Today is our last full day on the Big Island, lots to do and see. We got out by 9:30 in order to see the Dolphin Show at the Hilton Resort - or so we thought. It was a tad bit overcast out but it was still pleasant.
The Hilton looked different in the daylight -- massive. The bellman had on sarongs -- isn’t that a little constrictive. They had parrots in the lobby. This massive resort even had a tram to transport visitors to the different areas. We guessed which way we should go -- lagoon side. The tram ride was similar to a mini Monorail ride at Disney.
Surprisingly we saw they had a few shops and a mini zoo area -- sun-bleached pink flamingos, nene geese, and sea turtles. A parrot passed by and pooped all over the sidewalk, it was very smelly and the small kids made a big fuss about it.
We wandered around the shore area, they didn’t have a beach anywhere. It was a very dramatic coastline - lava rocks and waves. Yet again we were reminded we had lucked out with the Marriott. They did have a nice pool area --
yes they had a ocean side cabana too -- but it was far from a place of calmness
as stated previously-- some things are just wrong
this poor lady got to clean up the parrot poop,ugh
yes, a people size checkers board
I would have loved to have tried this:
Lily found us a table with a thatched umbrella and lots of shade by the Dolphin Cove. The show wasn’t going on until the afternoon but there were people in the water swimming. This is on my list -- swimming with the dolphins and it looked exciting. The dolphins did a few tricks.
At 11:00 this area turned into the Lagoon Club and served food -- we couldn’t have picked a better spot to have lunch and watch the dolphins play.
this is a starter (living large -- eat dessert first)
Macadamia nut/ chocolate covered frozen bananas, fish sandwiches and hot dogs off the Keiki (children)’s menu - AND dolphins, it was starting off to be a great day. This time there were birds and an aloha cat.
Our table neighbors arrived in resort golf carts -- Gene from San Luis Obispo and his very red headed bride. She deposited him at the table and took off shopping. Only stopping by once on the arm of the shopkeep stating “He is taking me over to the dolphin shop. He has a 90 year old mother, so he knows how to treat a lady.” (If we could only find guys like that.)
We chatted him up and found out lots -- he loved photography and preferred Nikon lenses. He had been in the Navy and on a ship in the Atlantic during WWII. On his first shore leave in London, he ended up at the USO and within 5 minutes of being there the Queen (known to us as the Queen Mother) came in and he got to meet her. Yes, we Southern Belles can find out lots in short periods of time. And the different things we are told.
After lunch, we explored a little more and saw kayakers and SUP boys - both on one board, maybe not the best idea. Also saw a very interesting snorkeler, couldn’t figure out what he was looking for.
One of my favorite things is a waterfall, and I got to walk under one. What a calming effect to sit under a waterfall. Would love one day to go swimming under one someday.
After we had finished visiting the resort, we had to hit the gas station:
talk about sticker shock!
Instead of going the way we went to Waimea, we ventured up Saddle Road -- this gave us a different view of the barren landscape. It still disconcerted me to be in Hawaii and driving in Arizona terrain.
As we got close to town, there was a huge rodeo arena. Angel started smiling really big. Too bad they had nothing going on to see. So we just stopped and took photos of the arena and the signs. If we could just find a Parker Ranch cowboy and become a gallop girl we could live here forever.
Paauilo was our final destination and getting there was like driving through a fairy tale forest with huge trees lining the road. It got colder and a tad bit foggy along the way. We had 3:00 reservations at the Hawaiian Vanilla Company for tea, like real ladies.
We found it at the end of a very steep windy hilly road, and it was colder here than where we had started out. This was a quaint little shop/base for the company. It was yellow and had a nice bathroom on the porch with dried flowers hanging from the shower rod(a shower in a store bathroom?).
that is almost a song.....
Though we had gotten there early, they had the tea ready for us. There was a huge room in the back with a demonstration table and a TV, along with the tables set up for tea. We were the only guests this afternoon.
The tables had red table clothes and were decked out with pretty white dishes that had raised designs on them. They presented us with different vanilla tea leaves for us to choose from. I picked the traditional (yes, surprise) and the other ladies picked a cinnamon blend. I am not too keen on tea anyway unless there is a ton of sugar in it with some ice -- Southern Sweet Tea for this Belle, but I will try anything once.
I do like the ritual of an afternoon tea and have gone to a few. Every course they served had vanilla in it -- salad with vanilla dressing and goat cheese, tomato vanilla bisque, raspberry/mango vanilla sorbet and then the motherlode - a three tiered plate holder came out with the popovers, puff pastries, vanilla brownies, vanilla banana bread, vanilla pineapple pound cake and vanilla chocolate sauce - yummy!
During our tea, a young man came out and started a video for us on the farm and it’s creation and inner workings. He was the oldest son of the 5 children of the owners -- Jim and Tracy Reddekopp. Ian (18 years old), Emma, Isaac (14 years old), Elliott and Aiden were prominently featured in the video. Jim worked in tourism and he and his wife were both Hawaiian natives. Jim’s mother in law gave him the idea in 1989 to open a vanilla farm. This is the only vanilla farm outside of Tahiti and Mexico and the only American one. At first I was not to keen on this little venture, as I am not a cook, and just went along with the crowd, but I really enjoyed learning about the farm and the products.
After the video, Ian, aka our entertainment, came out and demonstrated how to make vanilla extract in cheap vodka. I am all about that now -- very wicked. During his presentation, he also let us know about his family dynamics -- Emma is a jazz musician and is very popular. As the only girl she has her own room, doesn’t have to work on the farm or in the shop for free, and has a vehicle to herself, hum - a little sibling rivalry here. It was very funny to listen to him complain, it was almost as if he was auditioning for the movie “Sideways”. His poor future wife -- having to listen to him whine would be a trial, but he was very funny, smart and well spoken too.
After Ian finished we went back into their little shop -- I loved the windows at the top and how well lit the shop was with ambient light. I love natural lighting. The clerk at the register was Isaac, Ian’s 14 year old little brother. They started a sibling banter and it turned out that Isaac was a dick, or so Ian said. And yes we did pick up a few things here for some friends and ourselves. Vanilla is my favorite scent and I got some sprays and even bought some vanilla beans for friends and family (the ones who cook).
We didn’t get to take the tour of the actual of the farm but instead Ian took us out back and showed us some vanilla on the stalk and explained the procedure to us. Additionally they had photographs set up showing how the pollination process for vanilla works. If you are coming to the Big Island this was a place that was definitely worth coming too -- a treat even for a non cook.
As we headed out toward Mauna Kea, the observatory mountain, we saw horses along our route.
We stopped at the Parker Center in Waimea for a rest stop and to change into our jeans. This time we found some murals we had missed before:
I was driving up to Mauna Kea and it had gotten so foggy out, I got smart (as my dad would say) and turned that Jeep around. Mauna Kea was not for us this trip -- a foggy drive to the top would not have been fun and we would have seen nothing.
As we had to readjust our night time plans, we settled on something comforting -- let’s go to Walmart and finish our souvenir shopping. FYI anyone who has been to Hawaii knows where to get Hawaiian souvenirs -- Walmart. Lovely helped up check out. And her personality fit her name. It is always good to meet pleasant people.
not on my diet ....
Our last dinner on the Big Island was at the Kona Brewing Company in Kona, one of their top rated restaurants. Lily got a beer flight, but as the rest of us don’t drink beer, we didn’t even try it.
And yes, we got another Hawaiian pizza, pork tacos and fish sandwiches. I had a delicious grilled chicken salad and goat cheese (yes, I have a pattern over here too, not just Angel with her Hawaiian pizzas and Lily with her fish sandwiches).
On the way out, Princess was taking a picture in the Tiki Hut and a spotlight fell on her. There was a cute Aloha Vespa outside too:
When we got back to our room, it was very embarrassing that we needed a bellman, Keith from SoCal, to cart our Walmart bags up to our room. I felt very Jeff Foxworthy-ish riding in the elevator with him. But at least Walmart is easy on the pocketbook.
Our room had been sprayed for bugs (specifically against our request as Princess is highly sensitive to this). So Princess and Lily got a free room to themselves and Angel and I had room to spread out our purchases for packing to send home, but that is a story in itself and no one will ever know the true extent of our giggles from that night. Next time -- magnets for everyone and a really nice piece of jewelry for us.
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