Day 3 - Wednesday morning, we spotted this guy on our way to breakfast...glad that is his job and not mine! He was very good at it, too, trimming each tree, swinging from each to the next like a little monkey - very impressive!
On our way out, I just had to take a picture of our bellman...I want his sarong! Really!
We stopped here to see our first black sand beach - we also found a shell in the shape of a heart - what a wonderful way to start the day!
She wanted to just dive right in :)
Our little fish...
Our next stop was Kona Joe's for some 100% Kona coffee for Jack.
The flowers were beautiful there, too...I have another budding gardener...PaPa passed this love to my mom, me and now his great-granddaughter.
The coffee plantation was beautiful...what a view, too!
Jack David with Gracie and his coffee in front of real coffee beans!
More pretty flowers on our way out...
The scenery changed to somewhat of a forest...kinda reminded me of home.
Quite a change from the road right outside our hotel, but only about an hour away...
Then, about 20 minutes later...something like Vermont scenery...
Had to stop here...unfortunately, PaPa passed along his sweet tooth, too! It's famous...southernmost bakery and all...what a great excuse!
While Gracie and I selected our pastries, Jack ordered a fish sandwich which included rice and salad...this little girlie and her man below feasted on his rice courtesy of Gracie!
More pretty flowers on our way out...
The scenery changed to somewhat of a forest...kinda reminded me of home.
Quite a change from the road right outside our hotel, but only about an hour away...
Then, about 20 minutes later...something like Vermont scenery...
Had to stop here...unfortunately, PaPa passed along his sweet tooth, too! It's famous...southernmost bakery and all...what a great excuse!
While Gracie and I selected our pastries, Jack ordered a fish sandwich which included rice and salad...this little girlie and her man below feasted on his rice courtesy of Gracie!
I don't know what kind of birds they are, but he, especially, was just gorgeous.
Volcano National Park - steam vents, craters...very cool! ...or, I guess, hot, depending on where you were standing! :)
I wish I would have been this close to the magma, but, no...this is just a photo of a poster...
The crater outside of the Jagger Museum...
Gracie wanted a closer look...
Do you see the size of those ferns behind Gracie? We felt like we were in a scene from Jurassic Park!
It was dark with lots of stalactites...and very damp...
This was Fairy Gracie's little home...or so our story went as we made our way out of the rainforest...
Atkatsuka Orchid Farm...I can't keep one of these fragile flowers alive for a day, but Mom has grown to love them...and since she is watching our home and animals while we take a break, this stop was a must! They had an orchid there worth $20,000...wow. This one wasn't it...I was too afraid to get anywhere near it...but this one was stunning!
Volcano National Park - steam vents, craters...very cool! ...or, I guess, hot, depending on where you were standing! :)
I wish I would have been this close to the magma, but, no...this is just a photo of a poster...
The crater outside of the Jagger Museum...
Gracie wanted a closer look...
This lava tube is amazing all by itself, but the fact that it's in the middle of a rainforest makes it just plain awesome!
Do you see the size of those ferns behind Gracie? We felt like we were in a scene from Jurassic Park!
It was dark with lots of stalactites...and very damp...
This was Fairy Gracie's little home...or so our story went as we made our way out of the rainforest...
Atkatsuka Orchid Farm...I can't keep one of these fragile flowers alive for a day, but Mom has grown to love them...and since she is watching our home and animals while we take a break, this stop was a must! They had an orchid there worth $20,000...wow. This one wasn't it...I was too afraid to get anywhere near it...but this one was stunning!
Now, back to the forest scenery, but this time, with lots of rain...
The clouds were low on this cattle ranch outside of Waimea...very pretty.
One of the oldest ranches in the US, Parker Ranch. It sits at the foot of Mauna Kea, the highest point on the Big Island, and has tons of pretty cattle.
Random Donkey Crossing sign in Waikoloa??? We thought we were seeing things as we came to the end of our day-long drive around the island!!!
A long day called for a good night's rest and that's exactly what we had! It was nice to see this face when we awoke to Day 4 though...literally, I walked out on our balcony to take a picture of the sunrise, but as soon as I turned my camera on, pop went this little guy's head...I think this one is much better anyway!
Then, these delightful little yellow birds...how can you not smile???
Love seeing all of the angel fish, too...
The water is so clear...the snorkeling has probably been the best Jack and I have ever done...and we don't even have to leave the hotel. This is such a great family spot!
This guy was sun-bathing and Gracie just couldn't resist a gentle touch...given how she is with our puppies at home, I was a little apprehensive, but she did good...the turtle didn't even open his eyes. I guess he's probably pretty used to it if this is his regular neighborhood!
That's what ya call chillin'! Then off to more snorkeling...Jack was again charged by an eel...he says it must be his cologne...Eau de Stinky Fish!! Thankfully, Gracie and I were building sand castles during all of that excitement!
He has a special name, but I can't remember it right now...he runs around the entire resort each night lighting all of the torches just before sunset...again, I'm so glad that is HIS job!
Can I just move this scene to my backyard? It is so peaceful here.
This is Tugboat Jack with his precious cargo...
Who knew Hawaii had cardinals??? Waiting on the best part of the day...
Waterfalls outside of Hilo...Hilo's Farmer's Market was actually our plan for the day, but it took us so much longer to get there than we expected, we were anxious to make it back to the hotel and out of the rainy mountains before dark that we decided to forego the market and keep going. Hilo Market - no can do. A drive around the ENTIRE Big Island of Hawaii - check!
The clouds were low on this cattle ranch outside of Waimea...very pretty.
One of the oldest ranches in the US, Parker Ranch. It sits at the foot of Mauna Kea, the highest point on the Big Island, and has tons of pretty cattle.
Random Donkey Crossing sign in Waikoloa??? We thought we were seeing things as we came to the end of our day-long drive around the island!!!
A long day called for a good night's rest and that's exactly what we had! It was nice to see this face when we awoke to Day 4 though...literally, I walked out on our balcony to take a picture of the sunrise, but as soon as I turned my camera on, pop went this little guy's head...I think this one is much better anyway!
Then, these delightful little yellow birds...how can you not smile???
We have some pictures in the water with the sea turtles, but those have to be developed from our water camera...I took this from one of the bridges...isn't she beautiful?! ...and HUGE? They move so gracefully in the water. This has probably been my most favorite part of the trip...swimming almost every day with the turtles...
Love seeing all of the angel fish, too...
Gracie spotted this horse, and of course, had to have her picture taken!
The water is so clear...the snorkeling has probably been the best Jack and I have ever done...and we don't even have to leave the hotel. This is such a great family spot!
This guy was sun-bathing and Gracie just couldn't resist a gentle touch...given how she is with our puppies at home, I was a little apprehensive, but she did good...the turtle didn't even open his eyes. I guess he's probably pretty used to it if this is his regular neighborhood!
That's what ya call chillin'! Then off to more snorkeling...Jack was again charged by an eel...he says it must be his cologne...Eau de Stinky Fish!! Thankfully, Gracie and I were building sand castles during all of that excitement!
{insert nap here}
She has been wanting to drink from a coconut since we got here...that has really been a surprise here...they don't give you a lei when you disembark the plane and there are no coconut drinks to be found! I guess we better lay off the Fantasy Island re-runs, huh?! We went to the grocery store for her coconut and after a little widdlin' by her Daddy, voila! Coconut drink for the princess!
We ended the day at the pool and waterslide...
He has a special name, but I can't remember it right now...he runs around the entire resort each night lighting all of the torches just before sunset...again, I'm so glad that is HIS job!
This is a plumeria TREE!!! These are everywhere, too. They don't grow like this in Texas, ya'll!
Can I just move this scene to my backyard? It is so peaceful here.
This is Tugboat Jack with his precious cargo...
Who knew Hawaii had cardinals??? Waiting on the best part of the day...
...in Hawaii...here it is...a great ending to a perfectly relaxing day!
Hi Sis...Gracie looks like she may be having fun.
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Thanks so much for sharing your special memories .....I know ya are having a great time.
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