Shipman House, Waianuhea etc.
Author: Artis Bandonis0 COMMENTS
The Hawaii's are acclaimed as an abode of the most perfect climate in the world - and how true it is. A dryer weather of the Western side of the Big Island compensates rainfalls of the Eastern - not excessive but just sufficient to turn Hawaii's into one of the greenest places on Earth. The sunny, Western, side, however, is more utilized by tourist industry, as all the luxury hotels are concentrated there.
Though, even mass tourism attractions promise a unique Hawaii's experience. A trip too see whales is truly astonishing - for a brief moment a gigantic mammal's back appears above the water, than a flap with a tale - and water splashes several meters high. And a school of dolphins, jumping and making pirouettes around the boat. But on the beach, right next to you - a huge turtle is hiding under the sand.
In just two hours, leaving a tropical zone behind, one can reach 4000 meter altitude - the location of one of the biggest and most advanced observatories in the world. Even lighting of the beneath city is adjusted not to obstruct star exploration. It is slightly below zero and a bitterly cold wind blows on the top of a lifeless volcano. Some warmer clothes can become very handy there. Even after an hour of acclimatization at the information center (3 km high), feeling of slight dizziness persists. Icicles, glittering on wayside wire-ropes and clouds down at the traveler feet create moon-like scenery...
A Big Island helicopter tour reveals unbelievable sights too - enormous black lave fields, some scorched trees and the ocean shore, turned into a boiling pot by the fiery lava stream. A fantastic Earth's power, described in geography books, here becomes a reality. A bird's eye view displays a volcano crater and splashing lava, moving slowly downward. Somewhere else a red-hot mass has almost touched a threshold of some house but newspaper stands are selling postcards with a car, stuck in a boiling river of lava up to its windows. No need to mention earthquakes - in this corner of the Earth they are almost habitual.
Shipman House
The fifth generation of a Hawaii's family offers their hospitability at Shipman House. They surely dispel the common notion that Bed & Breakfast has no chick and elegance. This house, built in 1899, still retains Victorian age aura - much of its original furniture is still there and books in the library are of a century ago. Awareness that almost everything here is created especially for this house brings about a very special feeling!
Shipman House is located in Hilo, a town on the Big Island's Eastern side. Five star-hotels and deluxe resorts have yet not overwhelmed the small fishermen villages and life there, without pandering to the tourism industry, quietly rolls on. A Shipman House hostess enthusiastically shares her knowledge about her favorite nearby restaurants, which is not likely to happen in some large and impersonal hotel chain. And indeed, trusting her advice, we find superb Thai and Japanese cuisines.
The mansion, surrounded by palm-trees, bamboo and ferns, offers just 5 accommodations - with all modern amenities, cotton kimonos and king-size beds. The biggest charm of the living-room is the black Steinway concert grand piano, once played by the Hawaii's last queen, Lili`uokalani. Shipman guests too are allowed to strum a melody on it. But in a Flossie's bedroom, in 1907, for a whole month have stayed Jack London himself.
A terrace, viewing a tropical garden, stretching out in more then 5 acres, a continental breakfast, gracious hospitality and an excellent service - that altogether form a worthy competition even for such a giant as Four Seasons.
$205 - $225 per night, per double.
Address: 131 Ka'iulani Street Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Phone / Fax: (080) 934-8002, (800) 627-8447
Email: bighouse@bigisland.com
www.hilo-hawaii.com
Waianuhea
Finding a huge American style house, located in Ahualoa region, northern part of the Hawaii's Big Island, is not an easy task at all. An existing prohibition of any kind of signboards or advertisements does not make it any easier - no indications help to decide in which direction to look for the above mentioned Bed & Breakfast.
Waianuhea, surrounded by a fantastic tropical garden, offers a peaceful privacy - a right place for a secluded hideaway. Waianuhea has just five accommodations, with a living-room, a bedroom and a small terrace, and a so called Great Room for wider gatherings and weddings. A modern, yet, somewhat chaotic and kitschy interior seems a bit more appealing on travel photos, after returning home. However, feasting on multilayer breakfast omelet in a family type dining room with just a few more guests around feels very charming. Sensitive and individual service there is guarantied.
Waianuhea Bed & Breakfast is environment friendly - it operates using solar energy. An accommodation, according to ones budget, can be chosen from A'ala (sweet-smelling, royal) and Olu'olu (pleasant, nice, contented), to Li'oli'o (brilliant), Malamalama (enlightenment) and Kaulana Akea (spacious resting-place).
$195 - $400 per night, per room.
Address: P.O. Box 185 - 45 - 3503 Kahana Drive, Honokaa, Hawaii 96727
Phone: (808) 775 1118, (888) 775 2577
Fax: (888) 296 6302
Email: info@waianuhea.com
www.waianuhea.com
Suisan Retail Market and a Japanese Garden
In a small and simple store, about ten minutes drive from Shipman House one can find fabulous, fresh fish, just from fishermen's nets. A degustation counter is loaded with at least ten different fish salads, marinated fish with various dressings, as well as raw fish - and everything incredibly delicious! A gourmet's order is prepared right on the spot and can be enjoyed either at small tables outside or in the nearby Japanese garden, taking a meal with you.
Created in the beginning of the 20th century, Liliuokalani (named after Queen Liliuokalani, the last reigning monarch of the Hawaiian Islands) is the biggest Japanese garden outside Japan. It gives a unique opportunity to enjoy authentic example of the Far East landscape gardening. Among oriental plantings, walkways, ponds and bridges are located Japanese teashops. A Japanese woman, who seems to be at least a hundred years old shares with tourists' the art of the tea ceremony. The ornamental Japanese Park, built to honor Japanese immigrants, muffles down city noises - giving place to peace and serenity
Ron Artis
We are met by a black man in his backyard, loaded with brightly painted surfboards. Clad in a shirt and pair of jeans, specked with paint - even the once white sneakers are not spared by his creative outbursts. Having moved from multimillion Los Angeles to Oahu Island, Ron Artis started his own business in a small village of Waialuahis. A shed is turned into a private record-studio, a neglected garden - into a free museum space, but the host himself loves to play some jazz or blues composition on his newly acquired Steinway. Almost sixty-year old veteran strives to instill his enthusiasm for music into the rest of his family too.
Alongside with painting shirts and surfboards, giving concerts and making music records, Ron Artis has created more that 789 murals all over Hawaii's. He has tried to liven up even some canteens of the U.S. Navy ships and submarines, painting fantastic ocean scenes, dolphins and palm-trees there.
In the end of the visit a collection of Hawaii's souvenirs is supplemented with one more item - a shirt with an inscription „Art... is ronartis.com", created by Ron himself.
Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort
Outrigger hotel is a very good reason for staying in the touristy side of the Hawaii's Big Island - or to be more precise - to have a dinner there. A buffet table, laden with fantastic fresh sea products - shrimps, mussels, and raw tuna fish - eating too much is almost inevitable there. And when it is absolutely clear that you have reached your limit, huge and juicy crab legs are brought - it is shame not to taste them - and they are fantastic! Any other crustaceans in Europe or anywhere else can not even be compared to this delicious treat! And abundance of proteins is guarantied.
Address 78-6740 Alii Drive, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, 96740
Phone: 808-322-3441
Fax: 808-322-3117
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