Monday: our experiment with the Tiny Home is over - after a stormy, rainy night with fitful sleep and no shower and a wet bench because of poor insulation ,,, In general, we got to know that we could do it for a long-time vacation, tidy and over-organized as we both are, but in a different modificaton: with more sitting area and less kitchen area, with an indoor shower and a separate bathroom sink. And, a different ladder,,,
Left in the rain to visit the Parker Ranch Headquarters in Waimea with its two historic ranch buildings/museums (pics below) and learned more about the Parker Ranch operation formerly and nowadays. Parker Ranch is one of the largest and oldest cattle ranches in the United States and owned by Parker Ranch Foundation Trust nowadays. Meat is 100% grass-fed and 100% local and sold in Hawaii Safeway stores. There is a horse breeding program as well - wish we could have gotten a private tour to learn more about the operation,,,
On we went, towards the Northeast, to Hamakua Coast. Though it is not as well-known as Maui’s scenic drive to Hana, the 45-mile Hamakua Coast road trip from Honoka’a to Hilo on Hwy. 19 is quite spectacular, too. High cliffs that drop into the Pacific ocean, lush tropical vegetation and the two volcanoes Mauna Kea and Kohala as a background. Tiny hamlets, once sugar plantation towns, are scattered along the highway.
A side trip brought us from Honoka'a - with the first unobstructed view of the Pacific Ocean downslope from Waimea - to Waipi’o Valley in the Northeastern corner of the island (photo). It was home to old Hawaiian kings and once upon a time densely populated. Now however, Waipi’o Valley is mostly wilderness interspersed with taro fields (taro root is a traditional Hawaiian food, similar to potato). Waipi’o Valley is named after the river that runs through the valley and splits into many ‘fingers’, each one with its own waterfall.
We strolled up and down Main Street Honoka'a, home of Hāmākua Sugar Company from 1873 to 1994, with some historic buildings, souvenir shops and little restaurants and cafés.
About 35 mi. further south along the East Coast, Akaka Falls State Park was our next stop. Following the short ʻAkaka Falls Loop Trail, people can see both the Kahuna and ‘Akaka Falls (422 feet high), the latter much higher than the Niagara Falls. The trail winds through lush rainforest filled with all kinds of flowers, wild orchids, bamboo groves and draping ferns.
Hilo - largest town on Big Island, big harbor (with huge cruiseship), large industrial zone, little historic town. Just drove through with a stop at a bookstore and at Saveway to get provisions - this time fresh bread, cheese and SPAM - especially popular on Hawaii. Ate it in our "tree house" which is not a real treehouse but a tower with palms around and a balcony wrapped around, on a large property with horses and lush vegetation. Have views towards the ocean, but, again, too cold to have dinner outside. Next time we'll travel in another season, possibly in fall.
And, since we are back to the "modern world" we were watching TV this evening, and, guess what,,, Cowboy Channel! On Hawaii! We watched the San Antonio Rodeo (where we've been several years ago) live and had a pleasant evening, with just these strange Coqui Frogs making noise like birds and Tommy Boy, one of the cats, pestering us to let him in.
Keine Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen