02-05-2009, 09:19 AM
While I agree all that is nice, Hawi is turning into a regular Mendocino type tourist village, crowded with people in tourist garb - which makes the folks who live there mutter in disgust and avoid town.
What could happen to Pahoa if it were every cleaned up and made really cute, so beware what you ask for ...
The tourists seeing the statue ... yes, one of the pet peeves of the residents the way the tourists just walk into the road in front of traffic as if seeing the statue gives you immunity to accident and automatic right of way.
The best of North Kohala happens behind the scenes, as in Puna, as in Mendocino. Went to a fantastic 4th of July potluck in a barn with live music, that was the essence of old time living in the country fun last year ...
They have full moon parties at Mahukona ...
Sunset at Mahukona is one of the better ways to meet a few folks who live there and talk story. Also the bar at Luke's place and the little "bistro" attached to Kohala Artists Collective (just before Kapa'au). Tropical Dreams coffee in the morning when the tourists haven't arrived yet.
Try spending a night at the Kohala Village Inn and see the area outside of the tourist crunch window in the main part of the day.
An old friend of mine from Mendocino has lived there for 15-20 years, so that area was our nexus for friends when we got here. I liived there 2003-2005, off and on. To make it there now you kind of have to be a wealthy hippy ... ex-wife of one of the Dead (actual example), retired successful potgrower, timber baron ...
it's like Puna only the counter-culture folks spend way more on the land and more of them have estates. Still a lot of salt of the earth type people who arrived after the Kohala Mill closed when land was cheap, which was what out woodworker friend did.
It's worth trekking out to Mo'okini Heiau. Ocean is gorgeous along there, lots of whales, not so much pali lie in HPP, more elevated rocky coast. Air is wonderfully fresh.
Another walk is down to the old lighthouse on Mill Road.
What could happen to Pahoa if it were every cleaned up and made really cute, so beware what you ask for ...
The tourists seeing the statue ... yes, one of the pet peeves of the residents the way the tourists just walk into the road in front of traffic as if seeing the statue gives you immunity to accident and automatic right of way.
The best of North Kohala happens behind the scenes, as in Puna, as in Mendocino. Went to a fantastic 4th of July potluck in a barn with live music, that was the essence of old time living in the country fun last year ...
They have full moon parties at Mahukona ...
Sunset at Mahukona is one of the better ways to meet a few folks who live there and talk story. Also the bar at Luke's place and the little "bistro" attached to Kohala Artists Collective (just before Kapa'au). Tropical Dreams coffee in the morning when the tourists haven't arrived yet.
Try spending a night at the Kohala Village Inn and see the area outside of the tourist crunch window in the main part of the day.
An old friend of mine from Mendocino has lived there for 15-20 years, so that area was our nexus for friends when we got here. I liived there 2003-2005, off and on. To make it there now you kind of have to be a wealthy hippy ... ex-wife of one of the Dead (actual example), retired successful potgrower, timber baron ...
it's like Puna only the counter-culture folks spend way more on the land and more of them have estates. Still a lot of salt of the earth type people who arrived after the Kohala Mill closed when land was cheap, which was what out woodworker friend did.
It's worth trekking out to Mo'okini Heiau. Ocean is gorgeous along there, lots of whales, not so much pali lie in HPP, more elevated rocky coast. Air is wonderfully fresh.
Another walk is down to the old lighthouse on Mill Road.