Hello Hilo!

We were joined on our Hawaiian vacation this year by our sister-in-law, Marne.  She's the best traveling companion - always up for an adventure!  One Wednesday during our stay, we headed out for the other side of the island to visit Hilo.  On our way out of Kailua-Kona, we saw a visiting cruise ship (NCL's Pride of America - the only cruise ship that just sails around the islands year-round):

It was a gorgeous day and the brand new road to Hilo gave us a beautiful opportunity to see both Mauna Loa AND Mauna Kea:
























Upon our arrival in Kilo (after a brief roadside stop - travels with Marne are always interesting!), we headed for Mauna Loa candy factory - those chocolate-covered mac nuts that are synonymous with "Hawaii".  We learned a couple of years ago that the company had actually been acquired by Hershey's.  The factory sees rather limited use these days.



 

So on we went to visit Big Island Candies.  Now THIS is a happening place and Wednesdays are the BEST day to hit them!!  Every station in the place had worker bees hustling about making cookies, dipping things (cookies, nuts, squid - okay that last one must be an acquired taste) in chocolateS (white chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate). 


One station was making candy bars that are sold for fundraising purposes...with the largest box of Rice Krispies I'd ever seen!













After sating ourselves with every sample imaginable (yes, Marne did try the squid, brave girl that she is!), we headed to a nearby restaurant we'd been directed to before:  Hawaiian Style Café (the place where the locals go to eat).  This place is in a strip mall...an industrial strip mall at that...but if you ever get to Hilo you must, Must, MUST try this place! 


They have the largest fluffiest pancakes you'll ever come across (which are actually served as a mere "accompaniment" to your meal!)











After lunch we did some more sight-seeing in Hilo itself (looking for the famed Farmers' Market - worth the stop).

























Then it was off to do a short hike to Akala Waterfall...


















...and to see the Botanical World Adventures and its gorgeous flowers and painted trees before heading home.  The roads are much improved but none of them are anything you want to be on too long after dark - the fog is really incredible and can be VERY dangerous.

later, tw