Category Archives: Places

Planes landing at Kailua-Kona Airport

Plane landing at Kailua-Kona airport

Hawaii has the reputation of being a tropical paradise, but arriving at Kailua-Kona Airport looks anything but. The final approach to the airport comes over the 1801 Huʻehuʻe lava flow from Hualali volcano. This flow is still quite barren with next to no vegetation. For first-time visitors, touching down on actual tarmac can come as something of a relief.

Exiting the plane, it will most likely be hot, but sunny? Not so much, especially if touchdown is after noon. Typically, clouds roll in during the morning and vog (volcanic smog, caused by pollutants from Kilauea Volcano) settles over the area. The appearance, seen in these photos, is sometimes called ‘concrete skies.’ Not a bad description.

Plane landing at Kailua-Kona

White king pigeons in Honolulu

Pigeons drinking in Honolulu

Pigeons in HonoluluWhen I was out walking in downtown Honolulu, I came across this scene. Someone had had turned on a hose up the street and the ensuing temporary river caused an instant influx of this hoard of white king pigeons.

I particularly like the presence of the Oahu Nature Tours bus in the background with its 924-BIRD phone number. Pretty easy work. Just pull the bus over, turn on a tap, and ‘Voilà.’

Posted in response to this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge ‘Prolific.’

Post Office Building, Honolulu

Post Office Building Honolulu

Couple at Post Office Building HonoluluAn off-island photo from my recent jaunt to Honolulu. This is the old U.S. Post Office, Custom House, and Court House, which is still in use as a post office today. The building is one of many historical buildings in the downtown area.

This building dates from 1922 and, according to the handy guide from historichawaii.org, ‘This classic Mediterranean-style structure features large roof overhangs, shaded arcades, open interior courtyards, spacious porticos, and two towers.’

Not a bad spot to sit and have lunch.

 

Abstracts: A’ama crabs and sea spray

Abstracts-A'ama crabs and sea spray

One of the first things anyone visiting a rocky seashore here will see is lots of little black shapes skittering away. Those shapes are a’ama crabs.

On this day, I had, as usual, spooked the crabs into motion, but after putting a little distance between me and them, they settled down again. Where they settled was on this sloping rock next to a blowhole. Moments later, water shot out of the blowhole creating this scene.

Where I would have been squealing and running from the sudden deluge, the a’ama crabs remained. I guess, living on these rocky shores, they are well used to this sort of thing.

Cheerful Emu

Emu

This cheerful looking emu is a resident of Pana‘ewa Rainforest Zoo & Gardens, near Hilo. What strikes me most though is how this photo is just like looking in a mirror. I mean, the hair, the beak …

Posted in response to this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge ‘Smiles.’

For more information about Pana‘ewa Rainforest Zoo & Gardens, go to hilozoo.org.