MAUI IN THE MORNING...

On the mountain side

On the shoreside

CHARLEY'S ANGELS...

Myself, Cathy, and Natalie at Green Sands Beach

ONOMEA BAY...

Aloha and welcome to Onomea Bay and the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden! This "Garden in a Valley on the Ocean" is located on the lush Hamakua Coast's

HAPUNA BEACH

STAFF TRIP FOR A DAY AT THE BEACH...

 

Face in sand created by a Kalani voluteer, Sid from Turkey...

WATER FALLS AND A BANYAN TREE...

BOTANICAL GARDENS

BOTANICAL GARDENS

 



BOTANICAL GARDENS

BOILING POTS 

 

BANYAN TREE AT RAINBOW FALLS

TWIN ROCKS ONOMEA BAY IN BOTANICAL GARDENS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TRAVELING THE ISLAND...

 

SCENE AT WAIMEA VALLEY

 

Travel east, inland from the volcanic Kohala Coast to discover Waimea (also called Kamuela), which is unlike any other place on Hawaii Island. Known as paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) country this historic area full of rolling, green pastures is still home to cattle, cowboys and ranches.

Waimea is a place where stop signs read “Whoa,” instead of “Stop.” This is the home of Kahua Ranch a working sheep and cattle ranch that allows you to learn about the paniolo lifestyle. Here you can explore the scenic landscapes of Waimea by horseback or ATV. Then visit An Evening at Kahua Ranch to fully experience the best of Waimea’s cowboy country.

 

 HAWI...HOME OF THE WORLD'S BEST HOMEMADE ICE CREAM

 

To explore the road less traveled, the Kohala Mountain Road (Highway 250) leads north from Waimea to the charming town of Hawi. Most visitors miss this beautiful drive, but it’s a scenic way to get from Waimea to Hawi and the stunning Pololu Valley Lookout, which showcases breathtaking coastal views of the Hamakua Coast

 

POLOLU VALLEY LOOKOUT ON THE HAMAKUA COAST

CLIMBING OUT OF THE TRAIL AT HAMAKUA COAST...



OPIHIKAO...

Warm springs are commonly found along the Puna coast from Cape Kumukahi to `Opihikao

It rains a lot on the windward (East) side of the Big Island, up to 300 inches (10 meter) per year. Most of this water does not flow directly to the ocean but sinks down into the ground until it hits a barrier. On the Big Island this barrier is made out of salt water which is more heavy than fresh water. The water in this layer then slowly dissipates to the edge of the island and flows into the ocean.

 

 

 

 

 



In the volcanic area’s on the Big Island, the water flows through rocks that are heated by magma. This heat is absorbed by the water and taken along to the coast. As the water moves away from the magma it cools down a bit (especially if cold water mixes in), but the water stays warm enough to give the visitors of the Big Island a comfortable warm bath!

 

 

 

Juanita and I soaking up the glorious view surrounding the warm pond...

 

THE VIEW!!!

 

GREEN SAND BEACH...

 

The Big Island of Hawaii’s green sand beach is located at the southern tip just west of South Point. The sand is actually a green olive color caused by eruptions from what was once a volcano. In fact, green sand beach itself is within what was once a cinder cone. Three sides of the cone are still present, with the ocean coming in from what would have been the eastern edge.
Green Sand Beach is named Papakolea. The green sand gets it’s color from olivine crystals created from eruptions to a dormant volcano years ago. Nestled in Mahana Bay, this is truly a unique place and one of only two green sand beaches in the world. While there are no organized tours, this isolated place is about a 2 1/2 hour drive from most of the resorts up along the Kohola Coast..

 

BRZEE!!! (French for abundance!)

PLACE OF REFUGE...

Located on the coast of Honaunau Bay in south Kona, Puuhonua o Honaunau immerses you in Hawaiian culture. This 180-acre national historic park was once the home of royal grounds and a place of refuge for ancient Hawaiian lawbreakers.

Kapu, or sacred laws, were of utmost importance to Hawaiian culture and the breaking of kapu could mean death. A kapu-breaker's only chance for survival was to evade his pursuers and make it to a puuhonua, or a sacred place of refuge. Once there, a ceremony of absolution would take place and the law-breaker would be able to return to society.


Beyond the puuhonua, explore the nearby Royal Grounds, which were the sacred home of alii. See Keoneele Cove, the royal canoe landing; the Keoua Stone, the favorite resting place of the high chief of Kona, Keaoua; as well as halau (thatched work house), fishponds and a heiau (sacred temple) that is one of the oldest structures in the park. Beautiful at sunset, this sacred place gives visitors an important glimpse into early Hawaiian culture.
Hundreds of years old yet beautifully restored, Puuhonua o Honaunau remains one of Hawaii's most sacred historic places. Follow the park and map and take a self-guided walking tour and explore the grounds including the Great Wall, standing 10-feet high and 17-feet thick. Fierce kii, or wooden images of gods, guard the Hale o Keawe Heiau, a sacred temple that housed the bones of 23 alii (chiefs).

 

Lava rock shore line

A black lava rock shoreline hindered kapu-breakers from approaching by sea

VOLCANO NATIONAL PARK

Natalie and me

 

Natalie and Cathy

 

Life springs eternal as coconut trees take root in the lava rocks!

 

LOVING THE RAINFOREST...

from volcanoes to the rainforest in the same park...

 

 

Cathy from Ohio/Austin with Natalie

MERRIE MONARCH 2013

"Hula is the language of the heart and therefore,  the heartbeat of our Hawaiian people."
                                                              ~King David Kalakana





The Merrie Monarch Festival is dedicated to the memory of King David Kalākaua, known as the Merrie Monarch. King Kalākaua came to the throne of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1874 and reigned until his death in 1891. He was a patron of the arts, especially music and dance.

Kalākaua restored Hawaiian cultural traditions that had been suppressed for many years under missionary teachings.  He advocated a renewed sense of pride in such things as Hawaiian mythology, medicine, chant, and hula.

Ancient Hawaiians had no written language, but chant and hula served to record such things as genealogy, mythology, history, and religion.  Hula, the dance of Hawaiian people, was one means by which culture was expressed and passed down through generations.

The Merrie Monarch Festival has steadfastly maintained the teachings of our kupuna, our elders, and in doing so we strive to perpetuate the history and culture of Hawaiian people in a manner that respects those teachings.  Through our efforts, along with those of other organizations, we hope to ensure that the unique traditions of Hawaiian people will continue to flourish.





History of the Merrie Monarch Festival

The Merrie Monarch Festival began in Hilo, Hawaiʻi in 1963 when Helene Hale, the Chairman of the County of Hawaiʻi, looked for a way to attract tourists to the island. Hawaiʻi Island needed an economic boost after suffering from a tidal wave and business downturn.

“I was the Executive Officer of Hawaiʻi – it wasn’t called mayor … when the sugar industry went down, it was very depressed over here,” said Helene Hale.

Hale sent her Administrative Assistant, Gene Wilhelm, and her Promoter of Activities, George Naʻope, to check out the Lahaina Whaling Spree on Maui to see what lessons could be brought back.   They returned inspired.

In 1964, the festival consisted of a King Kalākaua beard look-alike contest, a barbershop quartet contest, a relay race, a re-creation of King Kalākaua's coronation, and a Holoku Ball among other events.  But by 1968 the festival fell into hard times and would have been suspended had it not been for Dottie Thompson, who took over as Executive Director of the festival.

“My mom wanted to move the festival more toward a Hawaiian theme, and so she brought back Uncle George Naʻope and Albert Nahalea," said current festival president, Luana Kawelu.  "Uncle George would be in charge of the pageantry and the coronation, and Albert Nahalea would be in charge of the music.  They wanted to replicate what King David Kalākaua had done, bringing the best hula dancers from around the islands to come and perform and share quality and the authenticity of hula at the time.”

With advice from the hula masters, "Aunty" Dottie and "Uncle" George introduced a hula competition in 1971. Nine wahine (women) hālau entered that first year, and Aloha Dalire won the first Miss Hula title.  In 1976 when the festival opened the competition up to kāne (men), the festival began to take off and attracted hordes of enthusiastic fans.

Today, the festival enjoys enormous popularity and worldwide attention.

  Cathy and Natalie enjoying the scenery at the Merrie Monarch at Hilo Bay



COWBOYS EVERYWHERE...

...suddenly looking forward to my trip to Maui!!

 MERRIE MONARCH PARADE IN HILO

A SEEDLING...

Merrie Monarch in the making...

 

SPENCER BEACH PARK...

DREAMS DO COME TRUE...

at the most unexpected times and places!!

 

MERRIE MONARCH 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

HULA DANCERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD GATHER TO CELEBRATE AND COMPETE

LAVA ARCH

Lava arches are formed as the lava flow slows and hardens as it reaches the ocean.

Volcano State Park...at The End of The Road

KILAUEA

Kilauea has a large summit caldera with a central crater, Halemaumau, which is according to Hawaiian legends the home of the fire goddess Pele. Until 1924, it contained a lava lake. Kilauea has frequent summit and flank lava flow eruptions that are occurring along two elongated rift zones to the south-west and to the east, which extend to the sea on both sides of the volcano. The 3 x 5 km caldera was formed in several stages about 1500 years ago. About 90% of the surface of the basaltic shield volcano is formed of lava flows less than about 1100 years old; 70% of the volcano's surface is younger than 600 years. The long-term eruption from the East rift zone that began in 1983 has produced lava flows covering more than 100 sq km, destroying nearly 200 houses and adding new coastline to the island.
 Kilauea volcano, a youthful shield volcano, sitting on the south east flank of the massive Mauna Loa shield volcano, is the youngest volcano (on land) of the Hawaiian hot spot and not only the most active volcano of Hawaii but at the same time also the world's active volcano. It has been in near-constant activity since there is oral or written history and it is having an uninterrupted eruption since 1983 (at present at the Pu'u 'O'o vent on the East rift zone).

Its eruptions are prominent in Hawaiian Polynesian legends and written documentation about its activity go back to only 1820s when it started to attract interested visitor from all over the world and bacame one of volcanology's hot spots.
 Kilauea is the youngest and most active Hawaiian shield volcano, located on the southern part of the Island of Hawai'i, known as Big Island. Hawai'i is the southernmost and largest of the island chain, which owes its existence to the very active Hawaiian hot spot.
 Kilauea volcano is near-constantly erupting from vents either on its summit (caldera) or on the rift zones. At present, Kilauea volcano is still having one of the most long-lived eruptions known on earth, which started in 1983 on the eastern rift zone and has mainly been concentrated at the Pu'u 'O'o vent

THE BEST LAID SCHEMES...

 

We were told of this charming little place that we could stay on our weekend to Kona.  So we booked it sight unseen...bad idea!  This is one of those times when a sense of humor is a must.  We did upgrade for our second night.  Actually we did have an ocean view, along with peacocks, peahens, angry chickens and barking dogs...had a visit from the wild pigs, too.  An adventure within an adventure!