The Island of Hawaii
After a lovely buffet breakfast on property, we set out to explore a little of the island. We decided the drive to Hilo would be manageable in the time we had allotted. We were immediately struck by the landscape surrounding us. The lava flows from past eruptions were clearly visible all around us with some flows going all the way into the water. Very black, the volcanic rock took the shape of frozen sludge with visible wave lines and very little vegetation. There was miles and miles of this landscape. I guess I expected all of the islands to be tropical lush forests, not the stark remnants of volcanic eruptions. If you recall, this island had a very active volcanic eruption just a year ago on the south end of the island.
We drove up into the mountains, where the barren lava rock turned into forests of very tall, very straight trees. We could also glimpse the ocean below the highway. Occasionally we would see small valleys that extended to the ocean. One of these valleys had a waterfall where we stopped and took photos.
A scenic drive a few miles further lead us to a short path where we hiked to get a better view of the coastal cliffs and wave battered shoreline. Rejoining the highway, we drove to our destination of Hilo for a pleasant lunch at Pineapples restaurant. It seems open air dining is the norm on the island and this was no exception. The food was good with a nice variety being available on the menu.
Returning to the resort, we headed west across the island. There seems to be a fair share of ranching on the island with fields of cattle and sheep along the road. There's also wild goats that roam the lava flows, snacking on the short grasses growing in the crevices.
Tonight, we met up with our workshop group for a reception followed by dinner. This would be a small group of 5 working with Joe McNally and his wife, Annie. Fellow participants came from Florida, San Francisco and one that's local to the island. It looks like it will be a fun few days.
Tomorrow: The Workshop begins
We drove up into the mountains, where the barren lava rock turned into forests of very tall, very straight trees. We could also glimpse the ocean below the highway. Occasionally we would see small valleys that extended to the ocean. One of these valleys had a waterfall where we stopped and took photos.
A scenic drive a few miles further lead us to a short path where we hiked to get a better view of the coastal cliffs and wave battered shoreline. Rejoining the highway, we drove to our destination of Hilo for a pleasant lunch at Pineapples restaurant. It seems open air dining is the norm on the island and this was no exception. The food was good with a nice variety being available on the menu.
Returning to the resort, we headed west across the island. There seems to be a fair share of ranching on the island with fields of cattle and sheep along the road. There's also wild goats that roam the lava flows, snacking on the short grasses growing in the crevices.
Tonight, we met up with our workshop group for a reception followed by dinner. This would be a small group of 5 working with Joe McNally and his wife, Annie. Fellow participants came from Florida, San Francisco and one that's local to the island. It looks like it will be a fun few days.
Tomorrow: The Workshop begins
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