Deux Ans de Vacances (2025)

01/12/2018

50 ways to say, rain

The Hilo weather report always makes me laugh. A typical weather report in the Herald Tribune Hawaii would be:

Today
A brief shower or two.

Tonight
A few showers this evening.

Thursday
Variable clouds with showers.

Friday
Partly sunny with showers.

Saturday
Cloudy with a shower or two.

Sunday
Mostly cloudy with showers.

Or
Partial sun; passing showers.

Partly cloudy; passing showers.

Partly sunny; a quick shower.

A shower or two; limited sun.

Mostly cloudy with showers.

Limited sun; showers around.

Mostly cloudy; showers around.

Clouds and sun, a few showers.

A stray shower, partly sunny.

A passing shower, mainly early.

An AM shower, partly sunny.

A stray shower late.

A spotty shower some sunshine.

And so on.

HILO CLIMATE

Hilo is in the climate zone “tropical, continuously wet” as opposed to, say, “tropical, winter dry” or “tropical, monsoon”, three climate zones of the eight that can be encountered on the Big Island. The climate in Hilo is determined by the tropical latitude, the trade winds, and sea breeze. The Mountains prevent the rain from travelling over to the Kona-side.

BIG ISLAND HAS ALMOST ALL OF THE WORLD’S CLIMATE ZONES

There are 13 climate zones altogether. These zones were defined by the scientist Wladimir Peter Köppen around 1900 and published 1918. There are other models, but this one is the most widely in use. And in case you were wondering, the missing climate zones are “winter dry (temperate climate)”, “winter dry (continental climate)”, “summer dry (continental climate)”, “continuously wet (continental climate)”, and “polar ice caps (polar climate)”. In any case, Big Island’s climate is highly varied.

THE UPSIDE OF TROPICAL RAIN

In Hilo it’s raining almost every day, but rarely all day and night. The rain is warm, so not unpleasant, though you will get drenched once it gets going.

On the upside it creates an interesting light and makes for marvellous cloudscapes reflected in the ocean. And, of course, it creates an unusual amount of rainbows. Like any coastal area on the Big Island, Hilo can be very hot, but clouds, wind and rain make the heat more bearable.

18/11/2018

Pride of America

The Pride of America is a cruise ship that travels the Hawaiian Islands only, as opposed to the other cruise ships visiting Hilo that travel the world. She is comes in once a week every Tuesday making it the cruise ship most likely to be encountered in Hilo harbor.

THE KILAUEA ERUPTION

In early May 2018 when the volcanic eruption geared up, the Pride of America, like other cruise ships, suspended her stops on the Big Island for security reasons. No cruise ship was to be seen in Hilo harbor for well over a month.

Mid June she was back, much to the relief of the people in Hilo, many of whose livelihood depends on a steady stream of tourists. It was generally taken as a sign that the worst was over now and things were getting back to normal.

AMERICA THEMED

The interior of the Pride of America is impressive and, of course, American themed. There are 15 bars and restaurants, shops, a library, three swimming pools, a theatre, a wedding chapel. You can watch movies, listen to lectures or take part in dance classes, amongst others. If you’d like to see for yourself, there are video clips by former passengers that filmed a tour of the ship and posted it online.

REGISTERED IN THE USA

The Pride of America is the only major cruise ship that is registered in the United States. The vast majority of other commercial ships calling American ports fly so called convenience flags, such as the Bahamas, Panama or Malta. That means American law does not apply to these ships. The nations whose open registries are the most popular also tend to be those who possess the most lax labor, safety and environmental codes. In short, it allows them to cut their costs.

ALL AMERICAN CREW

There are 900 crew on board of the Pride of America. That’s one crew for every two or three passengers. All crew are American citizens or legal residents. Again this is very unusual. Normally crews are multinational and cruise ships pay wages according the country the crew is from. So, an American crew would be paid more than, say, a Malaysian.

Please read the full story here:
http://deuxansdevacanc.es/en/landscapes/pride-of-america/

15/10/2018

Kava on the rocks

Kava on the rocks of Kailua Kona bayfront, watching the sun go down over the ocean.

Kava or ‘awa in Hawaiian language, has been consumed throughout the Pacific Ocean, though it’s exact origin is unknown.

In Hawaii some 30 different kava strains have been in use for a variety of reasons, such as ritually or medicinally. Kava has relaxing and uplifting qualities due to the kavalactones it contains. Today it’s mainly enjoyed as a drink to relax and socialize.

There had been a health scare in the early 2000s about a possible adverse effects the drink has on the liver, leading to kava being banned by some countries. But kava had been enjoyed safely for centuries in the Pacific and the results seem to be connected to kava products that are extracted by agents other than water, certain strains of the so-called “non-noble” varieties, and the use of parts other than the roots.

Kava is closely related to black pepper. To prepare the drink, the kava root can be freshly grated, or dried and ground into a powder, and mixed with hot or cold water. Kava is oily and doesn’t dissolve in water, which is why one has to give it a stir before serving.

Kava looks grey-green and tastes slightly bitter or peppery. The first thing one notices is a numbing effect on the lips and tongue. It’s traditionally drunk from coconut shells.

This kava was from Kanaka Kava in Kailua Kona.

28/06/2018

Lava glow

This is how bright the the lava rivers are at night. They light up the sky. It looks a bit like a sunset in the east.

FAST FLOWING LAVA STREAMS

Just to recap, the Kilauea erupted from May in a number of fissures. Fissure eight produced fast flowing lava rivers that overran Kapoho, evaporated Green Lake, and destroyed Vacationland and Kapoho Beach Lots. Kapoho Bay was filled by lava and the land extended out into the ocean for about 500m (which is roughly a third of a mile).

HOW FAR YOU CAN SEE THE GLOW?

You can see the glow not only from Pahoa, but also from certain parts of Hilo, which is the biggest town on Big Island, Hawaii. It’s also visible from the top of Mauna Kea, which, at 13,803 feet (4,207m), is the tallest mountain on the island and ca. 45 m (about 70km) away from the nearest lava streams.

ROADBLOCKS

The subdivision Leilani Estates is currently most affected by the fissures. Its eastern part is a no go area and you can be fined get arrested if you are found there. The western part of Leilani can be accessed by residents, only. There are roadblocks set up by the police to ensure that no one else accesses that area. Some parts of Kapoho are cut off by the lava streams and evacuated for that reason.

24/06/2018

Solicitist? 😅

Somewhere in Downtown Hilo.

22/06/2018

Something completely different, but this is also part of the Big Island – beaches. The island is not only rock and volcanoes, although it mostly is.

THE THING ABOUT BEACHES ON THE BIG ISLAND

Don’t be surprised, if you find that most of the “beach parks” on the Big Island are not exactly sandy dunes. It’s more rocky bays that might have a lawn or even some steps and railing to make it easier to get into the water – and more importantly out of it. In fact, I would argue Denmark has more sandy beaches than the island of Hawaii. Which is ironic, given its beach and surfer’s paradise image. But each Hawaiian island is different. This island has so many weird and wonderful places. It’s just, sandy beaches is not its strong suit.

EXTRAORDINARY BEACHES

Having said this, Big Island it has extra special beaches to make up for it. So, for example it has some of those very rare green sand beaches and an unusual amount of black sand beaches, which have a haunting beauty. In fact, huge amounts of black sand is produced as we speak, as black sand is produced where lava pours into the ocean and explodes into fine particles. You can actually see that on some of the Youtube videos that are uploaded by people who have been to the ocean entry of the current lava flow.

WHITE SAND IN HAWAII

White sand on the other hand needs time. On the Hawaiian Islands, white sand means ground down mollusk shells and coral skeletons. So, it’s not surprising that you find white sand more in the north west of Big Island. Just to recapitulate, everything north west on the Hawaiian Islands is older than the south east, because of its unique geological nature.

As to be expected, black sand feels firmer and almost crunchy. The white sand on the other hand feels lighter and smother, due to its rounded particles. The downside is, if it contains a high shell content, like the sand at Waikiki beach, it sticks to your skin and is really hard to get off.

MY FAVOURITE BEACHES

So, here are my favorite white sandy beaches on the big island in order of preference: Makalawena, Mohoili and Kua Bay beach (also know as Manini’owali beach).

14/06/2018

Should I write or should I not?

A huge, old Green Turtle who was a regular at Champagne Pond with Manini fish grazing algae off its back. It loved to rest in the warm waters of the geothermically heated pond. I do not have a waterproof camera, so I can only take shots like this when it comes right up to the shore – and it often did.

On 2 June 2018 a lava flow from the recent Kilauea eruption reached Green Lake Crater. The fresh water lake in the crater evaporated within an hour. The area south of the crater was untouched by the 1958 flow in the west and 1960 flow in the east. It looked like the crater would save the area from any lava flow. It was pretty much gone the same day. Two days later Vacationland and Kapoho Beach Lots were destroyed and with them the the Waiopae tide pools with their coral reefs and the Champagne Pond. Kapoho bay was filled with lava and the shoreline has been extended one mile out into the ocean.

Farms, gardens, vacation homes – everything gone, burned and melted into the lava. Completely destroyed forever. With the neighborhood went the people. Often I don’t know where they are. Sometimes I see photos or read about them in local papers like the Herald Tribune Hawaii or the Honululu Star-Advertiser.

No parties, no potlucks, no jam sessions, no yoga, no fruit stands, no art. I have got so many pictures and memories about this place and planned to gradually write about it. Now, my blog is not chronological. I post whatever I find interesting on the day. It does not necessarily reflect, what I do that day or where I am.

I always had the idea that my blog is about places that people can visit. But what about places that ceased to exist? Would anybody want to read about those? Would it upset people to read about them?

If you have got any thoughts about that, please, let me know.

29/05/2018

This is where the lava stopped …

… in 2014, just before Pahoa at the local dump (or transfer station as it’s officially called). This is a reminder that outbreaks in that area are frequent and temporary. The Kilauea has been continuously erupting since 1983.

I’ll take this as an opportunity for me to let everyone know, I’m safe. Only a small part of Big Island is critically affected. At the moment it’s mostly the area around Leilani Estate.

Living on Big Island means, living on top of a massive shield volcano – taller than Mount Everest from the sea floor up. Generally speaking, areas in the southwest are younger and more active than in the northeast. This is because the tectonic plate Hawaii is situated on, slides slowly in northeasterly direction over a volcanic hotspot, producing a chain of islands on the go. As the trade winds blow from the northeast, it’s mostly the regions southwest of the Kilauea that battle volcanic smog and occasionally ash.

It’s also an opportunity to explain, why there are no pictures of active fissures and lava flows on my blog. Apart from the fact that it’s dangerous and illegal to go there, I respect the privacy of people who have lost everything or are still battling for their livelihood.

However, for anyone that’s interested, there are still residents that resisted a mandatory evacuation and post regular updates on on Facebook and Youtube. This is about as close as I will ever get to the fissures, too.

19/05/2018

Outrigger canoe race

Early morning, at a boat race in Honaunau, last preparations are made before the women’s eight mile to Kealakeua bay and back.

Outrigger canoes (wa’a in Hawaiian language) have been invented some 5000 years ago in the South East Asia. In their seafaring form they were used to discover the Hawaiian Islands. The Polynesians were great seafarers and navigated without instruments.

Because stability is created by the distance between outrigger and hull, the form of the canoe can be more hydrodynamically efficient and they are therefore faster. Originally, the canoes were made of the wood of Koa trees. Today, they are made of fiberglass. You will still find traditionally made outrigger canoes in races, but they will race in their own category.

The most common canoe in sports is a six-person outrigger canoe. Outrigger canoes are paddled forward on alternate sides. Paddlers switch sides simultaneously on a call from a designated caller. The steerer, of course, can paddle on either side as needed.

Each paddler has an important role – In the back of the canoe sits the steerer. In the front seat the stroker, (s)he is responsible for setting the pace. Strong paddlers are placed in the middle of the boat. One of them will be designated a caller. In long distant races paddlers will be exchanged from the water, transported there from an es**rt boat.

Outrigger canoe racing is the state sport of Hawaii and an interscholastic high school sport. There are short sprint races as well as long distance races. The most famous races are the Molokaʻi Hoe, a 43 mi (69 km) men’s race from the island of Molokai to Oahu, Na Wahine O Ke Kai (same race for women) and the Queen Liliʻuokalani Race held near Kona on Big Island.

09/05/2018

Banana Fritters

1 banana

1 TBS flour

1 egg

Optional: vanilla extract and a pinch of baking powder.

Fry. Serve with ice cream, if available

Though made in Hawaii, the recipe is Birgit’s, who is entirely Austrian.

03/05/2018

Useful information

I found this “useful information” in the back of an exercise book. My co-worker says, this is like something straight out of “Rick and Morty” and not used by Americans. I pointed out that it says “useful information”.

Just to give you an idea:

20 grains (gr.) = 1 scruple

3 scruples = 1 dram

16 drams = 1 ounce (oz.)

24 grains (gr.) = 1 penny-weight (dwt)

2 barrels = 1 hogshead (had.)

8 quarts = 1 peck (pk.)

4 pecks = 1 bushel (bu.)

1 bu. potatoes = 60 lbs.

1 barrel flour = 196 lbs.

128 cubic feet = 1 cord of wood

24-3/4 cubic feet =1 perch of stone

2000 pounds = 1 ton (T.)

2240 pounds = 1 long ton (L.T.)

-weight

28/04/2018

Rad!

Radish at Waimea Town Market.

28/04/2018

Centipede

Scolopendra subspinipes is Hawaii’s only centipede with “medical importance” – which basically means, medical care might be of importance to you, when bitten. Though extremely painful, their bite is usually not lethal to humans.

Though one can often read that they are aggressive and can rear up two thirds of their body length to bite you, you will usually find them minding their own business and trying to get away as quickly as their short legs can carry them – which is astonishingly fast.

Unfortunately, they like dark places to hide, which makes towels, shoes and other human things ideal and this is usually where accidents happen.

Although they are called centipede, they do not have a hundred legs. They have 21 segments with two legs per segment and can be up to 8 inches (20cm). This one was about 5 inches (13cm). They molt to grow bigger and may live for 10 years or more.

These centipedes are nocturnal and usually hunt everything they can wrap their tiny legs around, which can be anything from small insects to mice, if they can get one. They will curl around the victim, holding onto it with their many legs like claws, injecting poison with their fangs.

They also have a softer side to themselves. Females guard their eggs until they are hatched.

19/04/2018

Book Choy Kimchi

Upon special request, here a recipe.

Bok choi kimchi

grate:
ginger
carrots

chop:
garlic
bok choi

slice:
radish

Mix and stack in a mason jar.

blend:
apple cider vinegar
cayenne pepper
liquid aminos
water
sugar
salt

You want enough liquid to fill the jar. Add ingredients to taste. Close jar and let it sit for 48 hours unrefrigerated. Then transfer it to the fridge.

This is Claire’s recipe. She is my co-worker and an awesome vegan cook. By the way, the bok choi and ginger have been grown and harvested by herself.

17/04/2018

Cheat death

“Cheat death, use the hand rail.”

Rather dramatic advice on the staircase of a restaurant in Kailua Kona.

15/04/2018

Kawikohale Point

A salt water pool at Kawikohale Point with white coral stones in the foreground, black lava fields in the background and in the distance Pu’u Ku’ili, which is an old cinder cone.

04/04/2018

The Miracle Berry (Synsepalum dulcificum), when eaten, causes sour foods to taste sweet. This effect is due to a glycoprotein called miraculin and can last up to 30 minutes. The Miracle Berry originates in tropical West Africa.

It never got approved as a food by the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration). Without FDA backing, it’s legal to buy whole berries, or powdered ones, and to sell them in a restaurant or cafe, but you can’t distribute miraculin containing products in the US.

The circumstances surrounding this seem to be a story of mystery and intrigue, involving people being followed in a car, stolen research files, an FDA commissioner who accepted a bribe, alleged sabotage by the sugar industry and Donald Rumsfeld.

Also worth mentioning, there are “flavor tripping parties” featuring the miracle berry.

You can find these stories online.

19/03/2018

Please, land here! –> X

Argiope aurantia (aka yellow garden spider aka black and yellow garden spider aka golden garden spider aka writing spider aka corn spider aka McKinley spider) builds radial webs with with a dense zigzag of silk, known as a stabilimentum, near the center (not necessarily in an x-shape). It’s not clear why.

Deux Ans de Vacances

01/12/2018

18/11/2018

15/10/2018

28/06/2018

24/06/2018

22/06/2018

14/06/2018

29/05/2018

19/05/2018

09/05/2018

03/05/2018

28/04/2018

28/04/2018

19/04/2018

17/04/2018

15/04/2018

04/04/2018

19/03/2018

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