Hawaii

Nothing kills the winter blues quite like a week in a tropical paradise. Thankfully, my dad has a conference in Hawaii every few years and was nice enough to bring me along. I thought I'd share some photos to make up for the lackluster posting as of late.


What's a visit to Hawaii without some giant tikis?
Here, you are staring into the crater of a volcano in the Puna district of the big island of Hawai'i. To set the mood, imagine the thick smell of sulfur surrounding you because of......SULFUR FIELDS! These steaming vents spew all kinds of fun gasses. There's nothing quite like seeing the ground steam around you.

The picture above doesn't really do justice to this landscape. Practically no plant life as far as the eye can see is one of the strangest things I've ever seen. It looks like a different planet.
This is the view from inside a lava tube, which is a cave-like channel left when a lava flow hardens. Probably the coolest thing about this is that the outside of the tube is coated in plant life, and the roots work their way into the ceiling of the tube and hang down into the pathway. Everything is dripping.

What amazed me the most about the big island of Hawai'i, is the diversity the landscapes. If you drive from one side of the island to the other, you'll go through rain forest, grassland, cactus-coated desert and a barren land of lava rock.
Above is why Oahu is a little disappointing for me. If you're in downtown Honolulu, you essentially feel like you're in Miami or something. It's way too crowded and urbanized to really feel like Hawaii. Luckily, a little place called Puka Dogs totally makes up for it with freakishly delicious eatables.

Speaking of food, I should mention how amazing it is to have fresh fruits and fish being served all around you. Also super fresh coffee and Kona Brewing Company improved the trip considerably.
Also, it does have amazing beaches. I guess that counts for something.Pearl Harbor is one of the most interesting places I've ever been. It's chilling to watch a gas bubble slowly rise out of the Arizona and dissipate into the harbor.

Tomorrow, I should be back with some artwork. Pat Moore is trying to prod me into doing a sketch a day challenge, so we'll see if that happens...