Hawaii Day Two: Hapuna Beach State Park

After our morning ukelele lessons we decided to drive up into the mountains and check out the poniolo (cowboy) town of Waimea where Barni had recommended a music store. On the way we stopped at Hapuna Beach State Park to check it out and watch the sunset. It came highly recommended by one of Tristan's co-workers.

We could see why.

The soft ivory sand was a welcome change for our feet from the harsh lava outcroppings and the lack of reefs made it a popular, and easier, surf spot. Lots of local families were enjoying a day at the beach, cooking out, and being active. Between the views, waves, and handy facilities it was clearly a great spot.

(Tristan was all smiles and romance.)

(I was all my usual "Tada! Yay beachy time!")

(You can't quite tell from the photos but Hapuna Beach is in a little cove like spot and the black outcropping to the left of the sun in the photos are actually cliffs that are quite large.)

(We took a moment to document the anniversary part of our trip by writing the date in the sand.)

(We had done the same thing last year on our first anniversary in México but we wrote the wedding date, 01/23/11, instead. This year we figured it made more sense to do the current year for future photo perusal purposes...)

It was a perfect place to kick back and watch a magical sunset. Colors splashed across the sky as waves splashed on the shore. The horizon looked as though a conch shell had opened up its colorful secret interior to you, giving you just a peek, amidst the blues of the ocean and sky.

Azure waves rolled and crashed inland then tumbled to shore criss-crossing over each other as they went. We stayed until all that was left of the sun was an evening's glow and no more. Then we drove off towards the dark and towards a little night's adventure.

Kisses,

K

(All images created and owned by Krista Carson, please ask permission prior to use.)

 

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Hawaii Day Two: The Ukelele Lesson

On our second day in Hawaii we awoke to light gently streaming in through the shuttered balcony doors... Something we don't often get in Seattle.

(Me in front of one of the resort's indoor/ outdoor fishponds surrounded by morning light.)

We lazily got out of bed and enjoyed some kona coffee on our balcony before heading out to officially greet the day and go for a ukelele lesson.

The cultural center at the resort offers wonderfully prescient classes and entertainment free to guests throughout their stay. I love all types of music, and already play the guitar a bit, so I was really looking forward to this! Tristan could of taken or left it prior to the class but after singing and strumming in class he left singing its praises too!

(The ukelele we learned on.)

We were each given the smallest version of ukelele to learn on. There are several kinds: the smallest is soprano, then concert, tenor, and lastly, baritone, which is the largest. Every ukulele also has a variety of string amounts, with the four string kind we learned on being the most common. Our instructor was a lovely women named Barni (short for Barnett) Fischer. She hummed, strummed, and guided us through doing the same. We learned several simple chords. The three others in the class and ourselves were all musically inclined enough to pick it up rather quickly. Barni even noted that she was impressed and by the time we left we were even able to play several easy songs. Amongst the simple child-like songs, we were able to learn a traditional Hawaiian tune about net-fishing called the Huki-lau. Barni also gave us useful cultural backgrounds, notes, and antidotes throughout the lesson.

(Barni and I.)

It was a great experience and so much fun! I was hooked!

I knew I was interested in getting a ukelele before Hawaii (the small travel ready size and sweet sound appealed to me) but now I definitely wanted one! Barni even gave me great tips on what to look and listen for when buying one and where the best places (with the best quality and best price) to buy were. I even learned my favorite Hawaiian word from her in class: poniolo or cowboy. Maybe it's the way it rolls off the tongue or images of wild untamed land and people but I just love it...

(The gorgeous resort grounds with the Bay-view Terrace restaurant seen on the lower left underneath the dark terrace roof.)

After our lesson finished we set off in search of grub. Since the hotel was providing us with a daily stipend to spend, in honor of their 30th anniversary, we decided to go back to the Bayview Terrace and check out their lunch menu. We made the right decision... My mouth still waters thinking about my catch of the day fish sandwich... So good!

(Lush greenery dotted the Mauna Lani's landscape amidst the dessert.)

After gorging ourselves on the generous (and delicious) portions we were on our way back to the room when we saw lei making going on in the cultural center as we passed. So we popped in to learn just how it was done.

We sat barefoot on the large traditionally woven mat and were guided through making our first DIY leis ever.

Unfortunately we forgot to take pics of the process but... To make a Ti leaf lei you fold two of the leaves in half length-wise, drape them in your hand so as to leave a loop, hold them tightly between your thumb and forefinger, and twist. When your almost out of leaf you fold two more in half, add them in, and twist some more. You keep twisting, creating a rope like texture, till you reach your desired length then you tie the end off with a knot that will tuck through the loop you made at the start to close your lei. At this point you can wear your lei as is or you can decorate it by tucking in flowers or elaborately twisted Ti leaf roses between the layers of your lei. Once your satisfied, your finished!

Some things we learned while making our leis:

Leis are worn for special events, parties, and spiritual ocassions. As such they are considered sacred unto themselves and should never just be thrown away! They should either be saved, placed someplace holy, or given back to nature somehow. A popular, and beautiful, way to do this is to wade out into the ocean sending both prayers and your lei back out into the world from whence it came. Pregnant women should never wear a closed lei, theirs should always be left open. This is signify that the gestation process is still continuing, a closed lei would signify that it was over and is therefore thought to be unlucky. A Ti leaf lei can be kept green for up to a whole month(!) if kept in a ziploc baggy inside your fridge (of course you may have to replace any fresh flowers after a week) or it can be left out in a cool dark place to dry.

We also learned about several other traditional Hawaiian artisan processes and all the time that goes into creating them and how the islanders are trying to revive them. It was a really fun experience with a fun new skill and creation to show for it!

(Tristan in front of one of the sea turtle ponds wearing the Ti Leaf Lei that he made.)

(Me in the lobby wearing the Ti Leaf Lei that I made as well as my arrival shell lei and my brand new Panama Jack, just in case you noticed I switched hats. Mine was way too hot and didn't have a wide enough brim to protect me from the sun... Boo! Bonus: I've had my eye on an authentic Panama Jack for quite some time and now I have one that reminds me of my awesome trip too!)

More of Day Two to come!

Kisses,

K

(All images created and owned by Krista Carson, please ask permission prior to use.)

 

 

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Hawaii Day One

First off let me say, Oh my word! Hawaii was amazing! I loved exploring the big island soooo much that I never wanted to leave! Every time we saw a house for sale while driving, and we drive a lot, I would discuss the practicalities of moving there with the Husband. Luckily for me and him, he was happy to daydream right along with me!

Next let me say that I have an absolute ton of photos! So bear with me as I'm still actually sorting them all out, we used three different devices including iPhones..., and organizing them (I'm trying to choose the ones that both depict our experiences and look the best whenever possible).

Lastly, I have a lot of Hawaii posts planned so I can share easily with all my family and friends. (i.e. sorry to those who aren't into them but despite them being plentiful they won't last forever and will be interspersed with the usual ones.)

Now on with Day One!

After catching a ten minute island hopper from Maui to Hawaii our adventure began. (I already shared the pics of taking off from Maui and landing on the big island with you here.)

Driving along the Kona coast to our resort we passed by endless dessert landscape, ancient lava flows, deep blue ocean on the left, concert cones, and volcanoes loomed in the distance on the right. The sun shone warmly all around us. I was so excited! I'm not sure exactly what I expected Hawaii to look like but it surprised me. I think maybe I pictured the look of the Hilo side of the island; lush, dense rainforests, and waterfalls. The dessert landscape was a bit of a shock but it was a good one! I loved being surrounded by all the volcanic bits and bobs! It was so cool!

To get to our resort you turned down a long drive through a lava flow that was lined with swaying palms with the ocean in the distance.

The inside was still outside and it was magnificent. The main atrium and lobbies were all open air. Two large waterfalls flowed over panes of glass flanking the main staircase (Pictured, it looks like an open are to the right of the stairs above.) Large fish filled ponds wove their way in from outside and proceeded through the lobby on their way back out.

Tall palms swayed in the gentle breezes flowing through the atrium. At the entrance we were greeted warmly and led to individual check in desks where we were given cool towels, fruit infused ice water, and leis. Tristan's was made of kui-kui nuts accented with snail shells and tied with a ribbon. Mine consisted of a large swathe of woven snail shells ended with two kui-kui nuts and a ribbon.

(Palm trees and the open roof reflected one of the many ponds.)

We were all exhausted smiles.

Our room was just the perfect size. I loved the use of natural materials. Just my style... I was in love with the honeycomb-esque coral patterned pillows on the little couch. Tristan kept teasing me that I was going to steal them and bring them home.

(His and Hers sinks.)

The view from our room was awesome. We were on the second floor and thought it was perfect. From our balcony we could watch the palm trees and the ocean but were still low enough to watch for the sharks in the pond that shared the other half of our view.

(The shark pond behind the CanoeHouse restaurant.)

(Me gettin' all cozy and stuff. Doesn't the rug remind you of a turtle's shell?)

After stowing our luggage we decided to explore the resort. We didn't make too far though... Once the amazing sunset started we stopped. We found two lounge chairs on the point of the main beach (the two white ones between the tress on the left in fact) and relaxed with a stunning view. Waves crashed against rocky volcanic outcroppings as the water rushed in and out of little tidal pools. A sailboat twisted and turned against its mooring in a cove backlit with the colors of the setting sun. (Previous sunset pictures posted here.) Vibrant pinks, neon oranges, lush purples, and both deep and turquoise hues filled the sky as the fiery yellow orb sank beneath the ocean's dark blue horizon. Stars began to scatter across the sky amongst the clouds.

(Me, on a lava flow in the ocean! Eep!)

As the light faded from the sky our tummies started to rumble. A conch blew in the distance... Tiki torches were lighted and we headed off the beach for dinner.

We ate at the Bayview Terrace outdoors in the warm air with tiki's lighting the distance as the last vestiges of day slipped away. (Our dining view above.) We enjoyed a delicious local mushroom and truffled grilled flatbread, Mahi Mahi, and Braised Lamb in a bed of papperdelle pasta. Everything was delicious! Local animals flitted about amongst the tables hunting for crumbs. Mina birds heralded the night's start as we left to turn in for day's end...

On the way back to the room we stopped to star gaze in a hammock by the ocean. The night sky greeted us with a dazzling display that we rarely see back home in Seattle. Unfortunately our eyelids were getting heavy so off we went reluctantly. I would have spent the night right there sleeping under the stars on the ocean's shore... But Tristan is not really the outdoorsy type and was looking forward to the soft bed and fluffy pillow we were paying for so off we went to bed.

Kisses,

K

(All images owned and created by Krista Carson, please ask permission before use.)

 

 

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Almost There

This time next week I'll be on my way to this.

By way of this.

Going to this!

I can't wait to enjoy some sun, sand, and sea with my Honey!

Husband and I are going to celebrate our second anniversary on the 23rd! I can't wait to unwind, wiggle my toes in black sand, watch new land being born as lava hits the sea, and spend some time snugly star gazing on Mauna Kea!

It'll be my first time in Hawaii so I am beyond excited! Between the awesome volcanoes, incredible vistas, culture, and ocean the only dilemma is how much to do and how much not to do!

I know, poor me... ;)

Aaaah! I'm so excited! I can't wait!

Kisses,

K

(Images by Hawaiian Airlines, Nick Selway and CJ Kale, Map by U.S. Geography and adjusted by me)

 

 

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