Somewhere to lay down my weary head

Post race with my Ironman medal, lei and trophy. Yup, you've got to be a nut with a hole in your head to want to do this... Someone asked me if I had a brain at all when I told them I'm planning on racing Florida - it will be my 3rd Ironman start this year...and 2nd ironman in 3 weeks.
Today was another adventure - this time to the City of Refuge. Just South of the Captain Cook monument and snorkeling haven is this ancient city. While in ruins now, it once was a space reserved for Hawaiian Royalty (the Alii - pronounced A-lee-hee, yup, the famed Alii drive gets its name from there!) and for those seeking refuge. You could not enter the royal compound if you were not royalty (under penalty of death - yowza!), but you could be in the other majestic areas.


Step 1. Flee from whatever people are chasing you for a crime you may or may not have committed.

Step 2. make your way to the bay.

Step 3. Swim across the bay to the lava rock shores of the place of refuge.

Step 4. Be absolved by a Hawaiian Priest and return home

Pretty cool if you ask me. The swim looked pretty dinky and short, but I guess it's harder when you're being chased by people who plan to kill you, also, that lava rock is pretty freakin sharp and filled with sea urchins...nasty creatures!



After exploring the place of refuge, it was time for some beaching. The Magic Sands beach is beautiful and I will miss it terribly. The water is always the perfect temperature and is clear, clear clear. Today while old-lady-breaststroking in the water (you know, when you don't put your head under), I felt something against my foot... creepy old guy is not next to me, that means it's some kind of sea life. Please don't let this be a shark bumping me before it bites!!

I turned around and it was a GIANT sea turtle - it popped its head up and just looked at me for a bit. I said "hey dude" and it went under again. We continued like this about 5 more times and I watched the turtle scare about a dozen people -which was great - and then he or she swam away.

I love these turtles, they are so gentle and kind. Not like our northern turtles. Our snappers look pre-historic with nasty claws, spikes and that hissing... not to mention that they can bite your fingers off. The ones here have these soft, sloping extremities. Smooth, peaceful faces. They don't fight the water, they move with it.

Tomorrow the plane leaves for LA, then NYC and part of me is excited to go home - see Luna, Cass, West and my human friends, but I know as soon as I go, I'll miss the relaxation of the Big Island.