Beautiful day on the Big Island. We were lucky enough to visit the Kilauea caldera while it was erupting. Although I didn't have my long telephoto lens, the gases were blown away from the eruption so it was visible. Not usually the case so we were happy. Several walks over recently erupted lava gave us a close-up look at the beautiful colors of the minerals in the rock. I even found a strand of Pele's hair, a thin, golden strand of finely spun glass.

A walk through a lava tube and along Devastation Trail, where the 1959 eruption buried the area under falling cinders, completed our first outing.

Wonderful visitors center.

We stopped at the Akatsuka's Orchid nursery with over 1000 blooming orchids on display. Photos don't do them justice. Some are bred for their perfume.