Aloha Maui

Today we leave.  Night before last we went to the Lahaina Grill where spaghetti and meatballs will set you back $43!  The food was really good though and service impeccable.  I had a trio of seafood cakes, Dean had the veal chop and Georgia the lamb chops (Perry is sick).  No one ordered the meatballs.
Yesterday we took Dean to a different golf course a little north of here (Perry still on the injured reserve list).  The weather was really blustery and rainy, so Dean bailed out of the golf and we had a lovely breakfast at the Seaside Grill (reasonably priced too!).  I had a frittata made with local purple sweet potatoes and Dean had his 5th Loco Moko, this time with white gravy and a biscuit.  He said it was the best ever.  We dropped him off at the hotel and Georgia and I made our way to Maui Nui Botanical Gardens.  Free admission for geezers >65.  They have a lovely place full of native plants with an audio guide explaining how they grow and what they were used for by native Hawaiians.  Really worth the trip.  Many had medicinal uses including one that treats head lice.  Nothing for kidney stones or prostate issues so they still need urologists here.  We then headed to the Sugar Beach   Bakery that makes the best lime pie ever.
Dinner was again at the Taproom with hulk hulk chicken and mahi mahi.  I’m going to miss the fish.
Hope to get one more fish meal in before the plane leaves.
Aloha!

Whale watching and snorkeling

Yesterday, Georgia and I went whale watching while the guys golfed.  It was amazing to see the humpbacks blowing and breaching from the boat,  The naturalist on board was excellent and I could get really boring with all the details I learned about whales,  They are only here to breed and give birth (1 year gestation - yikes!),  The rest of the time they are up in Alaska eating,  They don’t eat here.  Apparently they are pretty emancipated when they get back north.  Taking photos was not easy.  Sort of like taking a photo of a shooting star.  By the time you  get your phone in place, they would be gone. Even binoculars weren’t of any value,
Today was hang out at the pool and snorkeling. I was the only one who wanted to go, but right off the hotel is superb snorkeling,  I saw at least a dozen different kinds of fish, brain coral, sea urchins and best of all - a turtle.  He was swimming around very near by,  Sadly some idiot with an underwater selfie stick was stalking him.  Some people are so annoying,
As far as food, we went back to Monkeypod  Kitchen for appys last night and the Paia Fish Company for lunch.  Their mahi mahi sandwich was to die for! Had a coconut porter that went down well,

Road to Hana

Sunday found us in a beach side bar watching the Seahawks beat the Eagles in the wild card game of the NFL playoffs.   Good food, tasty drinks and a win!  It doesn’t get much better.  Rested up for our big day Monday - the Road to Hana,
All the Maui guidebooks say this is a must see, preferably from someone else doing the driving.  We hired Kellen of Local Maui Tours for the day to drive us and show us around.  Full disclosure, it was NOT cheap, but so worth it.  He is charming and knowledgeable and an excellent driver.  The road is brutal and dangerous, very narrow, rutted and no guardrails, but what sights!  Mountains, prairies, beaches, waterfalls and quaint tiny towns.  The black sand beach and blow holes at.Waianapanapa State Park are awesome.  The coconut ice cream at Coconut Glen’s and the ubiquitous banana bread were delicious. The trip ended at a beach loaded with sea turtles.  A great Maui day.

Yo Mama!

Yesterday we headed out in the morning to the Maui Swap Meet down by the airport.  Sadly, there was a downpour right before we got there so half the venue was under about 6” of dirty water.  The vendors we could get to ranged from kitchy to quite nice.  We than took in part of the Buffalo - Houston game at a sports bar, then on to Mama”s Seafood on the north end of the island.  It has been written up as one of the top 7 restaurants in the US, best restaurant on Maui, etc.  It did not disappoint.  On the shore of a rough beach with beautiful flower arrangements in the open air restaurant.  Our reservations were for 2:30 PM (would highly recommend so you can arrive and leave in daylight).  The cocktails were amazing (also amazingly expensive at $20, although the bar gin was Bombay much to Dean’s joy).  The appys and entrees were beyond belief good.  I had a macadamia encrusted lamb chop for appetizer and ahi for my entree - perfectly prepared.  Dean had macadamia encrusted crab cakes and bouillabaisse. Dessert was rum raisin ice cream.  Needless to say, we did not need another meal.
Came home to watch the Patriots lose!  Yay!

Found the Wowie on Maui

Yesterday while the guys golfed, Georgia and I drove up to the Haleakala volcano, going from sea level to 10,000 ft!  It was a magical place with unique vegetation and wildlife.  Unfortunately, the crater was socked in with clouds, but it was still amazing.  We saw a white rainbow which is what you see when you are in the clouds.  Lunch in Kula at a funky little bistro and then to the Surfing Goat Farm where they produce all varieties of cheese.  There were some baby goats that were only a few hours old,
Night before last we went to the Monkeypod Kitchen which is just down the beach from our hotel.  Word to the wise, make reservations at 4:30 to take advantage of the happy hour specials and order your entire meal off the appetizer menu.  Really good.
Last night was Art Walk in Lahaina.  It is a much better town walking than what we saw from the car.  There were a lot of art galleries.  One place had paintings on airplane sheet aluminum,  The colors were so vibrant,  Another place had reproductions (and originals) of old maps that were really unique.  another a collection of Theodore Geisell’s original Dr Seuss drawings and sculptures.   We then had dinner in the bar at Mick Fleetwood’s restaurant.  The ahi poke bowl was superb.

Maui Day 2. Better But Not Exactly Wow

First, a correction. We are not being charged $10 per day by Verizon. That was Lucas in Panama who is on our phone plan.  Yesterday we drove to Lahaina - pretty disappointing,  The Main Street (Front St) is just a bunch of beachwear shops like we have at home.  Nothing unique or worth stopping the car for.  Did a lot of walking in the resort area and found the best shave ice, literally, the name of the kind I had was called “The Best” (No Ka Oi).  Ululani’s is the chain and the best is mango, coconut and passionfruit with a drizzle of coconut cream.   Really delicious.  So much so that I went back again today.
Dinner was at the resort and we ate at the upscale restaurant.  I had the salad and added chicken.  Dean had shrimp and scallops.  A bit overpriced.  This morning we went to a taproom that serves breakfast.   $6 Bloody Marys and Mimosas.  I had avocado toast, Dean had Loko Moko:  rice, a hamburger patty, fried egg, grilled onion and gravy.  He loved it.
We picked up Georgia and Perry last night at the airport. Today just hung out on the beach and pool (and went for shave ice).  There was a craft fair at one of the hotels and we bought unique shirts and tops printed with an octopus. The artist paints the octopus then presses it on the fabric.  Then they eat the octopus.  Very cool looking. I bought one for my friend who had us read The Soul of the Octopus for book club.
Tomorrow Georgia and I will go exploring while the guys golf.

Maui Not So Wowie

Flew into Maui yesterday for a 10 day break from the wet and dreary.  The flight was easy and we had a whole row to ourselves! When was the last time that happened?  Alaska Airlines is featuring a new drink - hazelnut espresso vodka with a splash of half and half.  Goes down waaay to easily,
The first surprise is that it is going to cost $10 per day for cell service on Hawaii.  Guess the last time we were here we didn’t have cell phones.   Our plane had to wait on the tarmac for 30 minutes as our gate was occupied,  It took a while to get Dean’s golf clubs.  The rental car was only going to be a subcompact, so with 4 people and 2 sets of clubs, we had to upgrade to an SUV (another $60 per day).  Ouch.
Lahaina where we are staying was a beautiful drive from the airport,  The Sheraton is nice, right on a beautiful beach.  Parking is $25 per day (again ouch). Lots of little pools tucked around the property,  We headed to a pool side bar and I had pineapple hard cider.  Could be my new beverage.
Then headed down the beach to dinner at Lelaini’s.  Very tasty fish tacos and Korean chicken sandwich.  Had to have a Longboard Lager just because I love their TV commercials,
This morning took a 2.6 mile walk down the beachfront.  Really can’t walk on the beach as the sand is so soft, even at the tide line, but they have a great walkway just up from the beach.  There is one high rise after another.  Lots of people walking, very few smile or say hi.  Most avoid eye contact.  C’mon people. You are in paradise!  Smile!  Just way too many entitled white people.  If you want to get offended by cultural appropriation or white privilege, this is the place.  Most of the hotel pools have their lounges covered with pool towels even at 0800 to reserve them for later,  Ugh.  I think we need to get out of the resort area and soon.