2013 Trip Two, Day 16, Feb 23

Paleaku gardens

burial grounds for royalty

roadside beauty

The Big Island is shaping up to be more of the all around, preconceived impression Chris and I had of Hawaii before we came. Beautiful water, lava flows, plethora of brilliant flowers, coast line beauty, etc. Weather is as we have come to know it. Very nice along the coast with rain upcountry and windward sides. Mauna Kea was expecting 4-6 inches of snow, Kona was warm and dry with early morning showers, and when we went up 1000 feet in elevation and 20 miles south of Kona, there were downpours.

Deb, Rebecca, Sarah and Sarah spent the day taking life easy. Got up later than the 6-7 am of the last few days. Time on the beach, snorkeling, etc.

Chris and I have reverted to our touring mode. Walked around the town in the morning. In the afternoon, we visited Pu’uhonua o Honaunau. This is a National Historical Park combining the royal residences of the royal chiefs and a place of refuge due to the sanctity of the grounds due to the burial of the bones of royal chiefs.

Lunch was not pbj but a real meal in an old hotel and restaurant (same family ownership for close to 100 years) nearby. We saw the Captain Cook memorial which is a real challenge to walk to-so we didn’t. It is actually on land transferred by the Hawaiian kings to the UK.

As we were exploring the back country we drove by the Paleaku Peaceful Gardens and stopped in for a visit. This is a small garden in the midst of the coffee growing area and is a “sanctuary” for peace and harmony.

Final stop was the Painted Church, a small Catholic Church with the inside of the building featuring painted religious instruction murals on the walls. My photo is of the exterior-the contrast of the white church and dark clouds.

Once again we wrapped up the day having a joint dinner out sharing our experiences and planning the next day.

Ed