TLCTravels

When we stay in Waikoloa on the Big Island, we often drive north and visit the Kohala coast and the small towns in the area. King Kamehameha statue stands proud in the town of Kapa'au in front of the old courthouse. Originally commissioned to celebrate the centennial arrival of Captain Cook to the Hawaiian Islands, the statue was going to stand in Honolulu but delays occurred and it ended up in the town of Kapa'au. The statue is cast brass and painted in original lifelike colors. It is also near the birthplace of the King. When we visited the statue last, we encountered a tourist who wanted to fly his drone around the statue. He was asking for permission from the tourist stop and the answer was 'no'.  Have you seen the statue in Kapa'au? Or in Honolulu? If so, we want to hear from you. Please leave us a comment.

On our last trip to the Big Island, we wanted to explore the infamous Saddle Road that was on the news when the lava from Mauna Loa was going to jump the road. We took the Hawaii Belt Road from Kailua-Kona and headed north then we went east on Saddle Road toward Hilo. After an hour drive, the landscape began changing. It was clear that we have reached the region where lava had ravaged the land. Cinder cones started to pop up. Thick black smooth lava covered large areas of land. The black lava could be seen for miles. It looked surreal, almost like we were on another planet.