Jan.28

Today is Karen's birthday so we had almost eggs benny for breakfast. Almost because I had no ingredients for Hollandaise and we leave tomorrow and are trying to use up what's in the kitchen.
We went into Kahului to gas up the car at Costco before returning it tomorrow, they're $1 a gallon cheaper than anywhere else but can have big line ups.
For lunch we had another plate lunch from Times market then spent our last afternoon at the pool.
It was a good time, our condo friends Mark and Darlene and Ian and Denise joined us for drinks and some appies to celebrate Karen's birthday.
Ian is an awesome blues harmonica player so he played a couple of tunes .
Then  Henry, the condo manager came and told us there was no food allowed at the pool.
One of the old cranky residents had complained.
Henry was good, said it was okay this time.
Now we are starting to clean out the fridge and do a little packing before leaving in the morning.
We have to be out by 11am and our plane leaves at 3:10 so the timing is pretty good.

Jan.27

Today was calm and sunny so headed up to 14 mile beach for a last snorkel.
We came back and bought some sushi for lunch then took it easy before going to dinner.
We went to Five Palms to celebrate Karen's birthday a day early. She wants to spend tomorrow at the condo for our last night .
The restaurant had a 3 course special with a choice of 3 entrées .We both had the prime rib.
It was  really good and we got to watch the sunset from our outdoor table.
While we had our dinner all of the diners were entertained by a young woman doing yoga in a skimpy bikini on the lawn out front.
I was reluctant take a picture for fear of being labeled a pervert but Karen insisted. Really!
This picture is pretty tame, most of her workout was done with a full rear view that left little to the imagination.
She obviously isn't shy!
Also we had a visitor on the wall last night , don't know where it is now.

Jan.26

Windy again today. The sun is shining but the ocean is wild.
Snorkeling is out.
We drove south towards La Perouse bay to try  fishing again at a spot we've seen locals before.
Didn't do too well, waves were crashing around my feet, a spear fisherman came out of the water nearby and said there were fish out there but they were elusive.
Karen got to sit and read her book while I struck out.
Decided to try and get some sun at the pool, our days are going fast.
Noticing more people coming to the beach for sunset than before.
Hotdogs for dinner tonight, trying to use up our groceries without buying more with 2 days to go.

Jan.25

Big storm all last night ,high winds and rain, but this morning the sun was shining again.
It is still windy so snorkeling in Kehei is out .
We decided to drive up towards Lahaina .
Once we got around the point the wind dropped off and the water was fairly calm.
We drove up into a subdivision that overlooks Lahaina and the whole coast.
Breathtaking views and more breathtaking prices. One of the houses is on the market for 15 million.
We wandered under the giant banyon tree in Lahaina. They have a big craft market on Sundays.
Karen bought a pair of earrings made of  little feathers.
On our way back we stopped at the Maui aquarium and had lunch in their restaurant before touring the aquarium.
Saw this sign on the way home, who wouldn't want feral cats in their house?
Got back and had a little pool time before sunset.

Jan.24

Yesterday was the monthly pupu party here at Waiohuli Beach Hale.
Everyone is invited and is asked to bring an appetizer to share.
There was quite a big turnout ,the evening was warm and breezy.
We had a storm move in overnight, heavy rain pounding the vegetation outside our window.
This morning dawned overcast and showery so we went into Kahului to checkout the big indoor mall.
When we got back we did the laundry and watched some television.
Our friends from Alberta ,Mark and Darlene, took advantage of a break in the clouds to sit by the pool so we went and talked to them for awhile.
Even in the showers it's still 78°.
While we were out there another neighbor spotted a praying mantis on the fence so I had to get a picture , never saw one before.
It was about 4 inches long.
Karen touched it's back then came in and read that they can bite so she won't be doing that again!
Unless we get another break in the weather we won't be seeing the sunset tonight but tomorrow is supposed to be mostly sunny.

Jan.22

 I tried my luck fishing  this morning.
We went to the beach across from where Barb Nixon , Karen McKay and family stayed last year.
It is now referred to as Barb's House and Barb's beach.
Of course I never caught anything but it was fun anyway.
We saw this house across from the beach and 2 doors north of Barb and Karen's that we hadn't noticed before.
It had a sign out front for  Last Shot Taxidermy.
Most of the animals on the house are Axis deer which were introduced to Maui and are now over populated.
After fishing we went to a little used book store that Inger, one of our condo neighbors ,told us about.
Incidentally, it turns out Inger and her husband live only a few blocks from us in Nanaimo.
Anyway the book store was neat, run by the Friends of the Library. It was located up a long dirt road in behind the  sugar mill in Kahului in a building that used to be part of the Puunene School which is now on the historic registry.
All paperbacks were 25 cents except for all on the shelves outside which were free. We bought a few and picked 2 free ones.
The sugar mill is the only one left on Maui and is 140 years old. They also supply 7% of Maui's electricity by burning what's left after the sugar has been extracted from the cane.
A little patch of cane near the mill had just been burned which is very controversial here.
They traditionally burn the fields before harvest but the smoke and air pollution is becoming increasingly unpopular.

Jan.21

We went back to 14 Mile to snorkel again.
Conditions were just as good as last time, calm and clear, saw lots of fish and colorful coral.
We came back to the condo after lunch then about 3pm we took our neighbor Denise to Ho'okipa near Paia to see the turtles that come out to rest on the beach near the end of the day. Sometimes there are 20 or more we've been told.
The surf there was the biggest we had ever seen, up to 20ft waves. No one was surfing, it was too rough.The sound and power of the sea was awesome to witness.
As it turned out the surf was too much for the turtles as well. There was only one on the beach but we saw lots in the water trying to get to shore without getting smashed on the rocks. Never saw any make it in.
We saw this little dog with attitude in the back of a truck.

Jan.20

Today we went to the Grand Wailea Hotel for their free art tour.
We got valet parking at the front entrance and a ticket to get validated at the gallery so it was free also.
We met at the NaPua Gallery at 10am. and the tour lasted just over an hour.
There were only 5 of us in the tour which is guided by  Michael Gilbert, art curator for the hotel who happens to be from Toronto.
He has been with the hotel , which is a Waldorf Astoria property, since it was built in 1991 buy a Japanese guy who also  built the Four Seasons hotel next door.
He had a 30 million dollar budget for art before the hotel was even built.
It is the largest corporate art collection in Hawaii.
In addition to the Chihuly glass and Botero sculptures we saw several Picasso's and more that I can't remember .
It was really interesting hearing the curator's stories, he travels the world looking for art and has become friends with many  famous artists.

After the tour we wandered around the grounds, this place is amazing. They even have their own Wedding Chapel on the grounds.

We could never afford to stay here but we actually like our little condo complex better.

Jan.19

We didn't do much today. It is Martin Luther King Day so we figured most of the popular spots would be crowded for the holiday.
We did drive down to the Grand Wailea Hotel to inquire about their art tour.
On the way back we stopped at The Shops at Wailea.
Didn't buy anything at Tiffany's or Gucci but we did get a couple of ice cream cones at Lappert's and toasted Barb and Dave Nixon with them.
Stopped at the Times market next door and got some sushi for lunch and some chicken thighs for dinner.
I'm making buttermilk marinated oven fried chicken .
Later I walked north on the beach, haven't explored much that way. Got a different view of our beach .
There were dark clouds over West Maui but so far we remain dry and sunny.

Jan.17

Didn't do anything special yesterday.
This morning we decided to check out Baby Beach over past the airport near Paia.
It's popular with families because it is protected by a reef that creates a calm pool for the little ones.
Today being Saturday it was very busy with locals so we didn't go in the water.
After seeing it we went to get a few things at Costco then stopped for lunch at Da Kitchen in Kahului.
As before the food was good and plentiful and reasonably priced .
Each of our dishes was about $12 and was more than we  needed to eat but we did.
After coming home we did our pool exercises, only one other person in the pool.
That's one of the things we like here, a sixty ft. pool and usually hardly anyone in it.
Temperature of the solar heated pool is 90°, not much of a shock at all!
When we got out I went out front and did a little fishing off the jetty.
Didn't get  a bite but did have a sea turtle pop up about 3 ft. in front of me. Glad I didn't hook it, Karen would not have been impressed!

Jan.15

This morning we drove to a snorkel site called 14 Mile so named because it is opposite the 14 mile highway marker on the way to Lahaina.
Water was beautiful, flat calm, clear and warm.
We saw some colorful coral and quite a few fish including an eel.
I have an under water housing for my old camera and I keep trying it with disappointing results.
Usually out of focus and blue tinted but I did get one almost in focus shot of a little puffer fish.
It is only about 4 inches long and wouldn't stay still and pose for me.
After a picnic lunch there we went back to Kahului and Ross for Less so Karen could buy a couple of kaftans she had seen for Lynn.
The afternoon was spent in our usual fashion, pool , lanai, a couple of drinks then join the gang for the sunset viewing.

Jan.14

Today we drove into Kahului, about a 20 minute trip.
Filled up with gas at Costco, $2.55 a gallon or about  75 cents a litre . One of the cheapest things about Maui along with the liquor!
We bought a couple of beach towels at a thrift store to replace one of the condo's towels that we think was taken from our lanai in the night.
Didn't want to spend a lot on a towel we have to leave behind.
We drove to the  commercial docks area to try a little fishing.
I didn't catch anything, lost a lure on the bottom.
A guy beside me caught a little yellow fish we had seen while snorkeling, Karen thought it was like seeing a kitten on the hook!
Luckily he threw it back. Hope I don't catch a cute fish!
We had lunch in Wailuku at Sam Sato's,  a local noodle place we have been meaning to try for years.
We had saimin noodles and 2 beef and 2 chicken sticks or skewers.
Place was full of locals, food was very good, more than we could eat for less than $20 for the 2 of us.
On the way home we came across a huli huli chicken trailer.
They appear here and there, charcoal grilled rotisserie chickens in sweet teriyaki type sauce.
We didn't buy any but we've had it before and it's very tasty.
Also saw this sign on a car in a parking lot.
Sheesh, Americans and their military!
We support the troops too but doesn't this guy realize that 25% of  the residents of Maui don't speak English at home?
I'm pretty sure they are proud to be American too.
As usual we spent the rest of the afternoon by the pool, chatting with our friends and trying to get some exercise in the water.
Have to burn off some of these extra calories somehow!

Jan.13

We drove to south Maui to try snorkelling at Secret Beach but it has a very rocky entrance that required a bit of climbing so decided it would be too difficult for Karen. She could get down to it but might not get back up with her bad knee.
Took a picture of this windmill palm Karen liked.
We decided to go to Kamaole . We sat on the beach in the sun, I snorkeled a bit but the surf was high so Karen opted out.
Stopped at the Kianoli  food truck and got a coconut shrimp plate lunch which was very good then came back and spent the afternoon at the pool.
I think a pattern is starting to develop.
As usual at sunset we were serenaded by the conch blowers.

Mark from Calgary is on the left then Kieth from Comox, then Lee and his wife Gloria from Michigan, they are the leaders, don't know the other woman's name.
So far we haven't seen a drop of rain, big change from last year!
.

Jan.12

Today we decided to drive 1/2 way to Hana.
We did the whole thing years ago and didn't feel the need to do it again but I liked the first 1/2 and wanted to see a few sights we hadn't stopped at before because we were traveling with Stephen and another family.
We went as far as the Kaenae Peninsula which is a flat lava area jutting out into the sea.
On the way back we pulled over and I took a bit of hike to view a waterfall.
We made a stop at Costco for a few things and were back at the condo in time to sit by the pool with an iced coffee and have a quick dip.
The pool is an inviting 30°