Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau (Place of Refuge) is now a National Historic Park and has really changed since Diana and I last visited 20 years ago. Then we were the only people there. From the last trip, I remembered that Hawaiians who broke a kapu (ancient law) could avoid death if they could make it to this location. There they could be absolved by a priest and freed to leave. I didn't remember that royalty also lived there.
This is the reconstructed Hale o Keawe heiau (temple) which was the burial place of Kona nobility until the early 1800's when the kapu system was abolished.
The heiau is surrounded by these cool totems, although I'm sure they're not called totems.
And these two.
Ron demonstrates an ancient game.
And we found a tree mold, formed when lava surrounds a tree.
How about this for adaptation? Black crabs climbing over the lava.
Next, we visited St. Benedict's Church, also known as the Painted Church for obvious reasons.
Wow!
And of course, we had to go to the southernmost point on the island, and therefore in the United States.
Nearby, young people were jumping off the cliff into the ocean. then climbing up a very shaky ladder.
Are they crazy?
Of the three faces, your is definitely the best looking!! Sometimes I think those Hawaiian kids have no fear (or no sense!!). Enjoyed your pictures.
ReplyDeleteOkay, own up. What law did you break that you had to be absolved from? And this was your second visit...I guess you didn't learn from the first time? ;c)
ReplyDeleteWhatever kapu you broke, you must have been absolved since you were allowed to come back to the US ;-)
ReplyDeleteFinally, I'm all caught up ... thanks for taking us on the cruise with you and I'm looking forward to your island stay now.
The two trips we did to Hawaii were both done by hitching a ride on the Air National Guard plane going to Hawaii for weekend exercises ... that was back in the 1980s and we only got to see Honolulu and environs. So, I especially enjoyed seeing some of the other islands on your cruise.
Yes, they're crazy. I wouldn't want to be in that water, much less jump in or climb back up that ladder.
ReplyDelete