We're headed to Hawaii, the big island that gives the state its name.

That looks like Molokai down there.  Well, I may not set foot on it this trip, but at least I've seen it.

Hey, I think we've landed in a lava flow.

What's this?  No jetways at the airport?

Well at least we've been greeted by hula dancers.

This island looks very volcanic.

And there are some pretty flowers along the road.

Here's where we're staying.

Nice place, right on the water.  Built in the 60s, the Keauhou Beach Resort is beginning to show its age in places, but overall it's a topnotch hotel.

Here's the view from the lobby when we arrived.  Seriously, I took these pictures myself.  Hawaii makes this sort of photography easy.

The lobby, as with most hotels on the islands, is totally open-air.

People have come here from all over the world to learn to play the ukelele.  Makes a pretty sweet welcome for us.

The hotel seems to have been built on the site of an old Hawaiian temple of some sort.

This is the view from Bill's balcony, I mean, lanai.

The hotel folks have done a nice job of creating a tropical paradise down here by the ocean, but look up there behind the palm trees.  It's all volcanic rock.  Hawaii is the youngest of all the Hawaiian islands and its volcanic origins are evident everywhere you look.

Talk about a room with an ocean view!

One evening Bill went for a walk to try to find some real Hawaiian food for dinner.  Along the way he spotted these droopy flowers.  I wonder if they perk up in the daytime?

Well, Bill did find some authentic Hawaiian fast food at L&L Barbecue, just up the street from the hotel.  And I do mean up -- there was a steep hill between the ocean and the strip mall.  But the food was worth the climb.  Kalua pork cabbage. Mmmmmmmm.  Doug and Bonnie joined Bill in buying food here one night and taking it back to the hotel.  They enjoyed it, but still I think they might've preferred McDonald's.

Oooh, a sunset picture.

Oooh, another sunset picture.  Which is better?  You decide.

So what is this old Hawaiian temple site we keep seeing?

Here ya go, read all about it: "Hapaiali I Heiau" literally translated means elevated chiefs.  A heiau, or temple, is a pre-Christian place of worship.  Its age has been recorded as prehistoric.  It is said that this heiau was built by Maia, a kahuna (priest) of Maui who left for Kaua'i later.  Others say that it was built by Kamehameha about 1782 after the battle of Moku ohai, and that Hewhewa was its priest.  It was also said that the ali i women would hanau, or give birth at this heiau to instill the great mana or spiritual power within their child.

The old temple is being restored, so you're supposed to keep off the rocks.

And if you don't, the totem poles will get you.

Oooh, tropical flowers.  The hotel has a nice little garden.

There's even a fresh water spring right here by the ocean.  Locals remember coming here before the hotel was built to rinse the sand off their feet after a day at the beach.

I dunno though...is this really a "beach?"  Kinda hard on the feet if you ask me.

But pretty, though.

Looks like plenty of people don't mind taking a chance on stubbing their toes in the sand.

They say green sea turtles frequent these shallows, but Bill didn't see any.

Toward the end of our stay at the hotel, after we'd taken our helicopter ride, we sat on Bill's balcony, I mean lanai, and enjoyed watching video of our flight.

Nice place.  Very nice place.