Colin and Cecile Travels

 Time for the color change in the Smokies, we took a morning drive through the Cade's Cove Scenic Loop in the Smoky Mountains National Park only about an hour and a half from the house. Saw four bears but with all the people trying to take pictures, we passed without getting any pictures.  We were however able to capture some of the beautiful colors. John Oliver Cabin Cades Cove Missionary Baptist Church

 Last chance this morning to stop back in at Ken's House of Pancakes, then a drive around the Island to Punalu'u Black Sand Beach.  Usually you can see sea turtles here, but the tide was high and there was a tour bus here so no turtles.   Story of the Mystical Turtles of Punalu'u  Black Sand was beautiful From here we decided to try to find Fissure 8 that erupted from a crack in the earth in the Eastern Rift Zone of Kilauea.  They are doing tours of the area, but the  owner of the property was off island so could not do a tour.  The area is restricted and blocked off, so we drove around to find a view point. The man that owns the property that fissure 8 is on said (on his web site) that lava from fissure 7 destroyed his house then fissure 8 opened up where his house used to be. Note the "No trespassing sign" but we walked out to take a look. The picture does not really give a perspective, but the cone created by Fissure 8 is 170 feet tall. Panoram...

  Spent the day around town today, started with a short drive up to Rainbow Falls. Waterflow is down as this is the Dry Season Above the Falls After a walk around the shops downtown, we made a stop at the Puna Chocolate Company to try out some locally grown and produced Chocolate. YUM In the park in the center of Hilo is a Statue of Kamehameha The Great Across the park The threes create a canopy In the afternoon we decided to take a walk from the hotel down Banyan Drive (appropriately Named). The hotel is on Banyan Drive The Banyan Trees line both sides of the drive At the other end of the drive from our hotel is the  Liliʻuokalani Gardens Perspective to show the size of these trees Beautiful Flowering trees Beautiful Gardens and a great place for a walk Hawaii Trip 2023 Hilo Day 6