Sand, Sugar, and Show

Yesterday was our third full day in Maui and it was action packed. We started by going to Ulea Beach which is fairly close to where we are staying. It has a sandy beach, but also some coral area for snorkeling. The younger ones spent most of the time in the water either boogie boarding or snorkeling. I spent most of the time sitting under an umbrella watching young children play in the sand and watching the gang wipe out on the strong waves. We spent a few hours at the beach, and then it was back to home base for lunch and showers.

After lunch, my mother-in-law and father-in-law with Joe, David and I to the Sugar Museum. We learned about the process of making sugar and about plantation life years ago. It wasn't in the top ten of the museums we've visited, but it was interesting enough. The one thing I walked away with was the reminder that those with power and money will always take advantage of the underprivileged. When the native Hawaiians weren't able to meet the labor force needs, the owners of the Alexander and Baldwin Sugar company recruited immigrant workers from China, Japan, the Phillippines, Russia, and Portugal. As you read through what their life was like, you realize that like many immigrants, their lives were just a small step above slavery. Each culture group created its own community which was encouraged by the company both to help new immigrants acclimate and to prevent workers from organizing against the company.

That evening, all 22 of us headed out to a Luau which was at a hotel in Lahaina. The luau was outside near the beach and we were treated with a bit of rain and of course a rainbow. There was a good amount of food and drink with Pina Coladas, Mai Tais, a large variety of salads and sides along with Kalua pig, fish, and chicken. For dessert, there were several options, but the best was bread pudding with a vanilla bean custard, delicious. The entertainment was typical and similar to what we had seen at the Polynesian Cultural Center. The master of ceremonies seemed a bit like a Las Vegas lounge singer, sort of a Don Ho wanna be, but the dancing was fun and David went up on stage a second time (the first was at PCC) to learn the hula. My nephew, Alex also went up with a group of Newlywed men to learn a special dance for their brides. The highlight of the evening was the fire knife dancer who impressively twirled one and then two batons of fire.

On the way there and back, we drove past an area where there had been a fire earlier in the week. All day, we kept seeing smoke as the firefighters kept putting out hot spots. That night we could see the glowing spots all over the mountain. It was eery to see them when earlier in the daylight, they were hidden from sight. Once back to the Villa, I went straight to  bed. We were leaving at 6:00 a.m. for the Road to Hana.

Read my son David's perspective here: http://favoritesonsspiels.blogspot.com/