Post #232910 by bongofury on Fri, May 19, 2006 2:21 PM

Here are some photos of our trip to the Big Island.....This is why we missed Oasis.

We stayed at Dug's Tiki Island. A beautiful house in Kona with plenty of room for all 4 of us. Dug is a great host with lots of tips on places not in the guides. He has a jaw dropping collection of Tiki, Witco, Disney, Black velvets, etc. We should have spent more time there. Highly recommended.

The geckos were everywhere.

We barbequed by his pool the first night with the ocean in the background.

We brought Mrs. Furys parents for their 50th anniversary ( and their first trip to Hawaii)

I will try not to repeat the same pics from Puamana whose trip was very similar.....Place of Refuge

My brother was also staying in Kona with friends at the same time. He was here the day before and said the carver was there working on these. He has pics & video. We met them later at Don The Beachcomber ( awsome decore, drinks and food so so.....seared ahi was very good ) then over to the Marriott to watch the manta rays at night.

Female Tiki in some art gallery near Waimea

Fiberglass Tiki fountain....to big to get on the plane. It was 5 or 6 feet tall.

Alien Tiki at a home decor store

Their other Tiki

Uncle Billy's roof detail in Kona

This was the support beam inside of a soon to open antique store in a small town on the east coast. The drive from Kona to Hilo is beautiful as you go from the drier sunny side, through the Parker Ranch, to the wetter tropical Hilo side.

No one was around and the door was open so I took a few shots.

in a hallway near the back. In another store we found a cool 6' carved Tiki panel. The lady was asking $150.00 and said it was from an old hotel in Hilo but couldn't remember which one. It was too big to hassel with so I left it there for you to find.

We stayed in Hilo at the Naniloa Volcanos resort recommended by Dug, but we give it a thumbs down. The view was nice but the hotel was suffering from deferred maintainence. The staff understood, telling us it was due for rennovation as condos. One of the elevators was not working and everything was dirty. The Hilo Hawaiian a couple doors down looked much nicer. They did have these cool supports everywhere.



We walked into Uncle Billy's next door as the duo was playingg "Kahlua" from the movie "Bird Of Paradise" These guys were very good and they had hula dancers too.

After a few cocktails I rode the Naniloa mascot in the lobby.....i could not find a place to put the quarters.

The ceiling at Uncle Billy's next door in Hilo. We were told the food was average, but we found the food and the service excellent. Music was good too.

One of UBs lamps

Another one in the bar.

This Tiki was in the Volcano House. Spending the day at the volcano was surreal.

Outside Uncle Billy's roof detail

Lobby ceiling detail

Back at Naniloa, this is an area that was closed. It looked like it may have been a restaurant for the hotel with the same poles and some cool carved doors. I have some panels like the one next to the pole that were made by "Panel Carve".

They were working inside one day and I gor this shot.

This was inside Ken's restaurant & pancake house in Hilo. Very overated. The parking lot is impossible. We recommend the Firehouse about 2 blocks north. Plenty of parking. Mostly locals, and better food and service!

Big Island recomendations:
Kona
Tiki Island or Al-ii condos
Kahlua pork tacos at "Killer Taco"
Manta Rays at the Marriott
Place of Refuge
Look at Don The Beachcombers

Fresh fish at Bamboo restaurant in Haeva

Hilo
Farmers Market
Cafe Pesto
Uncle Billy's
The Firehouse (breakfast)
The Volcano
Botanical Gardens and 4 mile drive just before Hilo

Aloha!

Stay tuned for adventures on Oahu.....