Christmas in Hawaii 2011 - Day 7

Day Seven - As beautiful as the other days. Clear blue skies and about 80 degrees. Rod and I took a little drive to Waimea in the morning to see how green it was up in the mountain. We also drove to Leilani's Bakery to see if she had Malasadas, or Portuguese donuts. She didn't so we put an order in for tomorrow morning.

Along our drive out of the condo area, this is the incredible and overwhelming amount of lava, everywhere.

Waimea, up in the mountains. Such a different scenery with green evergreens and green grass.

Rolling hills and fields.

Beautiful drive in Waimea.

Coming down from Waimea to Waikoloa and Mauna Lani area. Still green but quickly changing from green to brown.

And now everything is brown and dry.

It is like a desert, arid, wasteland.

Cows trying to keep cool under a dead/dry tree.

A nice contrast between brown hills and blue ocean.

The welcoming sign to our area.

Our Golf Villas in Mauna Lani.

The secure, gated entry to our Villa.

Drive to the Golf Villas.

Our Villa from the back.

Then it was time to go to the beach.

Elle and Alex on the paddle board.

Alex taking a solo trip on the paddle board.

Alex coming back from paddling.

Alex relaxing in the beach chair.

Alex wanted to lighten his hair so he squeezed some lemons into a cup. Elle is the hair person to get the lightening treatment done.

Rub it into your hair, Alex.

Whitney to the rescue.

Get it all over.

Elle is finishing the hair up.

After a long day at the beach, we headed to Hawi, about 20 miles north from Mauna Lani to the northern coast. We heard that there is a really good sushi restaurant, called Sushi Rock. We made reservations and headed up there.

Us at dinner at Sushi Rock.

Christmas in Hawaii 2011 - Day 6

Thursday came around, which is impossible that we had been here 6 days already. Time is running out so fast and I don't think I'm ready to go home in a few days.

While the boys went golfing in Waimea, us girls drove to Kona to the farmer's market.

This picture of Rod was actually taken earlier in the week at Mauna Lani South Course.

Rod, Alex and Craig at Waimea Country Club.

Alex at Waimea Country Club.

Whitney smelling incredibly fragrant flowers at the Kona Farmer's Market.

Elle is showing the various types of flowers at the Farmer's Market.

After Farmer's Market, we got hungry and walked along the shore and found the Kona Canoe Club for lunch. Whitney and Elle having lunch.

Beautiful scenery from our table towards the bay.

And this is where Elle freaked out when she saw a gecko crawling all over our table.

Just a friendly little gecko.

Yesterday after our kayaking trip in Kealakekua Bay, we were told that we have to stop by at Kalama's for a Shave Ice. It was the best Shave Ice we had ever had, so I had to bring Elle and Whitney to experience it as well.

Elle and me going to have Shave Ice at Kalama's.

I guess their Spam Musubi is to die for...among other delicacies.

Elle and Whitney got their Guava, Mango, Passionfruit Shave Ice with coconut cream and ice cream.

Possibly the best tasting Shave Ice ever made. It was like biting into a cloud of paradise.

Elle's passionfruit Shave Ice. She also freaked out about the bee that was buzzing around, smelling all the sugary goodness.

Whitney is happy with her Shave Ice.

We went to watch another beautiful sunset near our condo.

Alex and Elle enjoying another beautiful sunset in Hawaii.

Rod is contemplating something during the sunset.

Beautiful.

Rod and me and the sunset. Nothing more needed.

Sun has set.

Alex is walking along the lava beach.

Rod doing what he does best, texting during the sunset.

Sun is fast setting.

Alex is catching the setting sun.

The day is done.

After the sunset, we drove up to Waimea for dinner. Couldn't find anything open that didn't require a reservation except some fast food restaurants, like L&L Hawaiian Barbecue. We got sick after dinner with a stomach ache. What was in that food?

It is not a STOP sign, it is a WHOA sign at a parking lot in Waimea. So funny.