Day Eight - Separate but Equal

Good evening!

Not much else happened last night, so I didn't bother you with another post. But, here are some pictures from dinner and a few flowers for good measure - always need more of those!

Today, the B.Montross/Erdmann/Chalmers contingent left the hotel right after breakfast and headed back towards Hawi and a few more National Parks, while the H.Montross/Lorandos portion of our group opted for more relaxation and fun in the sun.

Andrew and I headed to the lagoon and rented snorkel equipment again. We started with an hour, but quickly upgraded to the half-day rate (actually only double the hour rate, or two hours for "free") and hit the water. I've been getting lots of photos on the underwater cameras, but unfortunately I need to wait to put them up until we get home. Hopefully, I'll be able to get a CD of them instead of prints - then I can get them online easier!

After the rest of our folk got back to the hotel, around 3:45, we thought we'd head in to Kona and hit up Hilo Hattie's again, since Mom still hadn't been there or gotten a chance to set her pearls. Unfortunately, the store closes at 7 pm and due primarily to the fact that it takes a while for a restaurant to serve 7 people - we missed them.

But, dinner was good. We ate someplace new - which is always a treat!

Back to the hotel, tomorrow is our last full day. We thought we'd try to head to Hilo - but honestly, my family tends not to relax much on vacations and I'm happy Andrew's teaching me how to do that! We may stay on the leeward side and try to get to the petroglyph fields and maybe even (gasp!) the lagoon again! :)

Good night unto you all!

Yesterday and today (Days Six and Seven)

Okay, well today isn't officially over yet, but since I'm on the internet (free wi-fi in all public places... including the pool at our tower :) ) I thought I'd catch you up.

Yesterday, was the whale watching trip.

Andrew was still not feeling well - but being the good sport that he is (read: being that we already paid for the tour) he came along.

We went with Captain Dan McSweeney's tour again and it was possibly even better then it's been the past two years. We saw two breeching whales! Even the crew was saying that was pretty rare. I didn't get a picture of the first one, it happened too quickly, but here's the second:

Dad, of course, got like four million awesome shots - but I'm pretty happy I got that one! For as big as those things are, they move pretty quickly and they usually forget to tell us ahead of time they're planning on doing something awesome. :) This is a crop of my original photo - I didn't have time to zoom in on the whale as it was breeching. 

Here is my only other really decent whale picture:

We also saw about 75-100 spinner dolphins all traveling together, which was quite cool. Andrew and I saw maybe a few the first time we went, but nothing like this. I took a few videos of the dolphins - too hard to catch them in pictures - so head on over to facebook to see them :) 

Other good pictures from yesterday:

After we got back from whale watching, we drove back up to Hawi to the Bamboo Restaurant to see John Keawe play. We'd gone to see him last year - if you remember. He's Doug's favorite Hawaiian musical artist. Beautiful day... it was raining and we crashed a wedding? :)

This year, it was actually raining too - but we were inside so it didn't matter so much. He also had his wife and two granddaughters along with him to dance the hula while he sang, which was a nice touch.

And, of course all good days end with crème brûlée: 

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Today dawned bright and early-ish with breakfast at 7:30. We wanted to hit up a few places on our list of sites, so we left the hotel and headed past Kona to Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau (The Place of Refuge). There are a few reconstructed buildings there which served as the area for the ali'i (royalty) as well as a place for those who broke kapu (taboo, the rules) to be absolved. 

Found a few friends there too :)

After we were absolved our trespasses, we found a local BBQ place for a late lunch.

After lunch, we headed back into Kona to go to the Hulihe'e Palace, which was used by various monarchs and heads of state since 1838 - until, of course, we took away Hawai'i need for palaces by annexing them... 

Can't take pictures inside of course, they just don't trust us at all! :) 

So, now you're caught up. The non-Lorandos contingent went on to another state park after the palace, but Andrew wanted to take a nap and I was hoping to catch some rays. It's a bit windy here poolside at the moment, so that's not really working out... but at least I got to update the blog!

I'll let you know if anything else happens tonight. I think we're going to try to get to Hilo tomorrow - either that or veg out ocean side... both of which would be splendid...

Aloha `auinala!

Gahh!

I can't get on the internet!!  I have so much to tell you!

We went whale watching today and we saw two breeches! And about 50 spinner dolphins!

I have pictures!!

Hope the internet is working again in the morning!

'Night folks!

Day Four : Beer and Kettle Chips

Aloha ahiahi!

Today, Mom, Dad, Becky and Doug got up and left the hotel around 5 am to get to the Hilo side of the island to take a boat tour to visit the lava flow, so they were long gone by the time we met for breakfast at 7.

Andrew, Baba and I planned on following them at a more leisurely pace, but decided at breakfast to stay on this side of the island. After breakfast, we headed into Kona and toured the Kona Brewing Company's brewery. The father and son team who started this brewery are the same ones who invented Kettle Chips! Pretty cool, huh?

After the tour, we ate at the Pub attached to the brewery. VERY good food. They even use the leftover yeast from the beer-making process in their pizza crust!

Lunch having been consumed, we headed over to Hilo Hatties and I got my 'leftover' pearls from last year set. Mom had given me her two white pearls as well, so I set them with the blue/gray pearl I had left in a really pretty "waterfall" setting. They always let you pick another oyster when you set a pearl (hoping, of course, that you just won't be able to NOT set it too :) ) and Andrew picked me another very rare one! This is a black pearl that is really almost green - a very interesting color.

I decided not to set it today, but I may by the end of the trip. There was one setting that was shaped like a Honu (Sea Turtle) I may not be able to leave without... we shall see...

By this time, it's about 1:30 or 1:45, so we decided to head for home.

The boys both took a rest - but you know me... I HATE sitting in my hotel room when I'm on vacation! I just never know if/when I'll get back here so I don't want to waste any opportunities!

I headed to the lagoon by myself and checked out snorkeling gear.

Best. Decision. Ever.

I was only out for about a half hour, but in that time - I saw two honu (very) close up, many fish including parrot fish and the yellow and black angel fish, and an eel (EWWW)! Unfortunately, I only had about 12 pictures left on my underwater camera, but I think I got some good ones of the first turtle and most of the fish. I'll have to wait to develop these of course - so I can't post them, but I'll scan them once we get home!

Can't wait to see what I got!

After the rest of the contingent returned home (around 4:30) we met back up for dinner. Decided to go to Romano's Macaroni Grill again.

Dinner having been consumed, Mom, Becky and I walked around the Queen's Marketplace for awhile and then headed back to the hotel (Andrew left me the car <3)

To cap off the night, we partook in our free drinks on the Aloha Passport.

Not sure what tomorrow holds, other then Andrew and my 11-year dating anniversary... :) But, I do know it's now time for sleep!