I took my camera and some books for long-anticipated hours of shooting and reading by the pool.
The Four Seasons Hualālai is elegance personified, from the extraordinary floral arrangements in the lobby to the scrumptious food to the catering to every whim. Draped in leis upon check-in, guests are treated like royalty. We’ve spent time on several of the islands in Hawaii, but this venue was truly extraordinary. Although the resort was nearly at capacity, it didn’t seem overly crowded. While the kids tried all the pools, my husband and I chose chaises under an enormous umbrella at the pool dubbed “the quiet pool” (mostly adults and no shouting, splashing swimmers) — a great place to read and relax.
What amazed and delighted me (and my camera lens!) was the natural setting. Other than minimal sand, the island, which has a live volcano, is composed almost entirely of black volcanic rock — raw, sculptural, spectacular. As a photographer who appreciates nature but seldom photographs it, this was a true departure for me. Walking with the camera became a daily visual adventure. The textures and colors were rich everywhere I looked, and I have no doubt that some of the images I made will appear in scarf designs at some point. Below are some of the photos I captured on my many walks around the resort.
The evening of our granddaughter’s actual birthday, we had a gourmet dinner on the beach, complete with ukelele player and hula dancer. As the sun appeared to sink into the ocean, lights twinkled on across the resort, and she blew out the candles on her birthday cake — a perfect end to a magical celebration!
All good things must come to an end, and so, with the usual airline delays and hassles, we returned relaxed to Chicago’s cold and snow, having left a little bit of our hearts in the crashing waves on the moonscape of the beach and the lushness of the foliage. Until next month!
