Welcome back to our Hawaii tour with Evangeline! (Click here to see the first post Hawaii – Part One) We are enjoying this stunningly beautiful tropical beach. Oh, the blueness of the sky and water and the softness of the sand. How fascinating to find this odd turtle fellow traveling along at his thoughtful pace.
Seeing all this sand makes me think of the “grains of sand” verse in Psalm 139. Do you remember it? Speaking of how tenderly God loves us, the Psalmist says:
“How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand.”
On the Big Island of Hawaii, Evangeline took time to do a little lounging on the Punalu’u Black Sand Beach. What a funny idea, black sand! So much of Hawaii is lava related!
More black lava is evident in this cove below.
Mike and Chip are exploring and trying to identify fascinating new water items.
Just think of the beautiful mind that created and formed these unique and colorful discoveries. Our amazing Creator!
Could these be mulberry drupe shells? and “ha ‘uke ‘uke”, a helmet or shingle urchin? Fascinating!
A wee bit wind-blown is Evangeline here as she is out sightseeing on a cloudy day. Such expanse of moody ocean.
Now she is relaxing in a quiet display of water-related finds just her size.
Evangeline highly recommends this great bake shop from waaa-aaay down south.
Yummy, yummy, yummy!! Such sweet and sticky deliciousness.
A bit of memorabilia to bring home in remembrance of that visit. Now don’t get any coffee stains or frosting on Chip’s new hat, Evangeline!!
A unique bit of Hawaiian history was shared at this Kona Coffee Living History Farm.
Back in the late 1800s and early 1900s many Japanese emigrated to Hawaii and became industrious farmers of coffee. One farm was this 6 acre Uchida Coffee Farm purchased by a Japanese family in 1913 and through two world wars it kept producing large amounts of coffee beans and macadamia nuts. This farm has been preserved to display what their lifestyle in that period must have been like.
Hello there Mr. Burro! I learned that coffee doesn’t come from “beans” at all but from the pit inside a fruit like a cherry!
My craft-loving side was tickled by this sewing machine in the Japanese home.
Evangeline wanted to perch in this display of native fruits bought locally. A pineapple, of course, some stubby bananas, and hairy strawberries among others. Juicy and sweet!
From the Big Island of Hawaii, our friends traveled on to Maui.
March is a good time to do a bit of Whale Watching, as the humpback whales are wintering here at the Hawaiian Islands and when summer comes, they head up to Alaska. On the tour boat, our friends saw lots of whales in the water, and what a thrill to hear their song humming so deeply. Psalm 148:1,7 says “Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights above… Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths.” And so they do in song!
Then a trip on the famous Road to Hana. An ad proclaims: “There are few words that can describe the beauty of this drive with its cliffs cloaked in green and lush valleys bursting with waterfalls. Curves hug the coast and gaze over an ocean.” Rustic and jungle-like sometimes, and not for the faint of heart!
Another highlight was to see the Giant Banyan Tree in Lahaina town. This huge landmark, covering nearly two-thirds of an acre, was imported from India and planted in Maui back in 1873. It was a memorial to the 50th anniversary of the first American Protestant mission to Lahaina. It stands 60 feet high and boasts over 16 major trunks that spread out in all directions creating a shady place to congregate beneath. Quite a landmark, I say! (This is a borrowed photo).
The Haleakala mountain volcano is unforgettable. This “House of the Sun” is a sacred place of many legends in original Hawaiian folklore. The mountain was formed by layers of lava increasing over the years. This information sign explains the forming of the giant crater.
Here we are up above the clouds. Magnificent!
An incredible view.
And some time was enjoyed splashing in the waves before it is time to say good bye to the Pacific Ocean.
Toward the end of the trip, a visit was made to the famous Mama’s Fish House.
Is your mouth watering for fresh local caught fish?
They say the menu lists the name of the fisherman who caught the fish and where he caught it. Did I see octapus on the menu as well?
Outside the restaurant you can stroll down to the ocean, and enjoy the sunset view.
Here are Evangeline’s friends that so kindly included her on their trip to explore the Hawaiian Islands. She had a great time and sends you all a Big THANK YOU!! for your hospitality. It was a good project for me to look up all these places and facts to flesh out this post. I’ve learned a lot about Hawaii! What a marvelous place.
Farewell, fair land of tropical beauty.
Psalm 148
1 Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights above.
2 Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
3 Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars.
4 Praise him, you highest heavens
and you waters above the skies.
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for at his command they were created,
6 and he established them for ever and ever—
he issued a decree that will never pass away.
7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,
8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
stormy winds that do his bidding,
9 you mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,
10 wild animals and all cattle,
small creatures and flying birds,
11 kings of the earth and all nations,
you princes and all rulers on earth,
12 young men and women,
old men and children.
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his splendor is above the earth and the heavens…
And speaking of the Pacific Ocean, on the way home, our friends took Evangeline to the Big Basin Redwoods State Park in California. The tour guide made friends with li’l Evangeline. Imagine being a little clothespin doll among the giant redwood trees. Awesome.
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Postscript: After Evangeline’s Hawaii visit in March, the news came that there was a giant volcanic eruption in one of the very places they visited. The Kilauea Volcano was pouring out lava near Leilani Estates on the Big Island of Hawaii. There 1,500 residents were ordered to evacuate their homes in May of 2018. We were praying for their safety. Quite a topic of interest after our friends were just there!
