Our daily recap from exactly a week ago... a selfish way to relive the vakay!

Thursday, 5.16.13

We "forced" the gang to visit each of our favorite parks.

My favorite beach is part of Kekaha Kai State Park. This was the first time that I hiked in to Makalewena Beach. In the past I had a 4WD so we would drive in from the north on a "road" through the lava fields. This time not willing to pay to replace a rental car, we took the drivable road to the shore and hiked in from the south. You walk past the Red House, formally the Magoo residence, into the lava field where a trail cuts straight though. All you can see is black lava and the tops of some trees far off in the distance. Luckily there was a little breeze otherwise the mid-day walk across the lava field would have been cooking. When you get to the other side there are some trees and brush that you head through, then up an over a sand dune and you have reached paradise. This is hands down my favorite beach. The perfect place to do nothing... play in the water... look for shells... visit the queen's bath. Heaven. The island has many queen's bathes, this one has fresh water that come up out of the lava.

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There was only one thing that could tear us away... and that was Paul's favorite park, Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historic Park (aka Place of Refuge). If you had broken a sacred law and could escape your pursuers and get to a Place of Refuge you would be out of harms way. The grounds are beautiful, the history fascinating and the sunset view magical, but that is not the reason this is Paul's favorite park. The reason of course are the tiki's. Big tiki's, little tiki's, lots and lots of tikis. We didn't get there until pretty late, but made it in time to watch the sunset. Stopped for dinner at the Kona Brewing Co. and then headed back up the coast to Puako.

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