Hawaii is famous for Kona coffee and to find the coffee plantations, you have to get to a small elevation zone that has sufficient rainfall on the dry Kona Coast. We stop by Mountain Thunder, the largest organic coffee farm in the U.S. What's cool about this farm is that you can roam among the coffee trees and witness the various stages of the coffee bean: from bud to flower to green bean and finally into a mature bean.
Afterwards, we stop by a booth and enjoy the strong aroma of the coffee beans. There were also some chilis that Locke picks up...not quite sure how that plays in the mix, but alas who knows?!?
Hapuna Beach
It's time to relax back at the hotel, so we make a quick lunch stop in Kailua-Kona and head north to Hapuna Beach on the Kohala Coast. Rated as one of the best beaches in the USA, Hapuna has incredibly soft sand and a tide that's not too intense for the young ones. Unfortunately, as I was wondering along the beach, I notice a small baggy-like item with blue stringy things coming out of it. Not sure if it was real or man-made, so I poke at it and it moves – yikes! It's a baby Portuguese man-o-war, and I immediately notify the nearest lifeguard. However, he is quite cavalier about it and doesn't inform the swimming public. I'm hoping there weren't any stings, but with a few other jellyfishes on the beach, I'm sure some of the swimmers weren't as lucky as I was.
For our last meal in Hawaii, Locke & I splurge a bit and dine on the restaurant patio at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel. What's interesting is that as each couple was seated near us, we realized they all were from Japan and each couple was decked out in matching Hawaiian gear. It was quite amusing, but Locke & I nevertheless enjoyed a breathtaking sunset and our best meal of the trip!
>> Al
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