HAWAII 4-0
Our best friends got married in Hawaii on the rim of Haleakala at sunrise, and being as Miki and I were not only the witnesses, best man and bridesmaid, but also the entire wedding party, we rejoin them every five years to celebrate the event. This year they will have survived twenty years of marital bliss, so the four of us have again embarked on yet another island adventure, this time on the Kona coast of the Big Island.
For those of you who have never been there, the reason they call it the “Big Island” is that if you put all the other Hawaiian islands side by side, they still wouldn’t occupy half the land mass of Hawaii. This means that driving from one place to another takes many hours, and if you plan on returning to where you started from, count on spending most of the day in the car. Still, I loved Kona with its sunny days, coffee plantations growing on volcanic hillsides, and sparkling sand beaches lapped by incredibly warm waves. Thanks to one of the locals from the nearby surf shop, we found a secluded sand beach where the trees grew right to the edge of the water, providing shade for those who didn’t feel like cooking in the warm mid-day sun. The cove protects the reef growing every imaginable kind and color corral fantasies from deep purple to bright yellow, teeming with a variety of tropical fish. Over many years of snorkeling and diving, it was the most spectacular spot I’ve ever found. I was really sorry I didn’t have an underwater camera to record what I witnessed, so your imaginations will have to make do.
A week on a Hawaiian vacation disappears in a wink, and our time there flew by faster then the clouds blown about by the warm trade winds. For those of you interested in details, I refer you to my friend Michael’s site at www.travelingcurmudgeon.com for a more expansive (though somewhat biased) view of our trip. For the rest of you, here are a few photos from Paradise.
Be well,
J.
Medico Musings 
Congratulations to your friends on their 20th wedding anniversary.The photos are beautiful. My brother and his wife just got back from a week in Hawaii.
I have never seen an ocean, an island, or a palm tree, Jorge, but your wonderful photographs have once again transported me to an exotic place. Your friends chose the perfect place…and perfect company…So good to see you blogging again!
How very lovely 🙂
oh how absolutely gorgeous! Thank you for sharing such awe inspiring photos and your trip.. may your friends and your wife have many more years of wedded bliss… and many more trips returning to the big island. hugs, lottemae
Jorge, What a wonderful trip and photographs. I did go to Michael’s site, read the full item and enjoyed his sense of humor. Good to know that you had a very good getaway. If you have time give me a call on Sunday afternoon as I have some news. In the mean time,as ever be well
Is this beautiful or is this beautiful….wowowUp to Hawai 5.0???lolits a wonderful idea to celebrate in such a way.the wedding from ur friendsJoe tx a lot using my entry abt childrens day…i feel proud that u use it ..Really I wish the whole world could read.specially the young kids.I have Michaels site as fav Joe.i wish u a wonderful sundayGod blessMJ
I enjoyed finding a secluded beach up the coast towards the volcano, where the sea turtles like to come swim. And I especially enjoyed the coffee plantation stop just outside Kona. What a life – not nearly as romantic and idyllic as one presumes, but God, I could so dig the sun right now! I may have to settle for a sun lamp with palm trees painted on it and the built-in sounds of the surf. 🙂
Beautiful and I wish togo there. I have never been to Hawall. I am now going to Michael\’s site…. I hope you have many more reunions in the future.
Oh, that\’s Gorgeous–with a capital G. We plan to visit Hawaii in a year or two. Looking forward to going up to the observatory and looking at the stars and watching sunrise, and visiting as many other places as we can. There\’s so much there, from what we understand, you could spend years and not see it all. 🙂
Hi Jorge,Breathtaking photos! For the last 8 years Dean flew for Delta he flew Honolulu exclusively. For the first two years I went on every trip and we visited all the islands. After a couple of years I became bored with the sameness and quit going, but on his retirement flight he flew us over each and every one of the islands. It was a glorious time! Thanks for reminding me.Betty
Good Evening Jorge,What a most breath taking entry as well as photos! I have never been to Hawaii (until now..) ;). That tjird photo blows me away. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh..the sounds of the ocean surf, the smell of the ocean breezes, and the most beautiful colors of the rainbow that you describe about the reef. I want to wish you and all your loved ones a Blessed Thanksgiving, Jorge. Please take care…Thank you for sharing and Until next time…. Keep Smiling.Paula
Beautiufl Entry Jorge..I love the Palms and the Sun. How stunning .The rocks and the Ocean are Breathtaking. Thanks for taking me on a Visual Journey.I loved it.Lisa.
I think I love all the photos. Wow.
Absolutely breathtaking, and what a beautiful tribute to your friends\’ marriage. 😉
gorgeous photos.. makes me want to go even more.. every 5 years.. what a wonderful way to celebrate.. how blessed your friends are to have lasted as long as they have in this day and age… its been awhile sense I have been able to visit with you… time goes by so fast anymore.. not to sure just where summer went this year.. or spring for that matter.. hopefully winter will go as fast.. Ha ha.. in my dreams perhaps..thank you for taking us along .. and sharing such breathtaking photos..be well friend..soft hugsHope
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your Family.Lisa
Stopping in to wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving. hugs, lottemae
I loved Hawaii…long for it during our long winters…