Huli huli chicken

Huli huli! I just had the best chicken, no, possibly the best THING I have ever eaten!
We received a tip for a maintenance man in the place we are renting..."If you see a truck that says G.J's chicken, stop and buy it. You won't regret it". So, we stopped along the side of the road, and bought this whole chicken from a truck in the parking lot, beside which was a huge rotisserie roasting the most amazing-smelling chicken over a wood fire. I never would have thought to stop here. But there was a line out the lot, and we nearly didn't get our chicken. Now, I want to make the hour drive back up into the hills of Waimea tomorrow and buy it again.

The wonderful thing about life on an island is the way it reveals itself to you, bit by bit, moment by moment. When you venture out past the tourist zones and comfort zones, you find the magical stuff. I was drawn a map yesterday of some tide pools behind a gymnasium north of Kona. A very unassuming place, by the airport, down a gravel path, that opens up to gorgeous natural lava pools filled with seawater. Large natural soaking tubs for children with a stunning ocean view beyond, but no waves. This is perfect for our son who walks toward the waves shaking his head, no, no, like he is saying, "don't even think of putting me in there!" And here is a place that has public ocean access to these perfect ocean water pools, and we are now privy to the information. Last week we found two perfect toddler playgrounds. This week, fresh, cheap Ahi tuna at the local grocery, and a nice harbor restaurant with the best french fries you have ever tasted, and a marina view. I love this exploration and expansion of a new place. Very similar to falling in love, Kona shows you more and more of what makes it unique and who you are when you are here.