hilo's walls are screaming for color

just got back from hilo and my arms are still covered in spray paint residue. this island has this energy like it's begging for someone to leave their mark everywhere. the humidity here is something else - i just checked and it's basically breathing down your neck right now, hope you brought loose clothing. can't say i mind though, makes the paint dry slower which gives me more time to blend those colors before they harden into a mess.

stayed in this little town called pahoa which is basically the artsy cousin of hilo. if you get restless after a few days, volcano village is just a quick scooter ride away. the lava fields there are incredible - like walking on another planet. tried to do some stencil work there but the volcanic rock kept eating my stencil like it was hungry or something. someone told me that the locals have this love-hate relationship with street art - they appreciate the creativity but get pissed when people tag sacred places. caught one old lady talking to a mural like it was her long-lost son. i think that's the highest compliment you can get around here.

the food scene here is wild - found this truck near *hilo farmers market that serves poke bowls with dragon fruit in them. the owner, this giant samoan dude with tattoos covering his arms, said he got the recipe from his grandma who learned it from a japanese fisherman. tasted like heaven and regret simultaneously. heard that the best coffee comes from the slopes of mauna kea, but honestly i was too busy trying not to get heat stroke to go chasing it. maybe next time.

spent three days working on this piece in an alley near kuamoʻo bay. the humidity made everything sticky and the mosquitoes were merciless. but when i finally stepped back and saw it come together? man, there's nothing like it. this japanese tourist kept taking pictures of me painting and then asked if she could pay me to do her living room. i told her to start a gofundme for it instead. the best part was when this little kid came by with his mom and just stared at it for ten minutes before saying 'it's like the ocean learned how to dance.' that's the kind of review that actually matters more than any yelp listing.

if you're ever here, check out the rainbow falls at dawn - the mist creates these perfect conditions for street art that lasts longer. also, avoid the hilo bayfront* at night unless you want to explain to cops why you're scaling a government building with spray cans. not that i'd know anything about that. anyway, hilo's got this raw energy that i'm still feeling in my bones. maybe i'll be back soon to finish what i started.

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