Maui Part II

 When I last left you with my Vacation Recap, Frank and I were headed to Haleakala National Park.

It was an absolutely gorgeous day.  Temps in the high 70's and blue skies as far as the eye could see.

We spent some time learning about the National Park and then visited the store to buy some souvniers for the Angel Face and Little Miss M.

When making my purchases I talked with the park guide and told her we were headed to the summit where we hoped to hike down into the crater.  She looked at how we were dressed and said "Be careful, as there are clouds rolling in, and if it's raining up there you are in danger of hypothermia.

Sure enough, as we headed up the summit in a knuckle-whitening ride we started driving through clouds and rain.  When we reached the summit, we were above the clouds and rain but it was a chilly 30*.  We did not hike but we did take some photos.

It is not a long hike to the top but it is a tough hike and there was no way that Frank, scheduled to get a hip replacement on Monday, was going to be able to do that uphill trek, even had the weather allowed.

Here is a view of the summit looking down at the clouds obscuring the entire mountain.  The drive down was much easier on Frank's nerves than the drive up.

On the way down the mountain, below the National Park, we stopped and had lunch at the Kula Lodge.  It was a beautiful setting, the food was lovely and we had a nice visit with the bartender while waiting for our table.

We got home in time to change clothes and head out to Maalaea Bay for a Sunset/Whale Watching/Star Gazing Dinner Cruise.  As we were heading out we were lucky enough to see numerous whales breaching and spouting.  Unfortunately, they were quite a distance away and we didn't get many great photos.  

The sunset was gorgeous as we enjoyed cocktails and heavy appetizers of Shrimp Cocktail, Steamed Dumplings, Tuna Bruschetta, Quesadillas, and Charcuterie.  After the sunset, the phones were turned off, all lights were extinguished and we enjoyed a very informative lecture on the stars, planets and satellites above.  It was a very full day.

Sunday was quiet.  We went to Mass and sang with the choir to which Steve and Sharon belong when in Maui.  This was followed by a relaxing visit, overlooking the ocean where we enjoyed seeing the whales breach and spout.  When we returned home, Steve made a wonderful dinner of Salmon and Ono and I made this Cherry Banana Pie for dessert.

We spent Monday lounging in the pool all day and then headed out to Life's a Beach for dinner and karaoke.  Tuesday morning, Frank and I met up with my nephew, Scott's, father-in-law, and his wife for breakfast.  They are in Maui for 5 weeks and our visit coincided.  After breakfast, I walked back to the house and visited for a bit before taking a nap.

Frank and Steve went to pick up friends from the airport who were arriving for a month-long visit.  I stayed back and prepared dinner for everyone.   We enjoyed this Beet and Cucumber Salad, a Cucumber and Tomato Salad, Oven-Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs, Au Gratin Potatoes, and Mixed Vegetables.  

This morning we finished up our visit with a wonderful breakfast of French Toast and Canadian Bacon before heading to the airport.  We are flying into LA as I write this post, where we will spend the night before flying home tomorrow.  

It was a lovely vacation and I hope you enjoyed sharing it with us.