We started our day birding, but first went to the Paradise bakery for coffee and fresh malasadas (Portuguese donuts) to take with us during this arduous time (just joking). Mine was filled with guava jelly. David had the toasted coconut. Sadly, we saw few birds at the end of our usual mountain road. We finally figured out the name of our mountain: Hualalai, the 3rdyoungest of the 5 volcanoes of the Big Island. It means shy, as it often hides behind some clouds. Actually today was so clear again that we could see Mauis Haleakala and coastline.
Driving on some alternative roads down the mountain, we stumbled across the Mountain Thunder Kona Coffee Farm, just 10 mins before a tour, so we finally found out quite a bit about coffee:
2) Monks were credited with roasting them first – they didnt like the taste of the beans someone gave them when they were raw and tossed them in a fire to burn - they loved the smell and tried them again, as a brew, which helped them stay awake to pray!
9) Peaberries are the occasional beans (just a few per plant) that are the very best – no bitterness. We got that to try.
I guess I also learned that I shouldnt keep beans or grounds in the fridge or freezer, but rather in a vacuum packed container away from light and temperature extremes.
After the tour we walked the grounds/gardens and took most of the photos of plants and flowers. Of course we were actually looking for birds but didnt see anything new. It has a lovely view out over the ocean however.
After a quick stop home to make up our usual taro bun and cheese & tomato sandwiches and a short nap, we were
off for another walk – this time down near the coastline at a very large park. It being Saturday, the place was packed, with many huge trucks and vans, families under tents, surfer dudes and young kids riding the waves! Our trail went around a lovely golf course – must be exclusive as we saw only 2 groups golfing.
We came upon some sort of garden where vegetables were being grown and everything labeled. We even saw a man with a speargun going into the water. We were nervous about staying to watch him try back out, as the surf is in big swells. This was our hottest day and we long to go snorkeling again.
A stop at Costco was fascinating: they still had the $4.99 roasted chickens and big screen TVs we are used to in Ohio, but also poke bowls and ahi raw tuna, Hawaiian shirts and cover ups at great prices, surfboards of all lengths, etc. We didnt want to buy a giant bag of salad or vegetables, so the to the poke bowl sushi will be scalloped potato. Such might catch on.
get to #20 new birds to our We have 19 new ones according to Merlin, the app we send photos to. While we are on birds, a word about the Pacific plover. Hawaiian folklore – and probably backed up by science – is that the ancient mariners from Polynesia discovered the islands by watching the migration of this bird.
