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.