Wednesday we made our way from the volcano side of Big Island over to the Fairmont Orchid in Puako. I hadn’t seen this part of Big Island yet, so I was particularly interested. We stopped at a Hawaiian historical site called Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park and a popular coffee farm along the way to break up the drive. Meanwhile, the Colorado Avalanche were playing in the finals and we were just able to stream the games.
We had a guide talk to us about the significance of this site. If a Hawaiian got in trouble, it could some times lead to punishment by death. If that Hawaiian escaped to this site (they’d have to swim around the coast and run all the way to the coast from wherever they were), there were able to enter into a “re-entry” facility where they studied and re-learned how to live morally within the Hawaiian rules. Often times they ended up dead before they made it.
There is a story behind this big rock- there is a cubby behind and below it which is an opening where a queen supposedly hid from the king because they were in an argument. The hole barely fits a child… so it’s unclear how factual this is.
We eventually landed at the Fairmont and enjoyed sunset at their outdoor restaurant.
