Maui - one last day in paradise

All good things must come to an end, and that includes our vacation to Maui.

We started our last full day in Maui with a walk around Kapalua. We found a cute chapel with a gazebo that we imagine has been used for a wedding or two.



We also got caught in our first downpour that was anything beyond a few sprinkles. Here's a picture of the calm before the storm (ok, it wasn't really a storm, but it was enough to get wet).


We wandered over to the hotel part of the Ritz-Carlton residences & resort, and found what presumably was the set-up for a wedding that would be happening later that day. Hopefully the wedding party didn't freak out over the brief rainfall.


We went back to Honokowai to the Farmers Market to get some lunch, and then let Anders play like mad in the playground across the street. After that, Anders got some more pool time, and then we had a simple dinner at the condo.

It was a great vacation!

Maui - I'll meet you at the mall

Today for dinner, we went to... a mall. We were craving Korean food, and Yelp sent us to Pearl's Korean BBQ, in the Queen Kamehameha Mall in Kahului. Who are we to question Yelp?

And, in fact, the food was quite good!

After dinner, Anders played on a toy excavator—bonus!




And as if that wasn't enough, he also romped about in a mall play area, along with a dozen or so other kids.

Maui - the former White-Kwun homestead

We were in Kula again, so we made another attempt to locate the old White-Kwun homestead, and this time it worked out (that is, unless Miran tells me this isn't her old place). The house isn't occupied right now, and the yard is looking mighty brown. But the view still looks good.

Here's the view from where the Scout used to get parked.


The yard where most of the wedding festivities took place.


The view from the back deck.


The emptiness within.


The view from the house back to the driveway.



I'm pretty sure the last time I was here was in January 1995—more than 15 years ago!

Maui - Ali`i Kula Lavender

Sigrid was hoping for a cooler adventure today, and so I looked up botanical gardens that were upcountry. The most promising option, I said, was a lavender farm in Kula. Only after Sigrid pointed it out did I realize that this farm had been mentioned (not by name) in a recent episode of the TV show Modern Family. Well, then we had to go.

The grounds were gorgeous, but Anders totally freaked out over a rooster that was crowing in the distance.  So after a few pics, he and I went to the cafe & gift shop and got some scones, while Sigrid walked around a bit more.

Maui - kids and pools go well together

Anders doesn't care for most flotation devices, but he took to the inner tube pretty quickly.



Lauren and Connor may be gone, but thankfully Elena and her big sister, and Emily and Ethan are still here, so Anders still has a bunch of poolmates.

Maui - another gorgeous sunset

Maui Ocean Center

It may not have been quite as spectacular as the aquarium in Monterery, but the Maui Ocean Center was still pretty cool.  And Anders hasn't been to Monterey yet anyway...

Octopus!


Fish of the reef!



Garden eels!


Sea turtles!


Shark!

Maui - kick!

Our neighbors bequeathed a beach ball and an inner tube on us, which Anders thought was great.



Alas, what he doesn't realize is that the gifts were because it's our neighbors' last day here, which means he won't be seeing Lauren and Connor in the pool anymore...

Maui - Sugar Cane Train

For weeks, we've been telling Anders that he was going to go on the Sugar Cane Train.


Anders was pretty pleased that we finally were on the train.


The ride started off nicely enough.


We even went over a trestle.


Now, it's possible we had been told that this was the "most boring train in the world." Surely that wouldn't faze Anders, though, since he is a total train nut. Right?

Fifteen minutes in, he fell asleep.

(In defense of the train, we think this was actually because it was too exciting—he fell asleep pretty much right after we passed a fire station. I mean, come on, a train ride and a fire station at the same time?)

Because he was asleep, he missed the train blowing off steam as it turned around for the return trip.


But he woke up shortly thereafter, so he caught most of the ride back to Lahaina.



Choo-choo!

Maui - ready for adventure

Maui - Cheers!

Maui - Mai-Tai Monday

Poolside at the Napili Point Resort on Mondays at 5 pm, it's time for chips, Mai-Tais, and music.

Maui - He likes the pool

Maui - Honokowai Farmers Market

Ok, so we found out that there's a farmers market in Honokowai, which is just a few miles from where we're staying. As best we can tell, though, there's a store called the Farmers Market, and on MWF mornings they haul a bunch of their produce out to the parking lot. So maybe not exactly your typical farmers market, but the produce is still pretty good. And the guacamole and hummus are outstanding.


Plus, it's right across the street from a great park!




...and right next door to a Bad Ass Coffee storefront (this is one of two brands of coffee I remember from the White-Kwun days in Maui).