Day Seven - March 21, 2008 - our last day in Maui

It's been a very busy two months since the last blog entry - were you wondering what ended up happening on the Maui trip?

Well, Friday was a very lovely day but since Alberto and I spent it together I didn't write in my journal about it like the others days. As a result, it never got written down and my expectations for it to magically pour out of my head and into the computer never really happened.

So, as a recap...

We had a very nice time of exploring places together for the day. We decided to take a ride up the north curve of the island, basically retracing the steps I had taken a few days before when I hiked to the nakalele blowhole.

First it was the sacred Hawaiian burial spot. I took him to where this spot was and told him the story about how all the poor dead Hawaiians kept getting unearthed by the hotel developers.

Then we walked the line down the edge of the golf course all the way to the cliff's edge, and there we found a spot that my guide book called "Dragon's Teeth". This is where the high winds and the constant crash of sea water have eroded the rocks along the edge to glassy razor sharp formations. Aren't we cute?

Afterward we drove to the starting spot for the hike to the nakalele blowhole.

I really enjoyed sharing with Alberto this hike that I had already done. I showed him the little blowhole and the craggy alien landscape, and the spongy ground right near the main attraction.

Then we went out the edge and whoosh! we were witness to a huge blast of water straight up in front of us. Here are a couple of photos of us in front of the blowhole (it never blew quite as big as when we first got there!)

Then we decided to do what I was too chicken to do myself. Hike down to the bottom and come right up along the blowhole itself. We were armed with our waterproof cameras this day, so we put all the fancy electronics safely away in my bag and hiked down. A family that had arrived right after us decided to follow suit, so there was a little gaggle of humans in the belly of the blowhole after a couple of minutes. One thing we didn't think about - the surf! Very unexpectedly, usually when someone was trying to take a snapshot right in front of the blowhole, a huge crest of water would come over the side and drench us all. What fun!

After this, we decided to go and seek out the elusive Olivine Pools from the other day. We were all crusty with sea spray, so I was looking forward to a nice relaxing dip in the natural wadepool.

This time, we had no problem finding it and I learned that, as usual, I had just barely missed it having turned around right before the landmark I was looking for. We walked out to the cliff's edge and saw the path we had to take to get to the pools....straight down.

I was pretty nervous about this because I didn't have hiking shoes, just tennis shoes, and the last thing I needed to do was be my usual clumsy self and slip. I could have tumbled all the way down! But Alberto assured me we'd go slowly and we'd be fine. And that's what we did, with me gripping the rocky landscape all the way down until we reached the bottom and found this:

It was quite lovely here. Not serenely quiet like I foolishly thought - after all it is right in the middle of the ocean! But the waters are still and cool and the pools are protected on three sides from the surf. We still needed to have some kind of footwear because the bottom was quite rocky and uneven, so I slipped on my rubber flip flops and clumsily sloshed through the water with them.

We had to be especially careful on the side that was still vulnerable to the surf. When the waves crested they did so with no warning and with a lot of force. We saw one girl whose back was turned when a wave came crashing over the side, and she was knocked face first into the pool below. Not a fun way to spend your vacation! Fortunately, that did not happen to us, though some of things in our hands were knocked away and I had to go fishing for them.

But for the most part it was quite a serene spot, and I especially enjoyed the little natural alcove that had been formed at the base of the rock wall. Back in this little corner there were lots of little fish of various shapes and colors curiously watching the people walking above them.

After all of this, it was still only the middle of the day! We had intended to be back at the harbor by 12:30 to pick up our video from the snorkeling expedition the Sunday before, but we didn't have enough time to make it. So after calling the videographer with apologies and making arrangements for him to mail it to us in San Diego, we decided instead to stop in downtown Lahaina for a repeat visit to my new favorite restaurant in Maui - the Cool Cat Cafe!

I was so ravenous I knew I was going to overeat big time, so I ordered the Marilyn (the same super delicious hamburger I had last time) plus a basket of french fries to share with Alberto. Mmmm, the Cool Cat did not disappoint and I am very happy I had one of my last meals in Maui there!

After a short post-lunch stroll downtown to pick up any last minute souvenirs we had intended to get but never gotten around to, we headed back to the car to spend our last afternoon at Alberto's favorite spot on the island: Black Rock in Ka'anapali.

The only thing I regret about our trip to Black Rock that day is that we did not snorkel together. That means, during the whole trip, we didn't get an opportunity for this once. But by then we had only one snorkel and mask left, so we had to share. I went out first, and this time I was determined to make it around the side as I vowed to do last time! I navigated around a wave of teenagers (almost undoubtedly new arrivals staying at the Sheraton with their parents) and kept swimming until I got to the curve.

I veered right, but slowed down because my mask was already starting to fog. Where was that cool no-fog stuff that the people on the boat had given us? I paused in the water to defog my mask the old fashioned way (spit and rub!) and continued on. There were lots of fish here, and they were all very interested in me. They clearly thought I was going to feed them and I was a little creeped out by how closely they watched me and kept close to me. It wasn't long though, before I found what I was really looking for - more sea turtles!

There were two, though they were a long way down, and they were resting in the sand on the sea floor. I wanted to dive down into the water to get a closer look like I did at Molokini crater, but I became distinctly aware that I was completely out of sight from Alberto and the only other people around were snorkelers who were being very careless about where they swam. So I stayed on the surface and floated for a while, enjoying that sublime quiet that only being in the water can provide.

After some time I started back around the curve to head back in, and found once again that it was a lot harder to swim back to shore than it is to swim out. I must be out of shape, there wasn't even really much current, but I was pooped by the time I got back. Alberto remarked that I was gone for a long time and I agreed and wanted nothing more than to lay out on my little thatch blanket and read.

Alberto got up to go into the water next, and stayed much closer to shore than I did. Ironically though, he got the big treat! Very close to shore, laying in the sand was a huge sea turtle that Alberto thought must have been like 60 years old. He was just hanging out, letting the people swimming nearby curiously glance his way as they swam. Alberto got a photo with his underwater camera.

As it got closer to dark we decided to start thinking about dinner. Alberto voted for Bubba Gump in Lahaina. I was opposed at first - after all, there are Bubba Gump's in every tourist spot, but he persisted and so that's where we went.

We went back to our condo just in time to see our last sunset of the trip. There was something going on out there, as a helicopter kept circling and guiding a small rowboat back to shore.

Perhaps the boaters didn't realize how far out they were, and with it getting close to dark they were in trouble.

After a brief rest at home and a hot shower, we got dressed up for our last night out and headed into town. We made a stop along the way at a lovely deserted beach along the highway where we kicked off our shoes and enjoyed a few last beautiful moments of peace, sand and surf under the stars. That was a really cool moment, and a very fitting way to say good bye to the ocean and all of our friends under the sea.

Then we arrived at Bubba Gump, where we thoroughly enjoyed our shrimp dinners. It was really good! I really enjoyed where we sat too, because we were in a booth against the far wall and I could look right out of a window and down into the ocean lapping the sides of our building as we ate. I tried to take a picture, but I couldn't capture how pretty it was.

All in all, it was a fabulous day and a perfect end to a much needed and lovely vacation. We headed to the airport the next morning and took our respective planes home. I do hope to go back to Maui again some day. There are still things I didn't get to do, and now that I've explored I'd be happy to be take things slowly and savor things even more than this time around.

Day 6 in Maui – Thursday, March 20, 2008

South Maui exploration day!

I started this morning by heading as far south as I could. La Perouse Bay was my destination, where there was literally no more road.


Everything was ultra rocky and the place was a strange mixture of three very distinct landscapes – lush green mountains as a backdrop, electric blue shores in the foreground and dark red and black lava rock all around.

What a sight! I was at the place in the guidebook called Fishbowl, and there were several snorkelers around. The books says that Fishbowl is where the better snorkeling, though the state wants everyone to go to "Dumps" a little further north up the road. Apparently there is a lot less political baggage tied to that location. I believe it too – I passed by there on the way down and there were clearly guided snorkeling excursions going on in there.

I made sure my laces were tight on my sneakers, and I started walking south through the lava fields. Another alien landscape, and fields of lava rock all around made it a very desolate looking jorney for the first several minutes. You can see the path that the lava took down the hill.

Then a short distance later the landscape opened onto a rocky shore and tree lined path. Not long after, I was under the shade of the great trees as I clambered over the roots that lined the shore.
I saw so many interesting things along my 1.5 hour hike! Tons of little white butterflies; tiny little black crabs scurrying around on the rock, trying to avoid the crashing surf; locals fishing on the outcropping edges; and hundreds of gnarly twisted trees forming a separating wall between the lava rock and the ocean.






I met a friendly Canadian couple (they were from Toronto) as I rested underneath the shade of a particularly large tree near the shore. Just beyond us in the water where 3 paddleboats carrying snorkelers. I think at this point I was at the spot they call "Aquarium".

At that point I decided to start heading back, hoping for a place I could dip my feet into the water but pretty convinced I wasn't going to find one. The edges were riddled with reef and slippery algae encrusted ecosystems! Bt just when I had decided it was a lost cause, I happened upon a perfectly smooth 20 foot stretch of sand, complete with gently lapping waves coming up onto the shore. Woo hoo! Off went my shoes and into the water I went.

Back at the car, I loaded up to find my next destination – Secret Cove. This is just south of Big Beach at Makena, and is supposed to be pretty difficult to find. I had to keep my eyes peeled for a specific telephone pole and a narrow little entrance onto the sand. I found them with very little trouble and grabbing my sandwich and passion orange soda and backpack, headed in…

Secret Cove is VERY cute. It's not exactly totally secluded, but it's pretty close. It's also a favorite place for dog owners – there were 5 dogs here today. I went snorkeling in clear aqua blue water and saw 2 turtles! It was delightful to see them, but I was a little intimidated too! It was, after all, just me and them in the water. But I kept my cool and just floated along with the surf and they did the same.

The surf was getting pretty strong though, and it was really hard to tell where the reef under the water met up with the reef above the water. I had trouble orienting myself, so I decided it was time to get out.


Secret Cove is definitely one of my favorite places already. After relaxing for another 30 minutes or so, listening to the friendly chatter between people on beach towels, it looked like it was going to rain. I packed up and headed to my next destination.

Big Beach is just down the street, and my book says that many consider it "the" beach on Maui – who am I to pass it up?

It sure is an idyllic setting here. Lots of flowery umbrellas, the same ultra-fine soft sand as Secret Cove, and a long sloping crescent of crystal clear aqua blue water lapping at the shoreline. Molokini and Holo'okwae are still perfectly in view from here. There are lots more families here too. I am assuming that on the other side of Earthquake Hill (Pu'u Ola'i) sits Little Beach, so christened by the 60's era hippies who designated it clothing optional.

I'm going to stop at Makena Grill, just across from Secret Cove, for a fish taco. This is literally a cart that sells food on the side of the road, but the book says they're excellent and I don't think a trip to Hawaii would be complete without one! J

MMMM…..Mahi Mahi. That fish taco was MONDO delicious! It was huge and expensive ($8.25!) but it was worth it. The Mahi Mahi was fresh and tender and the pineapple salsa really made the flavors come together. Of all the places to eat on Maui, Makena Grill's chef has been named the best on Maui for the last two years. The owners have turned the roadside spot next to their cart into a makeshift dining area, with lots of colorful chairs of all shapes and sizes, and a picnic table painted in Rastafarian colors. They have a little radio propped against the base of a tree playing reggae music that the guests enjoy listening to.


With lunch behind me, it's time to head to Wailea. I'll stop at points along the way if something catches my eye.

I've stopped at another beach along the way to see what's it's like. I went in through the south entrance, since the main entrance was really crowded. I'm not sure, though if I hit the right spot. There is no sand here, and not much of water access either. The only part that leads to the water is a tiny little opening on the right.


Speaking of the opening…there is in that little inlet of water a green sea turtle! He's not very big, probably about 2 ½ feet long. He's just riding the current in and out…closer and closer to shore. A family is perched on a rock nearby watching him. It's nice here.


Final stop of the day – glamorous Wailea beach! Favorite beach of the stars, it's apparently rated one of the best beaches in America. It's nice here – very big and lots of chairs and umbrellas everywhere; they are, of course, for guests at the Grand Wailea Resort ONLY. There are also surfboards, catamarans and other beach sporting gear lined up against the beach wall waiting to be checked out by the hotel guests. There are sailboats and kayaks milling around in the water, and a huge floating trampoline floats on the surface where many children are running and screaming and bouncing and jumping, falling into the water at random intervals. And…….no wind! :D


Here's the best part about Wailea – NO ROCKS in the water. This is the first beach I've been able to enjoy without having to worry about stubbing my toes or scraping my feet. Halleluiah! I feel like I'm at heaven on earth. A nice guy said he'd watch my bag while I took a dip and it was awesome. Calm and serene, smooth as silk, I floated on the water like it was a cloud. Aaaaah…….peace. I'm glad I'm here.


It seems fitting that after my long trek I finally get to laze on the sand and do absolutely nothing. I slept for a little while, I people-watched, I sunned….and I finally got to start the last Harry Potter book. Three chapters down!

After my day trip to South Maui, Alberto took me to Lahaina Oyster Bar for dancing. His coworker Alonzo went with us. The place was cool, but the music – very disappointing. We ended up at a little patio bar underneath Cool Cat Café at the Wharf and chilled for a while. Alonzo is very nice, a little young but very intelligent and has a good sense of humor.


Tomorrow is our last day here. I have lots of things planned to do with B, who finished work today and will be able to spend the day with me. What a nice way to wrap up the vacation!

Day 5 in Maui - Wednesday, March 19, 2008

This morning I decided to do some swimming/snorkeling in Honolua bay, and then meet Alberto for lunch. My plans were thwarted though by my own confusion and not reading my guidebook very well. After dropping Alberto off at work I headed to the spot that the book states was Honolua Bay. However, I was sure I'd got it wrong. My trek took me through an area clearly marked private property, through what seemed more likely to be the backwoods of Louisiana than the coast of Maui. In the clearing lay a very small area filled with rock and very gritty black sand. There was no beach to be seen. A couple of people were clumsily trying to wade into the water with their snorkeling gear, and a few elderly women sat perched on large rocks looking a little miserable. How could this be the legendary Honolua Bay so many have spoken of? A quick call to Alberto confirmed that maybe I was in the wrong spot. So, I packed up my gear and went in search of what my true destination was.

I never found it, but I did end up at the nice area of Slaughterhouse Beach just up the road. This beach was very sandy and cute. There is a little cave off to the left of the beach that I'd like to explore with Alberto. However---it's way too windy to swim. I tanned for a few minutes, watching the sand quickly fill up with other folks and decided to keep moving.

Next stop – DT Fleming Beach, which is a very well-established and large beach. I decided, though, to not stop here. My book says it's a favorite beach for locals, and I am a little intimidated by them. Alberto's admonition keeps ringing in my head – "No Hawaiian, No Aloha". He told me stories about how ugly locals can be to tourists, including burnt out cards along the Road to Hana. I don't mind exploring more with B, but not while I'm alone.

So, I turned around and kept right on driving down the road. I decided, since my morning was dwindling and I had to meet B for lunch, that I'd head back to Oneloa beach in Kapalua. Surely, with it being much earlier in the day, the wind would be considerably less. I was looking forward to an opportunity for a quiet sunning session on a quiet beach. Plus, I was dying to get back in the water after yesterday's 'zen' moment. This also gave me the chance to just pop over and grab B when it was time for lunch since it was right down the road.

The beach was still windy. L Not as bad as yesterday, but a bit uncomfortable. I was determined though to stake a claim and get in the water so I laid my stuff out and headed in. All I wanted was to swim out into the aqua blue water….but when I got to the water's edge I noticed something I had not seen before – rocks! Lots of them! I was so disappointed. There was still water and sand but there were so many rocks – large and wide ones – that I knew I'd stub my toes or scrape my legs if I tried to wade out into the surf with them just below. FOILED. So I sat at the water's edge and let the water lap at my toes.

Lunchtime arrived and I went to pick Alberto up. We went to a little store/market/lunch counter called Honolua Market with one of his co-workers Alonzo. Alonzo was picking lunch up for the rest of the grup. We sat at a small picnic table outside and I got to hear stories for the next 45 minutes of things the guys had done during their stay on the island. After dropping the guys back at the house, it was time for my afternoon adventure!

I decided that since I probably wasn't going to the Iao Valley (just not enough time), I should do as much of the drive around the top of the island as I could today. What a great idea that turned out to be! The highway along the coast is filled with the most breathtaking scenery! There were lots of hairpin turns, just like at Haleakala and some of them had signs advising you to blow your horn so cars coming from the opposite direction would know you are there. In some area the road is, to me, a little too close to the edge. It was beautiful – boundless green above and all around and endless azure down below. I couldn't help but film the landscape as I drove.

I had the unlucky misfortune, though, to be doing this as I passed a little Hawaiian village in one of the valley. Littered also with burnt out wreckage at the entrance to the little village, a man playing a ukulele while sitting on a sofa on the side of the highway decided to give a nice Hawaiian 'fuck you' and flipped me off. That's just ignorant.

My guidebook made mention of an interesting sight on the coast that involved a little bit of a hike, so I was curious for the adventure. At mile 38 I parked my car and started the journey to the Nakalele blowhole.

What an interesting trip that was. You start off by descending a steep rocky path alongside an old lighthouse overlooking the ocean. Once at the bottom, you have to hide east for about 15 minutes. On this hike, you walk through terrain that you'd swear must have come from another planet. The constant crash of the water and the sea salt that flies everywhere has slowly turned the landscape into a beautiful mess of rocks with holes eaten through them and incredibly sharp edges. Some of the rocks look like giant loofah sponges. Others seem to be teetering on nothing as the bases have eroded into nothing. There are massive brick red striations that course across the rock walls and the ground is actually spongy beneath your feet!

About ½ way there I encountered a shelf below that is almost constant being battered by the surf. There was a blowhole in the corner of the shelf which made a lot of noise buy only small eruptions of water. This was the little blowhole but not the Nakalele blowhole of my destination. So I kept walking and two alien landscapes later, I found it.

Down below, another shelf about 3 times as big as the one I'd just seen lay there battered by the elements. The wind was high and surf was so violent that it sometimes crashed higher than the rock walls of the shoreline, leaving me and the other hikers that had found this spot spattered with sea water.

Just to the left of the middle of the shelf lay a gaping hole, about 3 feet in diameter. It reminded me of the jaws of sarlacc though not as wide (any Star Wars fans recognize the reference?). As the waves would crash against the wall, the ole would alternately spit some water out or such the water deeper down into the hole. This seemed like the biggest vacuum cleaner I'd ever seen! Then with no warning at all, the hole let out a gigantic plume of water, at least 20 feet high! The wind carried the water inland and soaked us all on the right side of the blowhole. It was fantastic! I couldn't take my eyes off it, mesmerized by the way the water was so violently being sucked in, just to erupt more violently afterward.

My book said that you can never tell when a blowhole is going to erupt. The most monstrous waves could produce nothing, while the smallest waves could trigger a massive spume of water. It was great! I walked around to the front and just inland from the blowhole, sure I'd stay dry here, and set my videocamera on the scene. Sure enough, when I was least expecting it, a huge blast of water erupted and came right at me, soaking both me and the video camera. It was time to go!

After I got to the car I went to go find one more spot that the book described called the Olivine pools. It was supposed to be a calm pool of water amidst the ocean and seemed like a perfect place to relax after my hike. I pulled over at a couple of different spots, including a dirt road where I quickly discovered my little Chevy Cobalt was tough enough to go offroading! However, despite searching for it I was unable to locate the right spot before it was time to meet Alberto after work. Since he is sure he'll be done with work tomorrow, we'll be able to spend Friday together before going home. I'll postpone the search for the Olivine Pools till then; maybe we'll find them together.

Back at the condo that night, we watched the sun sink behind the horizon from the comfort of our lanai:

Day 4 in Maui – Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Black Rock – at Ka'anapali Beach – B says this is his favorite beach. I've set myself up at the foot of the black lava rock, at the furthest north point of the sand. There are lots of families here, and kids are running all over the place with little mini masks and snorkels. The sand here is a salt & pepper looking mixture of white, black and orange. The black lava rock is really impressive up close; as it juts out into the water it is narrow and craggy and shows the wear of constant tidal splashes – the bottom is jet black, with a ribbon of rusty brown above it, slowly fading into darker black-red that characterizes the rest of the formation. There are torches mounted at regular intervals along the top of the rock, and they look from here like primitive spears used by wild people. My guide book says that this jetty called Pu'u Keka'a, was the place on Maui where recently deceased peoples' souls jumped off from their earthbound coil to eternal life with their ancestors. If there was no one there to greet them, the spirits would wander around the rocks and cause mischief for the living.
...
Just got back from snorkeling. The water was just like it was at Molokini – cold to the touch upon entry, but as soon as your body is submersed it's sublime. Swimming in the waters of Maui is an awesome experience. The water temperature is so perfectly alighed with your own sense of self-temperature that the ocean feels like just an extension of yourself. You swim in the water feeling as if the water is a part of you. The waters of the Pacific in California are too cold, and the waters of the Gulf of Mexico (though quite comfortable for me) are still warmer than my own 'self-temperature'. Here in Maui, there is no sense of boundary between my skin and the water. It's quite a feeling.

The craggy rock of the jetty extends outward much more under the water than above. I thought it was an optical illusion at first! There were two main kinds of fish here – medium sized fish with white, yellow and black stripes (I think these were butterfly fish) and larger fish that were kind of a pearlescent blue. The blue fish stayed much closer to the bottom of the ocean, which dropped off very quickly from the shore, but the yellow and black fish preferred to stay close to the snorkelers. Maybe they were looking for food, but I got the sense that they liked to ride in the gentle wake of the snorkelers' fin kicks.

I swam all the way out past the jetty, where the book said I was much more likely to see more fish and maybe some turtles, but I saw very few things swimming about. Maybe next time I go out I'll round the corner of the rock and head a bit north.

Oh yeah, did I mention that the panoramic view from the sand includes a bird's eye view of Molokai off the coast? It's beautiful! I'd describe how the clouds are hovered over the isle, but a large family just decided to setup camp *right in front* of me. Drat. Guess it's time to move on….

I spent the afternoon on a mission to see the rest of the West Maui Beaches (well, the good ones) that were featured in my guide book. During the journey I found:

A memorial site at the northernmost end of Lower Honoapiilani Road – it dead-ends into a Kapalua community and just to the right of a golf course was the site. Here's what my guide book says about the site:

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel was supposed to be an oceanfront hotel. The lawn
was to be its location. The only things standing in their way were approximately
2,000 ancient Hawaiians buried in the area. The developers began digging up the
graves and, when the Hawaiian community learned of it, they began a series of
emotional protests. Nearly 900 remains were dug up before common sense
prevailed, and the hotel decided to relocate the buildings and reinter the bones
in 1990. A state law was enacted after this to prevent such a thing from ever
happening again.

Imagine, stirring up 900 ancient Hawaiian spirits and incurring their wrath! If there's one thing I've learned about Hawaiian culture, it's that they don't mess around! It is still a very savage culture underneath the surface. I wonder if there are any stories of hauntings or mischief that occurred on or around the site as a result…

Upon turning around, I found Oneloa Beach. It was deserted, just like the book promised, with about 10 other people scattered on the sand, but windy as hell! They say that the best time to go to the beach on West Maui is between 8:00 and noon. After that the afternoon trade winds start kicking up, making it uncomfortable to relax on the sand. Well, it was only 10:30 am, and the wind had already arrived! The wind was so strong the sand was blasting my legs. Some surfers were up in the water trying to make the most of the swells, which looked to be about 5 feet, but they were pretty difficult to wrangle. Here, the sands were a beautiful creamy white color.

Next stop on the guide book – Kapalua Bay. I found the access points as described but it was incredibly crowded. Apparently, I'm not the only one who heard it was a "gem". Parked cars snaking alongside the road told me I'd better accept defeat and move on.

And so it was that I got to Napili Beach. This looks like a little cove, and the shoreline is very steep. To the left is a really large lava rock reef poking out into the water, but I didn't have the right kind of shoes to explore. Instead, I decided to stake a claim on the sand and watch the families body surfing.

Tuesday Night, The Feast at Lele Luau

Tonight we went to the luau that Alberto had reserved for us, called the Feast at Lele. We got a beautiful lei around our necks and a potent mai tai placed in our hands upon entry. What a nice welcome!In purposely booking a luau that didn't have a buffet line, I overlooked the most obvious drawback to this – they have total control over how much food the guests get. The food was delicious but Alberto and I felt that, for a "feast", the servings were a bit skimpy. That said, they made very interesting use of things like sweet potatoes, taro root/taro leaf and coconut milk. We had four courses, each from a different area – Hawaii, New Zealand, Tahiti and Samoa. I did NOT like the Samoan dishes, which surprised me because I generally like everything!

Speaking of not liking something, I decided officially that I don't like Mai Tais. It must be the dark rum. Instead, I had a Blue Hawaiian which counteracted the rum flavor more effectively.

The dancers were beautiful, and there were lots of different types of dances done. Boy, can those girls shake! They have elasticity in their hips that I never would have thought possible if I hadn't seen it for myself. Anyone care to take some luau dancing lessons?

We also got a sneak peek at some of the competitors in this summer's 'best Polynesian dancer' competition. The dancers were all clearly proud of their routines and have been practicing had to win.

But the best part about the feast was the view onto the horizon. We got great seats first row on the second level, so our view of the dancers and the sunset behind was completely unobstructed. The use of the beach line below was beautiful with bright orange colors and, later, firesticks being thrown below. Yellows, oranges, pinks and purples streaked the sky, and two cruise ships anchored at sea made for an interesting landscape. As the sun continued to go down they each turned on their twinkly lights from front to back. It was very picturesque. I liked doing luau, but I think it's definitely a one-time only thing for me. One of those must-do's as a tourist, but I am happy to go back to the more down-home personal exploration of culture and food around the island.

Day 3 in Maui - Monday, March 17, 2008

Today was Haleakala day! Haleakala is the big volcano on Maui that everyone says you have to visit. See the picture on the sign? Take a closer look at it, and then read the story below...










The volcano of Haleakala is over 10,000 feet in the air – so high that when you get up there you are *above* the clouds!

We had to get up SO early! I'm so glad we got to bed as early as we did last night. Even though we got up at 3:30 am, we still managed to get six hours of sleep. Alberto was really stressed about making it up ot the top in time for the sunrise even thought it was so early. It made me nervous about how long the road trip was going to take – I hate long trips!

The trip was not bad, though it was a bit long. We twisted and turned up the side of the volcano, taking one hairpin turn at a time, all the way up….Most of the drive was in the dark of night so that I could not see what lay below. I am kind of glad for this! The roads are narrow and hug the edge tightly. Alberto told me of how we also needed to watch for errant cows wandering the roads. Cows? Apparently so! Thankfully, we encountered none!

We made it to the top almost exactly 2 hours after we left. Alberto had warned me it would be cold, and I had brought gloves and a fleece pullover for the occasion. However, this was not nearly sufficient for the cold we experienced. The car's temperature reading said it was in the 40's, but that is NOT what it felt like. The wind was so bitingly cold that it was almost unbearable. Alberto and I went up the stairs to the overlook and found a small crowd of people already waiting, huddled in groups of two and three.

Thank goodness Alberto had thought to bring the blanket from the condo because this was all that shielded us from the elements. We had to wait about 20 minutes for the sun to come up, so we spent the time taping our surroundings (with my cute little video recorder I got for Christmas! :) ), chatting about small things and, oh yeah, freezing to death.

About 15 minutes into the waiting I couldn't take it anymore. My gloves were useless to me – my fingers were in severe pain from the cold. We took shelter inside the glass enclosure that had been created at the site to provide a warm haven from which the sun's rises and falls could be observed.

This turned out to be no good though – all the windows were completely covered in fog and humidity from all of the warm bodies in the room:

After a few minutes of emergency triage to my fingers (step 1- remove gloves step 2 – stick fingers inside mouth step 3 – BLOW!) we bundled up again and headed back outside for the sights that was about to occur.

It was beautiful – magnificent – awe inspiring…There were a lot of clouds in the sky so we couldn't experience the 'full' glory of the moment but I think that actually made it more beautiful. The light danced off the clouds in so many different ways and in so many different hues, it was a wonder to behold. I started to really see how high up we were (somehow 10,000 feet means more when you're at the top looking down) and was treated to a vista of a sea of clouds wafting below us.

So, here's the thing about the sunrise. You think the wind is bad, and you think the dark is cold, but it's NOTHING compared to when the sun has arrived. Winds were no longer just winds – they were blasts of frigid air that penetrated us to the core. Don't believe me? I think this picture tells the story best:

The sunrise was awesome and a sight that I am so glad I got to see, but I can't effectively describe the joy I felt to get back to the car and activate the car's heated seats.

As we sat in the car, the clouds arrived at the summit of Haleakala. All around us and through the moonroof we watched billows of white cloud rushing past, as the sun pushed them further in. Alberto wanted us to see the valley landscape on the other side of the summit, but there was no way we could see it with all the clouds rushing in.

After about 15 minutes of waiting, we gave up and decided to start heading down. We stopped at the 2^nd highest point and visited the gift ship, and I got to read the story associated with Haleakala. It goes something like this:

One of Hawaii's demigods named Pele, who was young and mischievous, decided one day to do something about the lamentable fact that the sun passed over the island way too quickly. The people of the island wanted more time in the sun and Pele concurred. So he fashioned a set of nooses out of ropes and lassoed the sun's rays, anchoring it to the Haleakala volcano.

The sun begged to be set free, but Pele would only acquiesce after the sun promised to move more slowly across the earth. Pele then freed the sun, but left a couple of the roped tied to the sun as a reminder of its promise. That's why it takes so long for the sun to pass over Haleakala (the sun can have risen for several minutes on the coast of Maui before it gets to the volcano summit).

We got a few souvenirs while we were in the gift shop and then headed back to the car. After one more fruitless attempt to see the valley from an outlook further down the volcano, we finally gave up and decided to find breakfast. As we winded down the mountain, we saw many bicyclers biking downhill. In fact, we'd seen several of them get ready to go from their launchpoint just outside the borders of the U.S. national park. I admired their drive to do something so strenuous, but I couldn't help thinking that I didn't see any biking groups heading up the mountain…

Based on another recommendation by Eric K., we searched for and found the Kula Lodge, about halfway down the volcano and in the little town of Kula. Kula is really cute. The roadsides are filled with little B&B's, flower shops, fruit stands and general stores. The Kula Lodge was just as picturesque. I expected it to be very touristy and for the staff to be a bit stuckup, but I was very mistaken. The restaurant has a little sitting area where people can warm their bones in front of a beautiful stone fireplace while waiting for a table. Our table was right at the back of the restaurant, in front of the floor-to-ceiling window that framed the breathtaking landscape below.

Our waitress was very pleasant and helpful and the food was delicious. Alberto had something called the Moco Loco, which the menu said was a local favorite. It featured a sausage patty covered with sticky white rice, smothered in brown gravy and topped with a fried egg. Sound gross? It was Yummy. Our toast was also served with two jars of freshly made jam, one being pineapple-mango and the other being a mixed berry variety. Once again, YUM. This is a great place to eat!

After breakfast we headed outside to enjoy the beautiful landscaping that had been done around the property. There were so many different trees and bushes of different variety and texture, and they all had some sort of beautiful flowering bloom spread across the branches. The hill looked a lot like what I envisioned for my own hill. They even had some of the same stuff that I have, or in some instances, had before it died. I loved it. It was like a mini-paradise inside of paradise.

Back in the car, we called Liz to wish her happy birthday (she turned 22) and got caught up on what she had done over the weekend. Afterward, I couldn't help but settle deep into my chair for a nap. Alberto needed sleep too, so when we got back to the condo we decided to nap for a few hours. Have I mentioned yet how wonderful it is to sleep to the sound of the crashing waves? We were asleep almost instantaneously.

A few hours and a refreshing beer later, we decided to go to Black Rock to snorkel for the afternoon. Black Rock is Alberto's favorite place to go on the whole island, and we thought that would be a great thing for us to do together before he headed back to work the next day. Black Rock is reputed to be one of the best places to snorkel or dive on Maui. (Here's a link to another blogger page about this beach: http://www.threebestbeaches.com/2006/05/kaanapali-beach-maui-hawaii.html)

However, the gods must have felt otherwise. Just as we were packing up our bag to head out to the car, it started to rain. Not to worry, Alberto said, the rain will be finished by the time we get to Ka'anapali, just 10 minutes down the road. So we pressed on, got to Ka'anapali, parked and headed into a small outdoor shopping center called "Whaler's Village", which is next to Black Rock. It was still raining. We did a little window shopping and looked at some pearl jewelry. It was still raining. Alberto introduced me to the super-cool and very useful ABC Store, which is kind of like an upscale convenience store. It was *still* raining!

So, with a look of regret on his face, Alberto made the decision for us to give up on snorkeling for the afternoon. We still had to buy something at the shopping center in order for our parking to be validated, so I asked to go into the Borders bookstore just upstairs from where we were. I was still mad at myself that I hadn't remembered to by a Frommer's or Rick Steve's book on Maui before I had gotten on the plane the day before! So we went into Borders and I found this GREAT book called Maui Revealed by Andrew Doughty. It is published by Wizard Publications. There was a similar book for almost every island of the Hawaiian chain. A brief glance through it told me it not necessarily a big listing of all the restaurants, hotels or nightclubs you could go to with corresponding costs (which so many guide books are), but more of a real book on Maui with tips on all sorts of really cool places to go, complete with a bit of a story to make it more meaningful. $16.95 later, we were headed back to the car.

We decided to head back to Downtown Lahaina, that cute little coastal setting with the big Banyan tree in the middle. We got there a little before sunset and I enjoyed strolling among the shops and picking up a few souvenirs along the way. As it got dark, we found ourselves surrounded by young revelers – it was Spring Break after all, and St. Patrick's Day to boot. After spending another hour or so walking around we went home to take refuel from the crowds.


Today was a beautiful day. I hope I can find ways to fill my days with things just as fun and exciting as Alberto was able to show me. Hopefully, my book will be the guide I need to making it happen!