I’ve got some more photos to share courtesy of Blainey – Fluid’s official “staff photographer”.
First I have to tell you, we have been eating like the big Kamehameha himself.
Our first day on the island Blainey and I found an awesome farmers market near the airport. We scored fresh pineapple, papaya, avocados, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, zucchini and eggplant (which we later grilled) fresh herbs and a cherimoya – a weirdly sweet and creamy fruit. We chopped and ate a fresh pineapple almost every day with lunch (did I mention in my earlier post the rum soaked pineapple upside down cake?).
At another market in north Kihei we found fresh young coconuts (with meat so soft you could scoop it out with a plastic spoon). A cute hippe chick wielding a machete takes a few whacks at the top of the coconut, sticks a straw in and off you go. They also sold banana bread and coconut candy (I went back more than once to this place). At the ABC store we found some local Kona coffee, Hana Bay Rum for Mai Tais and Laura scored a screaming deal on chocolate covered macadamia nuts.
Most grocery stores carry several varieties of poke, a cold sushi like salad of ahi tuna mixed with any variety of onions, garlic, avocado, hot peppers, wasabi, soy sauce and seaweed. Our favorite was shoyu poke. Here is an easy recipe,
Also delicious was the lomi lomi salmon, a mix of chopped tomato, onion and salted salmon. We were inspired by the kalua pork at the Luau and tried a haole style crock pot version that turned out really yummy. I used my friend Mark’s super easy recipe. You cook a pork butt for most of the day (or if you want to get the jump on it start it the night before) with a spice mix of your choice. We used brown sugar, garlic, onion, cayenne, salt, pepper, and a cup of ginger ale (beer would probably work as well). After it is done and you have shredded the pork and pulled the fat toss in a cup or so of bbq sauce and serve. Ono baby!
Speaking of living like kings. Who doesn’t love a massage outdoors? As Kathy put it “There is nothing like opening your eyes after a massage and seeing blue skies and the moon coming up”. We have been outside as much as possible, eating meals on the lanai, outdoor yoga and Pilates classes and massages.
More massage relaxation shots. ahhhhh….Hawaii.
We saw (and most mornings heard) every kind of bird from songbirds to hummingbirds in the backyard. Anybody know what this guy is called?
For such a laid back group we managed to pack in quite a list of activities – three long bike rides for the guys, one big group hike, Pilates and yoga classes, massages, hot tub time and the occasional pub crawl (hey this was a stress relief vacation not a fast).
Tuesday Dan and George went for a bike ride and us ladies hit the art gallery at the Grand Wailea. They had mostly local artists work on display.
We saw Chihuly Glass and paintings (who knew he did both?)
We didn’t know it, but Dan was taking in some culture as well. Here are a few shots took along the Kahekili Highway:
an artist’s gallery…
banana bread anyone?
Our last day we tried stand up paddle.
We tried surfing but Dan was more successful than I was. I preferred the calm waters past the breakers. We saw several sea turtles out here. They came up for air, floated around and waved at us and hung out for a minute before heading back underwater.
Dan catching a wave. Cowabunga dude.
More SUP…
Ok birds, geckos, sea turtles, I just realized I haven’t mentioned the whales yet. We are here in February – whale season – and up until now I had never seen them from shore. On the way to Lahaina for the Luau several people in the car claimed to see them (I was of course focused solely on the road). They seem be especially frisky right before sunset (the whales, not our group).
Several nights we headed down to the beach around 5:30/ 6 and caught whales playing maybe 200 feet offshore. Pretty cool.
It is with sadness that we bid farewell to Hawaii, but I am already hatching a plan for Hawaii spring 2012. Keep your eyes here for more details…
Aloha big beach…
Aloha Plumeria…
See you next year!
