Destinations

View from the Southernmost point

May 24, 2014

Key West holds the Southernmost point in the continental US but the Big Island  is the winner of the 50 states.  I was trying to find the green sand beeches when I saw the sign to the Southernmost point.  I hadn’t really thought about it before.  It made sense that the southern point of the Big Island would also be the Southernmost point in the USA.  I decided to check it out.

I drove 12 mile through dry meadows to get there.  The Southernmost point had steep cliffs going into the ocean and a blowhole not too far away.  I was surprised to see the small crowd was mainly locals and they were enjoying jumping into the blowhole and over the cliff’s edge.  I am not one for heights so I was a bit anxious just watching it.

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The Painted Church

May 24, 2014

After lunch my friend (Sophon) and I headed out to explore the island. I knew the Island was big and I did not set out to drive around the entire Island but that is pretty much what I did.  When I got back to the hotel late at night, I was beat.

My first stop was the Painted Church overlooking Kealakekua Bay, I was actually trying to get to a National Park and saw the King’s sign indicating a historic site so I stopped.

The church was built in 1899 and at the time, many Hawaiian’s couldn’t read so Father John Velghe using ordinary paint, painted biblical scenes in order to teach the bible.  Continue reading →

Fried Calamari

May 24, 2014

On our way from Kailua back to where our car was parked, we passed Sam Choy’s.  Where had I heard that before?  It took me a few minutes but I realized that he was a guest judge on Top Chef earlier this year.  I was going to get my car and go straight back to have lunch.  I did exactly that and I wasn’t disappointed.

My friend and I had Char siu ribs glazed with a hint of coconut, fried calamari, and a chicken teriyaki sandwich.  The view was awesome and so was the food!

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Our Zodiac Raft

May 24, 2014

I started the morning with a snorkeling tour from Captain Zodiac.  I think one of the best things you can do in Hawaii is get out on the water.  The water is warm and blue and the marine life is everywhere.  As we left the marina we ran into a group of spinner dolphins.  It was fun to watch them play and frolic.  Our guide said that the spinner dolphins are one of the smaller species of dolphins.  We watched for a while and then we pulled away and headed to deeper waters.

I have to admit, there is a fear of the ocean for me.  I never had it until I saw “Jaws” and once I did it scared me.  It is hard to get in the water and not think, what is around me that I cannot see?  Before I left for Hawaii, I was watching a show about man and nature frequent collide.  There was one scene when a couple spotted a pilot whale, the woman dived in, her husband filming, she hugged one of the whales and another came charging.  He grabbed her leg and pulled her down.  She lived to tell about it but she was surprised to.  Continue reading →

The view from my hotel room

May 23, 2014

I am off to Hawaii, this time the big Island!  I am looking forward to this trip. I have spent a lot of time in Hawaii back in the 80’s when I was installing Property Management systems in hotels.  I used frequent flyer point to take my parent there and I took one trip after that.  Most of my time was spent in Oahu, Kauai and Maui.  I had taken a day trip to Hilo on a previous trip but I didn’t see a whole lot.  This feels both old and new.

My flight went was planned and I arrived just afternoon.  First thing on the agenda?  Lunch!  I had booked marked a few places using Yelp and then headed to one place but couldn’t find parking.   I discovered the Big Island Grill which I had also bookmarked.  It was good local food.

I then headed to the Hilton Waikaloa.  I was a bit surprised at what I saw on the way, miles and miles of lava rock.  I am not talking about rocks here and there, I am talking about miles and miles of nothing but complete devastation.  I would later learn that on some maps, they would indicate the year the lava field belonged to with the year.  I found a map referencing 1859 and the land was a completely desolate section!  Assuming there were no more eruptions, it was going to be at least a thousand years or so until it was forested again. Continue reading →