Maui2011 Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Jen is on a Journey

Lahaina, Maui: Ulalena at The Maui Theater

June 23, 2011 by The Mom Jen Leave a Comment

Often when you think about vacationing in Maui, going to a theater production isn’t first on your list of items to experience. “Ulalena, a Story of Hawaii’s People” is a magnificent stage play at The Maui Theater in Lahaina town, once inside you feel like you are on Broadway or even a Las Vegas venue experiencing such a dramatic and amazing show.

There is a wind and rain particular to Maui that rises at twilight. It whispers of other places and other times, both mythic and real. It blows between daylight and night, between times and worlds. It is hopeful and cleansing. The ancient Hawaiian name for this wind is ‘Ulalena. It is also the name of the newest and most amazing stage production to come from Hawai‘i in decades. The power of this production is that it is both universal and intimate. It is born from a mythology populated by beings larger than life representing a natural landscape alive with volcanoes, vast oceans and primeval rainforests. The story begins with the mythical creation of the islands and rolls through successive waves of voyagers who have found their way to these shores. From the first Polynesians to the early European explorers, and finally to us …

Drawing from the history and legend of the Hawaiian Islands the performance includes a unique mixture of hula, modern dance, percussion with fantastic lighting and stage effects. Not to mention the Moon and Lizard Goddesses that spun in the “moon” and weaved in and out of fabric with the most agile acrobatics I’ve ever seen. We have relatively little experience with the performing arts and theater and this show has inspired us to stretch our entertainment horizons. We were awestruck with the beautiful lighting and sets, captivated by the rumble of our seats by the percussion, visible high on the right of the stage.

The theater can hold near 700 guests and each seat is fantastic. The creative art lining the walls just outside the auditorium comes to life when the actors walk up and down the aisles mimicking the swimming fishes. The 9 scene show uses little words, but expresses life, ocean, waterfall, inhabitance, death, monarchy, and forces of nature through the amazing expression, the wonderful lights through the screens, dancing, chants, and sound. It’s honestly so hard to put into words, the experience is one that leaves you amazed.

Women sitting near us were overheard saying, “this is my 6th time seeing the show!” and I hear it is one that can be repeated and enjoyed over and over. Dinner packages are available that also include time with the cast post-show. We were pleasantly fascinated by the experience and recommend it. It is family friendly, but adults, couples, and mature children would benefit most.

We received tickets to attend, all opinions and experiences are our own.

Lahaina, Maui: Goofy Foot Surf School Review

June 16, 2011 by The Mom Jen Leave a Comment

WARNING: a two-hour lesson from the Goofy Foot Surf School in Lahaina Maui will change your life forever. Your new motto will become “no worries,” and you will not want to go home, you will never want to go to work again, you will forever remember the exhilaration of the best ride mother nature has to offer. It is guaranteed that you will stand up and ride at least one wave during your lesson but the hook is that you will never be able to look at the ocean the same way again.

Lahaina, Maui: Goofy Foot Surf School Review

The lesson starts with a quick check in at head quarters where the friendly staff outfits all pupils with reef shoes, rash guard shirts and a soft-top long board. Our group of 3 was off to the beach for a lesson on safety, ocean awareness and surfing fundamentals. The instructor was very knowledgeable and his friendly laid back banter left us confident and itching to get in the water. A quick paddle out to the surf zone and it was time too see what we learned.

With loved ones watching from the breakwater, I practiced wiping out for about a half hour while my long board got used to my clumsiness. With helpful hints from my instructor eventually I was on my feet and learning to make slow turns. I had always wondered why surfers never ride waves all the way into the beach and figured out the hard way during a nice long paddle back to the surf zone.

With about 15-20 chances to stand up and catch a wave I was bound and determined to get on my feet and do this. Realizing that this is the very same Pacific as at home, I know that the 52 degree waters on the central coast of CA will be tempting me but for sure clad in a full body wetsuit. Time was up way too early and I am ready to rent a board and get back in the water at the next chance possible.

I was impressed with the professional instruction (thanks Michael) which stressed the importance of awareness, a sense of balance and allowing yourself to become one with the surroundings. Check out their web-site www.goofyfootsurfschool.com/ for all the details and to see that the $65 fee is nothing compared to the experience, as well as an interesting biography of the CEO Tim Sherer. I’m so proud of my Surf School Certificate I received, I’m thinking of putting it in a frame next to my engineering license on the wall at work. Can’t wait to take the kids, wife, parents, friends or anyone willing to go with me to Goofy Foot Surf School on my next visit to Maui.

Thanks to my husband who had this amazing opportunity to take a lesson and write this post. We received a discounted rate in exchange for review. All experiences are his tried and true experience.

Maui Ocean Center: The Hawaiian Aquarium Review

June 7, 2011 by The Mom Jen Leave a Comment

Living near the California coast we’ve experienced marine life through learning centers, beach experiences, and our local Monterey Bay Aquarium. While in Maui, we were thrilled to experience the acclaimed Maui Ocean Center for a chance to get an up close view of Hawaiian marine life without getting wet. Open since 1998, the gorgeous indoor/outdoor experience beholds the colors of the Pacific that we may not see here in California, but may have experienced on a snorkel or diving experience on the islands.
Ocean Naturalists interpretin Hawaii’s underwater world are trained to use Hawaiian names for the animals as well as popular terms in their presentations as well as participate in Hawaiian culture and language training to create a immersion of sea and rich history.

Over 60 exhibits are vibrant with coral, sea turtles, fish, sharks, rays and sea jellies. There are ocean-view dining options and world class shopping all on site, not to mention the opportunity to dive with sharks (certified scuba divers ages 15 and up only)!

All the animals displayed are collected exclusively from the waters of the Hawaiian Islands. All collection is done under strict government permits and all animals are treated with integrity. The green sea turtles are part of a hatch-and-release program where they are given a strong head start then released to the wild.

The Maui Ocean Center is very kid-friendly with it’s hands-on Tide Pool exhibit with sea stars, helmet shells, urchins, and sea cucumbers and various exhibits for them to explore and learn. Many school groups tour the center with Naturalists on field trips, and birthday parties and sleepover pizza parties are offered for group to learn about what happens under the sea after dark. Before heading to the Ocean Center, there are online scavenger hunts on their website to complete when you visit for a chance at a prize.

Some of the experiences I loved were the 54-foot long acrylic tunnel that takes you inside the 750,000 gallon Open Ocean Exhibit where you encounter and even come eye-to-eye with reef sharks, stingrays, and tropical reef fish. Also in the Marine Mammal Discovery Center, you can walk right into a virtual Bubble Net. You experience what it’s like to be the krill gathered up and eaten by Humpback whales, complete with visual and audio that is truly remarkable.

I’m a jelly fish fan and am incredibly fascinated by their soothing, gentle movement. The floor-to-ceiling cylinder in the gallery had me mesmorized for a good 10 minutes watching the pulsating movement of the brain-less jellies and the flow of the stinging tentacles.

Finally, we loved getting close (closer) up with the fish we’d previously experienced on our snorkel trip the previous day. Putting names and fish together completed our experience and seeing their colors under black lighting make them look even more spectacular.

Adult day passes are $25.50, children $18.50 ages 3-12, under 3 is free. The whole center can be viewed in a few hours so it’s a great stop for couples or families in Ma’alea Harbor Village in Maui. Our children love seeing our photos from the trip and insist we take them next time we are in Maui. I am in complete agreement, I did feel that they were the one component missing during our tour.

We were treated to passes to experience the Maui Ocean Center for our honest review. All opinions are our own.

Maui Tropical Plantation & Country Store Review

June 6, 2011 by The Mom Jen Leave a Comment

Though basking at the beaches of Maui can be done days upon days, my husband and I loved learning about the agricultural history the island had to offer. We visited Maui Tropical Plantation & Country Store on our third day on the island and it was a great education. The 60-acre working plantation is home to 15+ crops of flowers, fruit trees, and coffee and is set against gorgeous landscaping and the West Maui Mountains.

We took the Tropical Tram Tour a very knowledgeable guide who made us laugh as well as inform us. We stopped often to touch and feel plants, take photos, and watch a coconut husking and opening demonstration. We tasted the fresh coconut–tastes like a walnut and not like what typical coconuts taste like. The tram beats a walk through the plantation especially with the unpredictable rain, and even wind!

Some of the great facts we learned:
–Sugarcane takes two years to mature. One ton of water is needed to produce a single pound of sugar.
–Heliconia range from 3′ to 20′ and come in nearly every color of the rainbow.
–Versatile green ti leaf is a good luck symbol believed to keep evil spirits away and is often found planted by the entrances to homes in Hawaii.
–The Malaysian starfruit tree is actually a native of China and India.
–Hawaii produces the only commercial coffee crop in the United States, and it takes about an acre of beans to make one pot.
–Kamiya Papaya is a self-pollinating hermaphrodite with both male and female flowers.
–Each trunk of our dwarf Brazilian apple bananas bears only one stalk in its lifetime.
–Taro (kalo) is valued by Polynesian people as a rich source of carbohydrate and for its medicinal and supernatural powers.
–Mango trees take five years to bear fruit but will produce for 100 years.
–Guava juice has five times more vitamin C than orange juice.
–It takes 300 pounds of pressure per square inch to crack the ¼”-thick shell of the Macadamia nut.
–No machine has yet been invented that can husk a coconut, but take our tour and see your driver do it by hand in under 60 seconds!

The ride was short, but a nice relaxing drive through the beautiful grounds of the plantation.

A popular site for banquets, parties, and weddings, Maui Tropical Plantation also hosts the Waikapu Restaurant where we had nearly the whole dining room to ourselves after our tour. We shared a simple sandwich and fries meal at a reasonable price for the island ($18 total with sodas, one entree, and tip), with this as our view from our table…

Tram tickets run $14 per adult and $5 per child. At the end of your tour, if you don’t eat at the restaurant, enjoy the Country Store with Maui-made and Maui-grown products, books, maps, clothing, jewelry, and souvenirs, it’s truly a one-stop experience and it won’t take up your whole day!
We received tram passes for our honest experience in this post. All opinions are our own.

Wailuku, Maui: Iao Valley State Park

June 4, 2011 by The Mom Jen Leave a Comment

Our trip to Maui included a relaxing and scenic drive to Iao Valley State Park. We were looking to escape the sun and beach for a few hours and a lush rainforest with a beautiful stream sounded just right. After a quick 5-minute drive from Wailuku, the road ends in a parking lot where for $5 per vehicle you can explore this significant place of Hawaiian history while hiking along a lush a mountain stream under steep rugged cliffs and spires.

This valley is a remnant of the central caldera of the West Maui volcano and is considered the second wettest location in the state of Hawaii. Though hopeful of a warm tropical shower we did not get any rain on our trip. Your eyes and cameras are immediately drawn to a towering volcanic remnant aptly named the ‘Iao Needle.

Steep cliffs surround you on all sides as you wander through lush vegetation down to an idyllic stream that cascades over under and through the volcanic boulders and rocks that have collected at the bottom of this valley. There is a small botanical garden that highlights native Hawaiian plants and many dirt paths lead off the paved walkways to allow a one of a kind stroll through the peaceful rainforest.

Formerly a sacred burying place for chiefs, this valley was also the site of a 1790 massacre in which Kamehameha the Great and his forces from the big island pursued the local resistance to the end of the valley and annihilated them. This battle has been referred to as Ka-‘uwa’upali (clawed off the cliff) and Kapaniwai (damming of the waters) by the natives and is very hard to imagine such a scene in this eden.

The highlight of this side trip for me was a short hike along a dirt path that wound through the dense jungle that ended when we decided if we went any further we may not find our way back. As a fan of the television series LOST, though it was filmed on Oahu, walking through the dirt path reminded me of scenes from the show. I was amazed that there were no insects or pests around, the crisp, cool air was so clean, it was such a pleasant hike. The amazing lush scenery is so dramatically different from west Maui on just the other side of the mountain. Having this a part of itinerary was a cultural treat!

Thank you to my history-loving husband for helping me write this story.