The art of doing nothing

I was recently watching the second Sex and the City movie and a comment Miranda made stayed with me.  Their first morning in Abu Dhabi, Miranda announces at breakfast something to the effect that, due to her type-A, controlling, over-organized personality she’s scheduled a complete day of fun.  (Incidentally, their day does look pretty interesting, involving camel-back riding, lunch in the desert, and karaoke that night.)  But what struck me is the oxymoronic “planned fun”. 

Now of course when it comes to travel lots of planning IS involved.  It would be a waste of time, for instance, not to book a room Christmas week in Hawaii and then have to spend one of your precious vacation days driving around trying desperately to find a place to stay the night (this happens more frequently than you’d think).  Or, to travel to say, Abu Dhabi, and strut down the middle of the public market with revealing clothing (as Samantha does) because you didn’t do your homework and understand this to be highly disrespectful.  It’s important to crack a map open and get a feel for where you’re going, understand something about the local culture, weather, and sites, etc. 

This said, it’s also important to allow yourself the freedom to relax and have some unstructured/unorganized/unplanned time – especially in a place like Hawaii, which is so incredibly laid-back.   It’s hard to accept this for many travelers, especially mainland travelers who are used to living pretty faced-paced lives.  Don’t get me wrong, I totally understand this.  Before moving here when we came to visit, it took me several days to slow down, relax, realize my work-world wouldn’t come crashing down without me and that it was actually perfectly okay to turn off my phone and not sneak furtive glances at email.  We’ve had guests actually admit to us that they would feel guilty if they spent a day just lounging around on the lanai – even if they wanted to – because there’s so much pressure – from friends/family/guidebooks/so-called experts, etc. – to squeeze certain things into a visit to Hawaii. 

We had some guests earlier this year finally put a name to the guilt-free experience of relaxation: La dolce far niente.  Translation: the art of doing nothing.  Apparently there’s no shame in this in Italy, and we think this is fantastic and admirable.  So as you plan your visit to the Big Island, make sure you allow for some freedom and rest.  It’s the slow days, after all, that really are the most fun.  Here are our favorite – and our guests’ favorite – non-doing things to do:

• Sunbathing on the lanai
• Reading a book in the shade on the lanai
• Drinking beer and reading in the sun on the lanai
• Floating in the pool
• Sitting in the hot tub
• Spending the afternoon under a tree at Manini Beach reading and snacking
• Eating BBQ from Big Jake’s and sunbathing at Hookena
• Spending the day sunbathing and body-surfing at Kua Bay
• Pub-crawling Kailua (we suggest Kaiso and Bistro Yokohama)
• BBQ’ing on the lanai and watching the sun set
• Having an outdoor massage after a morning at the beach

Hawaii's winding roads

I was walking Painted Church Road again the other morning, admiring the flowering trees and birds, thinking how much I love this walk.  I’ve walked it for years, at all hours of the day, through all seasons, and just don’t tire of it.  It’s another winding farm road and it, like Napo’opo’o, or Manini Beach Road, are remarkably beautiful.

Sometimes we joke that Hawaii is a big pile of rocks in the middle of the ocean.  The thing about the big pile of rocks is that it is outrageously gorgeous.  But make no mistake about it, the nature of these volcanic islands is that they’re mountainous and feature dramatic rock formations, hills, and cliffs.  The older the island, the more dramatic these features are.  This is what makes for the variety of microclimates we have here, as well as the unmatched beauty.  However, this also means that there are plenty of windy mountain roads to navigate.  For some visitors, this is no big deal, for others, it can be a little nerve-wracking.

We have observed that the way you feel about the roads here will be based on what you’re used to.  If you come from a place with broad, flat roads, Hawaii’s winding, coastal roads may be a little nerve-wracking for you to drive.  If you come from a mountainous area, Napo’opo’o, or any of the island’s roads, will not be a big deal.  We’ve had guests lovingly count each bend and turn in our road, pining for a nice sporty little car rather than their rental, they found it so beautiful.  We’ve had others who found its turns exhausting and tiring.  Unfortunately it’s something that you have to get used to being in Hawaii.  With the sheer cliffs and steep mountains come the stunning views, the mind-blowing tropical foliage, and some of the island’s most spectacular spots.

Choice Mart Rocks

Last month our local supermarket, Choice Mart, celebrated it’s tenth anniversary.  Choice Mart is a fantastic little neighborhood market and I can’t imagine South Kona life without it.  Although not a huge market – like Times or KTA or Safeway – it has just about everything a guest could need.  If you’re arriving in Kona midday, don’t be tempted to stop at Safeway or Wallmart on the way down from the airport (Costco is the only exception because of it’s stellar cheap-wine selection and mega-portions of local fish and pre-packed sashimi plates).  Wait for Choice Mart.

Choice Mart is located in South Kona right off the highway, less than one mile south of the turnoff for Napo’opo’o Road (in other words, about fifteen minutes from the Inn).  They always have local produce, including lettuces – commercial and organic, cucumbers, tomatoes (including new local-grown heirloom), potatoes, papayas, bananas, and other exotic fruit, as well as fresh fish and local grass-fed beef.  One of our guests’ consistently favorite meals is local beef and/or fish and sweet potatoes from Choice Mart, grilled simply with salt and oil out on the lanai BBQ for a sunset dinner.  Choice Mart also has wine, beer, and liquor, as well as a small natural-foods section and a deli.  They have poke – raw tuna salad with soy sauce, red pepper, sesame oil – in both the seafood section and the deli, and laulau (meat steamed in taro or ti leaves) in the deli, if you’re in the mood for some local eats.  They also usually have one or two varieties of the local beers (there are two breweries on the island, Mehana in Hilo and Kona on this side).  If you see Kona Brewery’s kona-coffee brew, try it!  Choice Mart also sometimes has tuberose leis (amazing), exotic fruit posters, sunblock, and sand buckets and tools for kids.  Here’s to little, local supermarkets.

 

What to do on a rainy day in Hawaii

Although Kona is the dry side of the island, it still rains here.  That’s why it’s so green and lush and lovely.  Now that it’s spring and the drought appears to have ended, our normal wet-season weather has returned.  For the Kona side of the island, this generally means a soft rain shower in the afternoon or evening, with sun the rest of the time.  Some days we get a little shower in the morning, some days it’s clear and sunny all day long.   The rain, when it does come, is normally soft and warm and quite pleasant.  If it’s raining, try not to be bummed out.  Here are some things to do:

• Get in the water.  Unless it’s windy or the sky is very dark, visibility should still be good.  You’ll get wet anyway, so why not?
• Go to Volcano, it’s usually wet anyway. 
• Go to Pu’uhonua o Honaunua.  It is normally very hot and dry at this park, and it feels good to be down there when it’s a little overcast.  It’s always gorgeous, so it doesn’t matter when you go.
• Go coffee-tasting.  There are lots of farms in our South Kona neighborhood, so drive around and sample a few coffees.
• Go book-browsing: there are two nice bookstores in South Kona.  The Reading Garden is just south of us and has a vast inventory of used books, and there's a small new bookstore tucked into Mango Court next to the health food store just north of us.
• Sit in the hot tub.  There’s nothing like sitting in the hot tub on a drizzly day (especially after an ocean swim or dip in the pool). 
• Have a massage.  It’s pretty fantastic to have a luxurious in-room massage on a cool afternoon, and then go slip into the hot tub to watch the sun set.
• Visit botanical gardens: we have the Ethnobotanical Garden and Paleaku Peace Gardens close by which are both fantastically beautiful swathed in mist.
• Rest on the lanai with a book: because it's never cold, sitting outside on the covered portion of the lanai while watching the rain drops splash onto the surface of the pool is wonderfully pleasant.  From our lanai you have a massive view of both sky and ocean, and it is fascinating to watch a storm system pass overhead.

Cultural Festival June 26 and June 27

Speaking of Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Park, it's time for the summer cultural festival again!  This is an absolute must-see for visitors.  You may be lucky enough to see some hula, hear some chanting, try kava, make an ipu, or sample some Hawaiian food.  Bring water, wear sun block, and have a wonderful time!  Below is the announcement from our friend, Ranger Charlie Hua.  

For more details, check out the park website: http://www.nps.gov/puho/index.htm

Aloha everyone,

Pu‘uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park will be celebrating its 49^th Anniversary and Annual Cultural Festival on Saturday, June 26^th, and Sunday, June 27^th, from 9:00am to 3:00pm. Our theme for this year is, “Nā Hana Lima o nā Kūpuna”, The Working Hands of Our Elders.  Activities include the Royal court, Hula performances, Hukilau, Canoe Rides, Food Tasting, Hawaiian games for keiki and various Hawaiian crafts. Be sure to pack some sunscreen, water, and hats. There will be no lunch available, so pack snacks or a lunch if necessary. This event is free and park fees are waived for the weekend of this special event.

 

Mahalo,

Hope to see you all there.

Charles T. Hua

 

Places we love: Pu'uhonua O Honaunau and Two Step

The other morning my son’s preschool had their final class at Pu’uhonua o Honaunau in the water by Two Step.  Pu’uhonua o Honaunau, otherwise known as the City of Refuge, is a “must see” tourist destination in our neighborhood.  It is a historically important site, but also a stunningly beautiful national park.

The park is divided into three main areas.  First, there’s the main visitor area.  This is where the main historic sites and rangers are (if you happen to be there when ranger Charlie is, hit him up for historical info because he’s a fantastic local resource).  This is where the Wednesday evening talks take place, as well as the cultural festival in June.  If you continue down the dirt road at the back of the parking area you’ll arrive at the picnic area which runs along the rocky coast, an excellent place to explore tide pools and watch the sun set.  There’s a lovely short trail (the 1871 trail) that you can follow along the shore at the back of the picnic area.  It apparently stretches all the way to Hookena Beach, but only the part within the park is maintained.  The third spot to note is “Two Step” which is on the northern boundary of the park.  So, if you park in the parking lot and walk back out, follow the residential side street down to the water, you’ll get to one of the top two (the Captain Cook monument being the other) snorkeling spots on the Big Island.

The other day when I was there the preschoolers were playing in the shallow, sandy boat-launch area next to Two Step.  The sun was shining brightly and it was very hot, as it often is down there.  Although the park is only four miles south of the Inn, it is noticeably warmer and dryer.  This day, vog was visible up mauka skirting the hill tops, but the sky over the park was clear and blue.  I played in the water with the kids for a little while and cooled off, then was offered a massage by another mother.  We walked over to a shaded area under a large kukui nut tree where she’d set up her table.  As I lay there and relaxed and heard the kids’ laughter in the background and felt the ocean breeze on my bare back, I slipped into the beach-coma I often get at that park.

Pu’uhonua is certainly a special place.  It’s very peaceful, and I am seduced by its beauty each time I go.  The alii (Hawaiian royalty) definitely knew what they were doing in choosing such a fine spot to live.  If I were a visitor here, I would give this park at least one full afternoon.  If you plan on snorkeling at Two Step and exploring the park, you could easily give it more time.  Some visitors prefer Two Step to the Captain Cook monument for snorkeling.  For one, it’s easier to get to – you just drive up and jump in.  Second, because it’s immediately deep, it’s actually a little safer than a place like Manini (which is shallow and sometimes has a bit of a break) for the novice snorkeler.  It has all the same species of reef fish that you see throughout Kealakekua Bay (whether at the monument, Manini, or Keei beach), but arguably more varieties of coral.  There are more turtles in this area, and the local dolphins, eels, rays, young reef sharks, and occasionally an octopus or monk seal also sometimes make an appearance.

Besides getting in the water here, I am a fan of the 1871 trail.  I often used to take my dog along this trail, until he got too old and arthritic to handle the heat and the rocks.  The trail runs right along the shore, up along cliffs part of the way, and across lava.  It’s very quiet, and the views are spectacular.  The water is so consistently clear here that you can look down into it from the cliffs and see the coral.  The shades of water are unendingly varied and striking, and the view of the coastline is dramatic.  It takes only about twenty minutes each way to walk this short portion of the trail.  Footing is somewhat rough.  Walking is easy, running is more of a challenge. 

When I returned home the other day, I carried the warmth of the park with me throughout the rest of my work day.  You have to be careful down there at that beautiful park; you will soak up so much sun and warmth and peace that it may be hard to want to do anything else the rest of the day but lie around the lanai gazing at the ocean and slowly sipping a cool drink…

Where to hear local music

Recently, we had two guests alert us to a fantastic new opportunity to hear local music. The old Hualalai Theater in Kailua Town has been converted into the LEAD community center, which is hosting an ongoing Hawaiian music concert series, Live at the Lead. 
The LEAD Center is easy to find, located right in the heart of Kailua-Kona off the Kuakini Highway. Concerts are every other Friday evening.  To learn more about local artists and see the calendar of events, please check out: www.livehawaiianmusic.com. 
Another source for finding out about local entertainment is the Big Island Weekly: www.bigislandweekly.com.  Hawaii has some fantastic local musicians and we strongly recommend taking the opportunity to see some live music while here on vacation.