End of Summer…

 

Ph by Ashley Frangie

“The greatest cruelty is our casual blindness to the despair of others.”

We all tend to believe that the things that happen to us, only happen to us; that when people hurt us, they do it intentionally, that everything that surrounds us is for the sake of making our life the way it is. We never stop to think that maybe, just maybe, what people do to us is the reflection of their own personal problems, their own unhappiness, their own despairs. I think that the greatest virtue we could all have is compassion, we never know what that other person was going through when they did the things that hurt us; or maybe we look for perfection in everything when mistakes happen around the corner everyday. We have to be compassionate about others, about their problems, about their life. I believe it is the greatest form of love. Compassion shows our human side, our belief that we all ride together in this enormous air balloon called world that will eventually break; even though we all have different problems and circumstances in life, we all suffer, so believe in the greater power of empathy and don’t be careless or blind to what others might be going through. How are you feeling this Friday? Today, I am feeling remorse for the way I am sometimes with the people that care about me, for the times compassion wasn’t in my heart and I forgot that people might have bigger problems that I.

Last one on Hawaii!!…

This is the last post of Hawaii, I really hope you liked the other ones; however, this one’s my favorite. I don’t think there is a better way to express what Hawaii was for me than this photo shoot in the beach, you can see the waves, the beach, the mountains, and one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen, a true recommendation and a must do here in Hawaii. In the pictures, I am in a beach called “Big Beach” (2.4 km long) in the area of Makena. We drove one and a half hours to get to this amazing beach, I had heard that it was one of the bests in Maui, specially for locals. The beach is beautiful, the waves are impressive, and it is really clean; besides you can bring as much as you can handle from your house, either if it’s food, towels, chairs, surf boards, anything to spend a day full of adventure and relaxation at the same time. In Makena, you can also find “Little Beach” (200 m) a beach which is separated from Big Beach by a steep lava outcropping just 5 minutes away. Locals go to Little Beach on sundays to dance on a celebration of drums and fire; and it’s the only beach on the island where people can sunbathe and swim naked… I’ll leave this part to you, but do visit the beaches, they are amazing and waiting for you to be discovered!! Also while you’re there, you must visit Wailea, a resort area just around the corner, it has one of the best shopping malls of the island and really good hotels. Thanks for reading.

Este es el último post acerca de Hawaii, realmente espero que les hayan gustado los pasados; sin embargo, este es mi favorito. No creo que haya mejor manera de expresar lo que Hawaii fue para mi que este foto shoot en la playa; aquí pude disfrutar la playa, el mar, las montañas y uno de los mejores atardeceres que he visto en mi vida, una verdadera recomendación y un “must do” aquí en Hawaii. En estas fotos, estoy en una playa que se llama “Big Beach” (2.4 km de largo) en el área de Makena. Manejamos una hora y media para llegar a esta playa, había escuchado que era una de las mejores de Maui, especialmente para los locales. La playa esta hermosa, las olas impresionantes y está muy limpia; además pueden traer lo que quieran de su casa, comida, bebidas, sillas, toallas, tablas de surf, lo que se les ocurra para pasar un día lleno de aventura y relajación al mismo tiempo. En Makena, también pueden visitar una playa a 5 minutos caminando de Big Beach, ésta se llama Little Beach con sólo 200 m de largo. Los locales van a esta playa los domingos para bailar con tambores y espectáculos de fuego; también es la única playa en la isla que la policía permite a la gente asolearse y nadar desnudos…esta parte se las dejo a ustedes, pero si visiten las playas, realmente son espectaculares!! Ya que están ahí en Makena, manejen sólo 10 minutos a Wailea, es una zona hotelera muy bonita, con hoteles muy padres y tiene uno de los centros comerciales más grandes de la isla. Gracias por leer!!!!

Hitting Ball!!

Happy Monday everyone!! This is another post from Hawaii, I know I’ve posted a lot of these lately, but I just want you to know how amazing this place is, and all the things you can do when you visit. I believe I’ve told you we stayed in Kapalua during our vacations because Daniel wanted to play golf. Well I didn’t know what the fuzz was all about until I went to play with him, the course is wonderful. It is called The Plantation Course (“Built around the natural wonders of the west Maui mountains…”), and is home of one of the PGA tour championship tournaments (The Hyundai Tournament of Champions). The course is really difficult, it has ups and downs and it looks like a roller coaster, but the views are spectacular. I am a beginner and I could not finish all the way, but if you truly like golf and you are intermediate you should definitely try it, you will be blown away by its natural challenges and the beautiful scenes. My favorite part was the road to the practice tee, you get immersed in an unexpected forest leading your way to a perfect landscape, nothing like you’ve ever seen before, believe me. The club house is also really good, you get to see all the pictures from the tournaments, most of them signed by the professional players. In addition, the restaurant offers local, seasonal, and gourmet food for you to enjoy after your round; including some fresh beverages and beer. The food is simple but delicious, so give it a try even if you don’t want to play and you just want breakfast.

I recommend doing this activity only if you really like and enjoy playing golf, specially if you’re a fanatic, because it is expensive. Hope you like the pictures!! And ignore my form ha ha, I’m still learning. Thanks for reading!!!

Feliz lunes para todos!! Este es otro post de Hawai, ya se que he puesto muchos de estos últimamente, pero quiero que vean lo hermoso que es este lugar y todas las cosas que pueden hacer cuando lo visiten. Creo que si les dije que nos quedamos en Kapalua durante nuestras vacaciones porque Daniel quería jugar golf. La verdad no entendía porque era tanta la necesidad hasta que un día fui con él a jugar, el campo está padrísimo. Se llama The Plantation Course (“Construido alrededor de las maravillosas montañas del Oeste de Maui…”) y es cede de uno de los torneos del PGA (El Hyundai Tournament of Champions). El campo está muy difícil, tiene subidas y bajadas como una montaña rusa, pero las vistas son espectaculares. Yo soy principiante y no pude terminar el campo, pero si realmente les gusta el golf y tienen un nivel intermedio, deberían de probarlo se van a quedar con la boca abierta de los obstáculos naturales y las maravillosas escenas. Mi parte favorita es el camino al tee de práctica, es un camino que los sumerge en un bosque muy inesperado dirigiéndolos a un paisaje perfecto, créanme nunca han visto algo así. La casa club también está muy bonita, tiene las fotos de todos los campeonatos y la mayoría están firmadas por los profesionales. Además, el restaurante de la casa club ofrece comida gourmet, de temporada y local para que puedan disfrutar una rica comida después de jugar. Los platillos son simples pero deliciosos, así que, prueben el restaurante aunque no vayan a jugar y sólo decidan desayunar.  

Les recomiendo esta actividad, sólo si les gusta mucho el golf, especialmente si son fanáticos, porque la verdad puede llegar a ser muy caro. Espero les gusten las fotos e ignoren mi postura, aún estoy aprendiendo. Gracias por leer!!!  I was wearing Lululemon skirt and Adidas shirt.

 

Luau hula!!

When we arrived to Hawaii, I wanted to have a local experience in which I could see the Hawaiian traditions. This may sound ironic but, one of the best ways to get soaked in local traditions, in one day, is to go to a tourist adventure, so we went to a Luau. A Luau is a traditional Hawaiian feast, where tourists can experience local customs, food, and entertainment. A long time ago, people had to sit on the floor for the luaus, but now, they are held in long buffet tables with chairs by the beach at three different resorts in Maui. We chose the one that had space available at the Hyatt in Kaanapali (called “Drums of the Pacific), but we were told that the best one is the Old Lahaina Luau, so if you come to Maui and want to go to a Luau book at least 7 days in advance. Even though this wasn’t categorized as the “best one” it was really fun. They greet you with Leis and assign you to your table with a complimentary traditional cocktail. Afterwards, you get to help yourself with a never ending meal at the buffet, all local dishes including fresh mahi mahi, kalua pork, huli huli chicken, and some fruits and vegetables, as well as desserts. The food was really delicious, specially the pork; it was tender, juicy, and sweet and savory at the same time. When everyone finishes eating, then you get to experience an amazing showcase of songs and dances. The show was really good and while dancing, the host explains to you that every dance is a story telling you about the history of Hawaii and it’s first immigrants. It was interesting, informative, and fun. The best part is that while you’re enjoying all of this, you get to sit down and watch the sunset at the same time, so it also gets romantic!! After everything is finished, you can get pictures with the dancers and shop around for some local handmade jewelry, which can be expensive but beautiful.
If you would like to enjoy a truly Hawaiian tradition, go to one of the Luaus, you would be surprised of what an amazing and influenced lifestyle Hawaiians have. Go have fun, and enjoy a night full of energy; and always remember to keep it local!!!

Cuando llegamos a Hawaii, yo quería tener una experiencia en dónde pudiera observar las tradiciones Hawaianas. Esto puede sonar un poco irónico pero, una de las mejores maneras de empaparte de de las tradiciones locales en un día, es teniendo una aventura como turista, así que decidimos asistir a un Luau. Un Luau es una fiesta Hawaiana en dónde los turistas pueden apreciar la comida, las costumbres y el entretenimiento local. Hace mucho tiempo, la gente se sentaba en el piso para estas fiestas, pero ahora se realizan en mesas largas tipo bufete y sillas en la playa en tres diferentes zonas hoteleras de Maui. Nosotros escogimos el único que tenía lugar disponible en el hotel Hyatt en Kaanapali (llamado Tambores del Pacífico), pero nos dijeron que el mejor Luau es en Lahaiana, sin embargo se llena muy rápido y todos los días de la semana, por lo que les recomiendo que reserven mínimo con 7 días de anticipación si es que desean asistir a uno cuando estén visitando Hawaii. Aunque este no estaba categorizado como “el mejor,” estuvo muy divertido. En cuanto llegan los saludan con un Lei y los asignan a su mesa y donde les regalan un cóctel tradicional. Después, cada mesa va al bufete en turnos en donde se pueden servir las veces que quieran comida tradicional de Hawaii como por ejemplo, mahi mahi, huli huli pollo, puerco kalua, algunos vegetales, frutas, y también algunos postres. La comida es deliciosa, en especial el puerco, estaba jugoso, suave y dulce y salado al mismo tiempo. Cuando todos terminan de comer, entonces comienza la diversión, un espectáculo de canto, bailes y música. El show está muy bonito, y mientras bailan, la host te cuenta como es que cada baile refleja una historia sobre los primeros inmigrantes de Hawaii, haciéndolo aún más interesante. La mejor parte de todo es, que mientras comen y observan todos los bailes, pueden ver el hermoso atardecer, una de las cosas indispensable de ver en Hawaii, lo cual convierte a esta aventura en algo muy romántico. Cuando termina el show, se pueden tomar fotos con los bailarines y comprar joyería hawaiana hecha a mano, puede llegar a ser cara pero es muy bonita.
Así qué ya saben, si quieren disfrutar de una fiesta tradicional Hawaiana, asistan a un Luau, lo recomiendo al 100 y además quedarán sorprendidos de lo maravillosa que es la vida en ese paraíso. Vayan, diviértanse y gocen de una noche llena de energía, y encuerden siempre keep it local!!!

Hawaiian Symbol!!

When we arrived to Hawaii, we all wanted the traditional flower necklace you see on the movies, we didn’t even know what it was or why it is given for. However, after taking a “lei making” class I knew all about it. The necklace is actually called “lei” it is an ancient tradition in Hawaii brought by the Polynesian people, it can be made from leaves, flowers, shells, nuts, and even teeth from several animals. It is used as a symbol of beauty and uniqueness, given to one another in celebrations, such as graduations, weddings, anniversaries, or to symbolize your love for someone special. Several years ago the lei was given to welcome Malihini (visitors) and Kama’aina (locals) back home, it is said that when leaving the islands by boat, people would throw their lei (there is no singular or plural distinction in Hawaiian language) to the ocean hoping to return to the islands. Now the lei is the Hawaiian symbol to millions of visitors. Anyone can wear a lei and locals have several of them and use them in special occasions. There are some rules, however, to using the lei, if someone gives it to you, you cannot take it off in front of the person who gave it to you (it is considered rude); and the lei should rest in your shoulders hanging in front and in your back, you can wear as many as people give you in one day, there is no rule for that.

The class I took was from the hotel, and it truly was amazing. First of all it is free, and you can make as many lei as you want to. They taught us how to make the flower lei, there were hand picked flowers and you use a special long needle with a string to bond all the flowers together. It is made carefully and as it said on the brochure they gave us: “as a reflection of your love and affection for each other. As you exchange this lei, you will now begin to weave your own lei of life.” I absolutely enjoyed doing this, it is good to know how this tradition started and why it became such an important Aloha welcoming gift for tourists. Hope you like the pictures and the information, and remember always to keep it local!!!

First of All…

Before telling you all about Hawaii and what are my recommendations of places to visit and activities to do in order to “blend in” as locals or be an informant tourist, I want to show you where we stayed in Maui. We didn’t go to the main island: Honolulu, Daniel wanted to get more of the island in a less crowded environment, so we decided to visit Maui (the Valley Isle) the second largest island of Hawaii. We took a plane from Mexico to LA (4 hour journey) and then we took a plane from LA to Kahului Airport, the primary airport in the island (another 5 hour travel); we were 5 hours behind everyone in Mexico, thus jet lag can be overwhelming. The island is beautiful, it really is like it seems in the movies, it has so much to offer, you can see a lot of different things from everywhere, like for instance: pines from the woods, trees from Africa, bonsais from Asia, Palm trees, etc. It really has an influence from everywhere, which makes Hawaii a perfect destination to see everything.
The island of Maui has different resort areas: Kapalua, Kaanapali, Lahaina, Kihei, Makena, and Wailea, all of them worth exploring, each unique in its very own paradise. We stayed at Kapalua in the Ritz Carlton Hotel, as you know, my husband is a golf addict so here is one of the major championship courses called Plantation, being this the reason why we stayed at Kapalua. The hotel is beautiful, it has an amazing beach, which you’ll see photos of soon. The staff is really friendly and the food is great, everything comes from a farm where they harvest their own ingredients. The hotel has 6 different types of restaurants for all kinds of food and formality, including one sushi bar. It also has one coffee bar opening at 5 am when sunrise occurs. It has a fitness center with group classes, which some of them are free so I took the opportunity and had a relaxing yoga class early in the morning. I truly recommend this hotel, it has so much to offer, great amenities and outdoor activities and they go above and beyond to immerse you in a true hawaiian experience.

This is just the beginning of this amazing journey, I will tell you all the details hoping you like them. Keep in touch!!

Ratings:

Price: $$$$

Staff: Friendly

Food: Just great, better to try the local restaurants in the area.

Overall: Excellent