Kalani Ukulele Retreat!!

 We arrive at Kalani Retreat Center on Monday afternoon after a fast trip across the new Saddle Road.  The road now is like a super highway cutting the time almost in half for travel between the Kona side and the Hilo side of The Big Island.

New black sand beach at Kapana....where lava cut off the road!

Warm, black....sand...

From the time we put our feet on the ground at Kalani we are immersed in Hawaiian colors and sounds!  The grounds here are dense jungle green and tropical.  The sound of coi qui frogs and ukuleles ...and a conch shell which blows to announce three fabulous meals a day surround us.

Steve on the path to the dining lani

Stopping to marvel at the flowers means leave early for lunch!

Typical menu.....fantastic food!

Breakfast...

We find lots of whole grain options, fresh fruits, huge salads with delicious dressing choices...all thoughtfully prepared.  Wow.  Healthy meals!

More flowers grace the paths everywhere at Kalani

Our room in "the treehouse" at Kalani

Take a look at those windows!  All screens, all the time.  Talk about feeling like you really are living in a tree house....without the mosquitos!

Right ouside our room!

This week is full of ukulele music workshops by fabulous instructors, evening concerts by local uke and guitar players, field trips for a "lava walk," planting coconut trees to reforest the land covered by the 1995 lava flow, a uke lesson at Hilo Guitar and Uke Store by a great Hawaiian instructor, a visit to Chuck Moore's uke building studio, and an evening at Uncle Roberts. (local roadside bar and music spot)  Did I mention time to jump in the incredible swimming pool?

Kalani pool....warm warm water!

Nan planting her coconut tree!

Oh yes, and we DID play ukuleles!!

Performance night

One of the workshops, at both uke retreats we've attended, has been "Band." Each instructor heads up a group of workshop participants and together a short group performance is created....and yes, preformed...the last night.  We're not in this photo....I guess we were too busy thinking about our moments on stage to remember to get photos!

It was a great six days of music, new friends, lots of ukes, lots of new concepts....surrounded by the sounds and sights of Hawai'i.

Now, on to Volcanoes National Park....and our camping cabin!?