Hawaii - Part 2

Welcome to Hawaii!

We arrived in Hawaii at night. At the Kona airport, and during the drive to our hotel, we saw little in the dark. So we were thrilled with the view greeting us from the hotel balcony in Kailua-Kona on our first mild Hawaiian morning:

Swaying palm trees and warm breezes are so nice, especially in December! Our vacation house was located on the Hilo side of the island, almost directly opposite Kailua-Kona. On our first day we drove across the island from Kailua-Kona toward Hilo. Part of the drive along Route 190 passed barren grasslands covering old lava flows from Mauna Loa. This part of Hawaii doesn't include any waving palm trees!

Along Route 190 out of Kailua-Kona

The Hilo side of the island is lush and rainy - anything but barren! Steady blowing rain accompanied us all the way from Waimea down Route 19 into Hilo. Here's a shower over the ocean near one of our viewing spots along Route 19:

During our first week near Pahoa it rained almost every day. It rained A LOT - one rain shower followed another in a steady march of moisture. Sometimes a rainbow would bring color to the gray sky, like this one viewed from the porch of our vacation house:

The rainbow picture shows the rocky shoreline next to the house. Waves, sometimes thunderous and house-shaking, continually pounded day and night accompanied by strong winds and blowing rain.
The vacation house was a bit plain and blocky from the outside. Here's what it looked like as we approached:

Our house is the tan blocky one straight ahead, not the low white one on the right.

Although the house may have been a hulking brick from the outside, it was incredibly well-equipped, and it was beautiful inside. Here are some pictures of the living room/sitting area with great views of the ocean and shoreline. These pictures were taken before the tsunami of Sophie toys engulfed the room.

The dining table, kitchen, and bar/counter also occupied this floor of the house:

Sophie enjoyed sitting on the counter with Grandma's help:

When we arrived at the house Ellen, Keegan and Sophie were already there to greet us. We were so glad to see them and see how much Sophie had grown!

Neighborhood roads were great for running in nice morning breezes. Our vacation home is behind me here:

After one misty morning run I explored the nearby rocky coast and discovered a nice lava bridge with waves crashing below:

Keegan showed Sophie the waves from the neighboring rocky cliffs:

In Hawaii it's not unusual to find a banana tree in neighborhood front yards:

Some unlikely neighborhood hazards in tropical paradise: falling coconuts and tsunamis.

Tsunami warning siren next to our house!

The International "Running From a Tsunami" Symbol!

Another neighborhood feature was blooming poinsettia plants:

Sophie played with Grandma in a small park next to our house:

Sophie liked to climb and blow bubbles with Mom, Dad, and Grandma in the park:

We all took a trip to Volcano National Park in pouring rain. Sophie was well prepared for the rain in her yellow rain jacket and boots:

She was anxious to learn all about volcanoes from the information phones at the visitor center:

We viewed the rising gas plume from Kilauea Crater while enduring blowing rain:

Here's something you don't see in Virginia: an orchard of papaya trees on the road to Hilo:

The Hawaii blog will continue next week with the story of our hike to see flowing lava.