Laid Back in Lava Land

Fidel Castro stands guard

Hawi on the Kohala Coast

All we want to do is chill out.  The kids are all a bit worn out and over stimulated so we have to remind ourselves we are on a marathon, not a sprint.  Slow and steady wins the race.  Since they only want to sit around and reconnect with friends, Paulie and I venture out to explore the north west corner of the island also referred to as the Kohala Coast.  We set out around 10:00 and will return to take the kids out for lunch.  Since it is New Year's Day, not too much is going on around town.  We head north on Highway 19.  What beautiful and stark scenery on the Pacific side - huge lava fields that are remnants of the 1800 lava flow.  Wow - over 200 years of lava right there in front of us.  We pass by a number of lovely looking harbors and National Parks, but continue on until we reach a quaint seaside town called Puako and strolled into the general store where we bought some postcards.  Keeping north on the highway, we headed toward the northernmost point on the Kohala coast. Along the way, we stop in Hawi a small artist community that is surprisingly lively on the first day of the year. The small town of Kapa 'au is noted for its charming galleries and is home to the largest used bookstore on the island.  It is also home to the original statue of King Kamehameha. 

King Kamehameha

We stroll through town only to learn that the bookstore is no longer in existance.  Bummer.  Our return to Kona is uneventful except for the amazing views of the Pacific Ocean.  I swear you can almost see the curvature of the earth at the horizon line.  Gorgeous!  We get back to the hotel to feel as though we have entered a time warp.  We have seen so many great sites and the kids are still virtually in the same position as when we left.  Enough of that!  We rouse the crew and go on some mundane errands, among which is a search for water shoes so they will not cut their feet on the bottom of the sea - there is a lot of sharp coral there.  Return home for a dip in the pool and dinner in the condo.