Enjoying the Hilton Waikoloa

I wound up my Hawaii trip with three nights at the Hilton Waikoloa.  No, you're not living like a local as was the case in the house at Kapoho, but it was luxurious and beautiful at the Hilton, and it occurred to me that this might be a nice way to wind down all long Hawaiian trips in the future.  Here's the view at sunrise from my lanai.  Incidentially, the graders were tidying up after the hotel hosted Wheel of Fortune the previous week.  A large stage and bleachers were constructed on the grounds.

The Hilton has a very nice collection of art, mostly displayed in the long passageway between my wing of the hotel and the main lobby, a good quarter of a mile long.  Here's a smiling Buddha.  The hotel spent 5 million dollars to acquire art back in 1988, when it opened.

There are also some resident parrots and macaws.

Shields from New Guinea.  No idea how old they are...they far predate 1988.

A serene Buddha.

There are figures for each of the twelve signs of the Chinese New Year.  Here's the pig.

Here Buddha sits atop a curious horned beast. 

The adult pool at the resort.  Though I didn't tell the staff I don't like kids, they kindly put me almost next to this pool.  I always visited this pool last on the days aqua circuit.

A sunset, with boat gliding by.

Sunset at Buddha Point.  We spent my last two sunsets here...fine and serene spot.  As you might have noticed, Buddha rules at the Hilton Waikoloa.  There are a lot of Japanese guests here, with a fine koi pond.  Restaurants include Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Mexican, and others.  Good shopping too!

On the first of my two full days at the Hilton, I never left the premises.  You could remain on the premises for a long time, actually.  But on the second day Dick and I went afield.  Here's Pu'ukohola Heiau.  This was built by Kamehameha I in 1790...he had a vision that in order to conquer all the Hawaiian Islands, he had to build it.  Stones were transported hand to hand from the Pololu Valley, 30 miles away.  When the heiau was consecrated,  Kamehameha invited his vanquished rival, Keoua, to the ceremony.  Keoua was whacked upon arrival...he knew this would happen...and was made the first human sacrifice at the new shrine.  By 1810 Kamehameha had indeed acquired the entire island chain.

And here's the Pololu Valley.  30 miles from the heiau, it receives maybe 75 inches of rain compared to 10 at Pu'ukohola.  Long way to transport stones hand to hand...talk about labor intensive.

Palm and sea at Pololu.

On the way back we drove the Kohala mountain road, 3000 feet above the sea.  Blow up the pic and you'll see a lot of Parker Ranch cattle chowing down.  The Parker Ranch encompasses a good part of the northwestern part of the island. 

John Palmer Parker came to the Big Island in the early 1800s and made friends with Kamehameha

I...eventually marrying a royal princess, maybe the kings granddaughter.  He acquired a lot of land, and the family added more over the next 150 years.  The ranch is now run by a trust.

The palms again, now at sunset.

My friends Dick and Wilma, with our friend The Buddha. 

The sun makes a fiery disappearance.  I left the Big Island the next day...but I'll be back!  I was in Hawaii 22 days this time...may be my longest trip there ever.  It's pleasant to stay a long time and get accustomed to living in the Aloha State.