October 23, 2012 - Haleakala' National Park

Aloha All,

Today we were up handily to go to Haleakala' National Crater Park. We had the choice of leaving at 3:00 a.m. to see the sunrise but the majority of us did not want to get up that early.  The drive took just under 3 hours from our villa to the summit.  The roads were once again winding going up to the summit.  Haleakala' means "House of the Sun".  The park covers an area of 33,265 acres of which 19,270 is wilderness.  The picture on the upper left was taken from the Leleiwi Lookout (8800 feet) about 3/4s of the way to the summit.  At this point we were above the clouds.  We have driven through tropical rainforest, pasture land, dry forest and are now in subapline shrubland.  The views from here were spectacular with various colours from green to the reds of the volcanic earth.  We continued our drive to the summit (10,023 feet) with our ears popping a number of times.  The earth here was just red ciders and there were a few species of plants and animal life that have adapted to

the harsh environment.  The crater itself is 6.99 miles across, 2 miles wide and 2600 feet deep.  It is not a caldera but was formed by erosion.  As we took in the view we could see the clouds rolling in below us.  On a clear day the Big Island of Hawaii is visible to the naked eye.  The summit is also home to the Haleakala Observatory and because of its location above the tropical inversion layer it has very clear sky's and excellent viewing conditions (fourth best in the world).  For over 40 years the University of Hawaii Institute of Astronomy has managed the site conducting astrophysical experiments that cannot be done elsewhere in the world.

The weather conditions have changed dramatically for our drive down. Much of the area is now covered with a dense fog so we drive even slower than the trip up.  We eventually came out of the fog and once again into the sun. We arrived back at the villa in time to catch the late afternoon sun.

Fred and I were on KP duty and took a walk along the promenade before preparing our last cooked supper.  The sunset looked like a biblical scene in a movie and the picture on the left does really not due it justice.  Supper was pork chops and ribs marinated in a teriayki sauce plus a mix of sweet and regular potatoes with onion,  all barbecued together with a salad.  We managed to use up all the meat we had purchased.

We did some laundry and had our usual walk before heading off to bed.  Our time together as a family was quickly coming to an end with one last day left in paradise.

Sandy & Fred

October 22, 2012 - Mama's Fish House

Aloha All,

Today we all did our own thing.  I headed off to the pool before breakfast to get a seat as the Marriott is now very busy.  The kids had breakfast then headed off to snorkel and Fred made me a bacon sandwich which he brought to the pool.  The women around the pool commented how did I rate such service to which I smiled and and said I'm special.

As I said the kids headed off to snorkel while I relaxed around the pool until it was time to get ready for our Christmas present from Christopher and Meaghan.  They booked a table for the six of us at Mama's Fish House rated the second best restaurant in Hawaii.  It is located on the beach in Paia.  Christopher arranged our seating time to be just before sunset as seen in the picture in the top right.  The restaurant was very busy and fully booked.  We over heared that people who did not have a booking had a wait of over two hours. We all had a cocktail and relaxed while looking over the menu. The menu changes daily as the fish provided is caught by local fisherman.  The location and who caught it was identified on the menu you can't get any fresher than that.  I had macadamia nut crab cakes and Fred had wasabi crusted calamari.  Christopher had a sashimi and I can't for the life of me  remember what the rest had. The rest of the family had various fish dinners while I had crispy Kaula duck.  I know; one of the top fish houses in all of Hawaii and I had duck.  Well I am not a fish lover and the duck was awesome. We had a very leisurely dinner and were not rushed given how busy the restaurant was.  Fred and I pass on dessert as the portions are large but I do have a specialty coffee along with Christopher.  The girls had dessert a Hana Banana Macadamia Nut Crisp and a Liliko 'i Creme Brulee .

What an awesome family night and great Christmas gift.  Everyone enjoyed their meal and then we headed back to the villa.


Sandy & Fred

October 21 - 22, 2012 - Relaxing Day then a Luau

Aloha All, 

After a day in the car yesterday we decided to have a day of relaxing with everyone doing their own thing.  The kids were off snorkeling, I relaxed in the pool with my float and Fred stayed in until later in the day when the sun was not as strong.  Fred and I were on kitchen duty and supper tonight was steak kabobs and baked potatoes.  Dessert was the last loaf of banana bread.  After supper we headed out for a stroll along the boardwalk before heading to bed.

Sunday and once again we all did our own thing during the day with most of us catching some rays. Jonathan and Amy were not going the Luau as they attended one in the past year.  Christopher Meaghan, Fred and myself opted for the Polynesian Luau which was a smaller venue of 150 people and you were served at your table rather than lining up at a buffet with 600 other people.  The meal consisted of food from Hawaii, New Zealand, Tahiti and Samoa.  There were drinks recommended
for each course as well as any other drink you wanted.

As each islands food was served we were entertained with a story of the island and cultural dances. Starters were dried banana and sweet potato chips with a tropical salsa ago seaweed and whatever drinks we desired.  Our Hawaiian menu was Pohole Fern, Asparagus and Heart of Palm salad, Seared Island Catch with Mango sauce, Kalu'a Pork and Poi.  The recommended drinks were a chardonnay and Bikini Blonde Lager.   I decided to try the Chardonnay but after a few sips give it to Fred and replaced it with a local red wine.  New Zealand was the next island up and the food from this island consisted of Upcountry Greens Duck and Poha Berry Vinaigrette, Harore Kumara (roasted mushrooms and sweet potato), Kuku patties (a fishcake of scallop, shrimp and fish).  The recommended drinks were a Sauvigon Blanc and a stein lager.  Tahiti came next and the food was E'iota (poisson cru), Baked Scallops, Fafa (steamed chicken and taro leaf in coconut milk).  The recommended drink for this was a chardonnay or Hinano Beer.  Last but not least on the menu was the food of Samoa.  Shrimp and Avocado with Passion Fruit, Palusami (young taro leaf and coconut milk with breadfruit) and Supasui (grilled steak).  Recommend drinks were a Pinot Noir or a Big Swell IPA.  The final service for the night was dessert, a caramel macadamia nut tart with Haupia , Hawaiian Vintage Chocolate Truffles and Tropical Fruit served with a port wine.  The food was amazing and just the right amount for a decent taste for the four of us.  Dessert was decadent and very sweet so I did not finish it all but did taste everything.

We really enjoyed our night at the Luau.  Totally satisfied we all headed back to the villa to catch up with Jonathan and Amy.  They went to a fish and pasta place at Whalers Village.  Fred and I had our evening walk along the promenade to work off some of the food and drink before heading to bed.

Sandy & Fred

October 19, 2012 - Highway to Hana

Aloha All,

We were all up early and headed off to tour the Highway to Hana. Amy provided us with a CD and map from a friend that guided us on our way.  The Highway to Hana is 68 miles long and is a narrow and winding road. It has 620 curves and passes over 59 bridges of which 46 are one lane only.  The highway cuts through lush tropical forests and provides some stunning views of the coast.  Our first stop was Waikamoi Nature Trail.  The picture on the left is of the roots of the trees that were along the trail we hiked.  The view of the valley was amazing with the different shades of green that identify the different types of trees that grow here, from Bamboo to Pines.  Along the trail there are a number of fruit trees growing in the wild.  Guava seemed to be everywhere.

Our next stop along the road was the Garden of Eden an Arboretum and Botanical Garden.  This site was the creation of Alan Bradbury Maui's first certified arborist and landscape designer. The project began in 1991 and opened to the public in the fall of 1996.  There are 26 acres of trails which have been laid out to restore and promote  Hawaii's natural ecosystems as well as plants and trees of the South Pacific Region.  The picture on the right is of a tree that had these gorgeous coloured berries. Unfortunately the tree was not labeled so we have no idea what it was called.  We spent a good hour and a half exploring with all of us going our separate ways. We also had a great view of Keopuka Rock and Puohokamoa Valley which was used in the opening scene of Jurassic Park as seen below on the left.

We also got some great views and shots of Puohokama Falls in the valley below from the Garden.  It has been a very dry season and the rainy season doesn't start till late November so the waterfalls are somewhat disappointing.  Also along the route many waterfalls are on private property so you cannot get up close and personal to them.

Onward we headed with our next stop being on the coast of Keanae. The coast itself is rugged and home to a Hawaiian Village.  We did not explore the village but did stop to get pictures of the beautiful coast line.  The picture on the right is just a taste of what we see.  I have posted pictures to my Facebook page and Fred still has to post to our Flickr page.  Once everyone had completed their photo ops we headed on and stopped at the the half way mark a roadside stand that is reputed to sell the best banana bread in all of Maui. Meaghan, Jonathan and Amy bought shaved ice.  They were absolutely huge and Fred, Christopher and myself all helped Meaghan eat hers while Jon and Amy have no problem tackling theirs alone.  We purchased banana bread that was still warm from the oven to take back to the villa for dessert.  Christopher also purchased home made beef jerky which he shared with everyone in the car.  It was my first taste ever of jerky and it was quite pleasant, chewy and not at all salty.

Our next stops were Wailua Overlook that looked down on the coast and into a taro plantation and small village and Pua'a Ka'a Wayside Park which is home to a waterfall.  However, due to the dry season it was merely a trickle and the pool that you are supposed to be able to swim in looks very uninviting.

Our last stop before Hana was Wa'anapanapa State Park.  This park has the only black sand beach outside of the big island of Hawaii.  There was also a lava tube and beautiful rugged shores.  While we were there Jonathan spotted a sea turtle.  He is becoming the King of spotting turtles and I keep missing them.  We also saw I a teenaged boy and girl climbing the cliff and jumping into the ocean, then swimming out to other smaller islands or rock formations, climbing up and jumping in.  They must have been from the area as they seemed to know what was safe as the water was somewhat rough but they did end up safely on the beach.

Our last stop was Hana.  A very small town which basically has nothing. We were hungry but wanted something light.  Jonathan and Amy got a lunchable snack from the small grocery store while Fred, Meaghan, Christopher and I bought lunch from the take-away side of what appears to be the only restaurant in town.  We decided to head back to the villa rather than stop at the last sight on the route, which was another nine miles away.  The road back to the villa was the same one we have traveled out to Hana on and if the traffic was busy the ride back will be a couple of hours without any stops.  The last picture was of the sites we saw on the way back and was taken from the car as we travelled.

We made a short stop at the local Safeway in Lahaina to stock up on a few things.  Once back at the villa Fred, Jonathan, Amy and myself headed down to Blackrock Beach to see if we could get pictures of the Sea Turtle.  Once again people prove what total idiots they are.  The turtle was there but was surrounded by people on floats.  One mother gives her kid which was about 3 yrs old greenery that was attached to rocks to feed the turtle.  Unbelievable as the turtle could bite off her hand quite easily.  Jonathan and Amy were on kitchen duty and we had a great supper of roast chicken, roast potatoes and roast carrots.  We enjoyed our purchase of banana bread for dessert and  I must admit it was delicious and rivals the one I make.

We have had a great day in Paradise as a family and I am loving every minute of it.

Sandy & Fred

October 18, 2012 - Kahekill Beach

Aloha All,

Today we were up and at em in good time and headed off as a family to Kahekill Beach to snorkel.  The kids headed out while I took pictures and Fred settled himself under a nice big tree for shade.  The kids spent a good time out in the ocean and got quite a distance out.  Jonathan saw some barracuda and sea turtles resting on the ocean floor as well.  I snorkeled and tried to take pictures with an underwater camera I purchased but found I was really missing my fins and struggled, tiring very quickly.  LOL either my age is catching up with me but I would like to think it is because I don't have fins that help propel you through the water.  I retired to the beach to lay on my floaty and had the water occasionally wash over me.  Fred stayed out of the water and in the shade, but still managed to turn a nice shade of pink.  The beach itself is nice, has a good reef with a long sandy beach with little shade that we managed to find.

The picture on the left is of the beach.  We spent a good 3 hours plus on the beach before heading back to the villa.

Once back we freshened up and changed for a late lunch.  Meaghan, Christopher, Fred and myself headed off along the beach from our villa to Hula Bar and Grill to have lunch while Jonathan and Amy went off to do their own thing.  This time everyone remembered to take their ID with them so no worries buying drinks. Meaghan ordered a Pina Colada with strawberry and it looked so amazing. We had two starters; coconut calamari and crab and macadamia nut wontons.  I had a Hula Cheeseburger which was massive, Fred and Christopher had Kapulu Joe which was a pork sandwich and Meaghan had a foccacia chicken sandwich another massive portion.  At this rate I told Fred there was no way that I could eat supper.  The food portions were just too large, plus we had a late lunch.  Thankfully, everyone felt the same way including Jonathan and Amy who had gone off and did what they wanted to do.  So it was decide that snacks would be the order of the day for supper; cheese, crackers, pate and whatever drinks each wanted.
Another great day day in paradise  with the family.

Sandy & Fred

October 17, 2012 - A Day in The Sun Maui

Aloha All.

Today we were all off to a fairly early start with some of us exercising in various ways.  Running, walking, or heading to the gym.  The kids decided to snorkel off the beach by the villa, our home away from home.  Jonathan took them all off to K-Mart to buy some cheap snorkels which unfortunately was located almost back to the airport.  Geared up they snorkeled just down the beach from our location and also further up the beach at Black Rock.  I got a picture of them as they were preparing to head off.  The water was fairly warm and not too wavy were they were and there  was a good variety of fish according to Jonathan.  A couple of  moray's, damsels, angel fish and parrot fish.  Meaghan did very well as she is not a strong swimmer and was aided with a noodle her first time out.  They snorkeled for quite some time while Fred and I retired to the pool to relax and soak up the sun.

Lunch was cheese, crackers, wild boar pate and a Mexican bean dip with chips.  More sunning and snorkeling then we cleaned up and headed off for a walk along the beach towards Black Rock Beach, a beach at the end of Ka'Anapali Beach, about a 15 minute walk.  There Jonathan spotted a sea turtle.  The picture on the right is one Jonathan was able to get when the poor thing came up for air.  Now, there are a number of signs indicating the turtles are an endangered species, are wild animals and to leave them alone.  People, once again do not disappoint us in how absolutely stupid they are.  The turtle was harassed and Meaghan and Christopher left as they could not stand seeing how people were harassing it.  We hung around for a bit to try and get a picture but only Jonathan, who was really patient in this case, was successful in getting a video and a picture.  I have photoshopped the idiots that were surrounding and harassing the turtle out of the picture.

Supper this night was made by Christopher and Meaghan and was a Japanese curry made with pork and served with rice.  It was very tasty and enjoyed by all.  After supper we headed out for our usual walk but we were all in bed very early as the sun had got the best of us all after another day in paradise.

Sandy & Fred

October 16 - 17, 2012 - Maui Family Reunion

Aloha All,

This was our first family reunion and I was very excited to be spending time with all the kids.  Christopher and Meaghan had arrived well before us as they had an early flight out of Portland while Fred, Jonathan, Amy and myself had a late afternoon flight so we arrived after 10:00 p.m.  After settling in we headed off to bed for an early start the next day.

I couldn't sleep and was up and out around 7:30 a.m. for a walk along the promenade and there were a number of joggers and walkers out already.  I am guessing to beat the heat of the day.  By the time I got back the rest of the family was up and we headed off to grab something for breakfast.  Our first real task of the day was to decide on foods that everyone liked and then to go food shopping, so we all headed off to the local Safeway.  We all got a shock on how expensive fresh produce was, as well as food in general.  A loaf of bread was over $6.00, a cucumber was $2.49.  Our first food bill was $375.00 US and that was not for a whole week.  Yikes, you've got to eat,  and we did not want to be eating out all the time.  Once back at the villa and the groceries were unpacked we headed off to lunch at Leilani's, a restaurant on the beach.  The kids were all asked for ID before they could be served drinks.  I told the waitress they were all over 30 but that didn't matter.  Amy & Meaghan did not have their ID with them so they decided to head back to the villa to get it, and because they did, the waitress did not charged them for their drinks.  That was a nice touch.  Apparently if you look under 30 wait staff are required to ask for ID due to the strict liquor laws in Maui.  When our waitress finally returned and asked how things were Amy let her know her meal was cold so she also deducted that from our bill.  Now that was good customer service.  The balance of the day was spent sunning around the pool or on the beach, all of us catching our first real rays of sun.

Fred and I were first up on KP duty and what a delight to cook for everyone.  Something I have really missed.  Barbecued steak, potatoes and a salad was the menu for our first family dinner in well over 5 years.  After supper some of us headed out for a walk before hitting the sack.


Sandy & Fred