Hawaii Day Five - A Mishap in the Place of Refuge

Eden wanted to take us snorkeling with the dolphins at the Place of Refuge, or Pu'uhonua O Honaunau in Hawaiian. This meant we had to get there as early as possible since the dolphins are most active in the early morning hours.

When we got there, sadly, there were no dolphins hanging around. They come and go as they please, so it's really just by chance that they'll happen to be in one place at a certain time. Mom and Eden went snorkeling anyways though because apparently Place of Refuge has some of the best snorkeling on the big island.

I particularly enjoyed the Place of Refuge because I didn't have to get wet to enjoy its beauty. There were lots of shady trees and rocks to walk on and there were tide pools that you could look into and find little critters. I wore my New Rocks and didn't regret it one bit. Boots are best for any and every occasion in my mind.

Mom checking out the tide pools.

A view of some of the little tide pools from above.

I found an eel who poked his head out long enough for me to zoom in and get a decent photo. 

Can you find the little striped fish in this photo? They blend right into the rocks.

New Rocks at the beach. Winning.

Mom and Eden jumping in to snorkel.

Eden making fun of me for not snorkeling that day I think. ;-P

Mom and Eden out in the water checking out the fishies.

Mom's a pro at floating.

The shady, dry view I had of the Place of Refuge. Perfect spot on a picnic bench to read and do puzzles while everyone else went swimming. I could've stayed there all day. The weather was perfect.

Right next to the Place of Refuge is a national park with tiki statues. I think it might actually be considered the Place of Refuge too, although I'm not 100% sure of that.

Mom was attempting to park the car and somehow backed up into a very low, hidden lava boulder while going under five MPH. The tire got pushed forward so it rubbed on the car (some sort of bar that the wheel is attached to underneath the car got bent), so even though it was just a little bump, the car was no longer drivable! What an ordeal. We had to call AAA to come tow the car and then find a way to get another rental car in the mean time. While waiting for the tow truck, Mom and I walked around the park and looked at all the tiki statues and scenery. Eden ended up driving us around in her pickup truck before she headed off to work. Mom sat in the truck bed because it's legal in Hawaii and Eden's truck only has two seats in the front.

Triangle huts

A lone tiki god statue.

Beautiful view from the park.

Look at all the tiki statues!

Check out all the lava rock. I love this kind of beach because it actually makes sense to wear close-toed shoes, which I feel most at home in of course.

This guy was cutting down coconuts. It's dangerous to walk under the trees if the coconuts aren't harvested - more people are killed annually by falling coconuts than by sharks!

These little green geckos are everywhere! They're so cute. 

Mom's view from the back of Eden's pickup as the tow truck takes away our broken car. Good thing Mom's insured!

 After the ordeal of breaking the rental car, we headed back to Eden's house because there's a really nice beach that's a two minute walk away. But first, Eden fed a crazy-looking wild duck.

Our friend the ugly duck.

The duck wanted that fancy organic popcorn.

The beach by Eden's was grassy and shady, so of course, I enjoyed it. This is my kinda beach.

Gorgeous view of the beach by Eden's house.

Another little green gecko. 

It was a rough day and Eden had work at 4 p.m., so Mom and I were stuck at the hotel without a car for the remainder of the day. Not to worry - the pool was great!

Stay tuned for more Hawaii posts. Still to come - Mom and I take a Kona coffee farm tour and visit Eden at work.

Until next time!

Hawaii Day Two - Black Sand Beaches and Fresh Coconut Water

Day two in Kona started our exploration of farmer's markets and beaches!

First stop of the day was a little farmer's market on the way to the beach Eden wanted to show us.

Outfit of the day was a semi-sheer tank top with my bikini underneath. My gladiator sandals were cheap, but I had to alter the elastic straps to fit my skinny chicken calves and ankles. I look so much shorter without the platform in my New Rocks.

This is Eden teaching my mom how to take a selfie in front of a mirror before we headed out for the day. Hahahaha - guess you learn something new every day.

Mom walking around the farmer's market looking fashionable in her printed maxi dress. 

I think those are some sort of ginger flower and I have no idea what those large pointed roots or vegetables are. The gentleman selling them laughed and couldn't quite explain what they were, only that you use them in cooking. 

Spiked fruits! I think they are dragon fruit and lychee. 

Next up was breakfast at a little coffee cafe on a cliff with a beautiful view of the ocean and all the trees.

View from patio of the restaurant. 

Patio view.

Panoramic view from the patio.

Patio view.

Eden had a little beach in mind for us to visit called Ho'okena Beach. It had black sand, which suited me just fine until I realized how much hotter it is against your feet than regular California sand. I actually walked around in just a bikini and laid out on a towel like normal people do at the beach, although it wasn't long before I moved my beach towel under a tree into the shade. Oh yeah - did I mention I slathered myself in SPF 100? No tan lines for me, thank you.

Me and Eden. I kept myself entertained on my iPad by reading and doing puzzles.

Eden and Mom taking beach selfies.

Before I moved to the shade. Bikini by H&M. Hat from eBay.

Ipad selfie with the ocean in the background.

Another selfie showing off the black malachite crystal necklace Eden gave me. It's awesome.

Sisters selfie.

All of us girls.

I went swimming! No makeup and wet hair. 

Trying to get a selfie with all of us, but Eden was ducking behind the chair. I was trying to get her in the picture anyways and that's why it's pretty blurry.

On the drive back to the hotel from the beach, I was determined to find a fresh coconut for coconut water as well as to serve my alcoholic beverages in. We hadn't had any luck in that department at the farmer's market that morning, so we ended up stopping at a stand on the side of the road and wouldn't you know it, the guy had coconuts! Mission accomplished.

The green ones are the "baby" coconuts where the water lives. Once they mature, they get the hard brown husk and white meat on the inside. 

Drinking water straight out of the coconut!

We got both mature and baby coconuts to take home. 

This guy used a machete to open them up.

Some of the baby coconuts that are maybe "teenagers" form a coconut gel before they are fully mature that you can eat. The guy made a spoon out of the husk so we could eat it straight out of the coconut. Personally, I didn't like the gel, even though it's supposedly super good for you.

After a shower (and re-installing a few extensions that came out), Mom grilled the swordfish we got the day before and we walked around and explored the hotel a bit more. We discovered the pool was pretty nice and the views at the end of the day were stunning.

Dinner was freshly grilled swordfish, asparagus, rice, and red wine on the patio!

I made the pina coladas!

Pina colada out of my coconut from earlier. Heaven.

Our hotel from up high.

The waterfall and pond in the hotel near the pool.

Family pool. This one was a larger pool where all the activities took place. There was also a smaller pool with a jacuzzi for people who wanted quiet and relaxation.

The view from behind the pool's wall.

Stay tuned for my next post on our eventful trip to the Place of Refuge.

Until next time!