4/26 thru 30–5 days at sea aboard Solstice

I think we always say the same thing:  where does the time go?  Who knows?  Our days were filled with movies (Chef, really cute; Birdman, sort of disturbing, actually, on second thought really disturbing), Top Chef (ok, we went to one competition – had to see what it was all about and it was cute), reading, blogging and just general hanging out.  Evenings were filled with the lounge – not crazy at all, which was very surprising – dinner and a couple of shows. 

Although the one bonus here aboard Solstice is that the entertainment was the best we’ve seen in years on Celebrity.  There were 4 different singers/bands that were all superb. So we rotated a lot of evenings between lounges listening to everyone. Made for a very enjoyable trip where we were not bored in the evenings at all.

The weather wasn’t the best – it started getting chilly on day 2, and the seas kicked up – but we expected that and had our blankets on hand for the balcony. 

Overall experience was good.  Our cabin steward was the best – not only one of the friendliest, but he also kept hording chocolates and giving them to me.  We’d come back from dinner and find a handful on the bed. Then on the last night he left me a whole bag!  I think he was hounding his other steward buddies to get them for us!  So sweet. 

Staff was mostly very friendly and relaxed. Our waitress in Café al Bacio was adorable.  Talked a mile a minute, and taught us Tagalog (language of the Philippines).  The bartenders in the Sky Lounge were equally great – and taught us more Tagalog – we’re keeping a list for the next ship!

Probably the biggest negative was the main dining room.  The service was good, only one night did we have mediocre service.  But the room is so crowded now, it is ridiculous. As they are retrofitting the ships with the “Suite” dining room, they are essentially cramming the same amount of tables they had previously in the main dining room into a whole bunch less square feet.  So the tables are literally on top of one another.  A 2 top ends up being a 6 top when all the shooting is done.  You can’t move between the tables easily at all – I don’t know how the waiters do it.  Some nights it made for a very uncomfortable meal – not the “modern luxury” ambience of old, that is for certain.

The food was still great – not the excellence we have seen from Celebrity in the past, but it was still a notch above.  Most nights. There were some bum nights for sure – where I had onion soup and salad. But that’s to be expected anymore. There was still Hawaiian Poke which I had as appetizer, 2nd course and main – so all’s not lost yet!

All in all a good experience and a nice end to some busy Hawaiian Isle days.

4/25–Kalapana and afternoon in Hilo

The road to Kalapana is actually the other end of the Chain of Craters road.  If it were still in existence, you could drive from where we are all the way around the coast to the bottom of Volcano National Park. But, while they are working to reopen the road across the lava flow, it currently doesn’t run all the way through – and we can only drive about a mile and a half on the existing part that is open.

We immediately see how the lava flows have affected the landscape.  At the beginning of the road, there is vegetation and the asphalt is fine.  Then suddenly a big swath of road is lava gravel, cut right through a river of lava that covered the road. Then suddenly it is gone and the road is asphalt again.  This occurs twice more before finally, the road is completely gone – along with all the vegetation – and there is nothing but lava as far as the eye can see.

We drive as far as allowed, parking the car at the barricades and walking up the closed road for a bit. 

The vastness of this flow boggles the mind…..

…..the stark reminders of the village that was destroyed – a bathtub encased in the black lava flow beyond the skeleton of some shed-like structure…..

….along with the fact that people have reclaimed land and built houses back on top of the lava.  Some nice looking, some odd little buildings – like the square black cube that doesn’t look bigger than one of those storage pods, sitting in the middle of some gorgeous landscaping out in the middle of the lava field.

We see no evidence of power out here, or sewer and definitely not cable, so we have no idea how all these people are living.  It could be they are generating solar power, but we’re not sure. It is just incredible to think that they are all living out here atop the lava that took the (their?) village.

After some time of reflection and contemplation, staring at the devastation and the rebuilding efforts, we slowly get back in the car and drive out of the Kalapana Lava flow area, shaking our heads at just how incredible it all is.

Lunch plans are for Kaleo’s in Pahao – the town which is reputed to be full of “outlaws”.  Kaleo’s looks a little divey from the outside, but inside it is anything but, with a great menu of local and Asian oriented food.  We have a great lunch of Kalua Pork wontons (yummy) and then share an Ono sandwich (huge! Much bigger than yesterday’s sandwich – and cheaper) and a Kalua Pork platter with cabbage (oh, we are so doing this when we get home).  I was too busy eating to take food pictures – but did manage to snap one of Ed at least.

Back on the road, we’ve still got lots of time, so we decide to do the Rainbow circuit which I had planned if we didn’t go to Puna. Turns out you can do both easily.  We plugged in Rainbow Falls and Alice took us through the back roads and neighborhoods of Hilo (so we avoided the bottleneck and traffic of downtown Hilo) to the Falls area.  We know that we won’t see any rainbows now, because they only show in the morning when the light is behind you – but it is still worth a visit. The falls are really heavy from all the rain and they are beautiful.  Also an easy walk, since there are viewing platforms and stairs cut into the hill to view the falls from above.

On the way back to the car we stop to watch a little cardinal flitting around in the trees.  He actually sits on a bush right next to us and watches us watch him.

Next up, we go to the boiling pots and Pe’epe’e falls, where again there is no need for hiking, but a short walk across cement sidewalks to view the boiling pots and the falls in the distance. There is also this wild looking flowering plant that has blooms that look like lace.  I think it is actually diseased, or eaten up by some insect, but it still looks really cool.

It’s getting misty and a little rainy as we head back to the car, but we’re done, so perfect timing to head back and turn in our car.  Back through the Hilo neighborhoods, we get gas at Safeway which is a trial in patience (OMG, they are so slow!) and then onto the airport to dump the car.  Shuttle back to the airport, and onboard with plenty of time to spare.

Next up:  5 days at sea then blog from Vancouver.

4/25–Hilo - Red Road and Kaimu Beach

The road is like something out of a story book.  It is narrow with trees closing in on you from both sides. It is also what I call the roller coaster road – peaks and valleys, up and done into dips, what Ed says would be a blast for teenagers to come out here and just see how fast they could really drive it.  I’ll pass, I’m happy with the stately pace we’re taking now.

Around mile marker 14, we stop to do a little wave watching from the lava bluff above the ocean.  It’s really pounding the coast here, we get soaked just from the spray of the waves.

As we progress further, we pass lava fields on both sides of the road, where you can see how the lava river just streamed down from the volcano.  Imagine that sight!  We also see lots of those little mongoose animals.  They look sort of like a weasel or ferret, and there are lots that are running across the road in front of us (and one that didn’t make it). I have a whole bunch of tidal pools and heated thermal pools on the list to visit, but we blow all those off and head straight for the beach at the end of the road.

And what a surprise that is!  We’d read the road ends and you can walk out onto the “new” Kaimu beach at the end of the lava flow – but we didn’t read about Uncle Robert’s Awa bar,  food stands and farmer’s market here.  It’s crazy busy, with a band playing, tons of cars in the parking lot, people al over with these big tent like structures and vendors outside on the steps up to the lava/beach walk selling jewelry, volcanic stone mortar and pestles and all sorts of coconuts and bananas and things.  Wild!

We walk up onto the lava beach trail first, which traverses the lava flow and leads you out to the new beach area.  The lava here is mind boggling – first because it is just such a huge flow, and second because this is the flow that cut off and covered over Kalapana.  The striations on the lava are fascinating, you can see the layers of lava as they formed and cooled and then heated again.  It is sort of surreal to be walking on this now – knowing that when it was active it was a burning inferno of red hot lava slowly creeping its way down from the volcano to the sea. 

Down near the beach, you start to see all the new plantings that have been done since the flow.  A woman who lived in the community started the coconut plants to try to regrow the vegetation on the lava.  She led a group of volunteers who carried on after her death (from cancer) – about a year or two after she started the project.

At the cliffs near the ocean is a little bench made from fallen tree wood. It is a great place to sit and reflect and think about the power of nature and how unpredictable it can all be.

As we head back to Uncle Robert’s, we pass a couple of ship’s tours.  How these people will make it out on the lava is anyone’s guess.  The ship is a huge mix of people, young, old, infirm and the like, but a lot of these people can’t walk well on a normal basis – we’ve no idea how they’ll navigate the tricky lava.  Ah, the beauty of have a car and doing this kind of thing on our own.

It’s nearing lunch time, so we decide to visit Uncle’s Awa bar for a beverage and decide if we want to keep our original plans to go to Kaleo’s in Pahoa for lunch.  The bartender is adorable – the most gorgeous blue eyes you have ever seen.  He gives us our drinks – and we see a sign that says “Donations for drinks are suggested”.  Hmmm…..well, here is the story:

This is Robert Keli‘i­ho‘o­malu's house.  It was cut off from the rest of Kalapana when the lava wrapped around his complex of 6 houses and buried the road in front.  He always opened his home to neighbors and strangers, hosting weekend parties and the like.  When the lava cut off the road, he just continued the same tradition of welcoming anyone who came by – tourists and locals alike.  There are 26 family members and friends who live on the property, and they are all working together to try to get off the grid as well as grow enough food to support themselves.  To become a member of the compound, you have to be voted in – and then you also have to work around the compound to help support it.

It’s a wild story – and a wild place!  Our bartender, Kenneth, explained that it was like being welcomed into Uncle’s home.  Everyone is a volunteer, and everyone who visits is asked to give some money for whatever they eat or drink.  It is very much like a commune out here at the end of the road.  Very, very fun.

We sat at the bar and chatted with Kenneth – who has hiked the Appalachian Trail and told us great stories about his experiences.  He also told us he was on the team for sustainability and he plants breadfruit trees – “turning margaritas into breadfruit” as he put it. It’s a very low key, totally casual atmosphere here – one that is very appealing.  But, we’ve decided to move on to the Kalapana viewing fields and lunch in Pahoa – so we bid farewell to Kenneth, buy 2 of those tasty bananas from the vendor on the way out – and make our way to Kalapana.

4/25–Hilo–Puna explorations

Last land day, last day on the islands.  We’re looking forward to today, because we are doing something completely different than the usual Volcanoes National Park or the waterfalls tour (we’ve done both a couple times in the past).  We are heading south, down into Puna to go to the Lava Viewing areas where we can see the results of the huge lava flow from 1990-1992 that totally overtook the town of Kalapana.

We are close to first off, and out waiting for our shuttle to the airport.  We are not having much luck with these shuttles – once again, everyone else is there but Hertz.  We must have a curse on us or something.  The sweet Dollar guy says he’ll take us over if he has room – but our guy finally shows up last, and loads us all in the van (along with the pushy French Canadians, but we have a strategy – Ed’s sitting in the front seat and he’s just running out first to get in line before everyone else).  Turns out its not really a rush – the others are pokey – so Ed is first in line. 

So, a little slow start, but we’re finally in the car and on the road for our big loop tour of the Puna area.  First stop is the Lava Tree State Park, that was just reopened in December from the Hurricane that ripped through this end of the island in June of last year.  The park has a quick little loop trail that walks you through the lush forest and around the freestanding hardened lava casts of the tree trunks.  It’s a nice little diversion and the tree trunks are wild – the lava flow was in the 18th century, so the casts are there and there is new growth all around – including some coming out of the casts. 

The storm damage that closed the park is still evident with all the trees that are down, and lying on the side of the trail.  There is one tree in particular that is just amazing – the whole root ball is on its side and you can just imagine the power of the storm from that huge tree that was downed.

Next we continue on out to the Red Road, so named because it was originally made of red cinder pavement.  This area of the island is so different than the main Hilo town area, and even up north on the coast. The roads are small and narrow, and totally enclosed with vegetation. There is hardly anyone on the road, and it is just like being out in the wilderness alone.  Completely different and awesome. 

Our destination is the Kapoho Tide Pools, which are located in a little neighborhood by the water.  The directions we have says to go and park when you can see the ocean, but when we get to the entrance to the neighborhood, there is a parking lot and signs saying car access is only for residents.  So, we follow the signs, park and walk into community.  There are little tide pool directional stamps on the road, with an arrow showing you where to go.  The neighborhood is cute, smaller houses tucked into the natural lava and foliage landscape.  There are some in disrepair, one that appears abandoned and others in really good condition – typical of anywhere here on the islands.

It’s a good 10 minute walk to reach the ocean – but it is well worth it. If we were swimmers or snorklers, this would be a great place to spend the morning – tons of tide pools all along the coast – the info we have says they stretch for 1 mile.  So peaceful and beautiful – it would be awesome to have a house right here overlooking the pools.

Navigating back to the car, we pass a few folks headed toward the pools on foot – and the lot is pretty full when we arrive.  Back on the Red Road – our next destination is Kaimu beach – the original black sand beach that is covered in 20 feet of lava from 1990.

The road is like something out of a story book.  It is narrow with trees closing in on you from both sides. It is also what I call the roller coaster road – peaks and valleys, up and done into dips, what Ed says would be a blast for teenagers to come out here and just see how fast they could really drive it.  I’ll pass, I’m happy with the stately pace we’re taking now.

Around mile marker 14, we stop to do a little wave watching from the lava bluff above the ocean.  It’s really pounding the coast here, we get soaked just from the spray of the waves.

As we progress further, we pass lava fields on both sides of the road, where you can see how the lava river just streamed down from the volcano.  Imagine that sight!  We also see lots of those little mongoose animals.  They look sort of like a weasel or ferret, and there are lots that are running across the road in front of us (and one that didn’t make it). I have a whole bunch of tidal pools and heated thermal pools on the list to visit, but we blow all those off and head straight for the beach at the end of the road.

And what a surprise that is!  We’d read the road ends and you can walk out onto the “new” Kaimu beach at the end of the lava flow – but we didn’t read about Uncle Robert’s Awa bar,  food stands and farmer’s market here.  It’s crazy busy, with a band playing, tons of cars in the parking lot, people all over with these big tent like structures and vendors outside on the steps up to the lava/beach walk selling jewelry, volcanic stone mortar and pestles and all sorts of coconuts and bananas and things.  Wild!

We walk up onto the lava beach trail first, which traverses the lava flow and leads you out to the new beach area.  The lava here is mind boggling – first because it is just such a huge flow, and second because this is the flow that cut off and covered over Kalapana.  The striations on the lava are fascinating, you can see the layers of lava as they formed and cooled and then heated again.  It is sort of surreal to be walking on this now – knowing that when it was active it was a burning inferno of red hot lava slowly creeping its way down from the volcano to the sea. 

Down near the beach, you start to see all the new plantings that have been done since the flow.  A woman who lived in the community started the coconut plants to try to regrow the vegetation on the lava.  She led a group of volunteers who carried on after her death (from cancer) – about a year or two after she started the project.

At the cliffs near the ocean is a little bench made from fallen tree wood. It is a great place to sit and reflect and think about the power of nature and how unpredictable it can all be.