Monday, Dec. 25, Hawaii 2012

Merry Christmas to all our friends and family.  

We celebrated Christmas Eve last night by attending a wonderful candle light service at the little church next to our condo.  We had gone there the past two Sundays and they encouraged anyone planning on attending the Christmas eve service to get there early as  they anticipated around 1500 people. We arrived 40 minutes early and the seats were already half filled.  We left that evening feeling so enriched from the beautiful music, singing and a minister that seems to always have a wonderful gift to share.

The view of our condo from the church grounds.  Our unit is 3rd floor, center of the building

The Living Stones Church

In the afternoon preparing for the service. They had over 1000 chairs set up and they needed more.

We hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas with their families and friends.  This is the first Christmas we have had away from home and I must admit, while we are enjoying the weather and company, it does seem like something is missing, that being close to the ones we love the most. 

Merry Christmas from Shirley and Roger, 
The Traveling Huntley's

Saturday, Dec. 22,2012 - Hawaii 2012

Saturday was spent traveling to the east side of the island to visit Hilo and the Hawai'i Tropical Botanical Garden.

Along the way over the pass we noticed some animals along the  shoulder that initially we were not sure what they were, however we finally concluded that they were long legged sheep.

Upon entering Hilo we noticed  a large open air market, so obviously we stopped.  I must admit, the quality of merchandise was superior to the markets we have recently seen.  I even received a nice 30 minute massage while someone else shopped!!

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We finally arrived at our goal, and spent the next 90 minutes viewing and enjoying the many beautiful tropical flowers.  I will just let the pictures speak for them selves.

The ending to another beautiful day in paradise.

Aloha, from

The Traveling Huntley's

Shirley and Roger 

Friday, December 21, 2012

On Friday we completed a loop drive by going north to the end of the road at the north end of the island and then over the hills to Waimea and back down the middle of the island back to Kailua-Kona.


Our first stop was at Hapuna Beach, which some claim, is the nicest beach on the island.  We will return here before we finish our trip.

The next stop was at a roadside barbecue where we had the pork ribs..Excellent, just Excellent!!

We were quite surprised at the many different ecological systems on the island. You would go over a hill and change from heavy vegetation to bare and dry land, followed over the next hill back to basic green pastures.

The area became quite windy and I had just said to Shirley that I am surprised that there were no wind generators  around here.  And then over the next hill we came upon a wind farm with around 20 generators.

And if there is any question about how windy it is out here at the north end of the island check out these two tree pictures.

This truck was certainly decked out for the holiday season.

We arrived in Hawi to see the famous Cuban leader getting a fresh touch.

A friend had mentioned that she had a good friend who owned a gallery in Hawi. We stopped and met Richard, an enjoyable person who used to live in the Seattle area.

This Episcopal Church caught our eye as we drove through the little town of Hawi.  A local  resident opened the door for us and we enjoyed the beauty of the windows.

Pololu Beach and the end of the road.

A hitchhiker

Thee is no question about this area around Waimea being cattle country, especially with the local Parker Ranch, which at one point, was one of the largest private ranches in the United States.

Even their stop signs are special.

Some of the dry aired country side and the special observatories at the summit of Mauna Kea.

Another ending to a beautiful day.