Update 5
I think I know why Hawaiians are smiling all the time--it's their language! How can you help but smile when you say words like ho'oulu lahui or aina a ke akua i noho ai? Can you imagine how much fun it must be for them to hear me try to say these words??? The four of us have made up jingles, tried to associate words with others (example: kilauea sounds like killer whale) and put them to music...and end up just chuckling over the words. Remember: Ou E Ou O O Walla Walla Bing Bang?? Think I know where that came from! Aloha!
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Sunday, January 11, 2015
4
Update 4
I did it! I went snubaing--you are kinda scuba diving but have a long oxygen line hooked to a raft above you--went down about 20". Closest I'll ever get to scuba diving! The water in the Keauhou Bay was clear as glass, warm and the turquoise water was so inviting! The fish--how do you describe the color?? the variations? the artistic designs? Each a masterpiece. The spiny urchins clinging to the coral in the background and the spotted eel slinking its way through crevices. One large cave had two "centurions" guarding the opening..both with glaring bright white markings on their sides which looked just like eyes. Who would dare enter that cave? From the boat, we saw dolphins spinning on their tails. The crew served us a great hamburgers they gilled on our boat as we all chatted about all we'd seen below. After we got back to shore, we took off looking for a friend of a friend and we found her in her antique shop. She said she went for broke & came to Hawaii 20 yrs ago...and now she was broke...just like most everyone else who lives in Hawaii. Prices here are about twice as much. Next we went to Puuhonua O Honaunau...remains of vacation spot of the Kings & still considered very sacred. We listened to the tour via smart phone and learned much about the history. It was also called the City of Refuge because if someone committed a crime...he would have to swim across the large bay & if he arrived, he would be forgiven. We got back to our hotel just in time to see the sunset...just like the day before! Next morning, up & on the rode by 9...headed to the other side of the island via Saddleback Rd--right through the center between two mountains. So much barren land with dried out grass. Past a huge army base & not much else. Sure never thought any part of Hawaii would look like this!
As we descending, vegetation slowly returned and soon we were in almost a jungle ...which is where we finally found our hotel...on a little side road and at the end of a very narrow driveway that looked like it was hacked out using a machete. We are in our own bungalows with huge windows that allows us to see the jungle that surrounds us. Very cool. About an hour before dark, we headed to Volcano Nat'l Park to watch as the Kileaua crater go from billowing to glowing! It was as if someone lit a huge fireball---as the night got darker--it glowed more brilliantly. Spectacular! We were up early the next morning & headed back to Volcano Nat'l Park stopping first at the visitor center to fill up on info. Sure didn't know that the ground above the current lava flow has lifted 30' in the last 2 weeks...made me about nervous about walking around! Mt. Mauna Loa--the main mtn in the park--rises up 56,000 ft from the ocean basin --its weight has depressed the ocean floor 28,000 ft. That one HUGE HEAVY mountain!! And we got a heads up on the newest Hawaiian island--being born right now just a few miles from here...a submerged active volcano that will eventually move over the hot spot that is responsible for the formation of all the other Hawaiian islands. Who knew?? Like the Galapagos Islands, much of the plant life is endemic (found no where else) and the animals are still changing & adapting. We basked in steam vents, hiked through a lava tube and buried our toes in the black sand. We also spent a couple hours at a local medical center--Bob went in hearing very little & walked out with better than before hearing! Yippeee! A soak in the hot tub surrounded by the jungle & eating another delicious meal at Lava Rock was a great way to end this day.
Sent from my iPod Touch
I did it! I went snubaing--you are kinda scuba diving but have a long oxygen line hooked to a raft above you--went down about 20". Closest I'll ever get to scuba diving! The water in the Keauhou Bay was clear as glass, warm and the turquoise water was so inviting! The fish--how do you describe the color?? the variations? the artistic designs? Each a masterpiece. The spiny urchins clinging to the coral in the background and the spotted eel slinking its way through crevices. One large cave had two "centurions" guarding the opening..both with glaring bright white markings on their sides which looked just like eyes. Who would dare enter that cave? From the boat, we saw dolphins spinning on their tails. The crew served us a great hamburgers they gilled on our boat as we all chatted about all we'd seen below. After we got back to shore, we took off looking for a friend of a friend and we found her in her antique shop. She said she went for broke & came to Hawaii 20 yrs ago...and now she was broke...just like most everyone else who lives in Hawaii. Prices here are about twice as much. Next we went to Puuhonua O Honaunau...remains of vacation spot of the Kings & still considered very sacred. We listened to the tour via smart phone and learned much about the history. It was also called the City of Refuge because if someone committed a crime...he would have to swim across the large bay & if he arrived, he would be forgiven. We got back to our hotel just in time to see the sunset...just like the day before! Next morning, up & on the rode by 9...headed to the other side of the island via Saddleback Rd--right through the center between two mountains. So much barren land with dried out grass. Past a huge army base & not much else. Sure never thought any part of Hawaii would look like this!
As we descending, vegetation slowly returned and soon we were in almost a jungle ...which is where we finally found our hotel...on a little side road and at the end of a very narrow driveway that looked like it was hacked out using a machete. We are in our own bungalows with huge windows that allows us to see the jungle that surrounds us. Very cool. About an hour before dark, we headed to Volcano Nat'l Park to watch as the Kileaua crater go from billowing to glowing! It was as if someone lit a huge fireball---as the night got darker--it glowed more brilliantly. Spectacular! We were up early the next morning & headed back to Volcano Nat'l Park stopping first at the visitor center to fill up on info. Sure didn't know that the ground above the current lava flow has lifted 30' in the last 2 weeks...made me about nervous about walking around! Mt. Mauna Loa--the main mtn in the park--rises up 56,000 ft from the ocean basin --its weight has depressed the ocean floor 28,000 ft. That one HUGE HEAVY mountain!! And we got a heads up on the newest Hawaiian island--being born right now just a few miles from here...a submerged active volcano that will eventually move over the hot spot that is responsible for the formation of all the other Hawaiian islands. Who knew?? Like the Galapagos Islands, much of the plant life is endemic (found no where else) and the animals are still changing & adapting. We basked in steam vents, hiked through a lava tube and buried our toes in the black sand. We also spent a couple hours at a local medical center--Bob went in hearing very little & walked out with better than before hearing! Yippeee! A soak in the hot tub surrounded by the jungle & eating another delicious meal at Lava Rock was a great way to end this day.
Sent from my iPod Touch
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