•11:06 AM
We were incredibly fortunate to go to Hawaii again this year to visit Jason's sister, Karen, and her husband, Jim. We were there from June 7-15, and of course it was wonderful! We got really lucky twice while we were there.
The first lucky moment for us was that we had planned our trip during the week that Hawaii celebrates King Kamehameha Day, and we didn't even know it until much later. This day is a big deal for the people of Hawaii, and it was so great to celebrate a state holiday with them. There was a parade in the morning with small floats and beautiful princesses representing each island. Next to the Rose Parade, I think this parade uses the most flowers. (That might be a slight exaggeration, but they did use a lot of gorgeous flowers). Then after the parade we went to the community center for some delicious mixed plates, local Hawaiian bands and music, and hula dancing.
Our second lucky moment had to do with the Kilauea Volcano. It erupted the week before our trip, and we were so fortunate to see smoke and gas rising from vents in the crator, as well as watching the lava flow into the ocean! I cannot even begin to describe what it feels like to see that sight. It reminded of me of fireworks, but so much more spectacular.
After King Kamehameha Day and Kilauea, the next most incredible thing we did was drive to the top of Mauna Kea and stand on top of the world. We were at almost 14,000 feet above sea level and the view was breathtaking. Looking out, instead of an ocean of water, we had what looked like an ocean of clouds. We spent a couple of hours up there before we made the treck back home. Oh, and it was so cold and windy up there. There were even a few patches of snow.
Also on the agenda of our trip included sailing along the Kohala Coast, an overnight trip to Hilo, visiting a lava tree forest, standing at the eastern most point of Hawaii where the cleanest air on Earth is found, checking out waterfalls, taking a swim in the ocean, and of course, taking lots and lots of pictures. Here are a few more of our favorites for your enjoyment.
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