Maui No Ka Oi

Hawaii is still there - and is still beautiful - and still holds my heart and soul!

Took off on August 30th for Vegas. My sweet pal Liz offered to care for my little Misha for the duration. No way I could put her in a kennel, and I was even worried about leaving her for two weeks. She is finally becoming a doggie, not so afraid of everything around her, and suddenly her mom leaves her? At least she knows Lizzie and her crazy Chihuahua, Misty, and big ferocious black kitty, Charlie!

Flew Hawaiian Airlines to Kahului Airport on Maui, via a quick plane change in Honolulu. I knew I was 'home' as soon as I smelled the air!


Did a whole lot of nothing while visiting my old old pal Kimo (Jimmy). We played on the beach together, naked. Don't get the wrong idea - that was about 60 years ago - our Dads were best buds - when both families lived there.

We took long drives, ate my favorite Hawaiian foods and fresh fishies and sashimi, enjoyed the weather immensely, even though the mosquitoes thought I was manna from heaven! His doggie, Kulana, didn't remember me from my last visit - understandable I guess, as she was just a puppy 4 years ago.

She's grown into a big gorgeous girl - a bit kolohe (rascal - trouble maker), with a mind of her own, and she went with us almost everywhere!

Made it to a couple parties and a one-year old baby luau with old and new friends.

We drove up thru the rain forest to Hana, where we had a five-star dinner at the Hana Hotel, and then all the way around the island back to Jimmy's a couple days later (there was no road around when I lived there).

Saw a lovely pheasant strolling on the side of the road for our viewing pleasure.

This is one breadfruit tree in an large orchard of 120 varieties of breadfruit.

http://www.canoeplants.com/ulu.html

The original Hana jailhouse!

Through the rainforest, where we found some gorgeous white ginger to carry for luck and the wonderful scent!

Out of focus waterfall - one of many! That's one of many waterfalls, not one of many out of focus waterfalls!

Love this little island with palm trees on top! And lots of black sea birds of some kind circling it!

Tiny tiny ferns growing out of the lava rock walls!

You've heard of black sand beaches??

VERY nice little 'cabin' in Heavenly Hana where we stayed for a couple nights!

The Palapalo Ho'omau Church and Cemetery in Kipahulu, on the Hana Coast, where Charles Lindbergh is buried.

Sunsets from Kimo's place on the mountain were unbeatable! And we even saw the legendery 'green flash' a couple times!!

A couple horses drop by every afternoon for sunset and pupus (snacks)!!

And of course I had to satisfy my craving for Island flowers! These are just a few of the magnificent flowers and trees!

Had lunch in Lahaina with an old girlfriend at the historic Pioneer Inn (now Best Western Pioneer Inn), where I had my requisite Mai Tai - a great drink when made correctly - definitely done right here!

One was enough!!!

A bunch of us went fishing the day before I had to leave. Didn't catch anything, but who cares?!!

It was absolutely grand to be out on the water!

The launch ramp was controlled by several free roaming roosters and their many hens!!

Kulana went with us, of course, and brought along a friend. It was Thunder's first time on a boat, and he wasn't too sure about it at first, but he quickly got into the spirit of the day!

Headed back to the island from a circle around Molokini, a small crescent shaped island in Maalaea Bay, about 2.5 miles off the south coast. It's the tip of an inactive underwater volcano crater - the rest has collapsed and fallen into the sea. It's been designated a Marine Life and Bird Conservation District, and is popular with tourists and locals alike for snorkeling and scuba, and fishing in the area is usually very good! That's Kahoolawe in the background - a great history of this interesting little island can be found at http://kahoolawe.hawaii.gov/history.shtml

The water is so clear and such a grand color!!

Jimmy's place is up in the trees in the upper left center of this picture.

He lives in 'paniolo country', to take a phrase from one of my favorite Melveen Leed songs . . . cowboy country! (which I'm listening to as we 'speak'!!) There are three working ranches on Maui - Hana Ranch, Kula Ranch and Haleakala Ranch, which is where his little plantation house is located.

Jimmy has a small little ranch in the middle of Haleakala Ranch. In case you can't spot it, maybe this is why...

It's in there, I promise!

And this is what little Molokini (mentioned above) looks like from his place on the mountain!

Hopefully these pictures, only a few of the several hundred I snapped, will show that Hawaii is, in fact, still there, and is still paradise!

Left the Islands with tears in my eyes, and about 70 CDs of Hawaiian music to add to my collection!

Was delightfully surprised to find that Liz had found us some tickets for a couple of my favorite Hawaiian entertainers, The Brothers Cazimero, for Friday night in Vegas.

A great end for a perfect trip!