Our original plan in Hawaii had been to spend the entire time in one location. But we realized that doing that really limited us in some ways, and since we didn't want to do more snorkeling, we decided to switch up our plans. This is not my strong suit--changing plans midway--but I was really glad we did it. We spent the first half of Wednesday canceling existing reservations and making new ones. It was exciting to think about exploring other parts of the island and getting to stay in a couple new locations. Both Tomkin and I like to do a lot of research before we travel, but there are certain things that you can't find out from a guidebook or websites. We've learned that you just have to get there and figure things out as you go along.
We had asked our B&B owner for some dining recommendations, and for lunch we headed to Keoki's Roadside Cafe, which Johnsie and John-Paul raved about.
We had some fish (caught the day before) and "chips" (which were actually onion rings). The food was good, but it wasn't especially memorable.
Next we headed to Greenwell Farms, one of the 700 Kona coffee farms in the 22 x 2–mile "Kona Belt." Johnsie had recommended this place for a tour, and I could see why.
They've been around for generations and are one of the larger farms, but they still provide a nice personal touch. When we first arrived, we waited for a tour guide and tried out a couple different coffees. I especially loved the macadamia nut coffee.
We chatted with one of the women who works there, and then one of her Hawaiian neighbors arrived with her two dogs. We ended up talking with her for a while, and when we told her about our experience with the dolphins the day before, she told us we must be very blessed if the dolphins were drawn to us that way. I thought that was very sweet! Tomkin and I set off on our tour with Sandro, who was originally from Costa Rica.
We learned so much about the process of making coffee! It was really fascinating. We saw lots of different trees, and Sandro explained how they take the "cherries" and put them through a machine that removes the skin.
Then the beans are rinsed with water and dried in the sun.
Two more layers of skin are removed, and then you have the "green beans," which get shipped to coffee producers around the world (some is also processed and sold locally).
Kona coffee is made from the first type of coffee tree introduced to Hawaii. We even saw the first tree that had been planted on Greenwell's coffee farm more than 100 years ago. So cool! The tour gave me a whole new appreciation for coffee.
Next we headed to a nearby town to do a little wandering and shopping. We picked up a couple gifts in Just Ukes, and I bought myself a mug.
Tomkin was delighted to find machetes for sale at Oshima's General Store.
We looked at art and jewelry in some of the "fancier" stores and browsed in some clothing shops.
But we hit the jackpot when we went into the thrift store.
Tomkin bought himself a tuxedo for $20, and I found a dress for $8 and a T-shirt for $2. (Why on earth I brought so many dark-colored clothes to Hawaii, I don't know!)
We also enjoyed talking with other shoppers, many of whom were looking for Halloween costumes. I picked up a couple things at a bookstore, and we also browsed around an antique shop. Then we did some grocery shopping at a health foods store.
For dinner, we went to Keke's, which was right near our B&B and had also been recommended by Johnsie and John-Paul.
We sat at a picnic table outside and spent a long time chatting with one of the owners, who used to live in Chicago. He was really nice and a lot of fun.
Tomkin had the fish tacos, and I got a brisket sandwich with french fries and onion rings. The food was amazing! And it was the least-expensive meal we'd had in a while: $16 for both of us. (Plus, we could buy our own beverages from the little store next door--I got a can of Bud Light Lime for $1!)
We started chatting with another guy, Jamey, who was there eating, and we ended up sitting with him and talking for a long time. He's a freelance writer originally from Tennessee.
We got to see the sun go down and learned about the "vog" (volcanic smog), which blows in from the southeastern part of the island.
Tomkin and I got back to the Coffee Barn about 6:30 and spent the rest of the evening reading, writing out a few postcards, and relaxing. It was another fun and lovely day.
We had asked our B&B owner for some dining recommendations, and for lunch we headed to Keoki's Roadside Cafe, which Johnsie and John-Paul raved about. 
We had some fish (caught the day before) and "chips" (which were actually onion rings). The food was good, but it wasn't especially memorable.
Next we headed to Greenwell Farms, one of the 700 Kona coffee farms in the 22 x 2–mile "Kona Belt." Johnsie had recommended this place for a tour, and I could see why. 
They've been around for generations and are one of the larger farms, but they still provide a nice personal touch. When we first arrived, we waited for a tour guide and tried out a couple different coffees. I especially loved the macadamia nut coffee. 
We chatted with one of the women who works there, and then one of her Hawaiian neighbors arrived with her two dogs. We ended up talking with her for a while, and when we told her about our experience with the dolphins the day before, she told us we must be very blessed if the dolphins were drawn to us that way. I thought that was very sweet! Tomkin and I set off on our tour with Sandro, who was originally from Costa Rica. 
We learned so much about the process of making coffee! It was really fascinating. We saw lots of different trees, and Sandro explained how they take the "cherries" and put them through a machine that removes the skin. 
Then the beans are rinsed with water and dried in the sun. 
Two more layers of skin are removed, and then you have the "green beans," which get shipped to coffee producers around the world (some is also processed and sold locally). 
Kona coffee is made from the first type of coffee tree introduced to Hawaii. We even saw the first tree that had been planted on Greenwell's coffee farm more than 100 years ago. So cool! The tour gave me a whole new appreciation for coffee.
Next we headed to a nearby town to do a little wandering and shopping. We picked up a couple gifts in Just Ukes, and I bought myself a mug. 
Tomkin was delighted to find machetes for sale at Oshima's General Store. 
We looked at art and jewelry in some of the "fancier" stores and browsed in some clothing shops. 
But we hit the jackpot when we went into the thrift store. 
Tomkin bought himself a tuxedo for $20, and I found a dress for $8 and a T-shirt for $2. (Why on earth I brought so many dark-colored clothes to Hawaii, I don't know!)
We also enjoyed talking with other shoppers, many of whom were looking for Halloween costumes. I picked up a couple things at a bookstore, and we also browsed around an antique shop. Then we did some grocery shopping at a health foods store.
For dinner, we went to Keke's, which was right near our B&B and had also been recommended by Johnsie and John-Paul. 
We sat at a picnic table outside and spent a long time chatting with one of the owners, who used to live in Chicago. He was really nice and a lot of fun. 
Tomkin had the fish tacos, and I got a brisket sandwich with french fries and onion rings. The food was amazing! And it was the least-expensive meal we'd had in a while: $16 for both of us. (Plus, we could buy our own beverages from the little store next door--I got a can of Bud Light Lime for $1!)
We started chatting with another guy, Jamey, who was there eating, and we ended up sitting with him and talking for a long time. He's a freelance writer originally from Tennessee.
We got to see the sun go down and learned about the "vog" (volcanic smog), which blows in from the southeastern part of the island.
Tomkin and I got back to the Coffee Barn about 6:30 and spent the rest of the evening reading, writing out a few postcards, and relaxing. It was another fun and lovely day.
1 comments:
Hardware stores on the mainland never have any good machetes. In Hawaii, you need them.
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