Lahaina, Maui ~ Oct 27, 2011

Lahaina, Maui ~ our 1^st port of call

 ~ 0ctober 27, 2011 ~

“Maui no ka oi” exclaim the locals. “Maui is the best.” Needless to say many visitors agree.

Formed by two massive volcanoes, Maui is the 2^nd largest of the Hawaiian islands.  These volcanoes are joined by a rich valley which gives Maui its nickname, the “Valley Isle.”

The islands varied topography accounts of Maui’s scenic and climatic contrasts, culminated by the spectacular Haleakala Crater, the world’s largest inactive volcano, towering 10,032 feet above sea level.

Maui’s natural splendor includes the lush Iao Valley, magical waterfalls of Hana and an endless sea of sugarcane and pineapple fields.  There is more than 80 beaches and has more miles of swimmable beach than any other island.  Ancient volcanoes have left sands in a rainbow of colors ~ white, gold, black, green and garnet.

Today we will walk the Lahaina Historic Trail. (*Look for this map in the Maui map section)

~ Here are some pictures taken along the way ~

Heading to Lahaina, Maui

Lahaina ahead

Under an absolutely Huge Fig Tree

Colorful Foliage

Fan Palm

Getting ready for Halloween

In ~ Hilo Hatties

Things To Do in Maui Hawaii

http://www.mauihawaii.org/things-to-do.htm

How to Create Your Own Free Walking Tour
of Maui's Great 5-Star Resorts

See the Beautiful Lobbies, Grounds, Pools, Art
in Maui Hotels & Resorts

http://www.mauihawaii.org/sights/hotels-lobbies-grounds.htm

Hawaiian Words:

1) Mauka means toward the mountains. 

2) Makai means toward the ocean. 

These two Hawaiian words are used when giving directions. 

For example, "take Honoapiilani to Papalaua, then turn makai to get to the Old Lahaina Center." 

3) A good Hawaiian word to learn is kuuipo (kuu-uu-EE-poh), which means sweetheart.

4) The Hawaiian word for the sun is la. 

You already use that word as part of two Hawaiian place names that you know:  la is the first syllable of Lahaina, which means merciless sun.  And la is the last syllable of Haleakala, which means ~ house of the sun.

5) The Hawaiian word for rainbow is Anuenue, pronounced ah-NU-ee-NU-ee.

6) Yes is Ae & No is A’ole.

7) Hello or Goodbye is Aloha & Good Morning is Aloha Kakahiaka

8) Excuse me  is  Kal mai ia’u 

Sunset at Haleakala 

6 Days To Go, the Crowne Plaza & 1st Meet and Greet

Today is Saturday 10/15/2011 ~ 


Six days (less than a week) to the day before we will be walking on board the Sapphire Princess heading to . . . Heaven in Paradise . . . The South Pacific!

How many of you have your suitcases out, crowded onto any flat surface available and are trying to pack all the things we all have laboriously put in our *CSA for the past year or so?
(*New Words are found at the bottom)  


Those of us who are detail orientated and have made our never ending lists ~ each item is being crossed off as it finds its way into our open suitcases.


Our minds never ending chatter goes something like this . . .


Will it all fit? 
Can I get one more thing in?  
What about my shoes ~ do I have enough space for all of them?
Just 50lbs ~ It can not exceed 50 lbs!
Reorganize, again.
Oh the joys of packing ~
And so it goes . . .


Happy Packing all!


For those of you who are cruising with us and also those who are *not* ~ and ~ who still want to follow along and live vicariously through us ~


*Yes, that goes for all of you who have booked this same cruise in 2013 ~ You are welcome too!  And your friends and your friends, friends!  Come one, come all!


To find out all of our secrets ~


Here are our Cruise Critic threads where we have met and made new friends, talked endlessly about anything cruise related and some things ~ not so cruise related.  


Please feel free to sit down with a cup of coffee or what ever floats your boat and get ready for a very long read - we have been chatting on these threads since not long after this cruise became available to buy ~ I think it was early 2010 ~(*note ~ some of our LA to Tahiti, to LA thread got shortened) - So I can not tell you the exact "inception day".


Cruise Critic Thread ~ 
October 22, 2011 LA to Tahiti to LA . . .
http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1220169 


&


Cruise Critic Thread ~
Cruise Fashion & Beauty ~
28 Day Sapphire South Pacific fashion questions and other girly stuff . . .
http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=30964521#post30964521


I just thought of one more way to follow along with us - Check out the Sapphire Princess Bridge Cam for a view of where we are on our journey ~ http://www.princess.com/bridgecams/sa/sapphire_bridgecam.html


And ~ also This Blog ~  Sapphire Princess Odyssey 10/22/11 - 11/19/11


All of you ~ Feel free to add a comment anytime the spirit moves you or when you have a funny story that just can not wait until we see you again.


New Words:

*CSA ~ For those of you who are saying what the heck is a CSA  ~ 
Well, 
CSA is a new phrase we learned from SissyG on her ~ Cruise Critic, 28 day Sapphire South Pacific fashion questions and other girly stuff, thread ~ a while back ~ and it will now and forever be a part of our new cruise vocabulary.  
And, yes, we all, albeit, maybe secretly ~ have one ~
CSA is a ~
"Cruise Staging Area"


****
I just found a map for San Pedro that might be useful to some to use to wander 
around the area before or after the cruise.

Crowne Plaza Meet and Greet

At the Green Onion Restaurant

Our 1st SPO Meet and Greet

This is the Cruise Director

Recognize anyone?

Moorea and Papeete ~

Map #1

Map #2

~ Papeete, Tahiti ~

Map #1

Map #2

Map #3
A Walking tour of Papeete
*Info for walking tour found here . . .
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/tahiti/0084010008.html

Tahiti ~

 ~ Guide to the Polynesian Reef ~

For those who dive . . .

  

~ Bora Bora ~

~ Bora Bora Attractions and Resorts ~

Western Samoa and American Samoa ~

~ Western Samoa ~ 

~ Map of Apia ~

~ American Samoa ~

 ~ Map of Pago Pago ~

Kauai ~

~ Map of Kauai ~

Info for walking tours

http://www.hawaiiforvisitors.com/kauai/activities/walking-tours.htm

~ Frankos~Kauai~Guide Maps ~

Click on the link below for Frankos~Kauai~Guide Maps

look at right side of page & there 

you can click on each map picture for a closer look 

to see several areas of this map up close and personal.

http://frankosmaps.com/maps/product/Frankos-Kauai-Guide-Map.html

~ Maps of Lihue ~
Near where we will dock
(1)

(2)

~ Waimea ~

A brief History of Waimea ~

http://www.wkbpa.org/waimeahistory.pdf

Historic Waimea Map ~

http://www.wkbpa.org/map.pdf

Honolulu, Oahu ~

Where are the Honolulu Piers:

Getting there on the Bus:

~ Walking tour info ~

Chinatown

http://www.chinatownhi.com/?q=node/59

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/oahu/0009020033.html

Honolulu Waterfront

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/oahu/0009020034.html

Historic Honolulu

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/oahu/0009020035.html

Kapiolani Park

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/oahu/0009020036.html

And this is the tour we are doing this cruise:

Hawaii Food Tours

Honolulu, Hawaii

Hawaiifoodtours.com

(808) 926-3663

Hawaii Food Tours gives a well-rounded view of what people eat in Hawaii and provides the historical context as well. In a fun way, of course! Plus, you get to eat lots of great food and walk around Chinatown (bring walking shoes and an empty stomach).

Hilo, Hawaii ~

Here are a few maps for Hilo, Hawaii that could come in handy while you are there.

A map of Hilo

For Hilo Attractions ~

A walking tour of Historic Hilo Downtown ~                             

A 9-block walk-able community with a unique commercial core imbueed with by residential, recreational, cultural, artist, and educational activities. 

**Unfortunately I can not find the specifics with number coding for this map on the internet ~ It seems to have been taken off.   


However I did find that you can pick up a copy of this walking tour at the Hilo Downtown Improvement Assc at 252 Kamehameha Ave. And here is a site that has some informtion re the walking tour ~ http://gohawaii.about.com/library/olson/aa02218h.htm


It is a self-guided walking tour of historic downtown Hilo, on the east side of the Big Island of Hawaii. The tour has 18 stops and it covers Hilo's history from 1870 to the present day. The guide includes a map of the tour area and description of each stop. 
The self guided tour allowing visitors the opportunity to see real Hawaiian life at Hilo. 

The self-guided walking tour of where you can experience Hawaii's largest historic core of buildings, will take you to these spots:

• Kalakaua Park
• Furneaux Lane
• S.H. Kress Co. Building
• Old Police Station
• A.O.F. Building
• Pacific Tsunami Museum
• Hawaiian Telephone Building
• Vana Building
• Koehnen's Building
• Central Christian Church
• S. Hata Building
• Kaipalaoa Landing Wharf
• Lyman Museum & Mission House
• Bayfront
• First Trust Building
• Taishoji Soto Mission
• Palace Theater
• Burns Building
• The Pacific Building
• East Hawaii Cultural Center
• Farmer's Market