Photos from the city of refuge... Last day in Hilo

I am getting a bit behind with these blog posts, so sorry but I am enjoying doing nothing!... something I find very hard to do for the most part, when i say I am doing nothing, I am actually doing some painting of stamped images ready for cards to be made when I get home, watching tutorials of the online art class I am doing, and learning how to use the GIMP, a photo editing software program ( much to Robins delight ) I only want to learn the basics to put together some collage card images, knowing Rob he will want me to learn the whole program.... It there was ever the place to be perfect for that, we are there!. We are now up on the Coffee Plantation high on the hillside of Holualua. You may remember we stayed here last year and LOVED it, we declared back then that we would be back and here we are.... it is just as perfect as we recalled. This has to be in my top 5 places I could live!

But like I said I have some catching up to do.. so here are some pictures of the day we went to The City of Refuge. For me it was one of the most beautiful places I have experienced... the peace and calmness delicious to the senses.... pure Hawaiian bliss

History for those of you who might be curious of whats its all about.

In ancient times, Hawaiians lived under strict laws. Commoners could not get too close to the chief, nor were they allowed to touch any of his possessions, walk in his footsteps or even let their shadows touch the royal grounds. The penalty for violating a sacred kapu (taboo) was death.
Breaking a kapu was believed to incur the wrath of the gods. Hawaiians often chased down an offender and swiftly put him to death unless he could reach a puuhonua, or place of refuge. There he could be absolved by a kahuna (priest) in a purification ceremony, then return home with his transgression forgiven. Defeated warriors and non-combatants could also find refuge here during times of battle.

 

After we were finished here we went to  a little bay to find some lunch Hookena Beach did not have a place to eat, but it did have boiling hot sand! Some of the tourists were out having a snorkel,.. what a picture perfect spot for that.

 We took the drive back home nice and slow stopping at the Jakes BBQ for some Hawaiian Pork.... BEST ever... Rob has already posted pictures of this so I wont repeat.. :)

Back home and time to pack up ready for out move the next day to the other side of the Island. I just had to get a shot of this house near the one we are staying at, celebrating Fall ( Autumn ) and the upcoming Halloween.

The next morning we said goodbye to our wonderful host Morris, a fellow airbnb host and his family. We chatted for a while about the price of properties on the island and discovered they were still in a property slump here, about 5 years behind the mainland, and houses can be picked up for as little as  $55 K... My mind was going into overdrive as I started to work out how many we could afford to buy and do airbnb from! Could I make a living, could i fit into Island style living.... oh the busy brain! So many opportunities just screaming at me..!

Our stay in Hilo was over, we are so blessed we found Morris's place and would recommend anyone wanting an inexpensive place to stay on the big island to stay here... We paid $84.00 US a night.. It was the best value ever.... Look at what was available for us to pick from the garden...

 

Mahalo Morris, Yuki & Kyle  xxxxx