Around the World in 128 Days - Kona, Hawaii - Chocolate, Soap, Coffee and Whales

   Travel Day 35 - February 6, 2024 - 16,521 Steps

Big photo day for today's post.

Been awhile since wegathered in the World Stage for a tour.

The walk to midship to board the tender. 

Onboard the tender Linda received this message on her iPhone. It was the AirTags reporting the were upset we had left them behind.

The first ever glimpse of Hawaii.

Visiting a small farm to learn about biodiversity, chocolate and soap.

The farmer, a refugee from L.A..

The cacao tree produces more than it can support, those that it can never grow.

The ripe fruit of the cacao comes in different colors.

Starfruit. Have seen it in the grocery store, but never tasted it.

Will be buying some on occasion in the future. It is really good!

Another Linda chicken photo.

A Linda chicken video.

Bob flower arrangement photo.

From fresh cacao beans to close to chocolate. We got to sample some of the finished product. Artisanal chocolate is awesome. Something we learned years ago in Guatemala.

They also make soap on the farm. Real soap.

 

The logo.

They also make a few pottery items. For once I had to buy the tee shirt with the sea turtle logo, something I rarely ever do. I just don't understand the people who have to buy the shirt or hat of the places they visit just to show everyone where they've been.

A Linda flower photo.

The trellis the coffee trees. The biggest expense contributor to Hawaiian coffee is the cost of labor to pick the coffee. Trellising significantly reduces that cost. 

Since coffee only grows at elevation, the views can be awesome.

On the Linda rating scale, it was just okay, nothing special.

Certainly not as great as the views were.

At Kona Joes you can roast your own coffee. For a price.

Our tour did not include that. 

Four different roasts. 

The cost of coffee is directly related to he different grades of coffee beans' The three photos below show that in dollars.

You pay less you aren't getting the best. Another point that was made very emphatically during the presentation was to never ever buy ground coffee if you want the best flavor. Grind the bens yourself just before you brew.

Sometimes I just have to emulated Linda and take a flower photo.

We walked uphill to the Walmart for a few things, but passed on the spam. Once we left the store it was all downhill from there.

Kona from the ship.

Portside whale siting.

Below is a video of the whales frolicking off Kona. It isn't easy taking a video of whales at a distance from the stern of a rocking ship.