A hike through Waipio Valley

A fantastic Saturday last weekend, when our local photo club sponsored a trip to Waipio Valley on the north Hamakua coastline. This gigantic gulch on the top western-most part of the island is unspoilt area outside of some dedicated taro growers that cultivate wet taro on the floor along the various streams and rivers running through the valley.

 

 

This type of excursion requires a solid four wheel vehicle to navigate the steep downhill grade to the bottom and the numerous rivers and impromptu streams that disect the main road leading to the interior areas and the main waterfall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

©Noel Morata, All rights reserved

Come and visit my photography website at http://noelmorata.photoshelter.com/

A Walk Through Golden Gate park in January

It was a chilly morning in San Francisco for early January, but the day was clear and dry outside, so it was a perfect day to spend roaming around Golden Gate park.




Being cooped up the past few days of wet weather really brought out the explorer in me, I hiked all over the park, enjoyed new discoveries and old favorite spots worth re-visiting in the park.






Surprisingly, there were quite a few blooms still going on in the midst of winter (well at least a cold for me). I could always count on a beautiful display and visit to the Conservatory of Flowers in the park. A whole section of the entry walk way to the conservatory was filled with colorful spring-like icelandic poppies and blue pansies
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These guys will lift up any spirits during the cold doldrums of winter.










A new installation inside is in progress so its closed for visits - no worries, there's still alot of things outside to see. At the dahlia dell to the left side of the conservatory, the last few scrappy survivors were struggling to put on their last show during the new year – I'm amazed to see these few blooms in January!


















Still gorgeous to see with its last ‘hurrah’ of winter….








Around the dahlia dell is a succulent and cactus garden that it is coming out with full blooms from the various varieties of aloes and yuccas.  Their winter blooms dazzle like sculpture, and project spiked blooms all over the garden and up into the blue skies.









I love how the sun is highlighting these flower spikes below.

























The yuccas are also giving a great show with huge spikes of yellow-drop florets.  Its so beautiful seeing them at this time of the year when mostly everything else is quiet in the park.







Close-by to the dell is a shady area filled with these beautiful calla lillies, so perfect and with huge white blooms. Their bright yellow spadix attracting a slew of hungry bees flying everywhere – it was so nice to see them here, active and plentiful.












A busy bee inside the calla working its magic.





I can always count on my visits to the Conservatory of Flowers in the midst of wintertime in the park. It’s a nice bright spot to visit.






Here’s a nice last shot with a detail of the glass pavilion and insignia of Golden Gate park below
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December garden in Orchidland

 

 

Its time for garden bloom day again, I haven’t participated in quite awhile due to recent travels and holiday gatherings with friends that have kept me occupied.

 

But, this morning was a clear and sunny day, a nice change from a cool rainy night seeing the Christmas parade in Kea’au town last evening.

 

 

After a month’s travel in Japan, I was greeted by large grass, junky castor bean plants and various weeds popping up in my new back yard garden bed almost full grown within a month’s timeframe.

 

The weeds below are already taller than my six foot height – things grow exceptionally quick here – especially the weeds that love the new garden beds below.

 

 

 

After clearing out one section of the garden, I can finally see the bones of the garden I planted the month before starting to appear again- its looking pretty good again.

 

In the jungle area behind, I was able to find a variety of my bromeliads hidden in the tall grasses. I only spotted them because of the bright yellow blooms from this beauty brom below peeking out through the thick grass.

 

 

The area around my water catchment tank is another area that needs to be weeded completely, here you see it crowded out with ferns, grasses and the ever present purple princess flower (no blooms in the photos)– tibouchina urvilleana – a real pest that reseeds everywhere.

 

 

 

The front yard is still in decent shape, even though I haven’t tended this part of the gardens in also because of the holidays. A beautiful spike from a group of bromeliads are at their third month of blooms now. My bright yellow croton adds more color and is one of my favorite yellows in garden.

 

 

 

Here’s a sweet bloom from one of my ti plants, they are pretty up close, but insignificant at a distance.

 

 

Not too many of my hibiscus flowers in bloom at this time of the year except for my stalwart yellow dazzler at my side gardens.

 

 

 

I think its time to start trimming the leggy impatiens, they are so easy to propagate here, especially this orange variety below.

 

 

This is the 3rd round of blooms from my white bauhinia orchid tree…yeah!

 

 

I have large swathes of pink flowers coming out from my medinilla magnifica, almost the size of miniature trees in my front yard.

 

 

More colorful impatiens, red ti and strobilanthes to add a full spectrum of color.

 

 

A last sweet bloom to great me this morning, one of my favorite purple hibiscus flowers.

 

 

 

Hope you enjoyed the tour, to visit other gardens around the world for bloom day, go visit

http://www.maydreamsgardens.com

A visit to the West Side of Hawaii Island

 

(Early morning view at the Marriot Waikoloa)

 

 

 

Where has the year gone already? It seems like I just got back from my Japan trip and celebrated Thanksgiving and now Xmas is just around the corner.  I always have these "How did the year go by so quickly" thoughts at this time of the year. Oh well, at least I'm enjoying it by visiting the west side of Hawaii Island at one of the nicer resorts with a beautiful sandy beach to relax and explore.

 

 

 

 

 

I'm up early and the light is gorgeous looking out from the balcony overlooking Anaehoʻomalu or A Bay as locals call this gorgeous stretch of skinny beach front. A large anchialine pond is on the other side of the bay used by early Hawaiians as a fish pond to grow a variety of local fish.

 

 

 

The resort at Waikoloa has preserved the ponds nicely and placed a variety of signage to explain the ancient Hawaiian's use of this area, various sea life found at the fish ponds and information about Waikoloa. Native plants, grasses are planted on the jagged lava rock areas around the ponds with the requisite but still nice coconut palm.

 

 

 

The morning light is just spectacular now and I have to take a few more photos while I'm also enjoying the wonderful vistas and soothing morning breezes along the trails.

 

 

There were already quite a few yoga people doing their morning sun breaths along with the joggers, quite a nice way to softly start the morning, don't you think?

The sand is cold and firm, unlike some of the soft and super sandy beaches in many parts of West Hawaii. No matter - its still a spectacular scenery and you can see the entire Mauna Kea mountain range in the background. I walk quite a distance along the shoreline to various coves and rocky beaches.

The blue, blue skies and ocean are really amazing this morning and I'm almost ready to jump into the water and go snorkeling, but I decide to take a longer walk along the shoreline and enjoy the views - hopefully I'll be able to spot some migrating humpback whales this morning, this is one of their favorite hang out spots very close to the shoreline.

 

 

The sailboats are loading up with tourists for their morning whale watching tours. Unfortunately, I was not able to spot any whales along the shoreline this morning. Still, it was a very pleasant hike enjoying the west side of the island - I'm always ready for some pampering at any of the resorts on this side of the island for a change of pace to the east side.

 

 

 

Nikko National Park, Hikes and Fall Color.

 

 

 

Autumn in Nikko, Japan is the best season to visit the Unesco World Heritage sites and the Nikko National park in Tochigi Prefecture. Targeting the end of my adventure in Japan to see these historic sites along with getting to see some fall colors, I imagined, would be the perfect capping of my Japanese Odyssey. After researching extensively on the heritage sites and the transition to the fall season (which occurs more in the later part of November), I hoped the timing would be perfect to capture both experiences.

Having just finished some extensive tours of heritage sites in Kyoto, Nara and Kamakura, I was a little bit "templed out" from seeing more sites which were starting to blur from the multiples of artwork and detailed carvings at each site. In order to prevent a fast burn out, I decided to take a more laid back approach and follow my B&B host's tip on a more sedate hike along the Daiya river, passing the iconic red Shinkyo bridge, and the gateway to the national park grounds. Even though the bridge is on everyone's first "Must do photo shot", I thought it was quite beautiful framed with the first hint of autumn's glory and the range of pale blue mountains in the distance.

 

 

 

 

 

Walking along the river, I start seeing more fall foliage with the pyracantha, aralia and japanese maples starting their colorful transformation to burnt oranges, ochres and indian red leaved foliage. Even though this area is just getting starting to transition to autumn, I can already envision what this whole view will look like a few weeks filled with vibrant fall colors all along the river banks and into the hillsides.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continuing along the trail, I trudge onward through a forested area. The river gets very narrow and is hidden from view from thick jungle, but then suddenly becomes dramatically visible against huge and rounded boulders lining the curved banks. The river is swirling into aqua blue pools and short waterfalls cascading down their banks. Its stunning, and I breath deeply while taking in all the woody and pastoral views to this scenic panorama. 

 

 

Continuing along the solitary path,  I pass by a few locals walking around the paths with their dogs, conversing (I imagine) about the day's happenings and some juicy gossip while the dogs run around aimlessly through the graveled areas.  Finally, I reach my destination and walk through the dilapidated wooden arbor into the Jizu shrine - its mostly a string of almost seventy Buddha-like statues lining the banks of the Daiya river.  Each Buddha is donning a fuchsia red bib and matching crochet hat. I didn't really know the significance of these Buddha's until I researched and found out that they represent Bodhisattva who console those that are traveling or deceased souls awaiting rebirth, hence the formations along the pathways and river banks greeting travelers in their midst.

 

 In Japanese they are called Bake-Jizo or Hyaku-jizu. This solo Bake-jizu seemed to have lost its cap but gained a pair of white miniature straw slippers.  Enveloped with a verdant green body of thick moss, lichen and ferns, I almost wanted to take this and bring it back home (I wish) and make a perfect addition to my zen garden.

 

 

 

 On the other side of the river is the Nikko botanical garden, and you could just see some small  waterfalls,walking trails and a variety of maples turning colors along the river bank. Unfortunately, there were no crossing to the other side so I could not visit the garden on this tour, but getting a glimpse from the other side was a nice visual treat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Climbing over some boulders to a small pagoda overlooking the river, I sit a spell to take it all in and cherish this special moment  - knowing that my trip will be ending very soon. I'm quite content to have started the last part of my visit in Nikko with an easy walk just to reflect on my travels in Japan and enjoy the panorama around me. This spot was also perfect for capturing some great photos with a nice vantage point of the riverbanks and valley.

 

 

 

The trail continues climbing through some stone walkways all the way to the top of this hillside where there is a small waterfall.  At this point, I decide to head back down to the city because dusk is falling quickly and I want to make sure that I wouldn't get lost in the dark on the way back into town. It was a fantastic hike and I was ready to enjoy the heritage sites in the following day ahead.