After breakfast we repacked our suitcases, packed our van and headed down to Hilo where we visited the Big Island Candy Company. We were offered a small cup of Kona coffee and numerous candy and shortbread samples. There were large windows between the retail and production areas so we were able to watch rows of women hand dipping chocolates and shortbread. We bought some goodies to share with Don who will host us the rest of the week.
Leaving Hilo, we chose to drive back to Kona via Saddleback Road, the high route which took us up between the Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa mountains. The road reached an elevation of about 8000 ft. It made the loaded minivan work pretty hard and our ears closed, rather severely for a couple of us. Don says the visitor center is at 11,000 and it's 13,780 at the top. The vegetation was different. There was a ground cover plant that had the height and spread of mountain pink.
We then went to The Kona Brewing Company for a late lunch. Larry and I split a Porterhouse dip roast beef sandwich. Fran had fish tacos and Steve had shrimp tacos. The food was delicious. I guess the beer was good too. They guys had Kua Bay IPA. Fran and I had water with lemon.
From there we went to Don's house. He lives in a gated community about 20 miles north of Kona. It is higher elevation (2400 ft) and therefore 5-10 degrees cooler than down in Kona. Don says he likes it up here. He can still wear a flannel shirt in the morning! There is more vegetation too. Bougainvillea, hibiscus, poinsettias, bird of paradise are just a few of the plants we recognize.
We had about an hour and a half down time before leaving for the luau back in Kona. It was outside along the water, complete with traditional ceremony, music and dance.
There was an open bar, but the featured drink was Mai Tais. The food was very good. Salad, fresh fruit, bean salad, macaroni salad, cucumber salad, banana bread, poi and poké (raw ahi), lomi lomi salmon, purple sweet potatoes, sticky white rice, barbecued chicken, island fish, teriyaki beef, Kalua pig and Kalua turkey (both roasted the traditional way, underground all day.) Kona coffee with dessert of chocolate cake, banana cake and a coconut pudding was available for those who thought they needed it! We were serenaded throughout dinner by an Hawaiian band. The ukulele player was particularly impressive. The after dinner show featured dances, songs and greetings of Polynesian Islands, including Fiji, Samoa, Tahiti, New Zealand and Hawaii.
Fran wanted the children to be able to see, so we paid for premium seating. That meant we avoided the line at checkin, our table was next to the stage and we were among the first served.
Encouraged by Fran, the little boys both sampled from the luau buffet. Logan even ate the poké which I passed on. On the way home Fran told the boys she was proud of them for trying all the new foods instead of eating from the children's table, and Logan said, "What children's table?" (There was a table with the standard chicken fingers, mac and cheese and fries, which the kids usually opt for.) We laughed out loud.
No plans yet for Wednesday. Down time!
Encouraged by Fran, the little boys both sampled from the luau buffet. Logan even ate the poké which I passed on. On the way home Fran told the boys she was proud of them for trying all the new foods instead of eating from the children's table, and Logan said, "What children's table?" (There was a table with the standard chicken fingers, mac and cheese and fries, which the kids usually opt for.) We laughed out loud.
No plans yet for Wednesday. Down time!
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