Another Day At The Beach!!

Okay, I take back what I said about the stupid tourists.  Maybe they just don't know they shouldn't pet the turtles ... but really parents ... I'm sure you DO know that if you chase something, it will run away, probably scared that you chased it.  So WHY do you let your kids chase??  From the birds that landed on the lawn to the chicken to the turtles.  And not the screaming as in having fun in the pool, but the blood curdling high pitched screams that are disturbing everyone because they all came outside to see what the problem was!!!  Okay ... off the soapbox!!

Happy Good Friday yesterday!!  Between Good Friday, spring break and Easter, it was this crowded by 8:30 am, so you can imagine what it was like by noon.  There wasn't a spot left open on the beach!!  It took me 45 minutes to get gas and the ABC store was packed to the brim.  Definitely time to go home for me!!!  I'm not one used to big crowds!!

I know, I'm supposed to be on a diet.  However, SOME splurges are allowed!  If you ever come to Maui, go the Whalers General Store in Wailea.  They have a great sandwich/salad bar, including these lovely $3.00 cups of delicious chocolate pudding parfait with cake and pastry cream.

Can you tell I loved it???  

This is one of the local taco trucks ... only here they serve gourmet meals for fairly reasonable prices. This one specializes in lunch and dinner plates for $12-$14.  You will find them all over the island ... stop in, have a great lunch and support the self-employed locals!!

Here's the coconut shrimp minus one.  I couldn't even wait for the picture.  The big thing here in Hawaii is macaroni salad, which usually has potatoes in it, along with sticky rice.  Served with Thai sweet chili sauce, it was enough for two meals for me.

Koi are also big here ... not to eat, just to look at!!  There are many ponds around the island, chock full of the biggest fish I've ever seen.  You can find these at the Kihei Marketplace.

And of course there are beautiful flowers everywhere!!  These birds of paradise are blooming like crazy, and I understand can be grown in Central California.

With beautiful sunny days and warm weather, flowers are abundant here.  There are many varieties of hibiscus still intact, even after the big winds we have had ...

But this one is my favorite!!!  

Okie dokie ... it's 6:49 am and the kids have just hit the pool.  Time for me to pack up and hit the road!!!