DAY 25-HILO, HAWAII

I recommend you click on the photos to enlarge them.

 It was a very pleasant day here.  Low humidity and high temperature of 75 degrees.

       Hilo is situated on the Big Island of Hawaii.  It is the largest city on the island and also is known to be the wettest city in the world with over 140 inches of rain per year.  The Big Island is larger than all the other Hawaiian islands combined and has a population of over 200,000.  Here is some trivia for you:  the southernmost point of the 50 US states is located on the island at Ka Lae.  The island was formed by volcanoes and still has 3 active ones:  Hualalai, Mauna Loa, and Kileuea.  Sugar cane was the backbone of the economy here for over a century but the last plantation closed in 1996.  Tourism now drives the economy but agriculture is a growing part of it.  Our tour today was to a farm.  Kona coffee, macadamia nuts, papaya, flowers, vegetables, fruits, and cocao are some crops grown.  The largest cattle ranch in the US is the 175,000 acre Parker Ranch located on the island.

   Leaving the ship for the terminal where I will meet my tour, Rainbow Falls and Farm.  It lasted 3 1/2 hours which seems like 10.  NOT a good tour and the young guide was about worthless.  I knew more than she did.  But I did get some photos for you.

          This road is called Banyan Road as it is lined with the Banyan trees.

Light house with markings showing the height of the tsunamis that occurred on those years.

                    Old sugar plantation that is now used for weddings and meetings.

                                                   Banyan tree

                                    Only place on the island for surfing.

Our tour van

                              This is the spice, cloves, growing on a small tree.

 Girl on right was our tour guide and van driver.  She was the worse guide I have ever had.  I knew more about Hawaii than she did.

                              This is the spice, nutmeg, growing on a small tree.

                                 These are macadamia nut trees.

 Three photos of macadamia nuts.  The hull is VERY hard and difficult to crack and get the nuts out. That is one reason they are so expensive.

 Coffee trees.  Coffee beans have already been harvested and the small trees cut back.

                                     Some coffee blooms

 OK Farms is owned  by two men, one financed it and the other works it.  Consists of 1,000 acres.  In addition to harvesting spices, coffee, macadamia nuts, they now also produce sweet potatoes.

Coffee here is very expensive.

                   In the far distance you can see the snow atop Mt Mauna Kea.

                                        Rainbow Falls

The part owner and man who does the actual farming of OK Farms lives here.  Mauna Kea volcano in background.

  The description of my tour said we would see a ferral pig "exhibit".  This is it!!  One hog behind a fence.  These ferral hogs run in the wild and do a lot of damage to property.  The hunting season for them is year round and you do not need a license to kill them.  Locals cook them in a pit underground until meat is falling of the bone tender.

 Kaiukanaka Falls.  The water comes from the inactive volcano, Mauna Kea, which rises 13,796 feet above sea level.  There is snow on top of it and the Imiloa Astronomy Center.  The observatory has space telescopes located here.

                                   Our ship on other side of Hilo Bay.

WHAT WE DID LAST NIGHT:

 This was actually taken yesterday.  The 40+ knot wind was blowing spray off wave tops.  Our balcony was covered with salt this morning.

"Pigs in a Blanket" that Douglas, the restaurant manager, made just for us at cocktail hour.

 The past two nights and also for tonight, they turned La Veranda into a Hawaiian Luau Dinner.  We may dine up there tonight.

                             This is the maitre 'd, Lorenzo with two servers.

 We dined in Prime 7 last night and this is the dessert I enjoyed.  It is called a popcorn sundae.  Chocolate ice cream with whip cream and carmel corn.

 Our waiter was Emmanuel.  His wife is Susanne's suite stewardress.  We have known him for several years and is one of the best waiters Regent has.

The headliner entertainer last night was Paul Edison.  We enjoyed his singing and show.

       Well, I think I will post this and then take the free shuttle to Walmart.  Ship departs at 6:00 pm and will be at sea for the next four days.

                                    Walmart, here I come!!