Hawaii: Pleasing Pele

There can be few more visceral travel experiences than eyeballing a volcano. And an active one at that. Hence, the opportunity a few weeks ago ~ after the gathering mentioned in the last post ~ to visit Hawaii’s Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island.

Wrap up the meeting notes (some one has to do this, right?), check out of the hotel and drive across the island away from the hordes attending the annual Ironman competition in Kona. Suddenly you seem to have the world to your own. Leave the blue and green of Hilo behind and the 30 mile road to the volcano passes tawny grasses and dark patches of hidden black lava fields. The road follows a gentle incline up and up and up and up.

As you focus on the steam vents swirling outside the car, your eyes play tricks and you see a vision of a monster mountain further ahead: Mauna Loa rises to 13,677 feet and cousin Mauna Kea, to the northwest rises to 13,796. A few minutes ago we were having lunch by the sea. Indeed, the tourist brochure says that here on the Big Island, eleven of the thirteen climates of the world can be found.

But it is spewing, smoky volcanic fumes that tell us we are close to Kilauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes. Parked just above the Jaggar Museum lookout ~ you peek down into the vast caldera and the smaller crater where legend has it that Pele, the goddess of fire, lightning, dance, volcanoes and violence resides. Her ‘anger’ lives in the hot, fiery red lava that flows through the East Rift Zone down to the blue Pacific six miles away. It is a beautiful sight and smart visitors leave colorful leis or other gifts to appease her fury and might.

This is mother nature.