We ended up in downtown Menlo Park and dropped into Keplers Bookshop for a paper.  Right outside is Cafe Barrone where breakfast was being served but it was crowded.  Almost next door was the BBC - which stands for British Bankers Club.  Originally it was the American Trust and Savings Bank.  It was built in 1922.  Later it became Menlo Park’s city hall, police department and jail and the public library was upstairs.  It is on the corner of El Camino Real and Santa Cruz.  The sign outside said brunch but there was nobody eating.  I won’t say the place was empty.  It is a sports bar and at least three televisions were showing different football games.  The noisiest group were upstairs watching the Cleveland/Houston game.

We had our choice of tables and chose one in the window.  No booths here but there are stools at the counter for bar drinkers.  All the tables and chairs are wooden and have linen tablecloths and napkins so that was a plus.

The whole place was large but dark because it was primarily a bar I guess .  It still retained the wood paneling from the former bank so there was a lot of dark wood around and gold railings.  I could see one picture on the wall.  It looked like an old fashioned oil painting as it was in a gold frame but I think it was just a print.  The main decoration as such were the large screen televisions.

The menu is not extensive and features such items as fish and chips and quesadillas. No oatmeal of course.  I choose a three egg bacon, avocado and cheese omlette with hash browns and toast ($9).  Tom chose Eggs Benedict ($10).

Tom sat and read the Financial times.  He said it made for depressing reading.  The economic situation can only get worse.  Let’s hope breakfast cheers us up.

As they were not busy, our food was very prompt.  Both dishes came on really large plates.  My omlette was stuffed with bits of bacon and at least half an avocado.  The hash browns were not that at all.  More like cubes of fried potatoes but they were cooked with red and green bell peppers and onions.  Nice but a bit greasy.  There was an attractive decoration of a few cubes of fresh fruit, comprising of melon, pineapple and grapes, and sprinkled with powdered sugar.  There was just one slice of toast, but, to their credit, the toast had not been buttered and a pat of butter plus two containers of packaged preserves were also on the plate.

I did enjoy the omlette and ate it all up but left half the hash browns.  Tom’s Eggs Benedict was OK but his English Muffin was under toasted and cold.  The coffee was good.

The restrooms are upstairs and I had to pass the noisy football watchers.  The restrooms were also a bit gloomy, especially the small lobby outside and the cubicles.  I’m sure the place was once quite grand but it’s a bit run down now.  There were three pictures on the wall and a huge gilt framed mirror.  By the sink were some burgundy knick knacks - a soap dish without any soap, a small vase without any flowers, a perfume bottle without any scent and a tissue holder without any tissues.  There was also a large artificial arrangement of flowers.  At least an attempt had been made.  The water was only lukewarm but the place smelt nice.

Would we come here again?  Hmmm….  The food was OK, our table in the window was nice and bright but it was very noisy.  Maybe we would give it a try again in the middle of summer when there are no football games.

It is a great place to visit at any time of the year.  Be careful though during the spring nesting season because the parent birds are likely to dive bomb you.  Today we are hoping to see flocks of birds gathering in preparation for their winter migration.

Our route took us on Highway 87 to 101.  Surprisingly the fog had dispersed over downtown San Jose and there was the sun.  The temperature though remained at 46 degrees.  Passing Moffat Field the sun was still shining but it was hazy.  Could not see the east side of the bay at all.  Come on now, haze is for the summer time and we are now officially into winter time.

We turned off 101 onto University, driving past Ikea and then through East Palo Alto towards the Dumbarton Bridge.  This area used to be really run down but it is slowly improving.

The fog appeareard again.  As we turned onto Highway 84, we entered the mist.  The bridge was shrouded but as we drove over the top of the bridge the sun was visible to my right.  Back on lower ground and the fog was thick but I could see the salt ponds as we get closer.  No birds though,  Maybe they had already migrated.

We were surprised to find so many cars in the Visitors’ Center car park when we arrived.  Lots of folks must have had the same urge to be outside.  The Visitors’ Center is open Tuesdays to Sunday 10 am - 5 pm.

We started walking on the Tidelands Trail.  Since our last visit, which must have been at least two years ago, there had been quite a few changes.  Along the first part of the trail, some of the plants have been identified with precise and interesting descriptions.  The Learning Center has also been much improved.

Just before we turned onto the wooden boardwalk we met another photographer who had already taken quite a few shots and he proudly showed us some.  They were good.

Apart from the regular boom of the fog horn and the distant sound of the traffic crossing the bridge, all was quiet.  All the large bolts on the boardwalk posts were shrouded in cobwebs and covered in droplets of water.  Very pretty  I stood and gazed into the water.  It was murky and moving very slowly.  An occasional bubble rose the surface.

Ahead I saw Great White Egret standing on the bank.  It was beautiful.  Slowly it moved, reaching out its neck.  I stood and watched, fascinated and hardly daring to move myself so it was not disturbed, though I’m sure it knew I was there.  Eventually it flew away, gliding majestically over the boardwalk.

At the end of the boardwalk I noticed more changes.  Obviously there was dredging work going on.  All along the sides of the levee, there was a 4 foot mound of mud.  Trying to climb this mud resulted in my boots becoming clogged.  This was the Newark Trail and to the right it had been blocked up with a huge pile of mud and the levee is closed while the work goes on.  There used to be a little dock here but it had gone.  Maybe it will be replaced when the work is finished.

The little duck hunters cabin was still there thank goodness and I stopped to read the sign outside.  It was built by a man called Joe Pine of Niles (at least that what I think his name was - I took a picture of the sign but my flash card is defunct so I can’t download the photos), and was in use until the 1960’s.  Now it is boarded up.  Duck hunting is still enjoyed here and it is well regulated.

We finally saw some birds.  First of all some black and white ducks.  Further on large flocks of seabirds out on the water.  Not sure what they were but I’m hoping to be able to identify them when I see Tom’s photos.

At 9 the sun began to break through and the fog slowly started to disperse.  Maybe it will be a sunny day latter.

There were a few other people around, mainly dog walkers.  In the distance I could hear childrens’ voices but where they were was difficult to ascertain.

Tom is busy taking photos of another Great White Egret, or maybe it is the same one I watched earlier, leaving his tripod abandoned on the path as he attempted to get closer.  Ahead I could see the Great White Egret perched on another boardwalk.  It took off and landed on the other side.  We kept our eyes on it.  We were able to get really close as the Great White Egret had its eye on breakfast.  For fifteen minutes it remained poised, almost motionless with just the occasional movement as it kept its eyes on his prey.  At one point its neck was extended so far I thought it would topple over.  We kept just as still not wanting to disturb it and it felt as if we were holding our breath the whole time.  Eventually it struck but was unsuccessful.  All that effort and no breakfast.

It took half an hour for us to walk across the boardwalk so engrossed were we in watching the bird and in that time the fog had more or less gone and it was indeed a sunny day.  We could even see the Dumbarton Bridge.  We continued on the Tidelands Trail up the slope and along the side of the hill back to the Visitors Center and Don Edwards was spread out before us in all its glory.  On the surface it may look bleak and dreary but there is truly a lot to see and enjoy.

Talking about breakfast, we were hungry and it was time to vamoose.

Pete’s is large and a real diner with numerous red upholstered booths with comfy seats in all sizes, some of them curved.  There are a few tables at the back though.  At the counter there are 11 stools.  Every time we have been here in the past there used to be the same guy sitting at the counter in the same place and he was there again today.  At first I didn’t think it was him because he looked different.  It may have been the red checkered shirt he was wearing today which hid his trademark suspenders.

There is very little decoration here as such.  Certainly no pictures or photos.  On the wall behind the counter are newspaper articles but from where I sat in a booth next to the window I couldn’t see what they were about.  There were a few pots of dried Thanksgiving type of flowers plus one large dried flower arrangement sporting a smiling scarecrow.

I noticed there was oatmeal on the menu.  It was there before and I’d never had it because I thought it was instant.  I questioned the server today but is was a painful experience.  How do you ask the question?  I tried - ‘Does it come out of a packet?’  ‘Yes’, she said but then I thought that of course oatmeal comes out of a packet whether it is instant or not.  ‘Is it cooked in a pan?’  Yes, was the answer.  Good, maybe it is the real thing.  ‘Is it cooked in a large pan early in the morning and kept on a very low heat?’  ‘No, it is made to order’.  Um… not so good.  It sounds instant to me but I thought I would give it a try ($3.50). Tom ordered Joe’s Special ($9.25).

As the food was served very quickly, I knew it was the quick cooked variety.  It came in a large dish on a plate.  At least there was plenty of it.  On a separate plate were the brown sugar and raisins in small plastic pots with lids (two point against) and the milk in a stainless steel jug which looked like a small teapot with its lid and long spout (one point for).  The taste of the oatmeal, I must admit, was pretty good.

Tom enjoyed his scramble.  One thing you can say about Pete’s is the portions are generous.  He particularly likes the hot sauce here - Pepper Plant made in nearby Gilroy.  In his opinion it is better than Tabasco, which he says has a metallic taste.

Another uninspiring rest room without a trace of decoration at all.  There is an ornamental concrete urn in the lobby outside but it is empty apart from a few bits of trash.  The restroom is functional but the white wall tiles, the chrome grab bars and the top of the toilet brush holder could do with a wipe over.  On the plus side the room smelt nice and the water was hot.

Shall we come here again?  Yes, it’s a cozy place, the food is good and it’s convenient.

(Click on the image for a larger version)

There were few people around when we set off on the walk, heading south on Diamond Heights Blvd. We soon came to a view over Noe Valley to the Bay Bridge and the San Francisco skyline.  A sharp turn left onto Diamond Street still took us downhill but we started to climb when we turned right onto Beacon.  Beacon skirts an open space area called Billy Goat Hill and the views over the bay and the Bay Bridge were outstanding.

Halfway along Beacon we came to our first stairway called the Harry Stairway.  Without our guidebook we would have missed it.  It is a long stairway, wooden at the top and concrete at the bottom.  It is an actual street much like Filbert Stairway, so we passed the front doors and along the sides of residential gardens.  It is one of the more interesting stairways in the city.

At the bottom we turned right on Laidley and passed some interesting houses.  One the locals call the Sandcastle House and one called the Owl House.  The guidebook tells the history of 192-194 Laidley.  It is called the Bell Mystery House.  As Adah Bakalinsky explains ‘The death of the owner……. occurred under mysterious consequences’.  While we stood opposite looking at the house, a local lady, who has lived in the area since 1957 and who was out walking her dog, stopped to talk to us.  She told us the white house next door is called the Bank of America building.  I guess the nickname is given for the shape rather than the color as the real Bank of Ameria building is dark brown and black.

Following directions from the book, we turned left on Fairmont and descended a steep hill to Whitney, where we turned right.

I read in the book that a slight detour along Chenery would bring us to a couple of coffee houses.  As we hadn’t had anything to eat or drink, we decided to investigate.

After a fortifying breakfast at Tyger’s Coffee House (see previous blog) we returned to our walk.  When we returned back on our stairway walk we turned left on Miguel.  Just as well we had some sustenance inside us as it was a very steep climb up the street to Bemis.  There was no stairway here but there could have been.  On Bemis we turned left and almost immediately right up the Amista Stairway.  This was also a steep climb up an uninspiring concrete stairway but we turned to enjoy the view every now and then.

At the top we found ourselves on Everson.  As we walked along Everson we greeted and were greeted by the locals who were either working in their front yards or walking their dogs.  Everybody is really friendly.  We passed another large open space with views south towards the San Bruno Mountain.

We turned right on Addison and walked past the fire station.  The two engines had just returned from a ’shout’, as we would say in England, and the firemen were beginning to clean their engines.

On our right was the Walter Haas Park.  It was a very lovely park with a basketball court and a really nice childrens’ playground.  Next to the playground is another good view of the city.  The staircase was made out of concrete and as the guidebook said it was made out of railroad ties I’m guessing it had been constructed recently.

At the top we were back on Diamond Heights Blvd and could have turned right to take us back to the car but we decided to walk a little further.  The guidebook said to turn left along Diamond Heights Blvd and turn right onto Berkeley but we took a small detour by crossing over and walking along Gold Mine to the Onique Stairway.  It was another steep climb up a concrete stairway and we could see the Sutro Tower not too far away.

We continued along Topaz. passing more houses.  We saw a young girl, probably about 10 years old, washing the family car out in the road in bare feet.  Tucked away behind a bush two women sat in deckchairs keeping their eyes on her.  I remarked that they had her well trained and they laughed.  The girl looked like she was having fun, lathering away and getting thoroughly soaked in the process.  I just hope she got a bit extra in her allowance for all her hard work.

Soon we were back on Gold Mine and it was just a short distance back to the car.  Tom and I really enjoyed our walk in the sunshine today.  We saw some wonderful views and meet quite a few of the locals.  All in all, it was good fun.

It calls itself a coffee house but they do indeed do breakfast.  It is not big and there are no booths just a small counter with six stools and rather beaten up wooden tables and chairs.  It was crowded though, which is a good sign but there was an empty table waiting for us.  Today the sun is shining very brightly and if it wasn’t for the blinds at the windows, it would be too bright to even read the menu.

Our very pleasant server with a big smile handed us menus.  Like the tables, they had been well used.  He pointed out the specials written on a whiteboard.

Tom chose the grilled Chorizo sausages and eggs ($7.95) and I went for the oatmeal and raisins ($4.25).  It’s a long time since I’ve had oatmeal so I’m really looking forward to it.

Time to check out the decor.  On two walls there are black and white framed photos, one of which is three old photos of the Glen Park neighborhood from yesteryear.  On another wall are four stylized color prints of water and tree landscapes - not my cup of tea at all.  There is also a large water color of Tyger’s Coffee House which depicts a couple of dog walkers.  Obviously a popular pastime around here.  Over the counter there is a cork board covered in postcards and color photos from loyal customers.  Along the window sills is a colorful display of small gourds and pine cones.  All and all, a very cozy place.

The food was soon served.  My oatmeal was in a small, white, round bowl.  It looked a bit watery and had a few raisins on the top.  Hmm… I thought, I paid an extra dollar for those few raisins?  When I started to eat however I realized there were plenty of raisins mixed in with the oatmeal.  The brown sugar, in a small glass container with a lid, and the milk, in a very small plastic glass, were on a plate.  As expected the milk was very difficult to pour without making a mess.  A jug would have made the job much easier.  Tom’s plate had two Chorizo sausages, two eggs and country like potatoes.  There was no fruit decoration on the side of either breakfast so no slices of melon for me to enjoy.

Tom had already visited the restroom so I was forewarned.  There is no sign to indicate that there were restrooms so we had to ask.  I can tell you though that it is through the kitchen and what a tiny kitchen it is.  Two short order cooks tucked away in a small cubbyhole were busy preparing food and round the corner a young lad was chopping potatoes.  I had to squeeze past him to get to my destination.  I can best describe the restroom as grotty but functional.  It smelt nice and there was one painting on the wall which did brighten up the place but don’t look too closely in the corners!

The food was good but not spectacular.  Tom’s said his sausages were spicy and the potatoes OK.  He asked for his egs over medium but they were more like over easy.  My oatmeal was hot but there wasn’t a lot of it.  Our overall verdict is we wouldn’t drive out of our way to come here again but if you’re in the neighborhood it will do.

Today we decided to go to Hawk Hill on the Marin Headlands.  Tom and I have been quite close to it in the past but today was the first time we climbed to the top of the hill.

The drive to it is magnificent on any day but today was extra special  As I’ve said before, the weather in the city is unpredictable is always a hit and miss affair.  Any day of the year the headlands can be shrouded in fog.  It could be cold, wet and miserable.  Or, like today, it could be warm and sunny.

It was perfect weather for us and we could enjoy the views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the headlands as we drove up the hill towards Point Benita Lighthouse, passing numerous cyclists laboring up as well.  We parked the car just before the one way section to the lighthouse.  From here we could see the entire bridge in all its glory, though the sun was in our eyes.  On the breeze we could hear the faint hum of the traffic as it crossed the bridge just over a mile away as the crow flies.

From here you can walk through a tunnel to a spectacular view of the lighthouse and take a path off to the right up the hill or you can follow a sign which says Hawk Hill to the left of the tunnel.  The climb up the hill from here is steep but mercifully short.  At the top is an old gun emplacement with abandoned structures and buildings and huge, round slabs of concrete.

There is also a magnificent view of the bay, with the San Francisco skyline framed between the two towers of the Golden Gate Bridge.  Enjoying the view was a man who remarked to me on the beauty of the day.  He told me he came here regularly just to drink in the spirituality of the place.

We walked a bit further along the top of the hill.  On one of the concrete slabs were a series of white strips.  When we got closer we could see that they had the names of all the hawks and raptors which have been spotted here and the length of the white strips indicated their wing span.  There are 28 birds listed ranging from the American Kestrel and the Sharp Skinned Haw, both with a 22″ wing span all the way to the Californian Condor with a wing span of 118″.  There was a special, thicker, strip which read ‘Mississippi Kite seen here Oct 25 08.  Third in 33 years.’

At the end of the little walk way there was a man with a high powered scope.  Obviously he was a keen bird watcher.  He was intent on studying the surrounding area so I didn’t disturb him.  I just stood and admired the nearly 360 degree view.  I took especial note of Angel Island.  Early last month it suffered a wildfire which burnt more than half the 740 acres on the island but where I stood I could not see any fire damage.

For half an hour we stood and watched - me with my binoculars and Tom with his camera.  We had a great view of Rodeo Beach and I watched hikers and cyclists in the distance.  There weren’t too many hawks around yet.

More people began to arrive and they all seemed to know each other and there was much chatter.  It became apparent that they are part of a voluntary raptor watch, with one lady obviously in charge.  She assigned them a location to stand and the official count started at 9.30.

They all concentrated on the task at hand and the conservation was all more or less gibberish.  Terms like ‘coop’, ‘tv’ ‘juv’ were thrown about with wind and campus directions.  I noticed a purple balloon tied to a bush, obviously to help determine the wind direction.  I did hear the leader say that she was pleased there was no fog but she had hoped for more wind.  Each bird spotted was called out and I guess the leader was taking notes.  There were a lot of ‘tvs’ - turkey vultures, a couple of Merlins and some Red Winged Kites.  A Kestrel was spotted in a dead tree but try as I might I could not spot it.  Mind you, I couldn’t see where the dead tree was!

At one point someone called out ‘130 bandtails to the north east’.  Feeling brave I asked what bandtails were and he told me they were pigeons.  Someone spotted something ‘above the balloon stack in Emeryville’.  Now Emeryville is clear over the other side of the bay and with my binoculars I could not even identify the town, never mind the balloon stack or a bird.  There was some debate between two guys with high powered scopes whether it was a Red Wing or an Eagle.  The consensus being it was a Red Wing.

To identify positions they used terms like towers, step house and volcano but I had no idea at first where they meant.  I did find the towers and guessed at the step house but volcano eluded me.

I had been so immersed in the conversation and action going on around me that I did not notice Tom had wandered off.  I could see him down the hill a bit so went to join him.  He’d found a bench and had parked his camera bag there while he took photos, so I sat on the bench and started to write.  I glanced up the hill and the counters were still concentrating on spotting hawks.  Looking up Tom and I saw a hawk circling, working up a momentum to attempt the water crossing.  I checked in my bird book when I got home and think it was a Peregrine Falcon.

Hey ho, time to make a move.  There are more and more people here now and from my rather damp seat I can see there are very few parking spaces down below.  Perhaps we should leave a give another car the opportunity to enjoy this perfect setting.

The place is way above Denny’s, let me tell you! To put it in a nutshell, it is elegant.  The tables are a light wood, the booths and chairs are light green and comfortable.  Chrome and glass partitions give a feeling of space and the lighting is unobtrusive.  Plus the carpet is clean.

A small vase of fresh carnations adorns each table.  The silverware has pretty fluted ends and the napkins, although paper, are big and thick.

It is a large restaurant which has three distinct parts.  The small section to the right of the front door was not set up at all so I presume it is only used for dinner.  Opposite the door are booths with eleven seats up at the counter.  On the left hand side of the restaurant is a large area with two and four seat tables and one long padded seat against the far wall.  Dividing this section from the middle is a half wall decorated with different sized glass bottles filled with a variety of food in colored liquids.  On the walls are hung a small selection of nice pictures.  In the middle section near the restroom is one large photo which I’m guessing is the building taken a good few years ago.

The lady server wore a white shirt and tie, which was hung round her neck and not tied, and with a linen cloth at her waist.  I thought the tie was a peculiarity of our server but I later noticed another server who had done exactly the same with her tie.

The breakfast menu is not extensive and I could see no sign of oatmeal.  What??  From such a place I was expecting steel cut oats.  The server told us that they do serve oatmeal on Saturdays and Sundays but the cook who prepared it does not start work until 8 am.

I ordered an Eggbeaters Scramble with mushrooms, artichoke hearts, green onions and herbs, served with fresh fruit, sliced tomato and whole grain toast (no potatoes) ($8.75).  Tom’s choice was  Joe’s Scramble with fresh ground beef, mushrooms, spinach, onion and oregano and served with potatoes and toast ($9.95).

Tom’s coffee was served in a glass mug and he said it was very good.  At $2.25, it should be.

Our food arrived on large white china plates and attractively decorated with plump slices of melon.  The food was delicious.  Tom said the spinach was fresh and the oregano really added to the flavor.  My Eggbeaters Scramble was also good.  The onions, mushrooms and artichoke hearts were served on top of the scramble instead of begin all mixed in with the eggs.

The restroom was a little disappointing because I was expecting far more.  It was very acceptable because it was clean and smelt nice but there were no pictures on the wall.  The only break to the austerity was a small, round, wrought iron table in the corner with a large vase of fresh carnations and the paper towels, though the standard brown, were in a wicker basket.  There is a sign over the sink saying ‘Caution Hot Water’ and believe it because the water is very hot.

The total bill came to $22.13 which, on the surface, looks pretty steep but taking into account I didn’t have my usual oatmeal, it is no more than it would have been anywhere else given what we ordered.

Tom and I have discovered a new, great place for breakfast in San Francisco.  The bonus being it is right off 19th Avenue.

(Click the images for a larger version)

But first of all we had breakfast.  Our treat today was banana stuffed French toast.  After breakfast we were given a short tour of the coffee farm.  John showed us the old coffee barn.  It is a tall, wooden building which has been converted into a bedroom.  It’s one room contains a rustic queen bed with a mosquito net, a sofa and closet with a toilet.  The shower is outside.  It is really quite romantic and isolated and with a view of banana trees and an unobstructed view of the night sky.  In our room we have no view of the sky at all as we are surrounded by tropical vegetation.  The barn was originally used to dry the coffee beans.

John then showed us the coffee plants.  The coffee beans are bright red and look like cherries.  The skin is easy to peel back.  Inside there is a soft pulp surrounding the white coffee bean.  It achieves its dark brown color after roasting.  Johnsie joined us and she pointed out pineapples, mangoes, starfruit, bananas and many more.  If there was more time, we would have loved to explore thoroughly but being conscious that they had work to do we left them to it.

At Honaunau Bay the tide was much higher and a lot of the places on the rocks were taken.  Also, to get to them, we had to wade through water.  The regulars had already gathered and we sat within earshot of them.  It was fascinating to here bits of their conversations.  One guy, who had just returned from snorkeling, was relating his tale of spotting an eagle ray nose out an octopus from the coral and eat it.

Tom went in a couple of times and really enjoyed it.  He saw lots of brightly colored fish but no turtles or dolphins.  When the sun became unbearable we left the rocks and walked the short distance to Keoneele Cove with its sandy beach.  It is a very small beach but plenty of room for us and there was just a mother and her small boy there, though later her husband arrived by kayak.  I did venture into the sea but did no snorkeling.  It was nice to sit in the warm water for a while.   We sat there and ate a very meager lunch of the cheese sticks and biscuits left over from the day before yesterday and the banana cake from the beginning of the week.

We spent a good few hours there though just enjoying our last visit here this trip.  I wonder whether we will ever make it back here.  I hope so.

After a quick shower to wash off the sun block and to get the sand out of from between our toes, we drove into Kailua-Kona.  We took our last walk down Alii Drive and back along the promenade towards the pier.  Today there is another cruise ship out in the bay and the passengers were waiting for the boats to take them back to their ship.  Nearby is the place where the Ironman Triathlon race will start next week.

Time for something to eat.  Tonight we decided to try out the Kona Brewing Company but it was difficult to find without a map.  We did spot it but walking to it was a different matter.  After wandering round a small strip mall looking for a place to get through, we eventually found a gap and made our way round to the entrance.  It was crowded, even though it was only 4 in the afternoon.  We did consider sitting outside because the weather was so pleasant but we were put off by the smokers so decided on a table inside.  Tom tried out the beer and ordered a pizza.  I stayed with the iced tea and, as I wasn’t all that hungry, ordered a pupu, or more commonly known as a starter, for my meal of tomato, mozzarella and basil.

It was time to go back to the farm and start our packing.  Our flight is tomorrow lunchtime.  We have had a really great time here and I love it.  We can highly recommend the Pomaika’i (Lucky) Farm B&B, with Johnsie’s fabulous breakfasts, as a place to stay.  Our only negetive commet on the Big Island is that the rest of the food here is not that great.  The restaurants have been interesting places to go to but the food has not been outstanding at all.  Surely there are some nice restaurants.

Our hot item at breakfast today was Sausage Bake.  I must say Johnsie is a good cook.  Everything she has given us has been first class.

Today we are off to Waipi’o Valley on the other side of the island, north of Hilo.  We set off at 8.30 on a beautiful bright and sunny day, driving north on Highway 11.  Just north of Honalo, we took Highway 180 which is a scenic uphill drive along a windy road up above Kailua-Kona.  To the north east of Kailua-Kona we joined Highway 190 and continued in a north easterly direction towards Waimea.

Soon after joining 190, we take a small detour to the right up Kaloko Road.  This is a seven mile steep climb round horseshoe bends up to 5,000.  Near the top we were driving through a cloud forest.  In the afternoon it has always been cloudy up here but now it is clear.  We were expecting jungle like landscape but it isn’t.  More like woodland with no tropical plants at all.  There was a view down over Kailua-Kona and the airport but not worth being photographed.  We did see wild turkeys on the road and, I think wild chickens.  Tom thought they were too big to be chickens and they might have been peahens as our guidebook mentions that renegade peacocks roam a nearby golf course.

We took Highway 190 all the way to Waimea where we turned right onto Highway 19.  The most impressive signs on the way were the 1801 and 1800 lava flows from Hualalai and the 1859 lava flow from Mauna Loa.  It is amazing the affect they have on the landscape.  Also along this road is one end of the Saddle Road.  We would have loved to drive this highway to Hilo but our rental contract with Hertz does not allow it.

Waimea is a cattle town.  The famous Parker Ranch is situated nearby.  Just a few miles east of Waimea we took another detour along the Old Mamalahoa Highway.  According to the guidebook it was a more interesting route and we agree.  Lots of green pastures on either side and rolling hills.  There are caves along the way but we saw no sign of them at all.  We joined Highway 19 again just before turning left onto Highway 240 for the last leg of our journey.

Once again according to our guidebook, Waipi’o Valley is the place to go to but we never went down onto the valley floor.  We did go to the lookout and the view was spectacular.  From high on the cliff you look down to a black sand beach and the waves lapping the shore.  The valley itself extends some way inland but from the lookout you can only see a small part of it.  On the far side are steep cliffs and in the rainy season waterfalls will be cascading down the sides.  We saw no waterfalls today.  There is a trail up the side of the far cliff into the next valley which looks to be extremely steep.

Only four wheel drive vehicles are allowed to drive down the mile long road which drops 900 feet into the valley.  There is a four wheel shuttle down and a choice of a wagon tour or on horseback when you reach the floor of the valley or, of course, we could walk down.  Walking down would have been alright I guess but getting back up again would have been a real chore.  The guidebook told us the cost of the shuttle would be about $50 each, the wagon tour $55 each and the horseback ride $89 each.  We inquired at the information kiosk where we could book these tours and were told to drive back a mile to the town of Kukuihaela where we would find more information at Artworks.

We found Artworks easily enough, in fact it was the only shop as such in the place.  A tour had just finished and I spoke to a couple of people who were returning to their car.  They had thoroughly enjoyed the trip but it cost $159 each.  That was way out of our price range so we decided to give it a miss.  We might have been tempted if the waterfalls were in full spate.  We did buy a sandwich and a drink at Artworks though and sat outside on the veranda to eat our lunch.

From Kukuihaele we drove back to Honoka’a where we stopped and had a walk around.  There was not a lot going on in the town.  We wandered down both sides, looking in shop windows but a lot of the shops were not open.  Maybe it is the end of the season or it could be they only open at the weekends.  There were quite a few signs up about an audition held today in the town for extras to take part in a film later on this month.  They were looking for elderly people which would have suited us fine but the auditions ended at noon.  Darn!!

At 2 we decided to head back to our side of the island-  This time we stayed on Highway 19 all the way to Kailua-Kona instead of taking the detour along the old highway.  We did take one small detour though jJust south of Puako.  Our aim was to go to a beach at one of the resorts but it was impossible.  We saw lots of resort villages and posh hotels but no access to any beaches at all.

I Kailua-Kona we wandered around and stopped off at a bar for a drink.  The place was almost empty but there was a good view over the ocean.  We did get into conversation with the only other customer there about the debate today between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden.  We caught a bit on the radio in the car but would have preferred to have seen it on television.

For dinner we returned to the Fish Hopper (where we had lunch on our first day).  This time we sat in a booth at the back and still had a vood view out to sea.  We could see swimmers practicing for the Iron Man Triathlon.  As it was very hazy, the sunset was unremarkable today.  We chose the three course special and for $14.95 it was very good.

On our way back to the car we bumped into Cindy and Al who had been staying at the farm.  They are staying in Kailua-Kon tonight before catching a flight home tomorrow.l

We are going to take it easy again today but first of all there was breakfast.  Today it was Baked Oatmeal.  Now you know how much I like oatmeal but this is the first time I have ever had it baked and it was scrumptious.  Must ask Johnsie for the recipe.

By 9 a.m. we were at the small cove next to the City of Refuge for another snorkeling expedition.  We had stopped at the little market near the farm to buy something for lunch but the choice was extremely limited.  There was dried and flaked cuttle fish but we decided not to be too adventurous.  In the end we bought string cheese and Wheat Thins plus a couple of cans of drink.  We still have some banana bread left over from Monday.

Not many people were at the rocks so we found a reasonably flat piece of lava rock to spread our mat and towels out on.  This is considered one of the best snorkeling locations on the island, mainly because it is so accessible and also as it is easy to get into the water.  It’s called a two step entry.  Finding where the exact spot is can be difficult but Johnsie gave us good directions.  Face the porta potties at the top of the beach and line up with the one at the far left.  Turn 180 degrees and that is where the entry is.  Or you watch where all the the regulars get into the water.  If you enter from any other spot you are in danger of stepping onto sea urchins.

Tom didn’t go into the water straight away.  We just sat on the rocks enjoying the atmosphere.  It was so peaceful.  We watched couples and groups of people arrive, stake out their patch of rock and walk down to the waters edge.  There were no signs of dolphins or turtles today.  A boat arrived around the headland and several of the passengers donned their masked and fins and entered the water.

Tom ventured into the water and paddled off.  I read a bit and got acquainted with a small dog called Annie.  Her owners had gone snorkeling and she obviously liked human company.  As soon as she saw her owners climb out of the water she was off to greet them and I never saw her again.

Al and Cindy, another couple staying at the farm, arrived and sat near us.  We chatted for a bit and they both then ventured into the water.  When Tom return he said the fish were amazing.  He also saw sea urchins but he stayed well clear of them.  After a short rest, while I explored a few tide pools, he went for another swim.

It became really hot sitting out there in the sun.  Of course I had slathered sun block all over every exposed part of my body and wore my new straw hat - complete with a flower I found on the ground, but still I caught the sun.  At least I will be going home with a bit of a tan.

At 12 p.m. we drove the car into the City of Refuge car park and walked to the picnic area, carrying the cool box.  It was lovely there.  Lots of picnic table and coconut palms giving convenient shade.  It was not very busy to begin with but by the time we left there was nobody else around.

After our spartan lunch of Wheat Thins and string cheese we took turns to walk down to the waters edge.  Tom brought me back a small piece of coral.  That, along with the piece of black lava from the vicinity of the volcano, will join my collection back home.

There were some lovely deep tide pools to investigate.  I saw some reasonable sized black crabs scuttling around, some sea slugs and sea anemones.  Lots of small fish were darting around in the pools as well.  It’s mesmerizing gazing into the pools.  Stand still for long enough and all manner of creatures come out of hiding.  I also spent a long time just looking out to the ocean and watching the incoming tide.

We drove back to the farm at 2 p.m. for a shower and change of clothes.  Then we sat out on our veranda reading and writing.  The usual afternoon rain started at about 4 p.m.

At 4.30 we drove into Captain Cook for our evening meal.  Tonight we ate at Pepperoni’s, an Italian restaurant next door to and run by the banana bread shop.  The special was Baby Back Ribs.  We had brochette to start with followed by half a rack each of the ribs.  On the side were black beans, coleslaw and garlic bread.  We would have liked a glass of wine to go with it but at the moment they didn’t have a liquor license.  The person whose name was on the license had died and they had to reapply.  We could have brought our own but as we didn’t know in advance we had to go without.  Ice tea was our substitute.  The ribs were quite good and there certainly were a lot of them.

It had just about stopped raining when we came out of the restarunat and we were back at the farm by 6.30.