Trip Diary, Thursday May 7

Thursday

I dunno.  This was what I woke up to Thursday.  Not bad.

I found out that a buddy of nigh 30 years is also on the island, but pretty far away.  (Some of you Austin people might know MichaelC)  I think we've agreed that we won't seek each other out, but if we run into each other - super!  Anyway, funny coinky-dink.

We got up, ate some breakfast and then went snorkeling off the back of the hotel.   This thing is in the elevator lobby.  It is my personal Groot.

Snorkeling was great today.  There was a school of Yellowstripe Goatfish off the shore about thirty feet, stretching for about 40 feet.  They aren't afraid of people, so we just paddled around in them.  The school draws other fish, so we also swam with an Aha Needlefish, Lau-Hau Teardrop Butterflyfish, Orangeband Surgeonfish, Hawaiian Sargent, Parrotfish and plenty of others.

Back on land, we communed with the Penguins.

Jamie had to go to dialysis, so I went into Lahaina on my own.

Ate lunch at a place called Pirate Jack's which was exactly what you'd think a place called "Pirate Jack's" in a resort town would be.  But I had a nice view from my seat.

Lahaina is a port town, so they cater to tourists and cruise ship folk.  It was bustling while I was there as a cruise ship was in port (I assume that's what sea-faring folk say).  The shops sell jewelry, expensive art and other high priced goods.  Some local artisan work is around, too, and I picked up a necklace for Jamie and one for my mum.  But, honestly, almost everything was geared at folks who have money to randomly buy 4-digit paintings on a whim.  Which seems weird to me, but somebody's buying this stuff.

I found the local library and snooped around.  The librarians were non-plussed when I said I worked in a library and hoped I could take some photos for my colleagues.  It's an open-air library.  Go figure.

I went into the Baldwin Historic Home.  It's a home of a former doctor and missionary.

Saw these birds and only later saw the "no photos" sign. I'm not sure the sign is legally binding, so...

Walked past a Banyan Tree planted in 1837.  It's kind of crazy.

And visited the Old Lahaina Courthouse Museum.

And wandered into an open-air Episcopal Church.

I picked up Jamie, she napped, then we grabbed dinner back in Lahaina at a place that was called "Cheeseburger in Paradise" until Jimmy Buffett sued.  Now they're just "Cheeseburger".  Business seems unaffected.

A nice, quiet day.  I'm getting to know the streets around Lahaina a little too well.