HI: Rainbow Falls, shave ice

Tuesday was still rainy.  We stayed in Hilo (3:00 on the island clock) for 3 nights.  Although Hilo is one of the wettest towns in the US, the whole island was having the rainstorm.  Cousin K lives here, so her list of ideas includes lots of sites close to Hilo.  We got out in the morning, but tapered off activities towards the evening.  

 

Coconut Island was just opposite our hotel, which was along a little peninsula that had been wiped out by a tsunami.  now the few hotels built there have thin walls and open lower floors so that the next tsunami won't wipe them out.  lots of fishermen stand on the footbridge in the morning. a fun place for picnic and shallow pools for swimming.  some older kids were jumping from the old stone tower, remnants of a previous footbridge (wiped out by a tidal wave).  The huge Banyan trees were all named after famous people and planted in the 1930's.  
Liliuokalini (a girl in my ward is named this.  so it's the one Hawaiian word i feel comfortable saying)  Gardens is right next to Coconut Island (next to our hotel).  it's a peaceful beautiful Japanese influenced garden.  i even was saying Hilo wrong, but nice girl corrected me.  It's He-low. not Hi-low.

I don't know the names of these enormous trees, but they were really beautiful. 

Here you can see the roots growing over the lava rock.



We experienced Rainbow Falls and Boiling Pots from the lookouts, but didn't get in the water at either place.

Boiling Pots is a succession of big pools connected by underground flow or cascades and whose waters roll and bubble as if boiling. 

 

  We drove on a "4 mile scenic route" just north of Hilo.  It's windy and beautiful.  it's narrow and sometimes single lane, so drive carefully.  We passed, and will come back the next day to see the Botanical Gardens.  Just off the main road, we stopped at the corner store called the Low Store Deli and Fruit stand.  here we had legit Hawaiian shave ice (snow capped with condensed milk).  We didn't try the Hawaiian entrees, fresh fruit, and fresh fruit smoothies though.  have to save something for the next trip.

We walked around downtown Hilo since shopping is fun when it's pouring rain.  we saw all these fruits at the market.

 

Cousin K recommended Gina's Chicken, that is a food truck with the most incredible Huli chicken.  we paid $15 or 20 for a whole chicken and ate it for lunch.  we stored leftovers in our hotel fridge and ate it for 2 more meals also. it was yummy!  it came with a side of pasta salad and white rice.  the pasta salad in HI is pretty much just noodles and mayo. 

We found a great shop with big selection of snorkel gear. S. Tokunaga Store. they were great. and so, despite the rain, we got out to try our equipment.  We tried out one of Hilo's beautiful beaches called CarlSmith.  this first experience wasn't my favorite because of the weather, but i am glad we tried.  made me appreciate the beautiful weather and amazing snorkeling at the next places so much more.  it does take a bit of getting used to.  you want to have your mask tight, but after 1/2 hour, start to feel kind of yucky. headachy.  thats ok though. take a break and then go back out!
also, the weather caused waves here, so i felt exposed and vulnerable. there also weren't too many others out at this time. i felt safer at other places with no waves, blue sky and sunshine, and others paddling around showing me that it was safe. R is great though.  he is an early adopter in everything and jumped right in.

end of the day sighting of cruise ship coming into or leaving the port of Hilo.