  I have heard it live and recorded but have yet to try my hand at it.  One adult ukulele and one keiki (child) ukulele are raffled each week at the Honolulu Zoo Wildest Show Concert Series.  Some of the instruments that are given away are worth between $700 and $800. 

My kumu hula uses an ukulele while we practice a hula to a part of a song before she plays the recorded version.  What a lovely sound, especially over crashing waves.