Hawai`i 2009: Day 12

Today we found ourselves back in little, old Hilo. After a hearty breakfast at Ken's (so Dan could finally get his fix of mac-nut pancakes), we took advantage once again of the Wednesday Hilo Farmer's Market. We only needed a few items for dinner, but were also talked into some delicious green salsa after tasting it, and a bar of soap made right here on the Big Island.

On our walk to the market, we came across these chickens.



From there we drove up the road to Wailoa Park - a spot we always marvel at when we drive by but until today had never set foot in. Prior to the great tsunamis, the park was a Japanese neighborhood known as Shinmachi. When that neighborhood was destroyed (along with neighboring Waikea), the area was turned into a park.



The Wailoa River runs through the park, and there are several curvy bridges connecting the different areas. There are fishing spots, a few pavillions, picnic tables, and several different types of ducks.




After touring the expansive park, we stopped at the Wailoa Center to take a peak. There was an expo of local photographer's work so we browsed around. Some really nice work -- and even a picture of Tacoma!



Before getting back in the car, we stopped to take a few photos of the second Kamehameha statue we've seen on the trip (the third is in Hawi, up the Kohala coast).



Heading back up Highway 11, our next stop was the Prince Kuhio Plaza. Yes, that would be a shopping mall. As we spend more time here, we get curious as the how the locals live and wanted to check out the major shopping mall in Hilo.



It's pretty much like any other mall, with a Sears, Macy's, food court, movie theater, athletic wear, toys, gadgets and a few local flavors. It has anything one would really need. Dan tried on a few hats, but did not find any to his liking.



The mall shares a parking lot with Hilo Hattie's, and it was time for our requisite visit for some free shell leis, kona coffee and a few other treats. We can find many similar items back in Seattle at the Hawai`i General Store (while supporting a local small business) so we tried not to go too crazy. It is a fun place to shop, though, and the staff is always very friendly and helpful without being too pushy.



Our last stop of the day was a place we generally avoid like the plague - WalMart - but we were searching for cheap DVDs. Since we have the time, we thought this vacation would be a good time to get into a new show. The other night we caught an episode of HBO's True Blood and found it compelling enough to invest in. So we picked up season one for a decent price, along with the latest issue of Big Island Weekly before heading back to Kapoho. Also, this trip to WalMart was much less stressful than last year when we were under pressure to pick up all the last-minute wedding details--and seemed less crazy/crowded than in time's past. Perhaps it was the time of day, or the economy.



Notice we don't talk a lot about the nightlife here. There is one, though small and generally centers around a few small venues with local musicians. Because we do so much during the day, and then cook our dinner at the house, we generally call it a day and relax with TV or books in the evening. We're kind of homebodies, though, and if one is looking for a more active nightlife on the Big Island it can surely be had. Each issue of The Big Island Weekly has a "pau hana" (after work) calendar for bands playing in bars, as well as a regular weekly calendar listing the various plays, concerts, festivals, activities, etc. happening around the island. There are also movie theaters with first-run movies.

One nightlife adventure we hope to partake in on this trip is the lava hike to see the red flow into the ocean.