The Thinker, Baby Beach, Lahaina

Malino's Sunset Serenade

Simple songs offered on the porch of The Baldwin House. Island nights...

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Location:Front St,Lahaina,United States

140th Anniversary of The Banyan Tree

This weekend, Lahaina celebrated the 140th Anniversary of its Banyan Tree. In many ways, it was a typical weekend here. Fairs under the tree are constant and spring up for almost any notable occasion. Vendors dot the ground beneath like colorful seeds, offering the best of themselves up to be carried away by passersby. Performers and dancers open up their arms and voices beneath its vast leaves. Here is a humble offering by a local, high school ukelele band. 

Getting To Know The Neighborhood

Happy Baby at the Beach

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A View From Our New Backyard

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Henna Tattoos at Soular Tattoo, Lahaina

It was immediately clear that Chuck, the owner at Soular Tattoo in Lahaina, was capable of much more than the impromptu henna tattoo that I walked in for, but in the aloha spirit he graciously agreed to my request.

Service was super-friendly and fast, reflecting a laid back but high standard philosophy. Chuck's attention to detail was as uncompromising, as focused as he'd probably be if my henna was permanent.

Good vibes. Quality service. I may be back for some real ink. Maybe not on this trip, but soon.

Movie Night at The Wharf Cinema Center, Lahaina

 

                                                                      Source: gohawaii.about.com viaDianne on Pinterest

What do you do on a cloudy day in Maui? Same as a rain day anywhere else: You go to the movies. We went to the only theatre in town, on the Front Street strip and in walking distance from our hotel: The Wharf Cinema Center sits in the rear of a labyrinth of Mom and Pop shops, restaurants and tourist traps, completely hidden from the street and illustrating the minimal importance of movie watching in a place like this.

If you have a toddler in tow, you catch a 4:30pm showing of something animated and mutually entertaining, like "The Croods", stretching out in a theatre almost empty and entirely your own. You let your baby run through the aisles and don't shush her when she makes loud declarations about how funny she finds the film. You walk out of the theatre feeling satisfied and a little disoriented. You are accustomed to dull concrete under your feet and dingy high rises above. It is strange to come out of the dark and on to sand, your eyes adjusting to the still bright light bouncing off of the ocean.

You walk the few blocks home, thinking about what you will make for dinner. It is a good night to stay in, have drinks out on the lanai. You won't see shooting stars tonight, only the swirl of clouds around the mountain in your view, until you fall asleep.

Maui, Day 2: Sleepy Sunday

Maui slows down on Sundays, so we did too. No one takes meetings. People don't answer phones. They unplug and connect with what counts: friends, family, God.

We spent the morning on the beach, had a simple lunch in and an early afternoon walk along Front Street. There was a craft fair happening under the Old Banyan Tree, in front of the Lahaina Courthouse and the harbor.

This banyan is one of the largest in the US, at 60 feet tall and 200 feet wide. It literally drapes over an entire city block, with twisted trunks and branches creating it's own sudden, little eco-system in the middle of a sunny strip.

Planted to commemorate their 50th anniversary of conversions, Christian missionaries planted the tree in 1873. It's flourishing could be seen as a symbol of God's approval. What is clear is the undeniable impact and importance of religion on the island. There are countless churches here, of all denominations, sometimes two for every block. Hawaiian culture has not been lost in all of this. In fact, it has been gracefully preserved, as in other parts of the world, and folded seamlessly in to the Christian value system- one strengthening the other.

On our way back home, we passed the The Holy Innocents Episcopal Church. Open air, powerful Hawaiian hymns rang out from parishioners dressed in traditional Hawaiian garb, men in suit jackets and a light skirt, feet bare or flip-flopped. The old and the new joined together, creating something distinct and unique. I thought that it was worth sharing with you.

Mahalo.