Hawaii Volcanoes National Park--Sulphur Banks

On the way back to the Visitor's Center, we took another route which took us past the Sulphur Banks. It was a very pretty area, with a winding path and beautiful trees.

The tree with the red flowers is called an Ohi'a-Lehua Tree.  It has a lovely legend attached to it.  Ohi'a was a chief.  Pele, the volcano goddess fell for him.  But Ohi'a was in love with a girl named Lehua.  When he refused Pele's advances she turned him into a tree.  The other gods felt sad for Ohi'a so they turned Lehua into a blossom so they could be reunited.  If you pluck a blossom off the tree, it's said to create rain that symbolizes tears for separated lovers.

I can't very well just take photos of paths, so my husband was happy to be my model yet again.

You can see the steaming sulphur banks just beyond James.  This is the boardwalk that we took to get there (James is entertaining himself by going back and forth while I take pictures).

I wouldn't want to be climbing those rocks.