Saturday, April 2, 2011

Maui – a trip to paradise (2)

She has three gardens for her shelties, the upper, lower and middle garden. As well as an orchid display around her fountain in the front garden. I am so jealous. Among other delectable treats, her dogs ate Avocados and Papayas with their supper as these are grown on big trees around her house. Back home I have to pay a fortune at the Supermarket for these tasteful fruits.
Sunday was the Sheltie Specialty in Thomas Square Park, which was judged by Denise Cornelssen. I saw some beautiful shelties in her line-up of winners.
Following the judging, members gathered together for a lunch right in the park. I was encouraged to try Hawaiian made delectables that were prepared by club members. The evening was spend together for a relaxed dinner Hawaiian style. I had chosen fish again, I love seafood and don’t we go on holiday just to eat?
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On my return to Maui my group ventured to the Maui Ocean Center. It was a journey of discovery through the extraordinary underwater world that lies beyond Hawaii’s surf-ringed shores, from the complex beauty of the living reefs, to the vast, blue realm of the ocean. All of the marine life at the center is alive and from Hawaii and collected under special permit with the Hawaiian State Department.


The decoy scorpion fish was one of the many exhibits that attracted my attention. He apparently utilizes a modified lay-in-wait strategy to capture its prey. To attract its prey he sits on the bottom camouflages himself and keeping its body motionless while undulating its dorsal fin in order to mimic a small fish.


The stonefish is extremely difficult to see because it usually buries most of its body under sand or rubble and only their widely separated eyes show. Often algae and hydroids grow on its back. It has been suggested, that stonefishes exude a white, milky substance over their bodies, which encourages plant growth. Shrimps and other animals have been observed to climb over them. This is the world’s most venomous fish. Their near perfect camouflage and the venomous spines make them a hazard for swimmers, snorkelers and divers in shallow water. Wounds should be treated immediately with hot water or dry heat.



Here is a picture of Hawaii’s National Fish the Reef Trigger fish – or like the Hawaiian people call him – the “humuhumu nukunuku apua’a” -  Now say that really fast, bet you are having trouble.
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For the evening we treated ourselves to a gastronomical five-course dinner at Buzz’s Warf. The restaurant is one of Maui’s oldest and is situated in Maalaea Bay Harbor, a bustling landmark with beautiful views of Mt. Haleakala and the southern coastline of Maui. This is the place were you find some of the best seafoods, freshest fish and biggest prawns. They are to die for! They’re rich and sweet and share many characteristics of lobster, (except for the price.)

We drank far to much wine and spend too much money.
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The highlight of my holiday was no doubt the Helicopter flight over the southern part of Maui and the majestic Haleakala Crater, the world’s largest dormant volcano. It measures a dept of over thousand feet and is more than ten miles across.


Al our pilot narrated the whole tour over the two ways in flight communication system. He educated us about the Hawaiian people, its history and culture, geology and the Hawaiian flora and fauna. The story about the pig and the cow when first imported from Europe to Hawaii was hilarious. Apparently when the cow and the pig were brought ashore the Hawaiians had no native name for them so they called them peepee (cow) and poopoo (pig). A treat was the medley of Hawaiian songs playing softly on his radio. I was completely enthralled with the awe-inspiring tropical beauty and any apprehension I had about a helicopter flight just melted away.






 
We soared high above Haleakala Crater, experiencing dramatic views of hidden waterfalls and the tropical, pristine rainforest. From an aerial perspective we experienced the road to Hana with its many hairpin curves and watched ocean waves crash against jagged lava rock on the southern coastline of Maui. What an invigorating experience it was as 75% of Maui can only be seen from the air and I was fortunate to see a little piece of Paradise.
If you are wondering what we have around our waists, it is a flotation device or life vest…just in case.
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