A First World Problem

Maurina and I returned to our Lopez home from Guatemala last night. The first sign of a problem was a puddle of water in front of our fridge. It seems that during a recent power outage on the island our fridge failed to restart. No Bueno.

Over the next hour or so we filled garbage sacks of spoiled previously frozen and refrigerated food. Including a five-pound king salmon steak that a friend had given me before we left. We sopped up the water around and puddled in the fridge. I gathered up some ice and we filled our cooler with what we could save.

I texted a guy I know. Retired from life as a restaurant owner, Jeff has since carved out a nice little business for himself as an appliance repair man on the island. After a series of text, he diagnosed the problem as a failed start capacitor. A "simple fix" he claimed. But he has a pact with his wife that he only works Tuesday – Fridays. So, we would need to make do. I told Jeff, I understand, and we will see him next week at some point.

After our time in Guatemala, I am struck with how quickly we settle into our comforts without a second thought. How many large side-by-side, high-capacity fridges did we see during our home visits in Cotzal? Yes, the fact that we need to go without our fridge for a few days is an inconvenience. However, it is indeed a first world problem.

I am reminded again of the importance of keeping things in perspective and living a life of thankfulness and gratitude

I am thankful this morning. I woke up in a heated home. I am thankful to have a fridge, even one that needs to be repaired. I am thankful I know a guy who can fix it, and I have the money to pay him. I have the money to replace the spoiled food and soon my fridge will be refilled.  I am thankful it was a fridge that failed and not a person.

How easy it is to reenter our life here and forget about our abundance. During our last debrief in Guatemala, we were asked “what we wanted to take home with us from the trip”. I want to always remember, that I need to live a life of thankfulness. That most of what I perceive as obstacles are in fact, first world problems.

This morning, I am thankful that I know a guy who can fix the fridge. I have a friend who has offered to loan me a mini fridge (and bring it right over) until ours is fixed. I am thankful for the resources that will allow me to restock our food. 

I want to remember to keep life in perspective. 

Gran Aventura II - chapter 2

 

We are enjoying Itapoa. It is a laid-back beach community this time of year. We understand that during the "summer" months it can be much more alive and inundated with tourists. But during these "winter" months, it is very quiet. The temps have dipped into the upper fifties at night but a very pleasant 70ish during the day. The beaches are amazing, clean and beautiful - and seem to go on forever. Jordan and I have walked two sections of the beach - each over 7 miles long! I have started most every day with a beach walk - basking in the warm morning sunshine. 

We have had some rainy days as well. Mostly just a warm mist that does not prevent a walk on the beach. But we have also had some torrential down pours that drive us inside to our books and games. 

The Portuguese language makes for an interesting challenge. Maurina understands it much better than I do. Spanish helps a little, but most people speak neither English or Spanish. Google translate is our friend. Of course, Jordan is a huge help as he speaks Portuguese fluently. We have met a few people on our daily adventures who speak some English. They love to see us and take the opportunity to practice. 

The five of us are exploring a new city this weekend. Balneario Camboriu. It was about 3 hour drive south of Itapoa. But it seems like another country. High rise condos line the quarter moon shaped bay. Beautiful beaches that are groomed, like a ski slope, overnight by work teams. I am not sure if I have been to anyplace that resembles this. It is filled with fancy people in fancy cars. The night life seems vibrant (although we were back to our rented apartment by 9:30). 

Our apartment is amazing. It has three bedrooms, spacious living room and dinning area. It is on the 15th floor overlooking the beach. Because it is off season we are.paying only $110 per night. 

Balneário Camboriú is a coastal city in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina. The city is built on steep hills which drop down to the sea. It is a popular tourist destination for South Americans, who are drawn to its main ocean boulevard Avenida Atlântica (Atlantic Avenue), and who swell the city's population from 145,796 (2020 census office estimate) to over one million in the summer. Balneário Camboriú is famous for its unique beach-to-beach which links the city's central beach with the beach of Laranjeiras. The city also has a statue similar to Rio de Janeiro's Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer). Standing atop the Morro da Cruz, Cristo

Luz (Christ Light) portrays Jesus holding a circular "broad-brimmed hat" at his left shoulder, symbolizing the sun, and which houses a spotlight that shines out over the city. The Cristo Luz at 33 meters tall is only five meters shorter than the Redeemer and colorful lights both within and without the statue give it nighttime illumination. 

Brazilian money: The currency in Brazil is the Brazilian Real. It exchanges at 5 to 1 to the US dollar. So if something costs 50 Reals - that is about $10. Brazil is nearly a cashless country. Maurina and I have been here for almost 3 weeks now and we have not used any cash. Everything is purchased with a card. Jordan and Eliana do not carry cash. Cash is not a typical means of transaction in Brazil. (Side note, I am still confused why the English language  spells Brazil with a z when Brasil is spelled with an s.). If you wanted to give a street musician a couple of bucks, you need to scan the QR code they have displayed in there open guitar case. 

We ate dinner at an awesome Mexican restaurant, named Guacamole the other evening. There was a Mariachi group of guys going table to table. They were fun and quite good. I was wondering how they received there tips. As I watched, I never witnessed anyone giving a tip. When it came time to pay out bill, it all became clear. There was a 15R gratuity per person at the table automatically added to our bill. That's $3 per person. I was not complaining, they were good, but still I found this interesting. For the most part all gratuities are added to the bill. 

Parting shots

Gran Aventura II

 

We are off on our next adventure to South America. 

We left Seattle on May 12th, Mother's Day, and flew to Miami. We checked into our modest airport hotel and then grabbed an uber to a Tex-Mex restaurant we had discovered a year before. Our second visit to La Veinte did not disappoint. 

Catina La Veinte is located on the waterway in the Brickell district of Miami. We enjoy the outside seating with views of the waterway and people watching on the waterfront walkway.  Watching the pleasure boats cruise by with music pumping and people dancing is fun. The restaurant is great (a bit on the spendy side) and serves wonderful Margaritas. If you go, make sure you get the guacamole and chip appetizers. 

The following day we flew to Sao Paulo, an eight-hour flight, and entered Brazil. We were tired from our overnight flight and navigating security and airport transfers was a challenge. Most signage in the airports has some English, but the language difference challenged my 67-year-old brain. We connected to Latam airline and flew an additional hour to Joinville - where Jordan and Eliana met us for the hour drive to Itapoa. We had arrived - 2 1/2 days later. 

It was great catching up with Jordan, Eliana and Nicollas. We went out to lunch and then basically hung out at our rented place for the day. The rental is nice and clean. We had to go out and purchase pillows and towels for the unit. Jordan supplied a blanket. We had an option of five beds to choose from and played Goldy Locks to find the mattress that felt just right. We stocked up on some groceries and settled in for our three-week stay. Our house is on the same street as Jordan and literally a few gates down from us. A street dog has adopted them, and he follows Jordan everywhere he goes. They appropriately call him Blacky. 

Itapoa is a nice beach town. It is very quiet this time of year, but we understand it is inundated with tourists during the peak seasons. Our place is about a block from the ocean. The beach is really clean and the waves much like the Washington Coast. But the water is a very comfortable temperature, more similar to Hawaii. Outside temps have been running 65-75 degrees. I can see why it is popular destination. Now it is rainy season, and it has been living up to the name. The community has about 30,000 year-round residents. Short term rentals are plentiful this time of year.  

We have enjoyed exploring around Itapoa. The highlight for me was the waterfront where local fisherman venture out in small boats (I think they are called Jangada's)  to supply the local need for fresh fish. The boats are pulled up on the beach using a wench system and utilization of a makeshift trailer. This time of year, they are catching mostly shrimp using nets. I find these boats and the fisherman lifestyle to be captivating. Not that I would like it, but it is very intriguing. 

We are having a great time exploring the beaches around Itapoa. We had lunch yesterday at a place called Summer Beach. The proprietor named Anderson welcomed us to his outdoor restaurant and he made us feel at home. I ordered fresh shrimp. Maurina had a local drink called Caipirinha. It is made with a Brazilian liquor called Cachaca. When Anderson brought us the bill, he presented us with a shot glass of his Cachaca which he was pleased we liked. 

The Caipirinha (kai-purr-REEN-yah) is the national drink of Brazil, and it is the most popular cocktail in the South American country. Although it's ingrained in Brazilian culture, the history of the caipirinha is not clear. Some stories dated it to the 19th century, when it was enjoyed on sugarcane plantations. Another account says that it evolved from a medicinal tonic of cachaça, green lemon, honey, and garlic used during the Spanish flu epidemic of the early 20th century. The basic caipirinha recipe is straightforward and requires just three ingredients: cachaça, lime, and sugar. A favorite summertime cocktail, the caipirinha is one of the most refreshing drinks you can mix up. Cachaça (Portuguese pronunciation: [kaˈʃasɐ]) is a distilled spirit made from fermented sugarcane juice. It is the most popular spirit among distilled alcoholic beverages in Brazil. 

We are having a great time exploring with Jordan, Eliana and Nicollas. There is so much to learn and take in. Two fun things: Lunch, is the biggest meal of the day. Evening meal is smaller and often consists of cheese and crackers (and wine in our case). Siesta, the time after lunch that is for resting and taking a nap. Both of these Brazilian traditions make sense to me.   

One final observation. The cost of some things here is much cheaper. Just an example, last night we went out to a place with live music. A large pour of good quality wine was only $2. In the states the same pour of wine would cost $12-15. So why not have a second glass ... and maybe we did. 

Stormy Weather 

The rain arrived on Friday and lasted the entire weekend. Mostly in the form of a light drizzle that allowed for some beach walks. The seas were stormy, and the tides were exceptionally high. We played games and did not venture out much. 

The place we are renting is very comfortable. 

Jordan hung his hammocks for us, but so far it has been too wet and cold to enjoy. Cold being mid 60's (lol). The small pool out back will provide a welcome relief from the heat that is sure to come.

Garbage pick-up has an interesting process. All the homes have a basket in front by the street where you place your garbage bags.  This gets them out of reach of roaming street dogs. I learned quickly to double bag them to dissuade the birds from scavenging through them as well. There is not a set pick-up day or time. The garbage trucks traverse the city streets, seemingly randomly and without a schedule. Your garbage magically disappears. It really is amazing. 

Exploring Guaratuba y Matinhos

Today, Monday, will be a warmer day. Full sun and mid 70's are forecasted. We are headed north to explore the community of Gauratuba. It is in the state of Parana. It is about a 30 minute drive from Itapoa.  

Guaratuba was founded in 1765, it is considered to be one of the most beautiful beaches of Paraná. The King of Portugal, Dom Jose I, worried about possible foreign raids on the Brazilian coast, commanded that villages and towns be established. On 5 December 1765, Dom Luis sent a group of settlers to begin building the town. This comprised 200 couples. Thus, Guaratuba began to take shape. On 13 May 1768, Dom Luis granted the royal charter requested by the founder of the new town which established the creation and maintenance of a church. 

The Guaratuba name means "many guarás". This name was conceived by the natives who inhabited this region at the time of the discovery of Brazil by the Portuguese people. Guará is the name of a bird of red plumage that existed in abundance in this area and even though protected by the authorities, they became extinct. Tuba means extreme amount in the aboriginal language.

We have been so busy the last few days, this is the first time I have set down to blog since Monday. We did in fact go to Guaratuba. We went first to the old town, with the old church erected in front of the central park. The waterfront walkway was very cool, where we strolled watching fishing boats bobbing in the morning light. The waterfront is actually on a river that flows into the sea a couple of miles downstream. 

Then we headed to the ferry for the 20-minute crossing to Matinhos. The ferry was certainly nothing like the boats we are used to in the San Juans, but much cheaper. I think our ferry ride for passenger and four people was $2. Most unique is the unloading process which is not directed at all. It becomes a free for all when the gate opens with about twelve lines of cars and trucks jockeying for a two-lane exit. It reminded me of road closures we have experienced in Guatemala. Everyone sitting calmly in their cars until the green flag flies - then it becomes a free-for-all. 

We found a nice lunch spot in Matinhos and I tried my first (and second) Caipirinha. For lunch I ordered a hamburger. I did not expect that my hamburger would in fact be a ham and burger combined on a soft roll. Ingenious. We enjoyed people watching from the sidewalk lunch spot. It turns out the manager of the restaurant had lived in Utah for about a year and new a few words of English. It is very rare to find people who know any English at all. 

We ferried back to Gauratuba and went to a cool little beach where we enjoyed, yes, another Caipirinha. We had been warned not to overindulge - they are indeed potent. We sat on the beach and watched the activities of fisherman until dark. It gets dark here around 5pm, which makes the days quite short. It was a fabulous day of exploration. 

Coffee in the mornings. For those who know me, you know that morning coffee is an essential part of my day. Yes, I recognize it is an addiction. However, it is also a great comfort. Quiet time with a cup of coffee is how I want to start most all days. So, what to do when the home you have rented does not have a coffee maker? How do you advert a disastrous start to each day? As it turns out, Jordan has a coffee maker, and his place is just doors down the road. It also turns out that on most days he gets up before I do. Nicollas needs to leave for school at 7:30. So each morning, He sends me a WhatsApp message when the Seeing the message on my phone "coffee is ready", I pull on a pair of gym shorts and walk over to his place. He unlocks the gates and doors so I can enter quietly, and I fill our thermos with the fresh brew and meander back to our place for my morning coffee. It is a beautiful arrangement. I have also perfected the art of a pour over for the days I need an extra cup, or he decides to sleep in. 

Besides Coffee, Jordan cooked us up some steaks on the barbeque at his house. Fresh cuts of beef are much cheaper here. I am not sure how many pounds they purchased, but I think they spent in the neighborhood of $25. My bet they had about 10 pounds of beef steaks. The price of many things here are astoundingly inexpensive. Jordan took his car in to replace a headlight and taillight. It was a relatively quick repair job by a mechanic in town. He paid $10 which included parts. 

We have not had many cloudless mornings since we have been here. However, on Tuesday the sunrise was spectacular. High temps this week have been approaching 80. 

Yesterday we caught another ferry. This time to an island south of Itapoa named Sao Fransisco. It
involved an hour-long ride to the ferry and another interesting ferry crossing. This ferry was actually a barge you drove onto and then was pushed by a tugboat. The scenery, as we passed through islands, was very beautiful. Sao Fransisco was another beautiful town with a colonial feel. It was established in the 1500's. We had a fantastic day exploring the island and ended up staying until after dark. 

São Francisco do Sul is the oldest city in Santa Catarina. It was inhabited by native peoples such as the Carijos a millennium before the European invasion, which took place from the sixteenth century A.D. Colonized by the Portuguese and Spaniards, its European conquest, according to some historians, dates back to January 4, 1504, through the expedition of Binot Paulmier de Gonneville. 

The Carijós were indigenous Guarani people. Seen by the first Portuguese settlers as "the best gentile on the coast", they were receptive to Christian catechesis. The Carijós were considered by the Portuguese colonizers to be docile, hardworking, well-intentioned Indians and for being one of the tribes that did not practice cannibalism. They were related to the Guarani Indians, who made a migratory march from Paraguay to the south of the Brazilian coast, where they came to constitute the villages.

I have not written anything new for over a week. please know what you have read above, it at least a week old. We are fine and having a blast! 

Parting shots

Guatemala - Spring 2024

 

   

The past twenty years have flown by, vanishing like the morning mist. March of 2004, we traveled to Guatemala for the first time with a mission team. Only in our mid-forties, we took that first step unaware how our life would be impacted by that one decision "to go". Unaware of the wonderful friendships and relationships we would build along the way. Unaware of the lives that would impact, both here and there. Unaware of how the Lord would change me on this amazing journey. 

Today I sit in Antigua preparing for yet another trip into the mountains of Guatemala. We will make the drive to San Juan Cotzal tomorrow morning. Meanwhile this time of rest in this beautiful colonial town. surrounded by volcanos, has become a welcome place of transition. For these last twenty years, Antigua has been a magical place for reflection, slowing my pace to a cadence which brings me more into alignment with what awaits in Ixil area. 

Antigua is adorned in purple as Holy Week approaches. On the weekends the streets are used for great processions. The beautiful Jacaranda Trees magically bloom this time of year. God created them to bloom in March - there brilliant purple flowers seem to add to the festivities.  

Preparing for this year's trip was a little different then preparation for past trips. I was in and out of the medical clinic three times dealing with pneumonia. It appeared that my lungs had different plans, but as the day to leave arrived, I was breathing easy enough to make the trip possible. Upon arrival in Guatemala, my body reminded me of the high altitude. And the think exhaust of rush hour traffic was a reminder that I was not completely healed. However, the cleaner air in Antigua and my breathing treatments have done wonders for my health. 

Molokai

 

Molokai- First Impressions

Our Molokai adventure began at the Maui commuter terminal, waiting for our flight on Mokulele airlines. No TSA security lines and no restrictions on liquids. We literally showed up with a grocery sack full of food and beverages as a carry-on. They suggest you arrive to the terminal about 30 minutes prior to the flight. They did weigh each piece of luggage, including our grocery bag. They added the combined weights on a piece of scrap paper next to our names. Then they asked us how much we each weighed, list that also next to our names. This was critical information for our small plane. Apparently based on our combined weight they assigned us seats before walking us out to our plane. We were assigned row four (of four) because the bigger folks needed to balance the plane. Not to worry everyone of the eight seats were both a window and a aisle. They fired up the single prop plane and we were soon soaring along the rugged coastline. Our flight was only about 35 minutes, but long enough to let Maurina's pulse to spike up a bit.

A fun thing about our rental car. We rented through Turo. Basically, with Turo you are renting someone’s personal vehicle at about half the cost of a rental agency. On Molokai this is a bit of a "below the radar" agreement. We were instructed where we could find the car in the overnight parking lot (which is significantly overgrown and littered with cars that have not moved in months). If anyone says anything, we were instructed to said we were friends of Pam (name changed) and not act like tourists. Of course, I am certain that our suitcases and sack of groceries was not a dead give-away lol. It was suggested that we take photos of the exterior of the car, but we should wait until we had driven down the road from the airport. All that said, the 2017 Subaru Crosstrek fit right in on the island.

Molokai has many similarities to Lopez. First, the island seems to go out of its way to discourage tourists. The long row of condos and resorts of Maui has no place on Molokai. When we arrived on Sunday only two restaurants were open on the island and the grocery store had closed at noon.  Molokai has a slogan “slow down, this is Molokai”. Not dissimilar to “Slopez”. From my initial impression it seems to be more impoverished with people living “off the grid”. Again, a similarity. I read that Molokai was the most Hawaiian of all the islands and a good 30 years behind the others. Of course, the lush tropical climate and gentle warm breeze stop the comparisons in there tracks.

We had dinner at Molokai pizza café. Pizza was good and the price much more reasonable than Maui. They even threw in a cup of soft serve ice-cream. Maurina ordered a sugar cone from Dave’s before we headed to the condo- Wavecrest. Sadly, our unit was not cleaned and ready, so they moved us to another unit for the night. They did give us a $200 refund. Oh well, A first world problem that we can suffer through. 😁

Molokai is the fifth most populated of the eight major islands that make up the Hawaiian Islands archipelago in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It is 38 by 10 miles at its greatest length and width, making it the fifth-largest in size of the main Hawaiian Islands and the 27th largest island in the United States. It is nicknamed: The Friendly Isle, Aina Momona and is home to approximately 7000 people.

The island's agrarian economy has been driven primarily by cattle ranching, pineapple production, sugarcane production and small-scale farming. Tourism comprises a small fraction of the island's economy, and much of the infrastructure related to tourism was closed and barricaded in the early 2000s when the primary landowner, Molokai Ranch, ceased operations due to substantial revenue losses. On the Kalaupapa Peninsula on the north coast, settlements were established in 1866 for quarantined treatment of persons with leprosy; these operated until 1969.

January 23 - today is Maurina's birthday. Molokai seems like a good place for a quiet birthday. 

Yesterday was warm and relaxing. After spending time near the pool soaking in the morning sun, we went to a beach on the east end of Molokai. We were told one of the best beaches was at the 20. It seems that directions are often given using the mile markers on the Kamehameha Valley Highway (or commonly referred to as the Kam). The beach at the 20 did not disappoint! We set our beach chairs in the sand and spent a couple of hours reading and relaxing. It may have been named Murphy beach, but not really sure. The sea glass hunting was amazing. 

At the 15.5 there is a fun little place called Mama'e Goods & Grindz - Store & Counter. A little mini mart and lunch counter. They advertise hot food, cold drinks, and ice. We split a toasted tuna sandwich and fries to go along with our ice-cold cans of Pepsi. (I think I will head back to get us some birthday breakfast this morning.) If you ever should go, keep in mind they close at 3:30. 

If you ever find yourself on the Kam, a quick stop at The Lady of Seven Sorrows church would be worth it. Built in the late 1800s, we found the doors unlocked and the interior in its original condition. You can find it near the 14.5.

We returned back to the condo, at the 13, and played a little pickleball before heading to dinner in Kaunakakai town. Dinner at Molokai Burger was pretty tasty. Comparable to in-out- burger. Overall a very relaxing day. 

Perspective: Lopez has 3000 residents. Our connection to the mainland is by a ferry that holds 140 cars and maybe 300 people. We do share the ferry with 3 other islands, but with multiple choices throughout the day. If the ferry is late or cancelled people get frustrated. Now compare to Molokai and their 7000 people. Their connection to services on larger islands is a eight passenger plane that has weather restrictions. A local resident told me "the airline causes us many problems". They used to have a passenger shuttle boat to Laheina, but that has been eliminated. No more complaints about a late ferry. 

The Humpback Whales have provided countless hours of sea gazing this trip. They have been plentiful and active this time of year. Lots of breaching and fin (fluke) slapping. 

Breaching for the stars:  A Humpback breach occurs when most or all of a whale’s body emerges from the water. Whales do this by diving down to a sufficient depth, and then, using only their flukes (or tails), they swim toward the surface. While doing so, they need to gather enough speed to propel themselves out of the water. A humpback whale may reach up to 17 miles/hr. to fully emerge from the water. Researchers found that a single complete breach (a jump where greater than 40% of the whale was above water) can cost the equivalent energy required for a 60 kg (132 lb.) runner to complete a marathon. 

Macadamia Nuts, Beaches, and a Fine Birthday Dinner

After enjoying a breakfast from Goods & Grind, we prepared for our day of adventure. Maurina was busy reading all the thoughtful birthday wishes, when she had a surprise delivery of a beautiful bouquet of flowers from Jordan & Eliana. Our first stop of the day was at Hula Bean Coffee in Kaunakakai and she enjoyed a $10 iced Carmel macchiato. 

We discovered Purdy's Macadamia Nut Farm. This is the only working macadamia farm on the island. The owner, Tuddie, gave us a personal tour of the process. In the end, we were allowed to shell and eat some nuts. Tuddie shared some freshly roasted nuts with us. So good! Tuddie was a character. Educating us on the science of the tree. For example, the tree produces fruit for ten months of the year. They don't pick the nuts they allow them to fall and then dry them out. We had read that people on Molokai will "talk story" if given the chance. Tuddie did like to "talk story". Mostly about his view of visitors to the island. He seemed to warm up to us after he learned we lived on a small island as well. Maybe we were kindred spirits. He laughed about how the Molokians had ran the big resorts off the Island a number of years back.

Na Hua 'O Ka Aina
"The fruits of the land"

In the heart of Hawai'i is the friendly isle of Moloka'i, the most Hawaiian of the accessible islands. You'll find our 5-acre, Hawaiian homestead and macadamia nut farm in Molokai's central Ho'olehua district. We are Tuddie and Kammy Purdy and we've been entertaining and educating Moloka'i visitors in the shade of our mac nut trees since 1980. Tuddie, born and raised on Moloka'i, has a wealth of knowledge concerning macadamia nuts, Hawaiian culture and Moloka'i, and he enjoys sharing his insights with folks visiting our beautiful island.

We left Tuddie and the nut farm and headed to the longest beach in the Hawaiian islands, Papohaku  beach. We enjoyed 3 miles of deserted white sandy beach with some very impressive pounding surf. There is so much sand here, that resorts in Waikiki used to come here to barge it out to use it to build up their resort beaches. It is on this beach that The Sheridan built their  now abandoned resort. Much of the resort sits empty and deteriorating today.

Another interesting piece of history about south end of the beach is it was used as a Practice bombing range during WWII. A sign near the beach warned us to report any unexploded arterial shells we might find. Say What?

Makanalua Bombing Range: The former Makanalua Bombing Range, also known as Kalaupapa Bombing Target and Kalaupapa Naval Bombing Range, is located on the north central coast of the island of Molokai, Hawaii. In 1941, the Territory of Hawaii issued a permit to the U.S. Navy to use the area for aerial bombing. Typical aircraft involved in the training were Hellcats, Wildcats, Dauntless, and Corsairs. Active bombing practice took place between 1942 and 1945. In 1946, the land was returned to the Territory of Hawaii. 

It was an awesome beach! 

We celebrated Maurina's birthday dinner at the Hiro Obama Grill. Beautiful waterside table with a great view of the sunset. Perfect end to a wonderful day. Maurina enjoyed a garlic shrimp pasta, and I had Mahi Mahi. It was majestic. 

End of the Road

Today was out last full day on Molokai and of our Hawaiian
vacation. It seemed only fitting that today we chose to drive literally to the end of the road and explore the Halawa valley. The road into the Halawa Valley is not for the faint of heart. My apple watch recorded my elevated heart rate as we drove the extremely narrow road along ocean cliffs. Many tight corners with only room for one car. Meeting a car headed the other direction made for some tight squeezes. It was eight miles of death grip on the steering wheel. 

Our reward - the most amazingly awesome, beautiful, and secluded beach we have ever encountered. Sitting at the very Northeast corner on Molokai, in a majestic valley, is paradise. in the photo here, only our footprints are captured in the sand. 

It seems the Halawa valley has an interesting history. I found this in a quick Google search. 

The Halawa valley extends some 2 miles inland from the sea. At the head of the valley are two waterfalls, the Moʻaula Falls, 250 feet high, and the Hipuapua Falls, 500 feet high.

Hālawa is the site of one of the earliest settlements in Hawaiʻi. The archeological features of the valley date back 1,350 years, the longest period of continuous Hawaiian cultural development. The valley was extensively used for the production of taro, and at one time supported a population of several  thousand. Archeological remains include 17 temples, irrigation channels and ancient walls and terraces.

The traditional Hawaiian way of life continued in

Hālawa well into the 20th century. The valley was flooded by the 1946 tsunami and again by the 1957 tsunami, which destroyed the taro fields. The valley was then abandoned. Only a few families now live in the valley.

Sometimes in life, we need to take the trek to the end of the road. The path that causes our pulse to quicken and our senses to come alive. A less traveled road that leads to a magical beach where we can leave your footprints in the white sand. Maybe in some regards, that is what brought us to Molokai in the first place. To get off the beaten path and see what happens. We are not risk takers or thrill seekers, but we definitely do love a good adventure. Yesterday on Halawa beach, listening to the waves lap the shore, we joined a long list of sojourners dating back 1350 years to the earliest known settlement of people in the Hawaiian islands, to leave our footprints in the sand on this tropical shore. 

As I write the end of this blog, I am sitting on the lanai listening to a gentle rain fall. We fly out in a few hours - most likely taking our place in row 4 again. We will see if our plane leaves as scheduled, as we hold our plans loosely, thankful to the Lord for giving us the financial ability and the good health to experience new things. Our two weeks in Maui and Molokai have been wonderful.  We are returning home well rested and a little tanner. We are excited to see where next we will leave our footprints.

Epilog

We made our flight from Molokai back to Maui. We even moved up to row three for the return flight. 

Because of the way the flights worked out, we had about a nine hour wait for our flight to Seattle. We rented a car and spent our time - not sitting in the airport. We explored a little town called Paia. There are some fun shops to explore, as a lot of artists have reopened stores here after the fires that burned Lahaina. One artist claimed it to be the new Lahaina. Ask Maurina about her beautiful new earrings. 

Parting Shots

Sunrise from our lania and view of Molokai from plane ride back to Maui.