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Sep 11

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Japanese Breakfast + Lots of Volcanic Activity

Yesterday we started the day at the Cooper Center.  We saw this sign the other day + new we had to make a cameo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These were our people, yo!!!  I don’t know if that’s necessarily a good thing, but we hung out, talked story, bought honey + looked at lots of weird stuff.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The guy selling honey told longer stories than Jeff, but his Japanese wife made us the yummiest Japanese breakfast!  Suggoku oishikatta!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check out those prices!!!!  Bomb!!!!

 

 

 

There were so many local characters there.  It was such a tight community. I loved it.  Here’s the lady with her pet turtle, who I was told is the swap meet mascot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then it was off to hike the Kilauea Iki Crater!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First, is a path through lush rain forest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The beautiful, but invasive Kahili ginger. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lehua blossom.  In Hawaiian folklore they represent tears from heaven for separated lovers everywhere.  Sigh.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then, we descended in to the crater itself.  Land of the Lost, y’all!!!! This is Pu’u Pua’i, the vent of the crater.  Here’s me in front of it doing my muscle competition pose.  Because that’s how volcanic craters make me feel.  Power!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Descending into the vent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amazing, hearty new life growing in the lava.  Jeff the explorer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fruity Pebbles lava.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steam vents.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heading out.

 

 

 

Next was the Maunu Ulu trail which is one of the longest known rift zone eruptions of Kilauea.  Fascinating!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Like mother of pearl!!!  Gorgeous!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Out of this world!!!!  Dy-no-mite!!!

 

 

 

This is when I screamed, “Frodo!!!!  Sam!!!”!!!  I said, “Hey Jeff, remember in Lord of the Rings when Sam + Frodo were escaping the fires of Mordor + they were surrounded by flowing, red hot lava???”  He replied, “No, I’ve never seen any of those movies.”  I screamed, “Whaaaaaaat????!!!!”  I might have to rethink this marriage.   Well, I’m stopping this blog now because we have to check out + Jeff hasn’t downloaded all the pictures of more volcano fun, so until then!

 

 

 

 

 

“No, Mr. Frodo!!! You must hang on!!!!”

Sep 11

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Craters + Spam

Good morning everyone!!!!  I wanted to start out the day by saying thank you to everyone for all the well wishes + congratulations!!!  Jeff + I have been having a hoot of a time!!!

HILO TO VOLCANOES – 9/9/11

On Friday, we departed Hilo.  But not without hitting my fav local plate lunch spot, yo!!!!  Hilo Lunch Shop, yo!!!!!!!  Represent!!!

 

 

Check out Jeff’s shorts courtesy of Hilo Goodwill.  It was hilarious because one of the older aunties working inside saw Jeff walk in + had the most shocked/yet really happy look on her face.  I was so hungry + excited to eat that I was hopping up + down on one leg!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We headed back toward the Hilo Hawaiian for lunch at nearby Coconut Island (Mokuola).  In ancient times it was a place of refuge for law breakers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a faboo park!!!  Can you spot Hilo Hawaiian in the background?

 

 

 

Lunch.  Booyah!!!!!!  Plate lunch, bruddah!!!!!  My first spam of the whole trip!  Blasphemy!!!!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course, we had to pay our respects to King Kamehameha.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But, we busted outta there when we saw the big white van of Japanese tourists swarm in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeff wanted to give our Hilo Lunch Shop leftovers to someone in need, because that’s the kind of guy he is.  I spotted a fellow, Jeff did the hand off + came back in the car with a piece of photo copied paper.  I wish you could all see it.  It is amazing.  Apparently, his name is Ralph Sal Biscalgia + he is determined to correct the U.S.A. english language because the way a person speaks or writes affects their blood pressure + temper.  There’s calculations + he says, “300000 dollar prize for someone who can get me a Nobel Peace Prize”.  Incredible!!!

Anyway, we drove towards Hawaii Volcanoes National Park for around 45 min.  It’s cold + misty up there, y’all – bring your windbreakers + pants!!!  Here is me looking sexxxy at Kilauea crater.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was quickly becoming dusk, so we headed towards the Thurston Lava Tube.  Creepy!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was really cold, so I decided to add my fancy Twelth St. by Cynthia Vincent sweater.  I just ended up looking like a crazy, bag lady that happened to wander into a lava tube.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Off to view Halema’uma’u Crater in all it’s night time glory!!!  This is Jeff’s pic with his profesheeonal camera.  Beauty!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was so bushed + we went to Kiawe Kitchen for dinner.  Note to travelers:  if you’re traveling at volcano – rent a place with a kitchenette + make your dinner, or heat up a frozen pizza!!!  We had to wait outside in the cold, got yelled at by big old mama hen (actually she was young but still big) + service was inefficient.  They sort of redeemed themselves with the wood fired pizza.  Don’t go unless you liked to be berated for wanting to eat.  Luckily, I used my Los Angeles street savvy + my Chinese restaurant “madly waving hand” technique to get service.  It worked because we were served faster than some poor suckers who were seated before us.  Oh yeah.