Description

Hidden Treasure, Plumeria, Kohala Coast, Hawaii
28×22 oil on canvas

Some of my favorite places to photograph tropical flowers on the Big Island are the beautiful resorts along the Kohala Coast. The Four seasons, the Fairmont Orchid, Mauna Lani Bay, and the Mauna Kea are among my favorites. And very much like my favorite botanical gardens on the mainland, I have learned where all my favorite blooming plants are, and I pay them a visit each time I travel to the island. Well, I thought I knew; on this last trip, I did not do so well. I had a vivid memory of certain plumerias I wanted to visit at the Mauna Lani. Or was it the Mauna Kea? My poor friends. We had a reservation (that I made) for a luau at one or the other. And now we were driving up and down the coast in our tropical garb, trying to visit the flowers before the luau. Jennifer had been with me the last time, so I thought I could depend on her memory. But truth be told we were both a little fuzzy, and I blame that on our children and parenting, but I digress.

Then finally, a revelation. As we drove up to the gatekeeper at the Mauna Kea, Jen and I both recognized the view. This was the place. Not only was my favorite plumeria waiting for me, but this indeed was where we had our reservations for the luau. I snapped my photos, and we all enjoyed a wonderful night dining on pork and enjoying the entertainment at one the most beautiful spots on along the coast. But when the address is paradise, you really cannot go wrong, you’ve found hidden treasure.
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(Hula Dave photo by Veronika Countryman, Luau photo by Jennifer DuPay)