Come, Walk With Me

Tuesday, 8/27

Today is a beautiful day here in Kona. A walk seemed appropriate. Come join me as we walk around the area.

Setting out from our condo, walking north along Ali'i Drive, I soon passed The Worldmark condos, where we spent a week in 2003.

There is spectacular scenery even here in beautiful downtown Kona. This photo is representative of what can be seen in many places, if you look. The flowers are bougainvillea and white plumeria.

St Michael The Archangel Catholic Church, est. 1840. We toured this
church during a previous visit.

Beyond the small point on the right is the main part of Kailua Bay. Among other attractions, the annual Kona Ironman swimming competition is held here. One year we were here just before the Ironman and there were several swimmers practicing on the 2.4 mile course. The course starts at the pier in front of the large building beyond the point, runs SW beyond the palm tree, around an anchored boat and back to the pier. This year the race was held May 30th.

Near the beginning of the tourist strip. 

Note the "Shoreline Public Access" sign above. In Hawai'i the public is granted access to all beaches below the "upper reaches of the wash of the waves." There are slightly different regulations for the various islands but such access is guaranteed everywhere. In this area it seems there is an access trail every quarter mile or so.

This is near the beginning of the tourist strip in Kona. Both sides of Ali'i Drive provide opportunities for tourists to part with their money.

Hulihe'e Palace

This old palace is now a museum. We toured it during a previous visit to Kona. If you like museums or things Hawai'ian, it's worth taking a guided tour. Beyond the old artifacts one thing that sticks in my memory is the wood for the floors. It is all old growth Douglas fir from Washington State. I admired many of the pieces in the 16-20 foot lengths that are not much available anymore. When they had to replace some of the flooring a few years back, it had to be custom milled from longer logs.

This pier is where the lighters from visiting cruise ships drop off and pick up passengers.

A closer view of the end of the bay. The fishers were catching what looked to me like small (5-6") Barracuda.

From here we continue around the bend (1.5 miles from our condo) where Ali'i Drive heads northeast up the hill toward Kuakini Hwy and the main Hawai'i Belt Road. Airport to the left and Keauhou and Captain Cook to the right. Back down to Kuakini, I turned south toward home. The temperature was 88 so when a Starbucks came into view I took a break to cool down and take on some liquid.

The Starbucks visit illustrates again why communication is so important. I ordered an iced coffee and asked the barista if I could have a glass of water, no ice. After adding 1/2 n 1/2 to my coffee, I turned back to the pick up counter to find a glass of water with ice plus another glass with just ice. I smiled, took the glass of water, slid the ice back to her, told her I had ordered water, no ice, and sat down at a nearby table. In less than a minute she called my attention to the glass of water, no ice, she had set out for me. I thanked her and enjoyed the coffee and water w/o ice and poured the icewater down the sink because I was worried about having to make, but not finding, a pit stop on the walk back to the condo. They were two friendly young women who were anxious to get me what I wanted but were confused by the unusual request. I need to make my request more clear next time.

Refreshed and with my liquids topped off, I continued on Kuakini, down Hualalai to Ali'i Drive and back to the condo. According to the Pacer app on my phone, total distance was 4.03 miles in one hour and seventeen minutes, not counting time-outs for pictures and coffee.

I hope you enjoyed the walk as much as I did.