Part 5: January 26, 2001 - Lahaina and Kaanapali Beach, Maui
Blessings at
Moku'ula
Photo by John Fischer
Breakfast this morning was hosted by Charlene L. Ka'uhane of the Maui Visitors Bureau. I like to joke with people that I have a really hard job - writing about Hawaii. Charlene also has just as hard a job. She has to promote the island that is consistently voted number one in the world!
In actuality, working for an island's visitors bureau is not as easy as it may seem. Not only do you have to attract new visitors, but you need to encourage first time visitors to keep coming back.
Maui is also a very dynamic island where so much is changing on a daily basis. Perhaps that is why so many folks return again and again. There is always something new to see or do.
The Maui Visitors Bureau is responsible for Maui County, which includes the islands of Maui, Lanai and Molokai. Charlene explained that the bureau has great plans for promoting the island of Molokai in 2001 and we look forward to sharing that information with you.
Following breakfast we went on a two hour walking tour of historic Lahaina with Maui Nei. Maui Nei is a cultural tourism company dedicated to presenting the traditions of Hawaii to Maui's visitors. Maui Nei works in partnership with the Friends of Moku'ula, a non-profit organization which aims to restore Moku'ula at Lahaina. Moku'ula was home to the great Maui chiefs and Hawaiian royalty and remains one of the most sacred sites in Hawaii.
Maui Nei offers a number of different tours on Maui. The one we went on took us to many of the cultural and historically significant sites in Lahaina, the former capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii including Moku'ula, the ancient royal capital grounds.
This tour is quite different from other historical tours of Lahaina. While it includes a number of the major sites such as the Birthing Stone and the Baldwin Home, it also includes a number of other locations rarely, if ever seen, by the average tourist.
After some time wandering through Lahaina and the mandatory visit to Hilo Hattie, it was a free afternoon.
I had previously promised some folks in our Hawaii Forum that I would walk down to the Marriott property on Ka'anapali to check out the extensive reconstruction.
Maui Marriott Resort and Ocean Club
Photo by John Fischer
Much to my surprise I quickly learned that there was more gong on at the Marriott than I had expected. Minutes before my arrival, two tiger sharks had been spotted very close to shore.
Lifeguards quickly closed the entire length of Ka'anapali Beach to swimming while the attempted to locate the sharks and drive them back to the open ocean. Despite clear flags and numerous lifeguard warnings that the beach was closed, I was shocked to see parents allowing their children to swim in the ocean. The keiki (children) are our future. If adults want to risk their own lives, it's one thing. It's quite another to abandon the responsibility for the young. In fact, it's disgraceful.
This evening our group returned to Maui to see Warren and Annabelle's Magic in Lahaina. The show has been performing to sell out crowds nightly. Now well into it's second year, the show has two distinct stars. The ghost of Annabelle plays piano requests in Annabelle's Parlor while patrons enjoy cocktails and gourmet appetizers. This is followed by a magic show starring Warren Gibson, one of the world's premier sleight-of-hand magicians.
The show has quite of bit of magic that will leave you genuinely amazed, but it is Gibson's showmanship and humor that will keep you laughing for the better part of two hours.
The show is a welcome addition to several fine evening activities in Lahaina and one that seems destined to run for years to come.
Tomorrow we're off on a morning whale watching cruise with Teralani Sailing Excursions. It's then back to Honolulu and home to the mainland for the rest of my group. I'll be staying on for a couple of days to lay back and hang loose before I make my way back home on Monday evening. Join us for Part 6 of our Hawaii Diary 2001.
