Its been a month since my last post and I apologize for not being around! This winter was a harsh one for the family. We were all down with the flu for a long, long time. A few unexpected, but happy, changes came about in my personal life. It was stressful for a while, but thankfully it has ended well:) At the end of it all, we managed to get away to Hawaii for ten days. All these things kept me away from blogging! I have missed you all and I am happy to be back :)
The Big Island of Hawaii is like a lesson in Geography :) It's as if my text book came alive. The diverse topography is mind boggling. Every inch of this island is picture perfect. Far, far away from the urban sprawl that we live in, this primarily rural island has the spectacular beaches and it's very own cowboy culture. There are also intriguing farmers’ markets and tropical rain forests. The beaches have myriad hues. The sand is green, black, and even white in some places. The eastern shore of the island has the magnificent Kilauea pouring hot magma into the Pacific ocean at the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The northwestern side is cowboy country. I wish I could ride like like a real paniolo
( Hawaiian cowboy) in the green pastures that seems to roll down into the sea near Waimea.
The Big Island's claims to fame are quite a few! It boasts the two tallest mountain peaks in the world if you measure it from the sea bottom. It is also home to the the world’s most active volcano (Kilauea) which has been erupting since 1983. Additionally, the southernmost tip in the United States (Ka Lae) is situated here. The island is also home to the the most powerful telescopes in the world (at W.M. Keck Observatory).
i have an ongoing love affair with the Hawaiian islands! I hold the Big Island close to my heart as it's the first island that I visited 14 years ago. It was wonderful to be back there last month with my kids! Variety is the spice of life on the Big Island. A stark landscape with black sand beaches lie on one side of the island and rain forests and jungles cover the other side! This dreamy island lures you to explore the outdoors and awakens your adventurous spirit.......... At the same time it's lazy and laid back lifestyle tempts you to slow down and do absolutely nothing :)
My daughter's excitement on spotting a sea turtle by the beach and my son swimming out into the ocean with his father shall remain etched in my mind forever! On this not so little island, time stood still. We laughed, we shared, and we came together as a family. There was no agenda and we simply enjoyed being together! It was therapeutic for me after a crazy few months at home!
I wanted to hang up my hat and set up shop in the funky Holualoa village which straddles the fertile slopes rising up to Mauna Loa. The heart of the Kona coffee district, it is now a laid back artists’ community where cafes serve Kona coffee and art galleries beckon you to step in.
The island life makes me want to dance, twirl, and sing happy songs :) After my 6 trips to the Hawaiian islands, I can confidently say that it's my happy place outside of home :)
The bumpy ride and hike to the Green Sands beach!
I take My Dream Canvas with me everywhere :)
The trees along the Hamakua coast
Breakfast with a view at our hotel.
The view from Waipio Valley
The beautiful flora and fauna
The lovely artsy town of Holualoa
Driving along the Crater Rim Road
There were pretty little towns all over the island
Images: My Dream Canvas and subject to copyright
