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Aloha! A recent trip with my immediate family took us all to Maui, "the valley isle," for my oldest son's wedding. For my husband, younger son, his wife, and myself that meant leaving our respective homes in Texas at 5 a.m. on a recent Saturday to head for Dallas/Fort Worth Airport to catch an early morning flight to Minneapolis where we were to meet up with my son, his future bride, my granddaughter, and my future daughter-in-law's parents, who were flying to Minneapolis from Cleveland. Breakfast onboard was healthy-a bagel with low-fat cream cheese, a banana, and coffee. It was only a 2-hour flight so time passed quickly with breakfast and a quick nap. Finally shortly after noon, we were all aboard a DC-10 headed to Hawaii. Even though my husband and I had visited Hawaii several years ago, we felt like it was the first time all over again, getting to see this beautiful state through the eyes of our children and grandchild, for all of whom it was a first trip.
Since I have type 2 diabetes, I'd already had a last minute visit to my physician and my carryon bag was packed with carb snacks and plenty of medication and testing supplies to last for two weeks instead of the week we'd be gone. My heart-healthy lunch was delicious-a piece of grilled chicken breast with lots of julienned veggies, a succulent rice pilaf, and a crispy tossed salad that I ate without any dressing. I handed my cookie dessert to my husband. After lunch I had my first of many strolls around the cabin. I particularly like flying in a DC-10 as you can easily cross over and return by another route, so that you can walk quite a distance in a short time. (Last month I wrote about the need to exercise during long flights to keep your circulation going.) Playing games with Megan, my 6-year-old granddaughter took up some of the long hours in flight (7 1/2 hours on this leg). The rest of the time was spent reading, napping, visiting with the family, and taking more walks. Shortly before landing we were served a light snack (a half turkey sandwich and a piece of fruit). Many times during the flight the flight attendants came around with glasses of ice water, encouraging every one to keep drinking fluids to combat the dehydration that often comes with long flights.
Landing in Honolulu on the Island of Oahu, we had little time for anything other than catching the Wiki-Wiki shuttle to the Aloha Air terminal where we caught our inter-island flight to Maui. On this segment, only 30 minutes in duration, you barely get off the ground before preparing to land again. But there was plenty of time for everyone to exclaim with delight at the sight of the islands we were flying near and over. Landing in Maui, we were greeted with orchid leis, then quickly gathered baggage and sorted out the three vehicles we'd rented for our time on Maui. Once luggage was loaded, we crossed the island to west Maui, passing by lush fields of sugar cane, other fields where they were harvesting Maui (sweet) onions, and green pastures where cows were grazing. As we approached Lahaina, we caught our first glimpse of the Pacific Ocean from the ground. From here on the road hugged steep cliffs, then suddenly became a beachfront drive. Here the public beaches were crowded with families gathering to fish and picnic. As the sun started its descent, we reached Kaanapali Beach where we'd find our destination, the Aston Kaanapali Shores where we'd rented condominiums and where we'd meet up with the remaining members of the wedding party-my husband's daughter and her friend who'd flown in earlier that day from Los Angeles.
Our spacious condo overlooked the fabulous gardens with its two swimming pools and the ocean just beyond. Several varieties of palm trees, banana trees (with fruit), fragrant plumeria trees, giant birds of paradise; verdant plantings of oleander, hibiscus, several varieties of orchids; waterfalls into koi pools; and the sound of several varieties of tropical birds provided a magical tropical setting just off our private 3rd story lanai.
 
Within minutes of checking in, the sun had set and the gardens and beach beyond were lit with dozens of torches. Megan and I opted for a light supper of a sandwich served on our lanai while others ventured further afar and ate a sumptuous grilled mahi mahi dinner at the beachside open-air restaurant. Megan was fast asleep by 7:30 pm, Maui time, but that was actually 3:30 am on her body clock since she lives in the Eastern Time zone. No wonder she woke up at 4 the next morning (10 am her body time), ready to play although as I pointed out to her, even the birds were still asleep. We played quiet games and colored in some new coloring books I'd brought her until everyone else arose around 6 for an early breakfast and our first of many trips to the beach. Sunday was planned as a quiet day with the beach and pool as the only activities so our bodies could gradually adjust to the 5 and 6 hours jetlag. The temperature was a perfect 84° with a light offshore breeze. Since we had a full kitchen, lunch and a light supper were simple to prepare after a quick run to the local Safeway grocery store. Never again will I complain about grocery prices here on the mainland! Two bags of groceries, consisting of a gallon of milk, some essentials for breakfast, some fresh fruit, makings for two lunches (deli turkey, low-fat cheese, lettuce, and a couple of tomatoes), and ingredients for tacos and Mexican rice for supper cost more than $130!
Monday took most of our group on a helicopter tour of the west island that included several spectacular waterfalls. Lush tropical jungles, lava beaches, towering mountain ranges, and glimpses of other nearby islands gave breathtaking views off every side of our giant black bird helicopter.
All too soon, it was back to the condos and the excitement of getting ready for our Hawaiian luau that would replace a traditional rehearsal dinner. I'd opted to treat everyone to the Old Lahaina Luau, the only luau that celebrates in the traditional Hawaiian style.
Our evening began with a traditional lei greeting and we were escorted to our beachside table, after which we were free to stroll the grounds where local island crafts were being demonstrated along the beach. Soon we were called to gather as they unearthed the Kalua Pua'a (Roast Pork) from the traditional underground oven where it had been cooking since early morning. The bountiful buffet held a huge variety of salads, fresh fruits, breads, chicken, rice, Hawaiian sweet potatoes, baked mahi mahi, and Hawaiian specialties like poke (marinated ahi tuna), and lomi lomi salmon (salmon bits with tomatoes and onions). I had no problem in finding plenty to eat and enjoy while still keeping to my meal plan. I did pass up the many desserts and opted for a few more bites of mango and papaya instead of the Guava Cake, Coconut Pudding, and so forth.
The program told of the immigration of the Polynesians across the Pacific to the new islands of Hawaii and included traditional dance, drums, songs, and chants. We were then treated to a series of Hula that told the story of Pele, the Fire Goddess, and her sister Hiiaka, who traveled the islands in search of Pele's lover Lohiau. The luau then told of the arrival of the missionaries, bringing about many changes in island life including forcing the hula to be only performed in secret until the1882 when King David Kalakaua requested that the Hula be performed in public at his coronation ceremony. The modern hula as we now know it was then demonstrated with the dancers telling stories through their graceful moves, the subtle eyes, and lovely hands. In a grand finale, all of the dancers performed individually as they would at the Fete Celebration held back in Tahiti each July.
Tuesday was spent shopping, swimming, and relaxing until we gathered at 5 o'clock for the wedding where my son and his fiancé were married in a simple, beautiful ceremony in a white-column, open-air gazebo surrounded by lush tropical foliage and overlooking the shimmering blue ocean on the grounds of the Maui Westin. My granddaughter, their only attendant, in a white chiffon over silk dress covered with silk-screened pale pink roses, led the bride into the area, scattering fragrant rose petals. The bride wore a stunning white lace-covered floor-length slip dress with a short train, an antique shawl that had been made by her great-grandmother, and a Haku-a bride's crown of orchids. My son resplendent in his black tuxedo wore the traditional groom's Maile, an open lei made of Ti leaves.
After the customary taking of formal and informal photos, we all gathered at the Tropica, the Westin's Fire and Ice restaurant where we dined on the terrace between the waterfalls, just off the beachwalk on Kaanapali Beach. There, chef Christian Jorgensen's innovative menu of fire-inspired cuisine was far beyond that of a traditional mainland wedding supper. Starters included an assortment of lava grilled fire sticks-bites of Korean beef on bamboo sticks with a tangy kalbi sauce and spicy kim chee, Malaysian Chicken Satay with red curry peanut sauce and a papaya salad (Christian's recipe for this will be in our next exciting diabetic cookbook to be published in 2002), and jumbo shrimp skewers brushed with ginger and cilantro with an organic sprout salad. Next a family bowl of lobster and clam chowder was passed around, large enough for everyone to have a bite (or more). There were also salads of Haleakala volcanic greens tossed with yellow pear tomatoes, jicama, and miso vinaigrette. A lot of food to start, so I as a diabetic could only have a nibble or two to stay within my meal plan. But all divine!
Most of us opted for the house specialty: Lobster "Pulehu" which was brushed with a purée of Hawaiian-chile peppers before grilling and serve with a delicious corn flan and pineapple fried rice, the later in a Chinese food take-out box sitting on the plate with the lobster tail perched on top. The lobster was so succulent that it didn't need the accompanying pot of fire-butter. A few in the party opted for the blackened beef tenderloin that was served with Ma'alaea asparagus and Tropica mashed potatoes. The newlyweds had requested no wedding cake as there will be one at their wedding reception back home with the rest of the family members, and their friends.
During dinner we were treated to a typical Maui sunset; with live dance music being played just to the other side of the koi pond that ran alongside our table, it was another magical night with lots of visiting and dancing. The newlyweds then departed for their honeymoon suite at the Westin and the rest of us settled down to a final cup of fabulous Hawaiian coffee, then returned up the beach to our condominiums.
Wednesday for most everyone was taken up with the long drive to Hana, a never to be forgotten 50 mile drive full of dips and cliff hanging curves, one-lane bridges, lush green forests, waves crashing on black lava rock, a bamboo forest, and breathtaking waterfalls cascading into clear pools. Since we'd already done the drive my husband and I kept Megan at the condo so she could attend the Kaanapali Kids' Camp in the morning and learn the hula and swim in one of the two pools in the afternoon. Megan had a light supper with us at the open-air restaurant and was tucked into bed fast asleep when everyone else returned exhausted from the drive but full of stories about swimming in the cool pools, hiking miles into the bamboo forest, and other details they'll remember for a lifetime.
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Our last full day in Maui included building a giant sandcastle on the beach, a sail on a glass-bottom boat to view the incredible fish and coral of the area, and a trip down the beach to the Maui Sheraton where we watched the sunset torch lighting ceremony that ends on Black Rock where after lighting the remaining torch, the torch bearer dives 100 feet into the ocean below. Megan was thrilled when invited to join five other little girls to do the hula with the dancers on stage who were performing in the evening's sunset entertainment show. The family gathered for our last meal together back at the open-air restaurant and after waiting the required 45 minutes after eating, Megan once again displayed all of the new swimming strokes and water acrobatics that she'd learned while on the island from her relatives who all, themselves, swim like fish.
Friday held only time for another quick swim, then we all had to pack up and drive back to the airport to catch the inner-island plane back to Honolulu. After transferring to the Northwest Airlines terminal, we once again boarded a DC-10 for our trip home. Dinner was served shortly after take-off and after another fine heart-healthy meal and a short movie, we all slept while our plane winged eastward through the night to land in Minneapolis a little after 6 a.m., Central Time. There we parted company with those flying back to Cleveland and caught our plane back to Dallas. Again, a Continental breakfast was served and soon we were claiming our luggage back at DFW and driving to our respective homes.
When my son announced last Christmas that he was no longer going to be a single dad and that he and his bride-to-be were going to elope to Maui, taking the parents, his daughter, brother and sister-in-law, etc. along, I had no idea just how perfect a family vacation and sharing of this special time in his life this would be. No wonder Maui has become one of the favorite wedding destinations in the world. There were several other families staying at the Kaanapali Shores while we were there, also there for a wedding with close family along. We still have the Ohio wedding reception to attend, but that's later in the summer after the newlyweds are fully settled in their new home that they moved into one week after returning from their honeymoon.
Hawaii is not just a state-it's a group of diverse islands full of ancient myths and more importantly, a place for spiritual rejuvenation and recapturing of the sense of what being a family is all about. Our memories will bring us back together again and again in our minds and hearts. Mahalo.
FTG
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