Saturday, April 25, 2015

Mini Josie explores Kihei on Maui, HI

Mini Josie spent the day exploring her host's home in Kihei!

First stop: SHAVE ICE. Guess which size I want. This is one of -four- shave ice stands in Kihei, all of which cater to tourists.

Kanani had promised to bring me.

She posed for a picture by a piece of outdoor art attached to their wall. Pretty! 

Next stop: The beach Kamaole I, known as Kam 1. We’re in the parking lot across the street, and already I’m excited.

“No ka oi” means “the best” in Hawaiian.

I feel a little bit overdressed for the beach!

Such a pretty flower!

… I’m -really- having trouble finding boards in my size. Let’s play Where’s Josie? 


*sings* Everybody go surf, mmm mmm, ahhh mmm! (This is at Kalama Park, the surf spot known as the Cove. It was pretty flat today, but they were out there all the same.)

Mini Josie: I already have one tattoo. I’m thinking I should get another. Maybe a skull and crossbones, or a bleeding dagger going through a heart with the words PLEASANT COMPANY on a banner across it.

Time to do a little shopping. We go into Longs Drugs.

No, I didn’t suddenly go to Japan! There has been heavy, heavy Japanese cultural influence in Hawai’i, and I’m guessing that Boys' Day must be coming up?

Little windsock koi are cute, but I am THE QUEEN OF THE VIENNA SAUSAGE MOUNTAIN. Here I am, sitting on my throne. I know seeing this big stack of vienna sausage in a drugstore might look odd to visitors, but Vienna Sausage and Spam are very, -very- popular with locals here, no kidding! 

Seems like we’re focusing on food for a while. I must be hungry. Best potato chips -ever-. No, seriously.

Li hing mui anything and crackseed in general is very popular among locals.


The. Best. Chocolate. Covered. Mac. Nuts. Of. All. Time.

Let’s visit a tourist trap. They are always fun.
As always, it’s wall to wall souvenirs.

But I like the soap. Smells so good!

OK, let’s head home, but let’s make one last stop at Kalama Park. Whales spend the winter in Maui waters, and seeing them breaching and blowing are common sights even from the beaches here, Kanani tells me. I think this whale statue is life size. There’s a big whale festival here in Kihei once a year, and they put a lei on it. An actual lei, made of real flowers and everything. It has to be enormous! This is the top side of the whale, which is shown breaching sideways. The other side of the statue shows its belly.

I’m really excited because I got to see sea turtles. They poke their head up out of the water from time to time to breathe. They didn’t cooperate with the camera, but THEY WERE THERE, AND I SAW THEM. They like hanging out off the shore of Kalama Park. Notice how this isn’t a sandy beach? They like to hang out in spots like this. 

Surfers near The Cove surf spot, valiantly trying to catch a wave on a day when there isn’t much wave action going on.

To see more of Josie’s adventures, click here to view her Travel Log!

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