Maui

March 26
We love our little spot on the globe right here on the Kona Coast and even though we have a week in on Maui we hate to leave. We enjoyed the pool area as long as we could and headed to the airport. With only a 40 minute flight, Maui greeted us with clouds and 25 mile an hour winds. We traded in one gorgeous view for another. This time we are in a high rise condo north of Ka’anapali in Kahana with a view to the north. We drove north a bit after getting settled. This whole northern coast is lined with one resort after another. I love the Maui beaches and they are all public which makes it really nice with all these resorts.
Day 2
We woke up to whales right out in front of our condo spouting, rolling, and flapping their tails. Times like this I want a better camera. It was still a little cloudy and windy so we decided to head down to the south end of the island to Kihei, Wailea and Makena Beach. We made a stop in Lahaina to show Norm the town and decided to go to an art show under the big Banyan tree. We all ended up buying a small oil painting before heading to Cheeseburger in Paradise for lunch. A beer and a burger hit the spot. I love successful restaurants started by women and this was one of them. Their story on the menu told how they thought Maui needed a good burger spot and after all “what could be so hard about putting out a good burger.” It reminded me of my own thoughts when I started Creekside Café. I guess many of us wouldn’t have started up a restaurant or business if we had known what was entailed. In 1987, Mom rented a big house in Kihei and the whole family came and spent 10 marvelous days having a fabulous time. The memories came flooding in when we found the house. What a good time we all had. I was lucky to come again with Gloria and Rachel and Scott when Zoe was about a year and a half for another great time with more wonderful memories. It felt good to be here again walking on the beautiful golden beaches. We wished we had brought our suits along on our ride. After a shaved ice, we continued down to Waliea and Makena with a drive out on the lava. I just love the Maui beaches! We got back in time to watch The Amazing Race with popcorn and chips and dip for dinner.
Day 3
This morning the whales were so close! They put on quite a show for us with breaching and flapping their tails one time after another over a period of at least a half hour. What an amazing amount of energy that must take. We were glad to see them taking a breath now and then. We went down to Lahaina to mail off our art work and decided to stay and do a little shopping with lunch at Kimo’s. We had all read “Born in Paradise,” the wonderful story of a young girl growing up on in the Maui upcountry on the large Haleakala Ranch at the turn of the century. The ranch was started by Baldwin and has been in the family for generations. If you have ever been to Maui or hope to go someday, this is a must read. The writer was the daughter of the ranch manager. We toured the Baldwin home on Front Street. Built in the 1830’s and is the oldest standing building on Maui. The Baldwins came over as medical missionaries in the 1830’s. Mitchner tells the story so well in his book “Hawaii.” Later Chris and I went swimming right out in front of our condo in the clear blue and green Pacific. The sunset was a beauty. It was fun to hear the conch shell being blown. Scott’s family has a tradition of “drinking down the sunset” and blowing the conch shell as the sun dips below the horizon. The kids, including Zoe, have had fun mastering the art. Another great day in paradise.



View from our condo!




Home of the Cheeseburger




Beach down in Wailea