Big Island, Hawaii Trip Day 5

Before we went out today we had the chance to Skype again with the girls and Bella actually talked to us this time which was nice.  It is peaceful to know that everyone is having fun, making plans and enjoying the time together. We are having fun just doing whatever we feel like.  We were slow moving and a little grouchy today.  It dawned on us about 3pm that maybe it is because we did 5 days worth of stuff yesterday. We are having a night of movies and relaxation tonight and just chilling.  We stopped at several little shops that sold goodies of some kind and are having a yummy sweet night.  Today was the day of waterfalls and flowers.  We saw several waterfalls in all sizes and variety.  The really big ones we couldn't get close enough to swim in the pool below or anything and then the smaller ones had mucky water in the pool below.  Not the romantic scene you picture from the movies but beautiful none the less.  We also went to a botanical gardens that was gorgeous.  I will tell stories along with the pictures below...

We found an old abandoned sugar plantation and mill in a cove
that was pretty cool.  Andi would love the photo opportunities
here.  We went over the bridge yesterday and decided to come
back in the light of day to explore.  Matt was even intimidated
going over the bridge.  You can totally see all the way down and
the ocean is really crashing in this little cove.  Beautiful from below.

Old sugar mill

These trees are super cool and are everywhere

Lots of one lane bridges here in the upper part of the island.  People are pretty good at watching and heading right of way

Kahuna Falls

Akaka Falls

So many tourists here on the Big Island taking pictures it is
easy to find someone to exchange picture taking with.

 Unknown Falls in Akaka State Park

Some natives lawn mower.  Not odd to see a goat tied to a
post especially closer to the roadside. This one only stopped
long enough to make sure Matt wasn't another goat and just
kept on eating.

 Many, many beautiful flowers in the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden.

                                                                               Miniature Pineapple Plant

Twin Rocks - Legend says they are the ancestors of two
lovers who sacrificed themselves to save their village.  

Another cove

Onomea Falls

Matt made us the most delicious burgers today from some
local grown grass fed beef.  They were delicious with grilled Maui
sweet onions and fresh tomatoes and some curry.  Our salad
looks delicious but the greens were bitter and the only salad
dressing we could find in the store looked ok but was awful.
Look below to see what we have for dessert though.  

Strawberry Mochi we found at a little shop called Two Ladies
In a Kitchen.  Mochi (also pictured below) is a Japanese dessert
made with mochico sweet rice that is cooked and pounded into a
paste.  The actual mochi is somewhat tasteless but then often is
covering something which varies from the strawberries as above to
purple sweet potatoes, peanut butter, some type of sweetened
bean paste.  It is no piece of chocolate but good none the less.
A taste like nothing else either of us have ever had.  We ate one strawberry
mochi and it left us hungry for more (don't worry we bought 6 and they
threw in an extra as we had never had them before).  We kind of just
came across this little place but apparently the Big Island is known for
these which can not be exported from here due to the agricultural regulations
and this is the only place that makes them!  

This is the intimidating bridge I talked about above that you had to go over to get to the old sugar mill -somehow the picture didn't get in the first time.

The sound heard in this video is that of the coqui frog.  We first heard it in a state park and thought it was a bird. We were confused because it sounded like it was just in front of us but we couldn't find it.  We found out while in the gardens that the sound came from a little frog no bigger than a thumb nail.  He apparently doesn't like to be recorded though. He chirped constantly until we started recording then stopped.  We tried for about 30 minutes to record him at several different locations and points in the day but each time I hit record he stopped.  In this video you will only here him right at first and then nothing...  The coqui frog was introduced to the island by accident in 1988 and many natives find them annoying as when many get together it is almost deafening.  Definitely a tricky little critter.  

We also found a little bakery in the middle of nowhere that looked to be run by a multi-generational family.  They make and package everything right there.  We were able to get some coconut macaroons, macadamia nut shortbread (shortbread is huge here) and passion fruit and peach/pineapple turnovers. No pictures of any of this stuff as it looks the same as back in the states.  Ok - so its movie and treat time for us now.  Love to all.

Big Island, Hawaii Trip Day 4

We started our day today again at 3am with a drive back to Kona area to go whale watching with a marine biologist and researcher named Dan McSweeney at the Honokohau Marina.  With the exception of that 3am wake up call, everything about today was amazing.  We did a lot of sight seeing and didn't realize it until the end of the day but our sites took us completely around the entire island.  We ate at this burger place called Village Burger.  I know, I know go to Hawaii and eat burgers but recommended by a magazine a friend of ours gave us before we left as one of the best places to eat.  Matt had a veal burger, his favorite even if I call him a killer every time he eats it, and I had a 3 mushroom burger (seriously only made with mushrooms) with chipotle goat cheese and downed it all with a local dairy and strawberry shake.  As everyday, none of the pictures even come close to capturing the things we saw and the fun we have had so when you look at the pictures multiply everything by 1000 and you'll get a small glimpse of today.  I have to say that we some of the most amazing and beautiful things today that I have ever seen.  Here are some of the pics we took...

 Honokohau Harbor

Our sunrise over the ocean this morning.

Male humpback whale's tail

Momma and her calf

We went hiking down this trail in Pololu Valley. Matt thought I was
trying to kill him for sure, especially when he saw the signs.  Walking
down the cliff I have to admit was intimidating but was worth it once
there. We ended up exploring a bit.  Matt found some old WWII stuff,
a rope swing and a perfect napping spot.  

 

The edge of the cliff

Our napping spot with the ocean crashing in on the rocks in front of us. 

We went out on a whim on our way home at stopped at this Valley
called Waipi'o Valley.  Good thing we had a jeep because you have
to have 4 wheel drive to get down into it.  It was the most scared I
have been in a vehicle since I was a little girl and driving with my
father after the 1978 (?) snow storm where the snow on the sides of
the road were taller than the car.  The road was a one lane and STEEP.
I honestly thought at a couple of points that we wouldn't be making
it back out of the valley.

The waterfall we found below.

FUN! FUN! FUN!

These pictures do not do justice to the road at all but in order to
get ones that did we would have had to stop.  The road was so steep
we were unsure we would even get up it if we did.

 Hope this comes through.  It is most amazing.  The captain put a microphone in the water and we were able to hear the song of the male humpback whale we were following.  Unbelievable day! Love to all and can not say thanks enough to our girls who are behaving while we are gone and Andi and Grandma for taking such good care of them.  All our love and kisses!

Day 2 addition

I hope this video comes through.  I tried to get it in last night but the computer was acting funny and I was falling asleep.  

Big Island, Hawaii Trip Day3

Today we started our day closer to normal.  I think we were up closer to 5:30am, definately a better night's rest than day 2.  We had a chance to Skype with the girls, which was awesome - love you!!!,  and then headed off to the farmer's market in Hilo, Hawaii.  The market was filled with fruits and vegetables of all kinds, crafts, jewelry, t-shirts and Hawaiian clothes, wood carvings, glass blowings, art in many forms, and then things like massage.  Our sunburns are pretty sore today so we enjoyed walking under the tents and surrounding shops.  The market is a much better experience than the grocery stores here. The stores are expensive to say the least and no where near the variety that we are used to.  They also smell. It is from the fresh sushi counter but you can smell it as soon as you enter the store and almost have to cover your nose as you get closer to the counter.  Neither of us like the stuff but I can't imagine the smell would be tolerable to even those that enjoyed it.  Today I saw some children, like 3 and 5 years old, beg their Mom for a sample like our children beg for a cookie sample at the bakery.  They happily marched along following their Mom eating raw fish on a skewer - UGH!  We were in the Walmart here today to see what it was like.  It didn't smell but that was because they only sell prepackaged items.  No deli, no bakery, only frozen meat, small, small produce section - like 6 items total.  Imagine a Walmart like in the states with all its annoying aspects and multiply it.  After the market we went back to the cottage to rest and eat and then made our way to the Volcano National Park, but only stayed a little bit.  It is an awesome place.  It costs $10/vehicle for a week.  There is enough to do there that you could literally spend 5-7 days and not do it all.  I am sure you will hear more about it many more days to come.  It is perfect for us to go check something out whenever we want or have spare time as it is 7 miles from the cottage.

Matt waiting for me to put some purchases in the jeep.

Houses up on hillside in Hilo

Jewelry was everywhere at the market

 Our vegetable fares

Andi & Grandma would love this butter avocado - it is huge and can't wait for it to get ripe!

We ventured out with the fruit and got some exotic ones.

One of the spewing, venting, smoking craters at the park

We stopped and got some fresh fish and made a vegi stir fry with our 

market purchases.  (That is juice in case anyone is wondering).

The Longan fruit (also known as dragon eye - and I can see how it got that name as it feels like you would expect an eye ball to feel)- taste kind of like plum once you peel off the tough outside peel.

Rambutan Fruit - the inside is much like the longan fruit above.  Clear
gel like and the texture of the inside of a grape.  This fruit is unique in
its flavor. It is vaguely familiar but I haven't been able to place it yet.

This is the Hawaiian star apple.  They come in purple and green.  We
ate a purple one tonight.  It looked like an animal organ coming out
of its skin but was good to eat.  I guess we opened it wrong after looking
on the internet.  It is supposed to be segmented kind of like an orange
but it ended up being one big mass of goo.  If you cut it the opposite way
we did you will see the seeds inside make up a star shape.  It tastes like
no fruit we've ever had but sweet and light, almost like a sorbet that
isn't frozen if you can imagine that.

Love to all - Aloha po (good night)