We’re staying at a cottage home in the tropical woods in the neighborhood of Volcano–which, in fact, is about two miles from the most active volcano in the world–on Hawaii’s Big Island. Because of the elevation it’s quite frosty at night. Apparently, there is a bigger difference in temperature here between day and night than summer and winter. But it’s all lush and gorgeous and mild–and surreal being so close to the volcano.
Last night, we visited the observation deck in Volcano National Park, about a quarter mile from the Kilauea volcano. In the pitch black, you could more vividly see the volcano, as if in high definition. Seeing the burning light so clearly was like a Mount Sinai/Burning Bush experience.
But I had to laugh: There we were, a short distance from volcanic lava and fire, and my kids were complaining about how cold it is!
I intoned in my best Charlton Heston voice: “Commandment Number One: ‘Thou Shall Listen To Your Parents, And Thou Shall Stop Complaining.”
Hope everyone is having a happy and fun end of summer.
Eric Messinger is the editor of New York Family. He can be reached at [email protected]
