WEEKEND IN MAUI’S UPCOUNTRY

MY WEEK IN PHOTOS: JULY 22–28, 2019! FINAL PART

This is part 3 of the week in Maui. We say goodbye to my family and spend the weekend with Alex and Jill in their neck of the island. We eat a lot, hike, swim, and eat a lot of sweets.

Enjoy!

Part 1 is here, we explore Lahaina, Haleakala, and Iao Valley
Part 2 is here, we swim with sea turtles, visiting Surfing Goat Dairy, and hike on lava rocks

FRIDAY: Kihei Caffe, Meeting up with Alex and Jill, Makawao Town, and Haunted Old Maui High School

Started our last morning together as a family before we part ways at Kihei Caffe.

I really wanted some Portuguese sausage so here I am. My mom got spam.

Zach went hard on the loco moco.

We got back to the house and the awards ceremony for the scrabble tournament went down.

Packed and cleaned up

Zach and I drove my parents to the airport and said our goodbyes before heading to meet up with Alex and Jill.

YAAAY we are staying with them through the weekend at their place. (Thank you again, Alex and Jilly)

Luna’s butt

Goat neighbors in the upcountry

Here to eat at Sam Sato’s

Jill said that Diamond Head was like a soda you’d love as a kid. I’m thinking it is like the Cactus Cooler equivalent for a Southern California kid? Does any of this make sense. It definitely tastes like a melted shave ice, like the syrup at the bottom of the cup.

Teri beef

Crinkle fries

“Dry-min” aka dry saimin

Love a local meal so much I bought a tank top.

Chicken

Miyako sushi and Mike’s antiques are actually one store front

So many treasures

Ended up getting these eggplant chopstick rests

We stopped at Hoi Hoi Bakery for treats. I still regret not trying the spam crusubi aka spam croissant.

Our final tray, including a mugwort castella cake, a churro croissant, a guava tart, and cookies for me to take back to the office.

Tasaka Guri Guri shop! Mixed strawberry and pineapple please.

Fish

Final sweets stop was to pick up some cookies to take home from the Maui Pack n Ship.

The Old Maui High School…*spoooooOOOooky*

The plaque says: “Maui’s first coeducational high school opened at this site on September 15, 1913. It provided academic, vocational, and athletic opportunities to thousands of students, whose accomplishments have enriched our community, state and nation. Maui High was moved to its present Kahului campus in 1972.”

I read that it was haunted later and now I’m scared.

The vibes kind of reminded me of Southern California school design with outdoor courtyards and classrooms that face outdoors.

Learning about the local plants, this is a hala tree

(Plant peen)

Sneaky

Take me back to high school (kinda but not really)

*Scream faces*

Ooh look some future plans for the site.

Tried to visit a local art center to see what was for sale, but alas, we just missed their open hours.

Makawao Town, a paniolo aka Hawaiian cowboy town. More on the history and specific things to do.

Went into the local tiny history museum, liiiiving.

The stories inside outlined the cowboy paniolo heritage, stories of local families and businesses in the area, and some immigrant stories from real families nearby.

Rodeo General Store

Katsu and Luna

Luuuuuna

Went down to the market to pick up some snacks

POKE COUNTER UGH YUMM

Kombucha on tap

Had some snacks, Jill cooked some curry, we had dinner, and then wandered out to enjoy the sunset in the neighborhood.

Holler

Ending the evening playing Menu Mash-up, like Apples to Apples but you build a menu for other players.

SATURDAY: Hiking Wailou Springs Trail, Magic Hour Beach Time, and Obon

Good morning stretch with Luna

Papaya in the morning

Waihou Spring Trail! Kicked off our last full day in Maui with a hike through the trees.

I’m a moss fan

Hiked down to see the lava tubes.

Lava tubes are naturally occurring, they drain lava from volcanos during eruptions, when they aren’t active they are just long caves. So coool.

Lava tubes up the side of this cliff front

We cool

Had too good of a time playing with all the tree sap

Drove up the winding road in Kula to get some burgers

Ulupalakua Ranch Store

Truly yummy burger. Would eat again.

*Caught*

There was a winery across the road but we didn’t have time to visit.

Passed by a gallery and popped instead near Grandma’s Coffee

Stopped by the art center and did manage to catch them open, however it was mostly sold out with barely anything left on the wall.

Mural room

Back to Alex and Jill’s

And we’re off again

Went down to the beach near Mama’s Fish House.

Hi baby.

The sun was starting the go down, the light was warm, and the water was shallow enough for us to just squat and wade around. Twas very nice.

Calm cove at magic hour

Magical

A successful evening swim.

Packed up and changed back into our normal clothes.

Windy

Stopped by the Makawao Buddhist Temple for obon.

Got some chili, ordered chow mein, and a musubi.

Representing the Cal casino

Got a big bag of popcorn and enjoyed the taiko and the dancing. Happy to have made it since I missed Pasadena’s Obon.

KARAOKE.

SUNDAY: Paia Bowls and Heading Home

Paia Bowls for breakfast

It’s BLUE!!!! What. A type of spirulina apparently. So beautiful!

Yummmm.

Approved by the wildlife

Paia Town

Bye bye Alex and Jilly, love you both!

At the airport waiting to board our flight.

The print that we bought in Paia Town made it back in one piece.

The doggos are neutral to see us.

All the goodies we brought back, most were gifts but some for me (the fish oven mit hello)

And the biggest news of all is that the plant we’ve been desperately trying to resuscitate after its near death HAS FINALLY GROWN A LEAF AGAIN I AM SO PROUD.

Thanks for reading!

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A question that you may or may not feel inclined to answer? So! Let’s do it. I invite you to answer in the comments:

Is there a popular snack or soda that everybody loved growing up that you realized was local or regional when you were older? (I mentioned cactus cooler earlier…when I found out people didn’t really know about it in other parts of the US I was so surprised!)

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Much love friends!