Hilo
Hilo is one of the oldest ports and contains the second largest population in Hawaii. It's a city that peaked during the height of sugar cane, and has since settled into a place of peaceful parks and quiet neighborhoods with metal-roofed houses. Days after we visited Hilo, Mt. Kilauea erupted, and is still erupting. We had no idea that in less than a week, that area would be changed, permanently. And I hope everyone is okay. In some ways, this is why we travel. To see things before they change or before other things come along and take their place.
A not-quite black sand beach along Hilo's shores.
A close up shows mostly black sand (lava broken up by waves), but there are also hints of white (coral) and green (peridot).
Time for a little show and tell. A big thanks to our tour driver who shared many interesting facts as we shuttled about, and showed us neat things that grow on the island and in his own yard! Like, for example, this gorgeous gardenia.
Originally from Australia, the macadamia nut is a tough nut to crack. Freeing the soft buttery snack from its thick shell requires 300 pounds of pressure per square inch!
I've got a lovely bunch of...baby coconuts.
Guess which household herb yields this gorgeous flower? Ginger!
Very old, very giant ferns.
As we wound our way up towards Volacanos National Park, we got to see glimpses of old lava from previous eruptions.
The Ohia tree is one of the few plants whose roots can withstand the toasty volcanic soil, and crowning its branches is the beautiful lehua flower. Legend has is that both the tree and the flower had their beginnings when a man spurned Pele, Hawaiian Goddess of Fire because of his love for a mortal woman.
Welcome to Volcanoes National Park! A close eye needs to be kept on the toxic gases rising from the vents. Any unfavorable shift in the wind, and the viewing area is closed off for safety reasons.
The hottest lava in the world is here. How hot? A piping 1150 degrees celsius!