Woo-hoo! I finally got to play tourist the past couple of days. Yesterday Dennis had an appointment in Pahoa, and I tagged along for the ride. I got to stroll through downtown, all three blocks of it. Took a few pics, met some locals, and got to make some phone calls. Everyone friendly. Interesting little shops. Took Dennis to lunch and had Kalua pig and cabbage. Was good. He had poke (po-kay), raw tuna in sesame oil and I don't know what else. The meat was all soft. Erk! it is a textural thing.
Today we hit the parks that run along the shore. First we went to Lava Tree State Park. Beautiful, lush greenery. Plants growing on plants growing on trees. Plants we carefully tend as indoor plants just grow wild here. They have cut back the jungle to reveal the 'lava trees'. When the lava came through (don't know how long ago) the lava ran around and up the trunks of the trees and encased them in lava. So there are these upright 'tubes' of lava that are hollow because the trees have rotted away.Pretty magical setting. They have little shelters that look out over the formations and you can sit and soak it in. The shelters are simple but elegant. They have giant 'earth cracks' where the cooling lava left giant cracks. We have them in the Flagstaff area. They have theirs fenced off. I am sure people had tried to climb down in them. They are all mossy and sllippery. The park was an awesome experience. Next we went to the Warm Ponds. Volcano heated water comes out into a pond area next to the shore, and sea water also comes in through a breakwater. The water is warm and clear, but is full of bacteria - no open sores allowed. Do mosquito bites count as open wounds? Didn't chance it. Really wanted to get into the water. People were just hanging out with their waater 'noodles' (those colorful, ah, noodles that float. A few people were snorkeling, but I didn't see much to look at).Huge waves were crashing on the shore. Beautiful blue and white waves of strength, energy, and power. We bought a coconut from a young man selling them out of the back of his minivan. He made a slice in it to reveal the soft pulp where the white coconut meat is forming, cut a straw from a hollow guava leaf stem, poked a hole through the soft pulp, and then handed it to us to drink the milk. Sweet! When we drank all the milk, he cut the coconut in half, cut 'spoons' from a slice of the shell, and we ate the soft, sweet pulp. Great fun!
Next we went to Isaac Hale Park and watched the surfers. Surfers of all ages and colors. Tried to step into the water from the boat ramp ('view the volcano by water' tours launch here), but it was too slippery/mossy. Checked out the food seller, Bueno Burritos. Instead of Chinese food everywhere in the world, I think it is changing to Mexican food everywhere! I noticed a family that had been swimming come up from a beach area - the 'beach' was a collection of loose ankle-turning lava rocks. AH, FINALLY knee deep in the water. Poseidon, your daughter has returned!
Then we were off to Mackenzie Park. A barren, windswept park full of Ironwood trees with leaves that look kind of like pine needles, but very ferny and fine. (How do I upload the dang pictures?) Anyways, we were high up on cliffs with the water crashing below us. The waves would come crashing in and water would jet up, way above us. I said it was like the 4th of July with water instead of fire. We were always oohing and aahing with each huge display. Very mesmerizing, watching the waves and waiting for another big one to hit.
The ride down the road between parks was full of surprises. Little familes of Mongoose would run across the road. no pigs. The island has a large population of wild pigs in this area. So many different trees, plants and flowers to look at and wonder at. In places, the trees arch over the road. I was mindful of our Hawaiian guest who said you are not to travel with pork in your car, especially under arching trees, because spirits linger therre and they will want your pork, so you may experience a breakdown. And DO NOT stop for white-haired elders, they may be Pele in disguise and no good will come.
That's all for now! Mahalo!
