Paradise - Days 1 & 2

Our hotel aptly has village in its name...it makes me tired just riding the tram from tower to tower, but it's every child's dream. There is a saltwater lagoon that we can view from our balcony that is fed by the Pacific Ocean so sea turtles, eels, and lots of colorful fish come and go as they please. We don't have to leave to snorkel...Grace is in heaven!

There are also waterfalls...tomorrow we are exploring the island some more, but maybe the next day, we'll go out and play under it! :)

Coolest of all, there are 10 dolphins that live right outside our balcony!

View of the Pacific from the pool area...

Gracie building sand castles in the lagoon sand...yesterday, we just went back and forth between the lagoon and the pool. The pool has a slide, but the lagoon has turtles...Gracie never could decide which she liked better!

Jack going to snorkel...he soon had a sidekick! He saw two moray eels that he admitted kinda gave him the heebie jeebies!

They look like real pros, don't they?

Heebie Jeebie territory...

Pro #2

Can you say "scary"?

The princess constructing home #2...this time in the shade. Smart princess.

returning our pool towels - it looks like a cave! They have thought of every detail and they keep everything so pristine.

Pheasants roaming across from our front door...so pretty.

Later in the afternoon, we drove from Kona to the North Kohala Coast.

In the community of Hawi, Gracie saw this little purple house. She decided that we could move and live here...

They have lots of different trees than we do in Texas, but we like this variety of pine...they look like large versions of a Charlie Brown Christmas tree!

A statue of King Kamehameha...

Around the same community of Hawi, the landscape goes from dry and barren...

to lush and green...it seems like in a matter of seconds. This was also a one-lane bridge that we thought was cool...

We think these are the same banyan trees as we saw last year on our vacation to Florida...

A very old cemetery...

Tsunami sirens...

...and right around the corner...the prettiest color of water I think I've ever seen.

wow. that color in the water hitting the rocks...this picture doesn't even do this color justice. It was so amazing.

I don't know what this tree is, but we thought it was cool looking...

...and then the road ends at this lookout point...

literally. ends.

We met a local in a store we visited later that lives up here...how lucky! What a view to wake up to each morning.

She said that she often sees wild horses in this valley...

On the drive back, I noticed these windmills that provide energy to this porion of the coast...cool

This morning's sunrise...we were up before 6 again. We just don't want to miss a second of this beauty...

By 8 am, we were building castles again...now that's vacation!

awwww...my little architect did good!

By 9:30, Gracie was swimming with the dolphins...

She couldn't wait...

All suited-up...

...but there's always a moment for a friendly chat with the birdie...

"He feels like cold rubber"...

A good old-fashioned belly rub...

Seeing how the trainer gives commands...

so that she can give some, too...

She did it! Look at the series of tricks!

on the opposite side of this staircase is our room...

After his high jump, he's coming back for a treat!

I don't know who is more excited...the dolphin or Gracie!?

Yum!

Smile!


That's it!

She is gleaming with pride!

More tricks for Trainer Lauren...

An underwater view...

see...a pro. She should have been born with fins!

Belly views... for all!

Last close-up...a friendly see-ya-later!

Catching the ball...

The dolphin went right underneath Gracie...it looks like she's about to get a ride here!

"It's already over?"

The rest of the fam is in bed...I better head there, too...I'll be waking to this in the morning... :)...definitely could be worse!