Day 28 - This and That

Today is our packing and hoover day.  Yes I'm getting out the hoover.  Some people would say it's about time.  You know the old adage you clean before the cleaning lady comes.  One of our goals is to come home with clean clothes.  We were sitting out on the balcony watching whales.  A fishing boat way out had to stop twice because of whales.  We decided to take a walk and ended up sitting by the ocean.  The ocean is like a magnet it just draws you in.  Went to visit our neighbors next door.

We didn't see kids, but this place is more out going and up beat.
This and that.

Do you see these feet?  For 28 days they saw the light of day.  For 28 days they saw no socks.  If you know me you know my toes don't move.  Ok, they move as one, but today I can report to you, my toes can wiggle.  Wow!!
Clela's promise me!

Ok it's official now I have it on video, you saw it, I will play it to her everyday.  She just called me a dirty dog!
The flowers have really started to come out.

Don't ask me what type of flowers these are, any man who can is light in the loafers. 

What do you notice about this picture?  All the kids are gone.  I can finally say Canada has gone home, you betcha!
Went out to get papaya for breakfast.  It was raining, a Hawaiian rain.  Clela wanted to go back for our umbrellas, she was afraid her hat would melt.

We are just about packed, just some more wash and then some cleaning.  We went down to the ocean this afternoon, it feels different.  I guess I'm in the going home mode.  We got a text notice from Delta to check in so we will go down and get our boarding passes.  Sure sounds final.  Just a couple more pictures.

 

As the sunsets so does our vacation.  It has been fun blogging and I enjoyed doing it for you.  See Ya!

Day 27 - Kaanapali Coffee Farms

This morning we decided to eat at C.Js for breakfast.  Before we got there I downloaded an PayPal App, you know Mr. technology.  You can order your food online and your order will be ready when you get there.  Mr. Cool (me) made his order and pulled out his phone only to find out it's only good for ordering online.  Ok to defend myself at some stores you don't have to order online.  We had a great breakfast.
Twenty one years ago (our first trip) we stayed at the Sheridan, it's close to the Whaler.  The Sheridan has a great place the snorkel, called the black rock.  On the other side there is a beach called Black Rock Beach.  We found the Sheridan, but the road dead ends there and also at The Royal Lahaina Resort.  We never did find the beach.
Back out on the road we decided to find the Kaanapali Coffee Farms.  You know we love our coffee.  The other day we stopped at the company store, thus our quest to find the Farms.  If we were in great shape we could have walked there.  It's about three miles from Kaanapali Shores, our place.  Now let me make this clear, the farms are one mile to the base of the hill and then two miles up in the mountains.  No problem Clela and I could walk that any day.

Kaanapali Coffee Estates was established in 1990 by the Pioneer Mill Sugar Company.  500 acres were converted to coffee.  Hey nine years later the sugar mill closed.  Now I'm going to make the story short, the State and others were involved in this project.  The site was subdivided into 4 to seven acres farms are now for sale.  One acre has a building ( your house) on it and the other acreage grows coffee. 

If you look behind me you will see a structure, that is a house.  I can't believe I didn't take a pictures of the houses, they are beautiful.  They all looked somewhat the same.  Now you can buy one of these houses for a mere 3 or 4 million.  But look at your view.

Oh by the way make sure you have good brakes.  Does the school bus come up here?  Hmm.
That's the short of it for today, see ya!

Day 26 - Looking for the best Maui beach

What constitutes a good beach or should I say the Best Maui Beach?  Our goal for the day was to visit several beaches today, you know our style by now.   Our first beach was in walking distance, yes our own.  It's always nice to set by the ocean early in the morning.  Everything is fresh.

The ocean is almost like glass. Three young people rented long boards and they went way out looking for whales.  There were two people kayaks and boats looking and finding whales.  I mean people pay $50 to go on a boat to see whales.  These three just paid to rent the long boards.  The ocean was almost glass.  We never did see them come back.  The last time I saw them they were by Lanai. 

 





We find a beach, then find a table and have a picnic.  Beach number 2. 

A canoe club.  This beach has great sand, like Florida, clean restrooms, sea glass.  While eating we meet this colorful stoner.

Great hat.  We asked her to tell us why Maui Style Potato Chips were so good and her is what she said.

I mean what a stoner.  I think she had too much Maui wowee.  You know that does look like Clela.
After eating we took a walk and found some new resorts.

We got to check out these places.
Beach 3.  This beach was just outside Lahaina, it has dark brown sand, great for walking, but a small beach.

There are a couple more beaches, but you know the best beach for us is our own.
That's it for today, just two more days here.  It's gone fast.  See ya!

Day 25 - Beach Side Conversation- Hey Dude!

Talking to Kathy this morning I discovered our weather was the same.  What!!  Wait a minute.  Ok you had blue skies as we did.  You had sun shine, just like us.  Isn't that amazing!  5,000 miles apart and the same weather.  As the days wind down we have less to do.  One thing I never get enough of is being down at the ocean.  Today we went down twice.  Park your bodies in the shade and watch the waves come in.  Clela was getting a kick out of a family of five, with one on the way.  All the kids were under 5.  It's fun to watch a little kid put his feet in the ocean and see a wave roll in, some sequel, some run away.  That was our morning.  We are buying less food now so the means we're eating out more now.

After lunch and rest, you know that's where you listen to a story and sleep.  We decided to go back to the beach.  The other day I saw an old dude go snorkeling with a boggy board.  My back has been giving me trouble, bad mattress, so the old light bulb goes off and I think that is a good idea.  I'm so smart.   Ok, you have got to picture this, I'm caring a beach bag, a folding chair and a boggy board.  The wind is blowing and I'm like a sail.  Well we get down to the beach, I put all our gear under a tree, of course and got ready. 

The cool way, you know you've got to look cool, is to put your mask on your head, but not over you face and walk out into the water with your fins on the board.  You might have to click on the picture.  You can see me entering the water.

 I did this, real cool dude.  Now in the water the waves are rolling in so it is a matter of timing to get your fins on.  I stop to put my fins on and a big wave rolls in, man stay cool, right.  I make like that was not a good spot and proceed out more.  There this must be a good spot I  think to myself, now stop and put on your fins, I say to myself.  Remember timing is the key.  A big wave rolls in and I almost lose it, my fin almost fly off the board.  I put my face mask on now.  Stay cool I say, and I did.  Now act fast, no wave, so I put on my first fin.  Hey I'm super cool I think.  I let another big wave roll by and it is time to put on the second fin.  So I grab it and I can't put it on.  I'm hopping on one foot, Were is the hole. Now I'm spinning around and going down, not  cool now I'm under water, not cool, I wonder does anyone see me.  Then it hits me I have my goggles on I can breath, ah I'm ok so I put on my fin. 

I jump on the board and start out.  I'm the dude in the white rash guard.  I thought stay away from the orange balls because this is were the rip tide is found.  So I kicked away.  I finally saw fish.  Lots of fish.  I saw the Hummuhumunukunukuapuaa fish, the rainbow fish and those yellow and black stripe fish it was great.  I told Clela I only wanted to stay out a short time because of my back.  So I waved to her to let her know I was having a good time.  Little did I know she was waving at me to go back the other way.  She said get back you old fool.  I thought I'm a cool dude.  I could feel my back tightening up so I went back to the shore.  Waves were pulling me toward the rip tide so I thought just go in. 

Beach Side Conversation:
After putting my equipment away I sat down to hear a conversation by two guys to the left of us.  They handled long boards and boats.  I will call him the cool dude.  This is Clela and what she heard.
Cool dude, aka Haole number 2 , because there was another white dude. He's talking to a fellow in a wheel chair on the beach. 
"That war on drugs was stupid, that Reagan or Bush or whoever was so stupid. You know all those FBI guys were using marijuana. It's good it's legal now. Of course you still need a prescription.  Hey do you live here?  I could grow it on my farm for you. You know it's good for you, not like alcohol, it's not addictive like alcohol." I guess you had to be there.  He really seemed like a good guy, he took his long board out to check on some kids that seemed to be having trouble. But he was such a stoner, it was hard not to laugh.  Never heard so much craziness coming out of someone's mouth, in total dude accent.
Clela got it right.  We just had to laugh.  There was a young women there who had two kids that was a stoner.  It was quite an entertaining after noon.
We finished our evening by going to a Mexican restaurant for supper.  Great food and good prices.
That's it for today, see ya!

Day 24 - Whale Watching

Oh no, run gramps is going to show his pictures of whales.  Hide.  Pictures and pictures of humps.

We checked in at 8:15 in the morning.  The line was going out the door.  People were getting impatient waiting. Not, however there was a volunteer making sure only one person stood in line.  We went down to the harbor and waited to board.  Now one thing I have notice on this vacation is people tend to start talking to us.  I know it must be my pretty face.  This puts grams on stage.  We had people in front of us on tour from Indianapolis a doctor and has wife.  Clela really bonded with her.  Behind us were two couples, one from Madison and the other from Minneapolis.  Put friendly people together and Clela takes over with her stories, like she did when she was working.  She gives advice and a shoulder for there woes.  She really shines. 
As we got on the boat we sat in the back like we did the first time you were here.  A women across was a kindergarten  teacher from Illinois, who taught for years in Wisconsin.  Two people down from us were from Fond du Lac.  We talked about living there. 

Right away we found a mother and baby whale.  Those people in that boat had an great show.  They we in the process of transferring to the sub.  The mother and baby were right next to the boats and on the surface.  It was like the mother teaching her baby.  Now baby girl or boy this is a boat, look up and see people.  Good, right??  I said to the doctor it's great to be on the right side of the boat.  I told him about the first time we went out and saw a head bob right next to the boat.  I thought we would always see this, little did I know.  He said he has been out and saw none.  It is a crap shoot.  The wife was pouring out her soul to Clela.   To make a short story short her ex just committed suicide.  She was depressed because her daughter was just with him.
After seeing the mother and baby whales we set off to chase more whales.  This is where things went down hill.  The boat always pointed the front of the boat towards the whales.  They got amazing photos.  Why do you ask, well that is easy.  They were the people with the large lens cameras and oh did I mention The Pacific Whale Foundation Members.  Ya, ya. Do I sound like a Canadian?  "You betcha."  You know the people who get on the boat first.  Now I could show you my best, ok here is one.

I told you just humps.  That is the best.  We will continue to search for that great picture.  We had a competitive pod right in front of us.  A competitive pod is where you have more then one male.  Their was eight in this pod.  Now they crossed in front of the boat with hard blowing, fast moving, blue bobbles.  It was great to see standing on my toes.  I had no chance to take a pic.  This mother could have had her pick of males.  Sorry, but that is the facts Jack.  To be sure the father of that baby was no where around.  The completion is so fierce the some of the males have scars on their head, some bleeding.  We went back to port with Clela and I sitting inside, to much sun for her.  We finished our morning at our now favorite place.

How did you guess.  What did we eat?

Man are you good.  When I ordered I said cheeseburger, cheeseburger, Coke, Coke and the waitress said thank you, thank you. I thought I was real cool right.  When we got our bill there was a card inside to tell you how much to tip.  Now I was feeling old.  Did she have to do that, I'm hurt.  I am a good tipper.  So I circle the correct number and added a note, I know!  I also added the same on the ticket.  Now I know "us old people," have a bad rap for bad tipping.  Now I do feel my age.  Maybe I should dye my hair, hey maybe blond, ya that it blond.  We hit a few shops down town.  Chris FaceTimed us as we were shopping and she did a little jewelry shopping with my phone.  Now I know the girls Alyssa, Reagan, Katie and Sam did buy something there.  I remember Katie and I going into this place.

 



Each time we drive down highway 30 we see a sign for a Printing Museum, so we decided to go there.  We drove up the hill and up the hill, I thought we were heading into the mountains.  At the top of the hill and by the Lahaina High School we turned around.  Looking down at the ocean it was a beautiful view.  We stopped and tried to take a picture but it just didn't turn out.  Ok, ok Clela took the picture and all you could see was this big orange cone.  On the way down We found the Maui Coffee Company Store.

It's right next to the smoke stack.

We went inside the store and sampled coffee.  She had 5 different types.  She just kept giving us samples.  After the fourth and getting a coffee biz we cried uncle.  You know the first sample was the best, so we bought some.   After buying some coffee the girl asked us how we found out about the store, it's a little off the beaten track.  I said we saw the sign on the road, Clela said we were looking for the Printing Museum.  It was in the High School oh so close.  We got back to our condo tired, but a great day.  That's all folks, see ya!

Day 23 - A day of rest - Aloha Mixed Plate

Today we took a day to stay at the resort, a day of rest.  When you think of the most perfect day it would be today.  We had clear skies, warm and a slight breeze.  We went down to the ocean and couldn't find a chair to set in, but don't worry we had a plan.  I went back up to our condo and brought down two of our breach chairs.  We found some shade.  We have been bothered by flies this year but with the trade winds blowing there was no flies.  Clela found a new hat.  She has been thinking about this hat for several weeks and she finally bought it.  Hey I had a great picture but she made me take it out.  It looks good on her.  Maybe she will wear it tomorrow.  Sammy called on Google Plus, I took her by Video right down to the water and the waves rowing in.  We were sorry to hear Katie my lady broke her foot going to the bus in the morning.  Katie we got something for you.  I will be there Saturday. 
After lunch and rest we went down to the ocean again.

Clear water and clear blue skies.

Can you tell we are in the shade?  Ahhh, looking for whales and our coffee mugs filled with Pina Colada, what an afternoon.  We spent sometime in the big pool talking to two sisters (our age) from Canada, Clela was giving them advice on where to eat.  It is now official ALL Canada is here!  You betcha, AAAA

We decided or should I say Clela said lets try the Aloha Mixed Plate Restaurant.  We sat in the non alcohol section.  That's because we had drinks in the afternoon.

Great view, not me, the harbor.

See Kathy, you taught her well, what a smile!

  We both ordered, I had the Beach Side Mixed Plate and Clela had the Aloha Mixed Plate.  Why am I giving you what we ordered?  Stay with me my fine people.

 There it is.  Some place in there was the spare ribs or were they.  I took out my knife and proceeded to cut off a piece.  I couldn't cut it.  Was it really spare ribs?  Shouldn't it fall off the bone.  Hey I say this doesn't look like a rib. What is it?  I DON'T KNOW.  Now with food falling off my plate I was able to cut off a piece.  With sweat forming on my forehead I took my first bit.  I chewed and chewed and chewed.  What if I can't break it down.  Man!  Next I tried the mac salad and it didn't taste right.  Now I tried the sticky rice and it just stuck to my fork.  The chicken was good, but the teriyaki beef was poor, just like the ribs.  With more food falling off my plate I could not cut it.  I put down my fork and that was it.  I ask Clela how her food was and she said she thought both our plates must have been from last night.  I said that's it.  I put all the food that fell off my plate and paid and left.  I didn't say anything because you know we are Midwesterners and we are polite.  They could serve us road kill and we would say thank you, that's the best food we had all day.  We decided to go down town Lahaina.  We parked the car and Clela made a dash for the bathroom.  You all know Clela doesn't move that fast.  I stopped to make a video of all the birds in the trees and she was gone.  Need I say more!  That's all folks, see ya!

Day 22 - A Road Trip To Ioa Valley

Bits and Pieces
If I'm going to be away for a long period of time I've got to stay connected to home.  I do this by technology, Facetime, Google Plus, Skype and texting. Oh I  do read the Milwaukee Journal every morning.  I can't forget John Malan and TMJ.  I still do a old fashion thing like talking to my sister Jackie by cell phone, she in Florida and I in beautiful Ioa Valley.

Great picture Sam on Goggle Plus!
Routine.  What makes a routine.  If you do the same thing each day, that should be a routine right.  Now my question to you when doing a routine do you have to do everything in the same order?  Hmm.  Can you do two things at the same time?  Hmm.  When taking your walk does it still count if you stop to shop?  Hmm.  Today we had our coffee and breakfast on the balcony at the same time.  While walking to the Times store for water across the street, we did stop to shop.  Hmm.  Ok enough of the Hmm.  Clela did walk all the way down to the stream and back up.  That's great right?

Our goal today was to go to Ioa Valley, the Needle.  On our way back to our condo we stopped at Subway and ordered a foot long cold cuts sub, that is our favorite.  At the park we found a table to eat lunch.

Still working on selfys.  Now there is the good time girl Clela and her bottle of Izzy, no booze.  You have to just stop and look around at all the beauty.

The magnificent Cook pines.

There is so much history here.

We took a walk through what looked like a bamboo forest.  I didn't know it was there.

I will never get over these trees.

So what is this?  I asked my Hawaiian expert, Clela and she said it is a symbol of love, it can't be broken.  See I still am learning.

Wow, here I drove all this way just to see the needle in all it's glory and wouldn't you know I forgot my thread!  Ha Ha. 

 

Clela there is a guy down there. 

 



Great hair!  Please take notice of these next pictures and tell me what you see.

 

Cool dip!  Hey guys this is the same stream you put your feet in.

A moment of meditation.

'OHana (family)  Did you notice the green spiked hair is gone.

 

So glad to see the Hawaiian people enjoying their land.

See Ya!