Day 7 & 8 - Time Out Day & Market at Captain Cook

It was raining when we got up yesterday and it stayed cloudy all day.  We decided to make it a time-out day, so stayed at the condo and did laundry, tidied up the place, watched some movies on TV, and had left-overs for lunch.  I went outside only to take out the garbage.  One thing nice about staying for a month is that you can afford to take a day off now and then.

It was bright and sunny when we got up this morning, so we decided to head to South Kona to take in the farmers market in Captain Cook.  This was a really nice market with some of the same booths as were at the market last Wednesday at the Sheraton, but more food items.  Everything was locally made and grown. We both bought glass pendants with bits on opal embedded in them.  Very pretty and original. 

The drive down Hwy 11 was so pretty with the sun shining on the bougainvillea and other flowers.  Bougainvillea comes in an assortment of different colors from bright red, to dark pinks, lighter pinks, and pale pinks.  It grows like weeds along side the road.  We drove further down the road and were going to turn back at Honauhau, but noticed that there were a lot of cars parked at Kona Coffeehouse and Cafe, so decided to try it for lunch.  We had been past this place several times on other trips, but it didn't look very promising; however, it seems it has been renovated.  We pulled into the parking lot, but no spaces.  I was trying to turn around in tight quarters when a fellow came out to tell me I could park against the wall.  He got Mom's walker out for her while I parked.  They have seating in a very nice lanai behind the restaurant.  Unfortunately, no ocean view.  They were serving Sunday brunch so Mom ordered Eggs Benedict and I ordered Eggs Florentine (same as the Benedict, but spinach rather than ham).  Both plates came with excellent home fries and we had brewed 100% Kona coffee.  It was so pleasant on the lanai and it was so nice to be able to take our time without feeling like we needed to be on the road to our next destination.  We did have some company, though.  There was a bouquet of mums on our table and suddenly a baby gecko crawled out from the center of the large white mum.  He was really quite cute and I took a bunch of pictures of him.

We headed back towards Kailua-Kona, stopping at Longs on our way back to the condo.  We took a bit of a rest, then went to the pool.  The place is crawling with people for Seattle.  A couple from West Seattle, in fact, and another couple from Arlington.  It was fun taking with them.

Pasta and salad for dinner tonight.  The avocados here are so very good!