Hawaii, the Big Island

Scott and I recently visited the big island of Hawaii..  This was our third trip to the islands; two previous trips to Oahu and one trip to Maui.  We were gone ten days, and had a fantastic time finding so much to do and see.  We were extremely lucky to stay with Lynn and Mike in their beautiful new Kona hillside home.   Kona is on the western side of the island, home to the Iron Man Triathlon, and overlooks the Kona coast.  Being located on the hillside means stable slightly cooler temperatures than at sea level, dry air and a fantastic view.  When we were there temperatures were in the mid to upper 70s everyday compared to at the ocean front where it was in the mid to upper 80s, and it hadn't rained in two months (but did rain one night we were there).  There is a vog (sulfur dioxide and other gasses emitted by an erupting volcano react with oxygen and moisture in the presence of sunlight...volcanic & smug = vog) that appears over the top of the Huualalai volcano (8,271)  which is just east of Kona.  It floats over Kona usually in the afternoon, shielding some of  the heat of the sun.  Sometimes you can only see it from a distance, what I mean is, you don't know you are in it, but when you are at the ocean and you look up, you see it covering the hillside.

This was our starting point for all our adventures.  Rather than to blog day by day I am going to share our experiences by topics or excursions.  Come along on our visit to paradise.

Hawaii, the largest of the Hawaiian islands has amazingly different topography and geography.  Lush green rain forests, dry deserts to the north, rolling pastures, familiar deciduous plants, sunny sandy beaches, angry and sleeping volcanoes, and lava, lava, lava everywhere.  We traveled to all points, north, south, east, west.  Put on over 1100 miles and always enjoyed the view.

Lets start with Hilo.  We traveled east to Hilo on a clear and sunny day, over the center of the state by the Saddle Road.  This road started out as a desert as we traveled alongside the Mauna Kea Volcano, then became deciduous, then as we neared Hilo it became a rain forest.  There is more rain on the east side of the island, thus the lush greenery.

View of a couple of Mauna Kea's observatories.

We visited the Pacific Tsunami Museum in downtown Hilo.  This museum has interactive exhibits, lots of pictures from turn of the century Hilo, and a film of survivors stories from the '46 Tsunami that flooded the downtown area killing 159 people.   The main story was in 1946 as the Tsunami was building, water resided, people ran onto the ocean floor to collect fish, then the Tsunami hit.   All was very informational, and it was interesting to see how the area looked in 1946 and how the downtown area was rebuilt.  More open land and parks along the ocean rather than residential homes.  Admission cost $8.00 adults; $4.00 children 6-17.

Hilo

After a quick lunch we traveled 5 miles south of Hilo on Hwy 11 to the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corporation.  After a 3 mile drive along rows and rows of Macadamia trees (250,000 trees in the orchard) we came to the visitors center.  There is a self walking tour with videos that explains how the nuts are cracked, processed, canned and shipped everywhere in the United States.  During the week you can view the assembly line workers in the factory (we watched them hand place each nut in the center of a piece of dough.).  Then we went into the store and sampled plain, chocolate covered, and toffee covered mac nuts (as much as we wanted).  We then purchase some to take back to Lynn and Mike, a few gifts, and a bag for ourselves.  The store was filled with people and we saw a individual from a Japanese tour group purchase what turned out to be two huge bags of nuts, well over $100.00.

We truly enjoyed the two places we visited but overall were not excited about the city of Hilo itself.  It does have a nice bay which boasts a Japanese garden though we did not stop to walk it, but I did take a picture.

We then headed north through Hilo and along the coastline, then through the small town of Honomu to the Akaka State Park.   There is a parking fee of $5.00 to park and then hike.   The path is a half mile through dense vegetation that leads to two waterfalls.

Scott by some bamboo

   Kahuna Falls dropping 300 feet and a little further on Akaka Falls.

straight fall of 442 feet

                                                       

We continued along the Hamakua coastline then inland and back to Koni.  Perfectly clear all day!

To Be Continued...

Betty Brinn Children's Museum

Betty Brinn Children's Museum is an hands on experience, perfect for the three to five year old.  There are areas that one and two year olds will find entertaining, and its advertised for kids 0 to 10, but it was perfect for our three year old.
Heather, Nick, Piper and myself visited this museum this past Saturday.  I went online and joined their email listing and received a coupon for one free admission with the purchase on one admission..Score!  Betty Brinn Museum is located downtown Milwaukee (929 East Wisconsin Ave.).  The Museum will give you a $2.00 off pass if you parked in the O'Donnel Parking Lot attached to the museum ($4/hr), but a better deal, if you will be at the Museum for two hours or longer is to park at the Bank One lot across the street which lists a flat museum rate of $5.00
We got to the parking lot no problem, got everyone out of the car no problem.  Then tried to figure out how to attach Piper's car seat to the stroller bottom.  We got the stroller part to open (thanks Kyle for the tutorial) and it seemed the seat is just suppose to slide in.  You know you are desperate when you ask a three year old a question and hope it will help.  "Nick, which way does Piper face when she's in this."  He told us not facing the person pushing, so we inserted the car seat and Piper looked like an astronaut ready to blast off.  Heather and I started laughing.  Redid it and yes, Piper is suppose to face the person pushing the stroller!  Success!
Admission rates, Children under one are free.  Adults and children over 1 $7.50 Seniors (over 55) $6.50

We entered the Kohl Healthy Exhibit Area, which is a huge board game that kids (and adults can spin wheels, walk on squares and follow directions to do fun things.  Nick wasn't interested in this he saw the huge climbing exhibit and he started to well climb.

                                                  then played a little mini golf

                                                     and dropped a golf ball and watched it go round, and round
                                                                   and round

                                                       

Then in the Welcome Gallery there was this train....

                                               and Nick could pull levers, and make the train toot

                                                    and there was also a Brio table

                                        To another ball drop.......to show gravity

                                           called the Roller Coaster

In the South Gallery called Home Town..  Nick became a postman...

                                       and a banker.."How much money do you need?"

                                              Let me run those numbers....

                                         
                                               Then a cameraman

                                              As Heather and Piper were newscasters

                                                     and Nick tried out the "green screen"

                                                  which put Heather and Piper at Miller Park

Then time to work on a car

                                              and learn something about pumps and water.

                                 There was a outdoor park, indoors...called the Pocket Park..

                                                   Piper loved sliding these little balls

                                                and what am I sitting on???

                                             Oh yes, this is fun!!!!

                              After all that playing, time for a quick lunch...

                        and take a little nap on the ride home.

Overall, so much to do!  There was also a artist and performing arts area.  Tinker toys were a special exhibit but Nick didn't have any interest in creating something with tinker toys when there was so many large hands on exhibits.  Nick shopped at Sendik's play market and there was a bus that needed a driver or passengers.  There was a house that needed bricks on the outside and instillation on the inside.  At the Pocket Park kids could learn how to plant plants, pump water, and step on an interactive floor where leaves appear and disappear.
Lots of activities, lots of kids, lots of fun!  Worth a visit!
Two thumbs up, as Nick would put it.

A side note.  Here are a few fun statements that Nick made this weekend as he and Piper spent the weekend with us.
"Just Ranch not Ranch Dressing"  Nick told me as I asked him if he wanted some ranch dressing and carrots
When I asked if he wanted a Apple Juice Pak..he laughed and corrected me  "Apple Juice Box Grandma".  Then he said.."Say more funny stuff Grandma".
As he sat watching "The Firm" with Grandpa, he put his hand on his chin and said....."That's interesting."

Lake Geneva

A few months ago on a warm sunny fall day, Jackie, Kathy and I told a walk along a lake.  Specifically, Lake Geneva.  First we grabbed a lunch at Popeyes, at a table with a view of the lake.  Popeyes specializes in BBQ chicken, beef and pork which we all enjoyed.  After lunch, we walked to the lake and had to make a decision, do we go right or left.  For no real reason, it was decided to go to the left, or in the southern direction.  So come along and enjoy our walk along the lake.
Lake Geneva has a unique lakeshore pathway.  It is 21 miles around the whole lake, not something the average person would walk in an afternoon.  Plus the terrain makes it a challenge in some locations.  Whether its limestone, stepping stones, or dirt, you have to make a point to look down where you are walking AS you are looking at the mansions on one side, and a beautiful lake on the other side. There is a sign at the beginning that explains a few rules:

With people walking through your land everyday we wondered how accepted this was by the homeowners.  We found a variety of landscapes, some homes that embraced the idea by creating garden wonderlands, and others that had thick trees and shrubs that completely shielded their home from view.   Some homes with lounge chairs out front to people watch, and a few for sale signs.

Almost immediately we came upon the largest home on the eastern side of the lake.

 But as you can see, there isn't much in the way of landscaping at this mansion.  I did a little research and this building, it is called Stone Manor (officially Younglands) and was built by Otto Young from Chicago in 1900-1901.  It had a basement bowling alley and an indoor mini golf course.  It was a private residence until 1939, then was made into a girls school but only for a few years.  Then it became a French restaurant until it was purchased for back taxes in the 1980s.  It was renovated and now houses six condominiums.
Lets continue on the path......

 Since it was fall and most plants were already dormant,  we imagined that in the summer this pathway is lined with flowers and flowering shrubs.

Here the path was much more rustic, with tree roots making the path anything but easy to walk on.

 Lake Geneva, blue sky, blue water, crisp breeze, a wonderful view!  Some piers stay in the water all winter, but many homeowners had taken their piers out and they lined the pathways.  

We saw a lot of these mussels on the piers that were taken out, lying on the shoreline.  Are these the Zebra Mussels that are causing concern at area lakes?  

Another large home...

                                                     a narrow pathway

                                                  a flower absorbing the fall sunlight...

                                            and time for a group picture (thanks to a stone wall that held my camera)
We walked about 40 minutes, then stopped and reversed ourselves.  Time to head back.

                                     This is a view of the marina and downtown Lake Geneva at the end of our walk.

If you go online and check out Lake Geneva, there are many links to the walkway around the lake.  There isn't any reason to purchase a map.  Just go there, and start walking.  Since we did the east side of the lake this time, we all decided we would head back in the summer and walk the west side.  We also would like to see how the whole area looks with flowers in full bloom.  So, Lake Geneva...We'll Be Back!