Sunday, March 18, 2012

Aloha to Hilo Heritage Trail

 

We have winners from the past two weeks - Black Roze and Kim H.   I'll contact you with your booklist!

Spring Break began on Friday, March 9, with an o-dark-hundred flight to Hilo.   We joined the Boy Scouts at Ken's Pancake House. The pancakes gave us the staying power for what was to come - the Hilo Heritage Trail.   Above is the intersection of Kamehameha Avenue and Kalakaua Street - the first and last Hawaiian kings.



We began the trail at the the police department, stocked with water and slathered with sunblock!


 

My children wore Navy SEAL hats courtesy of our family friend, Anne Elizabeth!


First stop - the veterans' cemetery with tombstones dating to the First World War.  The veterans' names represent a wide range of immigrants from the Pacific Rim.

 


Can you pronounce these street names?


 


We sought sanctuary from the heat in the Haili Church, founded in 1824.  Missionaries arrived shortly after King Kamehameha II broke the "kapu" (taboo) of the old religion by eating with women.




The church welcomes visitors with lei - a Hawaiian custom.




Nearby is St. Joseph's Catholic Church with its beautiful facade.




Notice the Saturday hours for this antique shop, keeping with the laid back Hawaiian attitude.




We sought a second sanctuary from the heat in the air conditioned Lyman Museum (my suggestion).   It featured an interactive display of the Kilauea Volcano.




The scouts posed in front of the Naha Stone.  A teenage Kamehemahe lifted the stone to fulfill the prophesy that the one who could lift it would unite the Hawaiian islands.




If the Scouts weren't otherwise scheduled, I would have suggested it for a fun activity!




The saloon reminds tourists of the Big Island's history with paniolos (cowboys) who worked the ranches.   I've seen pictures of the paniolos herding cows into the water to load onto steam ships.






Hawaii's last king, Kalakaua, was known as the Merry Monarch.   He revived lost Hawaiian art such as hula dancing, chanting, and surfing.  The early missionaries discouraged these ancient customs as heathen.




I spotted this marble sculpture in Kalakaua Park.  It pays tribute to the Hawaiian veterans of WWII.



From stone to paper to electronic, communication has come a long way!




This rusting building reminded me of an exhibition at the Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson (we visited relatives last summer).   A Mississippi photographer used "antique hardware", such as rusted Coke signs, to serve as the backdrop for his rural images.  I've sent an email to my cousin to remind me of his name!




Hilo is lushly green from the rain but it is also vulnerable to tsunamis.   




The trail led us by the first fire house. 




The trail ended at Hilo Harbor - a treasure trove of peaceful images.




Oh, the life of a sailor!



The coral washes ashore on the lava rocks.




A father teaches his son to stand up paddle ...




.... his sister also helps ...


 


... and he paddles on his own!


Have you trekked (or driven) along a heritage trail?   One randomly selected commenter from this week's blogs will win a book choice from my convention stash.  This giveaway is open to all readers.  Comments are open through Saturday, March 24, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, March 25.


Mahalo,


Kim in Hawaii


The "after" photo of the hike!


March Madness continues here at SOS Aloha! All commenters in March will be entered into a special drawing for prizes from RT in Chicago. 3 US, 3 Canadian, and 3 international readers will win a package with books and goodies. Comments can be made at:

- SOS Aloha, sosaloha.blogspot.com
- Aloha On My Mind, alohaonmymind.blogspot.com
- My guest posts at the Reading Reviewer (Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday) at marygramlich.blogspot.com

I'll post the winners of March Madness on Monday, April 2.



13 comments:

  1. Congrats to the winners. Kim, I need to get a sign like that just for my kitchen. lol I love the laid back attitude. Is there any other way :)
    Carol L
    Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

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  2. What a wonderful hike. Nothing like what I did with my girl scouts. I have hiked the Appalachian Trail in Virginia. That is quite beautiful.

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  3. What a beautiful place you call home! Thank-you for sharing all these insights into your island. I loved the church and the funny open sign! I need one like that, lol. We've done some nice trails in Jasper National Park, up in the mountains, everything is so quiet and peaceful, Gods country, I always say

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  4. I love the laid back attitude, Open Sometimes...lol
    I think a flsh mob would have been fun. I've watched a few of the dance flash mobs on youtube and if I could dance....which I cannot...at all...seriously.

    Thanks for sharing the pictures. My hubby talks about his time in Hawaii and wants to go back sometime since he was only 16 the last time he went so he really enjoys your pictures as well.

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  5. Congrats to the winners!

    As soon as I saw the street names, I wondered how you could ever pronounce them! lol Thank you for all the great photos. St. Joseph's Catholic Church is so pretty and I would love to be on a boat in Hilo Harbor!

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  6. More wonderful pics! And no, I can't pronounce the street names. My husband was stationed at Schofield Barracks on Oahu and when we went on vacation to Hawaii he could pronounce the names. I fail miserably at it. Anyway, we've hiked several trails. We love getting out and hiking. Our last vacation was our hiking trip up in Wyoming, Montana, and Canada. Fun!

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  7. Kim -

    I loved the pictures but must admit the one I liked the best was the picture of the marble sculpture in Kalakaua Park. I can't start to imagine the skill of the craftsman that created this wonderful tribute to the Hawaiin veterans of WWII.

    My younger son and his wife are avid hikers and one of their favorite things to to go hiking and camping with their children, ages 2, 3 1/2 and 6 years old! They carry the youngest in a carrier strapped to their back and camp out in a tent! We went camping a lot with our sons starting when they were that age but never hiked up mountains and trails!

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  8. I don't believe I have but seeing your photos helps to make us think we have. I often wonder what our world would be like without missionaries or puritans changing so many wonderful traditions.

    Congrats to the winners.

    catslady

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  9. Congratulations to Black Roze and Kim!! I've really enjoyed the pictures of your vacation - thank you so much for sharing them with us. I can't remember hiking a heritage trail before. We did hike/climb Sugar Loaf Mountain in Greers Ferry, Arkansas!

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  10. Congrats to the winners. I haven't hiked along a heritage trail.

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  11. Wtgo winners, thanks, great pics,
    Kimh

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  12. thank you!!!!!!!!!1

    blackroze

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  13. I've never trekked along a heritage trail.

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