Percy and Happy

We have moved into our motel-by-the-sea, the Days Inn, until tomorrow. If you're community-minded, this is a fantastic deal, under $100 US per night and just a few steps from the beach. There is a wide grassy area that abuts the beach and extends from one hotel to another and then off to two restaurants. Prominently displayed on the beach is a sign stating "grassy area belongs to all" and as we sat and waited for the sunset we also had a blast watching the locals. Most especially, their dogs. We were formally introduced to Percy, about 10 weeks old, who was a "beagle and something-else mix... umm... actually he is a lot of things all rolled into one" - said the pubescent Hawaiian girl who presented him. Percy's claim to fame, all 5 pounds of him, was how fast he would race along behind any one of his six children, mouth open wide and face radiating complete joy, leaping and deer-hopping in utter rhapsody with his pack.

We were stretched out in our beach chairs thoroughly enjoying ourselves, and then, lo and behold, who appeared but Happy, the yellow lab pup. Who could NOT be more appropriately named. Now, see this beautiful castle?

Gorgeous, yes? And I had grand plans to wait for the sunset, lay prone on the beach and get my shot-of-the-year with the golden/red sun in the background setting over the turret of this magnificent castle. I sighed with happiness at the weight of Cyclops in my hands - there is nothing that a shutterbug loves more than to know her camera is instantly at the ready. Especially when she is stretched out on a lawnchair drinking champs.

But I digress.

The shots above were my test shots to grab the light and set up the scene. Not 10 seconds after I took them, one of Percy's pack - a six-year-old Hawaiian girl, hit that castle like she was a dedicated scud missile. It went down in a matter of seconds and time after time she launched herself off the pinnacle and landed with an oommmph on the flat beach beside it. Fortunately children of that age are made entirely of rubber and she didn't even grimace on impact.

 

Enter Happy, the Gomer Pyle of the beach, out for a stroll with his owner, tongue hanging out sideways, tail wagging enthusiastically and bum completely disconnected from the rest of him. He took one look at the castle destroyer, caught the moment and launched himself with complete abandon, landing upside down on what was left of the turrett. Whereupon he froze, lips and floogles hanging loose and feet suspended in mid-air, waiting for the little girl to react. Hopefully, with a tummy rub. When she did, that started the entire process all over again, with a butt-scoot around the castle, another mid air flip, ears perked, lips peeled back and legs flayling almost as fast as that tail. The castle got smaller and smaller and Happy had the time of his life, until finally being called away by his grown-up owner. Ears back and tail down, he left the beach with slitty eyes,obviously resenting leaving one of the best games ever. The little girl, also somewhat deflated, responded to her family's requests to come back and dig into the big bag of McDonald's they had provided for their Saturday night picnic. Percy sat attentively at her feet, completely unimpressed with Happy's performance and hoping only for a French fry.

It is my firm belief that the world would not be the same, nor worth living in, without the company of our canine friends.

In the end, the sun set anyway without the pretty sandcastle, and Happy and Percy both went home to sleep their doggy sleeps and dream of the beach another day. Truly, this could not be a more perfect way to spend our last night in Maui. Aloha to you all.

 

 

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Fourth Friday

Kihei hosts a parking lot bash every fourth Friday, cordoning off Azeka's shopping plaza and filling it with booths and food vendors and live music. It's popular with the locals and visitors alike, a bustling, busy place loaded with kikei who are having fun with face painting and bubble blowing. Admission is by donation to the Food Bank and thanks, Dave, for the extra can of pork & beans that we stole while rooting through the cupboards. Your hurricane supply took a wee hit, but we'll replace it and the Food Bank was very grateful. The evening kicked off with a melodic chant and prayer and a nod to the ancestors, under a sky that quickly went from gold to blood red to black. The sunsets here are mind blowing and can become hazards when gazing skyward while walking in crowds.

 

It will come as no surprise to anyone who knows me that the highlight of the night was finding a vendor who was selling homemade lillikot (passion fruit) cheesecake. Mama Mia! It was sensational! Light and creamy and swimming in lillikot sauce, tart and sweet and tantalizing to the tongue. No wonder there are three large jars of this delicacy in my suitcase (and six small ones to stuff in my socks). Guess I'll be checking, not carrying on, my bags on Sunday.

Tomorrow marks our last official full day on Maui, and the sorrow of our departure is only slightly tempered by handing over the keys to paradise to niece Carrie and family. We'll have the fun of spending an afternoon together on Sunday before making our way back to Kahului for our Sunday evening flight to LA - YVR - YQQ which leaves at stupid o'clock and gets in at don't-even-ask o'clock. Ugh. Our time here has been all too short but no matter if it's ten days or a hundred, it is always wrenching to leave Maui. I am hereby throwing it out to the universe via the Law of Attraction and the Power of Intention: I believe my sixth decade should be spent as a lillikot farmer.

The hat (and the smile) says it all!

 

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Goodnight, Maui

 

 

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All the colors of the rainbow

Hawaiian folklore teaches that at times a rainbow is a hoailona, or omen, that the ancestors or gods favor what you did or plan to do. This morning's decision for Cappy to skip the paddleboarding due to the choppy water was met with this smiling endorsement of the ancestors:

Not the most dramatic rainbow that Maui has given us, but beautiful enough for a grateful start to the morning. And since we were in the 'hood, we wandered back to Kam #1 on the off chance that the parakeets were back. And.... look at these little beauties!

Cheeky little fellows were unperturbed by our presence and even when they spooked and headed for the trees, they would quickly return to peck around on the ground and chatter. What a treat it was to see such beauty in the wild, instead of behind the bars of a cage.

We went to Ka'anapali today, then Kapalua and then all the way to DT Fleming Beach, which is about as far West as you can go in Maui and still stay dry. Forty-four years ago (gasp) Jan and I giggled as we made tractor-tracks with our bare feet along the beautiful white sands while the sun set behind us. Mom snapped a picture of that moment, and it has long held a special place in both of our hearts. It felt amazing to be back there.

Apologies for the Maui hair. Heat + wind + humidity = straw Brillo pad, and there's not a damned thing I can do about it. Unless I look in the mirror, I am profoundly grateful to be here! Maui no ka 'oi!

 

 

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Bright lights

Yesterday when I was meandering along the Kammie's while the Mister golfed, a back-to-the-sixties, dreadlocked guy dressed in a sari who was camped out in the old life guard shack called me. "Hey! Point and shoot!" He noticed Cyclops around my neck. "You have to come over here to get the picture of a lifetime!" Uh huh, I thought, I can imagine what sort of a grand design he had in mind. So I bumbled along and nodded and sashayed backwards and sideways subtly to increase the distance between us. All the while he went on about the unbelievable occurrence of a group of very rare Hawaiian parakeets that were in the very trees above me. He even knew their exact flight plan and demonstrated with great enthusiasm how they would glide from the mesquite trees to a feeding spot on the ground, then return to the mesquite. But only until 7:45 a.m., and then, like magic, poof, they'd be gone! I stood there obediently and focused my lens skyward and saw absolutely nothing. Me being me, I murmured my admiration (still sliding sideways) and he said, with his eyes glittering, "Did you see one? Did you?". I am such a sheep that I told him of course I had, it was fantastic, and too bad my lens wasn't good enough to capture the shot of a lifetime. He looked disappointed as I walked away smiling, wondering exactly what he had imbibed to give him such a peyote-filled vision.

Fast forward to this morning, precisely 7:30, as Rick and I walked the beaches. And lo and behold, there they were. Right where Bob Marley said they would be - at least 40 of them, chirping happily and singing from the branches, soaring gracefully down to the ground to continue their meeting, and then returning on their predicted flight path.

 

I hasten to add here, these are not my photographs, although depending on circumstances over the next few mornings you might find me camped in that spot, camera at the ready. But this is exactly what they looked like, charming, chatty and as cheerful as they could be. Bob Marley was right on, dude!

Kammie 1 was not the only beach that held treasures this morning. As we strolled the shore on Kammie 3, we noticed an elderly lady being gently helped through the tiny waves by her white-haired son and another lady. As we paused to watch them make their way safely beyond the breakwater, a passerby told us that this particular lady swam all the way to the buoy at least three times a week. Pretty impressive feat, I thought, for an older gal, as the buoy was likely a good 200-300 yards away. And then the guy commented further: "Next week she will turn 103 years old." That pony-tailed white-haired son had to be in his 80s and I tell you, the two of them were the absolute embodiment of the Maui lifestyle. Can you imagine - being born in 1911 and living la Vida Loca for more than a century? Inspiring!

 

 

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Keanae, and a bit of history

I fell in love with Keanae the first time I saw it, too many moons ago to even try to remember. This jagged northern peninsula was created from a huge lava spill from Haleakala's crater, but today it is sleepy and peaceful, home to a tiny community surrounded by taro fields, grazing animals and the relentless pounding of the surf.

This little church, called "Ihi'ihio lehowa o na Kaua" was built over 150 years ago and it still stands strong. It was the only surviving building of a tsunami in 1946 (from the Alaskan Aleutian earthquake) and it wiped out the entire town, with 35-100 foot waves. There was no warning; no one saw it coming, and 20 children and 4 teachers were stolen by the wave. The outcome from this tragedy was the formation of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre, still in effect and helping to keep the residents safe.

 

It is an exquisite, windy drive to mile 17 from the Makawao cutoff and the sheer cliffs drop from thick bamboo forests, more lush than I have ever seen. Although the waterfalls had all but dried up after a hot summer's season, there were stands of stunning rainbow eucalyptus trees. The single disappointment was arriving too late at Aunt Sandy's roadside stand for the best banana bread on the island, dammit. Fortunately we remembered to bring a cold beer and a beach chair, great for wave watching.

The return trip back was, if anything, even more stunning as being on the outside of the road afforded some gobsmacking views, although a bit fleeting thanks to the jungle. This lovely spot on earth is one of my mental happy places that transports me through the worst of the grey and sodden BC winter. I'm tanking up my memory banks in earnest.

 

 

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The best start to the day

 

Early morning view from Kamaole #1, looking at the windmills that dot the hills on the way to Lahaina.

The trade winds are back! And with them, a distinct increase in the comfort level. We had a great beach walk this morning followed by coffee at our favorite spot where we sat outside and watched the world go by and tried to ignore the flirty behavior of little birds that were doing their best to con us out of a crumb.

It's a laid-back afternoon, having spent most of the morning contributing to the local economy. It's so peaceful here that it's hard to get riled up even when you return and find someone else parked in your spot. OK, that's not exactly true and we left a snooty note prominently displayed on their windshield. I mean really, we had to walk all the way across the lot carrying a 24-pack of Charmin. You thought I was going to say beer, didn't you?

I have to share some amazing shots that I took yesterday at my brother's orchid sanctuary, tucked behind a banana tree at the entrance to the pool. Noticing that a heck of a lot of orchids were being turfed out as the vacationers returned to colder climes, Dave built three wooden stands and lovingly replanted the orphans that he rescued. And they are so beautiful, expressing their gratitude in the loveliest way.

 

 

 

 

I'm so glad that he thought to save these little treasures for us all to enjoy. Thanks, brother!

 

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ALOHA!

We are three days in, and we have begun the big unwind. Maui slips into your soul and gently reminds you to slow down, look at the water, inhale the perfume of the white ginger and the plumeria. We have never visited in September before and it's fascinating to meet some new blossoms, like this one - a "shower" tree. They look like they are draped in tiny little orchids, shell pink or golden yellow, and they are especially beautiful up country in Kula and Makawao way.

There is a delightful lack of tourists in September and the beaches are roomy and inviting. The trade winds are practically stilled, the oddest phenomena of all, as we really count on the cooling breezes. I don't know whether that's a sign of global warming or not, but it is definitely missed as we are cooking. It's thirty degrees, but given the stillness and humidity, it's more like forty. We move slowly and seem to physically expand and enlarge through some odd kind of fat combustion. Swollen ankles, sticky backs. Thankfully the pool and the ocean provide an instant and pleasurable cure. Beer helps, but only if you drink it quickly before it comes to the boil.

Baldwin Beach, just before the little town of Paia, was a beautific blend of soft emerald and turquoise. The boys had a good dip before Pele decided she no longer wanted to share and tossed them back on the beach. No harm done, other than a salt water sinus rinse for Peter.

 

To head up-country, toward Haleakala and Kula, provides instant relief as there is at least a 10 degree difference in temperature. The fall also provides a spectacular clarity to the air, and even at over 5000 ft elevation, you can see both sides of the island through Maui's delicate neck. We parked at Ulapalakula ranch and enjoyed a local red hot dog at a shady picnic table as we drank in the view.

Today we said a sad farewell to the Boulton's who, at this moment, are about 30,000 feet up in the arms of Air Alaska. As Lisa said, it was a double-hard good-bye, leaving behind this beautiful island and us as well. We have only a week until we face the same fate and already we are bemoaning the fact that we didn't extend the holiday to two full weeks. Months. Years.

In the meantime, we will enjoy every second of this magical island, including a cocktail on the beach tonight to watch the sun hit the water and listen to the conch shells announce the evening.

 

 

 

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