Ottawa Visiting

It seemed appropriate to visit my family in the week following Ontario's Family Day holiday (February 19th).  Our stay began simply but ended with a bang and it had enough twists and turns to warrant a blog posting.

My Mom and Dad grew up in Montreal but fell in love with Ottawa soon after they married.  Even though Dad's career had us moving around Eastern Canada, we always returned to the Ottawa area and eventually my parents retired there.  Lynda and I attended Carleton University and Nancy returned after living in Peterborough and Hamilton.  My Montreal aunt even moved to the city when my cousin was a teen so soon everyone had settled down along the Ottawa River.  Glen's folks had spent most of their lives in the capital city and although they are gone now, their memories live on.

The city doesn't feel like home anymore but seeing our families makes the trip East worthwhile.  Lynda and Chris met us at the airport Tuesday and the chatting began.  We had a great time with them as we settled into Lynda's guest room.  She kindly allowed us the use of her car so we could see everyone over the course of the next few days.

Our first visit was to my Mom who lives in a senior's residence in Carleton Place.  Lynda had a pre-op scheduled for Wednesday morning so she left with Chris then we headed out.  As we approached Kanata, Glen asked if I wanted to look for the letterbox that was hidden there.  It was a simple detour to St. John's Anglican Church.

The original stone church was built in the 1830s and it has since grown to meet the needs of the community.  One aspect of its ministry are two contemplative labyrinths.  A labyrinth is a patterned circle with a single path from its edge to its centre.  One must watch carefully to follow this path which allows for a slow pace and time to think or pray.  The only labyrinth I've ever walked was at the Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.  Both it and the ones at St. John's are styled after the Chartres design.

The letterbox was part of a series on labyrinths and was actually hidden in the graveyard.  The clues were simple and accurate and the stamp beautifully carved.  Inside the box was a hitch-hiker, the second I've found in my short letterboxing career.  I also left a hitch-hiker stamp which I had carved so it'll be interesting to see where that ends up.

Following my sister's excellent map, we found Mom's apartment had a good chat before heading off to lunch.  Our destination was a Thai restaurant but it is a family business so its hours often change.  This day, they didn't open until 3:00 so we headed across the street to Ballygiblins Pub.  Its warm atmosphere and our friendly server made for an enjoyable lunch despite our initial disappointment.  The pub tries its best to follow the 100 mile principal although some selections were clearly not from around Carleton Place.  Mom ordered a side salad and a kettle of P.E.I. mussels, while Glen decided on the special which was a huge lamb burger.  I had a grilled veggie sandwich and asked for their soup de jour which was spicy tomato rice.  Turns out the soup choice changed while we were drinking our Barking Squirrel beer (I didn't make this name up).  I am not overly fond of chicken noodle so opted for a salad instead.  Imagine my surprise when my meal arrived with tomato soup!

Thursday was the day we visited my aunt, Mabel.  She had recently fallen and broken her arm so was recovering in the Perley Rideau Home.  After negotiating another labyrinth, this one of construction detours and sprawling hospital hallways, we found her in a lovely room.  We had a great chat getting caught up with all the details of her operation and her subsequent care.  Afterwards we headed to Beechwood Cemetery to visit Glen's folks.  We hadn't been there in long time but once Glen saw a familiar crypt, we were able to pay our respects to his mom, dad, and aunt.  His maternal grandfather and grandmother and a brother are also buried there.  A short walk took us to the Armstrong grave where his paternal grandparents lie at rest.

Beechwood was established in 1873 and is deemed an historic site because of its classical 19th century cemetery design.  It has the National Military Cemetery of Canada as well as the graves of many historic figures significant to both Canada and the city of Ottawa.  A traditional Chinese cemetery built in the 1920s adds to its uniqueness.

Friday was the day when Lynda had her surgery.  She has been suffering for over a year and the surgeon was to remove some metal pins and new bone growth in her shoulder that would, perhaps, give her more freedom of moment and less pain.  While she underwent 4 hours of surgery, a snow storm brewed.  Glen and I were to head out to Rockland for a visit with my cousin, Victor, his wife, Wendy and their two kids, Colin and Valerie.  We left mid-afternoon just as the snows began to thicken.

We had a wonderful evening of good food, good wine and great conversation as the snow storm raged outside.  Meanwhile, emails from Chris kept us apprised of Lynda's progress.  We all breathed a sigh of relief when he said they were keeping her overnight just to be sure everything was okay.

The drive from Rockland back to Ottawa was not fun.  They don't call that stretch of road 'Suicide Highway' for nothing.  The snow was blinding and the road conditions treacherous.  As we reached the city, the snow let up a little and the plows and sanding trucks made driving easier.  We quickly shoveled Lynda's driveway then headed to bed.

Saturday was spent with Lynda, making her meals and keeping her company.  She really bounced back quickly from the surgery and was so happy to do things that took her months to accomplish after her initial operation.

Sunday dawned bright and sunny and we were off to see my 'baby' sister in Lanark County.  We drove through some pretty spectacular winter scenes in this rocky farm/sugar bush region of the Ottawa valley.  Glen had never seen Nancy and Andy's house which is off-grid and basically hand-built.  It has taken years of slow progress but it's finally coming together as a snug refuge from the world.  We had a great Mexican meal with hand-made tortillas (a skill Nancy learned while living in Mexico).  Our nephew, Alan, joined us with his friend, Allie and we had lively conversation as well as good food.

Family visiting ended that afternoon after Chris drove us down to the Chateau Laurier hotel.

Final Day in Paradise

Our last day in paradise was the only one in which we could sleep in but, can you really sleep-in in Maui?  Not if you leave your screen door open to enjoy the night breezes.  Around 6:30 am, all the tropical birds begin to wake.  There is much squawking and squabbling as they begin their day.  And, it is at this time that the Hyatt begins its breakfast service.

Each day, we enjoyed a wonderful buffet in the Swan Court restaurant, so named for its swans (3 white and one black) that float on a pond outside the floor-to-ceiling openings (not really windows as there is no glass).  A waterfall tumbles down from a lava escarpment and it is under this the birds had their morning shower.  A delight to watch.

The breakfast spread had the usual American fare of omelets, cereal, pastries, scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes, and pancakes but the Hyatt added a heart-smart egg-white frittata that was delicious.  There was also sliced tomatoes drizzled in balsamic vinegar, chicken mango and Portuguese sausages, cheese, and miso soup.  The tofu one added to this soup base was pillowy soft.  They even had some of my favourite Japanese pickles.  We thought we were enjoying Kona coffee but apparently it is cheaper to ship coffee from the mainland (Seattle) than from The Big Island.

After packing our bags and negotiating an extra hour onto our check-out time, we decided to walk along the beach since Glen hadn't yet done so.  We made our way to the Marriott before returning to the sidewalk as walking the dunes was exhausting.  I tried to keep to the lawns which bordered the path as my prickly heat had flared on Saturday and I suffered from swollen calfs and an angry rash.  We walked all the way to the Sheraton to watch the divers leap of the cliffs.

After checking out, we returned to the Leilani's in Whalers Village for lunch on their patio.  We saw whales cavorting off the beach while we ate.  I had a grilled ahi sandwich and Glen enjoyed a grilled cheese (three types) one.  They didn't have our usual Longboard Lager so we tried Duke's Blonde Ale made by the same Kona Brewing Company.

After relaxing by the Hyatt pool, in the shade, we collected our luggage and dressed in clothes more appropriate for cold weather.  Our shuttle bus was to pick us up at 5:00 pm for our 8:00 flight.  The Hyatt allows you to print your boarding passes which is when we learned our flight was delayed by 30 minutes.  As we sat waiting for the bus which was 20 minutes late, we were glad we knew this.  Turns out there was an accident on the only road to the airport and it was backing up traffic all the way to Lahaina.

Once we boarded the shuttle, our trip to the airport was worry-free.  We had been told security was slow in Maui so were surprised when we waltzed through in under an hour. This left us plenty of time to have supper which we did in Sammy's Beach Bar & Grill.  As we settled into our booth (the usual, "I had a nasty turn in a booth once" quote being said), we were asked to produce ID if we wanted an alcoholic drink.  Our waitress then disappeared as she served three tables where grandparents (1 set), parents (2 sets), and kids (5, all under 5) sat.  There was much screaming from one baby and Glen prayed they wouldn't be on our plane.

When the waitress finally arrived, she checked our ID and wished Glen a happy birthday then did the same for me.  Glen had their Kalua Pork sandwich while I had a grilled chicken one.  They were huge and very filling which meant we didn't need to eat the pathetic wraps one must buy on Air Canada.

At the gate, we discovered the families in the restaurant were going to Calgary along with about four others with small children.  Glen's heart sank when he realized they all sat in our section of the plane.  Fortunately, there were enough empty seats to allow them to spread out and the kids were soon asleep.  As were we.

What was an 8 hour flight going to Maui became a 5.5 hour flight coming home.  We slept on the plane for 3 hours, arrived back in the house then went to bed for another 3.  Glen left for work while I began unpacking.  It was back to reality.

Golfing Ka'anapali Kai

During our week in Maui, Glen and I had been anticipating his birthday (January 23rd) because my gift to him was a round of golf.  Taking the advice of our friends, George and Martha, we opted to play the Ka'anapali Kai course, the 16th and 17th holes of which we could see from our lanai.  Originally a sugar plantation, both it and the Royal Ka'anapali courses spread up the hillside at the front of the Hyatt resort.

In 2008, the Kai course hosted the reality golf series (ladies only), Big Break Ka'anapali.  A brass plaque with the winner, Kim Welch's name, adorns a locker in the woman's locker room.

More impressive were the Champions Tour winners on the Royal course whose pictures blanket the walls of the clubhouse.  The last Skins game was played here in January, 2011.  Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson won but the likes of Palmer, Norman, Couples, and Crenshaw have also played the course.

With all this hype and George's warnings of how difficult the course was, I was very nervous before our game.  We warned the starter we were duffers as a young Hawaiian loaded our cart with Nike rental clubs.  I had played with Nikes before so my nerves settled a little.  Taking an iron and a driver, we headed to the range to get a feel for these clubs, sharing a small bucket of balls.  When the guy beside me (not Glen) smacked his ball over 300 yards, I began to worry we'd be paired with some hot-shot golfers.

Turns out, the day was slow so we golfed as a twosome.  We kept pace with the 4 in front of us so didn't slow anyone down.  The first hole was pretty straightforward with only two palm trees in my field of vision (see above photo).  Note the frond hanging between them.  Well, my ball hit that.  Funnily enough, I still had good yardage but it took about 3 holes before I settled down and began to enjoy our game.

The bridge in the background allows the golf carts to cross the main highway as the course winds its way along the hill.  The Sugar Cane Train crisscrosses the course so can be a distraction.  But, it's a cute little train and added something to the wonderful scenery.

Golf course are havens of nature where ever you go.  Birds love them and so it was with Ka'anapali Kai.  We saw cattle egrets, myna birds, spotted doves, and red-crested cardinals.  The egrets were quick to take flight when Glen's ball flew through them and it was an awesome sight.

We finished the course in just over 4 hours and although our scores didn't reflect it, we had a great game.  We've never played a championship course before and the last time we did 18 holes, was several years back.  Glen did miss his Taylormade R11 driver and I could not get used to the Nike putter but we still were satisfied with how we played.  I've learned that one can never play a perfect game.

To make his birthday complete, Glen got a text message from Meghan and a phone call from Geoff and even opened birthday cards.  Then it was off to supper with George and Martha who had played The Plantation Course, the site of the PGA Tour Hyundai Tournament of Champions.  They brought us some ball markers which are very prestigious, apparently.

We had booked a table for four at the Mala Ocean Tavern in Lahaina on the recommendation of our friend, Tim.  It didn't disappoint.  Although we were too late to enjoy the lanai, we did have a table by an open window which allowed us to bask in the sea breeze and watch the running lights of passing boats reflect on the ocean waves.  The food was good, too, although very rich.  I had the soup of the day which was a spicy bisque then ate an appetizer of smoke salmon.  Glen enjoyed a huge plate of seafood pasta.  He ordered bread pudding for his dessert while I had Keoki coffee.

After the taxi ride home, we all agreed to call it an early night.  We'd played golf and talked golf and were done.

Honolua Bay

Honolua Bay one of three bays that make up the Mokuleia Marine Life Conservation District.  A twenty minute drive from our hotel, it offered an opportunity to snorkel away from the usual tourist crowd.  Sue (from Florida) had snorkeled here with Kathy (from Québec) earlier in the week and wanted to return with us and her husband, Henry.

After parking on the side of the highway, we made our way down through dense rainforest to a rocky beach.  A few snorkelers had staked claim to some dry rocks and we stashed our stuff nearby, having left our valuables in the trunk of Henry's rental car.

We scrambled over the slippery rocks until we found a place suitable to enter the water which we did on our butts.  The surrounding hills shaded the bay as we groped our way out into deeper, sunnier water.  I soon lost sight of everyone and began to panic remembering the first lesson of snorkeling was to stay with a buddy.  Well, my buddies had vanished and not having my glasses made finding them impossible.  However, a tourist catamaran lay anchored in the bay and had just disgorged its compliment of snorkelers so I was not alone in the water.  Taking a deep breath, I allowed myself to relax and enjoy the view.

Since Honolua Bay's waters are protected, the fish haunting the coral reefs are abundant and varied.  I saw Morrish Idols, Needlefish, Reef Triggerfish, Sailfin Tang Surgeonfish (photo), Black Dragon Triggerfish, Peacock Grouper, and Yellowtail Wrasses to name a few.  Glen also saw a flounder and Sue, a moray eel.  I may have seen a Bluefin Trevally which is a very large fish but I couldn't photograph it so can't be sure.  It was pretty exciting and I actually swam quite far out on the reef before realizing I had done so.  As I made my way back, Glen called to me so we could swim back together.   Getting up on the rocks proved to be a challenge and I ended up cutting the palm of my hand on some barnacles (I think).  It wasn't a serious wound but bled enough to be a problem.

Sue and Henry left us at the hotel and went off to pack as they were departing on an afternoon flight.  Also leaving, but in the evening, was Tim.  He joined us for lunch at the Hula Grill where I enjoyed Maui ceviche and a chicken salad while Glen had a cheeseburger.  Tim had a cheese pizza which did not appear on the menu so he was surprised when it arrived.

After saying our good-byes to him with promises to meet him in San Francisco, we walked to the golf course.  We wanted to know how long it took as well as check out the first hole.  Now, I was getting excited for tomorrow, Glen's birthday, and our game on a championship course.

We returned to relax on our lanai until suppertime.  We were tired of making the walk down to Whalers Village so ate in Japengo, an east-meets-west restaurant in the Hyatt.  Not knowing the size of the portions, I ordered a Big Roll (sushi roll) and a mahi mahi dish and Glen had calamari followed by a cashew-coated chicken.  I couldn't finish my forbidden (black) rice and Glen had no room for dessert.

As we left the restaurant, we heard someone calling our names.  It was George and Martha enjoying a drink on Japengo's patio.  We joined them but had had enough beer with supper so just chatted.   It was a great end to another day in paradise.

The Hawaiian Experience

Aren't these girls beautiful?  They had sweet personalities as well and were very patient teaching the spouses how to wrap a lava-lava (sarong) and do a hula dance.  Sheilah promised that as soon as we learned to tie the lava-lava properly, we'd magically have bodies like their's.  I guess I failed as I still have my old one.

Both girls were hula dancers but the one on the right taught us how to dance.  I was in the front row and at one point, caused her to giggle.  Obviously, the dancing genes are not dominant in me.  Since the demonstration was on the Hyatt's lawn, we must have given the other guests a show to remember.

We had a lot of laughs and the token male, who did a great job of tying his lava-lava, told me how in India, he had learned several ways to tie a man's sarong-like wrap.  He was learning the technique so he could teach his wife.

It was so hot on the lawn that I didn't linger.  I returned to our room to await Glen and enjoyed a beer on our lanai (balcony).  Again we returned to Whalers Village for lunch but this time at Cane & Taro.  It is on the upper deck of the village and catches the cool sea breezes.  That's the beauty of dining in Hawaii, most days you eat outside without air conditioning (or central heating).  We both indulged in a salad, mine Greek with a Hawaiian flare (ahi tuna) and Glen's was crab and avocado.

Upon our return to the Hyatt, I suggested we use the pool.  We had yet to do so.  We found two chairs which, as it turns out, were in the middle of a group of conferees.  Glen wasn't sure he wanted to swim so I left him sitting on a chair.  I had a brief paddle before bumping into my friend Sue, from Florida.  She invited me (and Glen) to go snorkeling with her husband, Henry, the next morning.

Glen eventually did swim then we headed back to our room to dress for the luau.  The Drums of the Pacific show would be the conference's banquet dinner.  As we entered the Hyatt's Sunset Terrace, we received leis and a Mai Tai cocktail.  We watched an incredible show which included resurrecting a pig from the cooking pit, hula and fire-dancing, and singing, then indulged in a sumptuous feast.  I preferred the Huli Huli chicken to the Kalua Pork but there was also mahi mahi.  I loved the sweet Maui onions served in wedges and had them for dessert while Glen indulged in bread pudding.  We ended the evening with a couple of beers on our lanai.

Hanakao'o Cemetery

You knew I'd eventually write about a visit to a cemetery.  I seem to find them on my travels and this trip to Maui was no different.  I spotted the tiny red-earth graveyard from the highway on our first bus ride.  Hanakano'o Cemetery was such a stark contrast between the lushness of the Hyatt Resort, the ocean waves, and its tiny, dry dustiness.

Friday morning, the spouses were to meet and walk to Whalers Village.  I felt I had time to see this cemetery, walk back along the beach, and meet up with the group.  This didn't happen as when I reached the mustering point, no one was there.  It didn't matter as I knew the way and figured I'd bump into them.  I eventually did meet up with Jennifer but we separated again while I took some photographs.

I knew approximately where the cemetery was so walked out the Lahaina entrance of the hotel and crossed the parking lot.  The dirt road beyond was gated but only to vehicles so I wandered along the dusty road bordering the graves.  One can learn much about a people by their graves and I soon discovered this was a Japanese cemetery with strong Hawaiian roots.  Most of the graves had weather leis or tiny desiccated flowers in rough clay vessels.  Some had markers that looked to be hewn from the underlying soil while others were simply delineated by volcanic stones.

Despite nearby construction, it was a peaceful place but quickly explored due to its small size.  I then crossed the road and came to Hanakao'o Beach.  Here, seaweed-draped rocks tempted me to check for sea turtles but I didn't want to miss meeting the spouses so turned back.  When I realized they had left without me, I returned to the beach.

There is nothing like an early morning stroll along the seaside even if your sneakers 'leak' but carrying the extra sand was good exercise so I kept slogging through the dunes.

I wasn't alone as others snorkeled, swam, or surfed the waves.  I came across a group learning to fish and a gaggle of tiny and some kids making stand castles.  In one area protected by vegetation, tiny, translucent crabs scuttled across the sand and disappeared into their holes.  There were lots of beach debris to photograph as well as flowers, plants, and boats.  I even spent a few minutes watching the cliff divers plunge into the ocean near the Sheraton Hotel before I left to explore Whalers Village.

Later, Glen and I returned to the Hula Grill for lunch where I had ahi tuna sashimi served with an orchid and gado gado salad while Glen ate their special, a grilled mahi mahi sandwich.  We washed it down with Bikini Blonde.  The Hula Grill has live entertainment and this day, the soloist played an electric ukulele.  During one song, a woman did a hula dance for us.

Using orchids as a garnish was new to me, although I had seen them decorating fruity alcoholic beverages.  It was too beautiful to eat but I have since learned they are a good source of Vitamin C and fibre and are edible.

We had strict instructions to meet for the sunset cruise at 4:00 sharp as the sun would not wait.  This sounds funny but in the past some have complained that the sun set too quickly.  Again, we had a long bus ride to begin our evening (always a good time for networking).  We boarded the Pride of Maui in Maalaea harbour next to the Aquarium.  After a brief safety chat, we left the harbour.  Just as the stern passed the breakwater, the bartender announced the bars were open.  On the upper deck, they served beer and wine,  whereas downstairs was the cocktail bar.  But, who could drink beer when there were whales to be photographed?

The boat encountered several comp pods so we were treated to a wonderful show of flippers and fins.  And no, you don't get tired of watching them and you always hope for a better photo.  However, I might have given up beer for whale-watching but I didn't give up eating.  Dinner was a buffet set up on the lower deck serving hot and cold choices as well as vegetarian and meat-lovers dishes.  The chicken was delicious and the ribs to die for.  I later learned the chef steamed them in pineapple juice for 3 hours and added horseradish to her BBQ sauce.  Something to try as I seek to find the perfect rib recipe.

During supper, the soloist sang happy birthday to Glen and Jim who were celebrating their birthdays during the conference.  Our friends from Québec sang 'Bonne F ete' while Glen stood waiting for his supper.

The sunset (remember that was the reason for this cruise) was beautiful although there weren't enough clouds to make it awesome and the whales had vanished.

Lahaina

Thursday, the working sessions of the conference began so the chairs spent the morning in a meeting room while their spouses (there was a token male) went to Lahaina to shop and admire the banyan tree.  Glen told me I must take pictures as the tree was famous.  I'd never heard of it before but it certainly was impressive.

After a brief tour of the Lahaina Courthouse which housed relics of the whaling era, I left to explore the square surrounding it.

Lahaina was the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii (1820-1845) before it moved to Honolulu.  Near the courthouse are the tumbledown ruins of King Kamehameha's palace. The name Lahaina means 'cruel sun' as the area receives only 13 inches of rainfall per year.

In the early 1800's, missionaries were drawn to Lahaina as were the whalers who followed the humpbacks along their migration route.  This lead to conflict between the two groups.  By opening schools and building a jail, the missionaries tamed the rough town.  In 1873, the sheriff, William Owen Smith, planted a banyan tree to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Lahaina's first Christian mission.

After photographing the ruins, I returned to the courthouse.  There I found my good friend, Jennifer, admiring the local art now showcased in the jail.  We both concluded the pieces were above our price range so left to check out the banyan tree.  What appears to be a woods is a fifty foot tree with more than ten anchors (smaller trunks) that support it as its spreads over the square.  It came to Maui from India as an 8 foot sapling and is now the third largest banyan in the world (after one in India and Florida).

Passing beneath its branches, we came to Front Street, the main thoroughfare in Lahaina.  Once a hive of pubs and whaling outposts, it is now lined with shops and restaurants.  Sheilah told us to see the Peter Lik gallery as it had some amazing photographs.  It didn't disappoint and oh, to be wealthy enough to own one of his works.  The one that caught my eye was called Endless Summer, a photo of the Scripps Pier in La Jolla, California.

I guess I still had visions of Lik's photography in my head for when we crossed Front Street to see the beach, I didn't see a car and stepped in front of it.  Fortunately, it was going slowly but Jennifer said the driver looked shaken after he'd slammed on the brakes.  I was shaken, too.

The town has decorated it sidewalks and corners with wooden sculptures reminiscent of the figureheads on the whaling ships.  I had fun photographing these as we made our way to Hilo Hattie where Jennifer wanted to buy something for her great nephews and nieces.  Our bus driver said it had the best Hawaiian shirts in town so I thought I might see something for Glen.  Turned out I found something for myself as well as buying a few souvenirs.

By this time, the bus was due and we were told it wouldn't wait as some in our group had chosen to stay in town for the afternoon.  Jennifer and I had other plans.  She and her husband, Neil, had rented a car and wanted us to join them for lunch at The Plantation House to celebrate Glen's birthday.  Situated on the Kapalua Resort, it offers views of the Plantation Golf Course (a PGA Tour course) and the ocean beyond.  A truly lovely spot and the food was delicious.  We had the fish special which was excellent while Jennifer enjoyed a pasta creation.  Glen indulged in a chocolate dessert that was huge.

We returned to our rooms to relax because our next event began at 6:00.  We were to meet Sheilah in the Hyatt lobby and walk to Cirque Polynesia with the rest of the conferees.  As we settled down, Sheilah brought us popcorn as thanks for holding a seat for her (it turned out to be our supper).  The show began with 'Pepe the Clown' who was brilliant and then moved into other traditional circus acts--contortionist, balancing acts, trapeze, hula hoops, aerial acrobats (silks), singing, and hula dancing.  The show culminated with a performance on the 'Wheel of Death'.  The bright lights and excellent drumming enhanced the drama but it was the stars above that stole the show.  Orion hung overhead and we could see all this constellation's stars.  The Milky Way was like wispy gauze draped behind the stage.  What a magical evening!