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Published: June 17th 2010
Exploring the Upcountry
I woke early from jet lag (5 hour time difference from Kansas) at 5:30 AM - an ungodly hour for me, but I didn‘t seem to mind it here; as if the cool and beautiful upcountry of Maui is having its affect on me. Becky’s already gone breakfasting with Michael, our B&B host. I join later to find an attractive table set and one large bowl of fresh fruit remaining, left for me and my private enjoyment. Pineapples, bananas, papayas, and mangos from Michael’s yard plus imported strawberries and kiwis. What a colorful and festive spread and wow! the fruit was great! Last, but not least I smelled the heady aroma of homemade baked pastries. They turned out to be hot baked cinnamon rolls. Becky said they were mighty tasty. I squelched my urge to partake, closed my eyes, and breathed in...only. Gluten intolerance...sigh...
However, there was fresh squeezed pineapple/orange juice and local gourmet coffees. Need I say we indulged? Our stay is starting off very well.
After breakfast I peruse my notes, chat with Michael, and after receiving his feedback - he says every road has several names and roads are often unmarked -
Becky & I sense and choose the sites we want to see. There is a lot to choose from. Now, don't make me explain the reasons for some of these choices. Call it an intutive whim if you want.
First on my list, and closest to our location, is “Surfing Goat Dairy” (See, what did i say?) ,off Omaopio Road in lower Kula. Internet reviewers raved. The place is as good as the reviews indicated. I met Roc, a tall slim attractive young man with sensitive, but wary, eyes. Reticent about himself I discovered from another source he left a good job, for reasons unknown, at a top resort restaurant to live a less stressful life and be part of something beneficial and ultimately more fulfilling. He was nice but the mysterious quality remained despite my usually strong ability to dissolve barriers.
Then, there is Angela who normally works in the office but was out here talking to us and helping out. She, as well, turned down other potentially higher paying jobs because of a connection she felt with her soon to be employer. She decided to follow her intuition and take the job. She tells me she
Kula_Maui, Hawaii
Surfing Goat Dairy Signloves it, that they are like a family here, that she has had no regrets.
The best part, of course, is the cheese. Thirty different varieties, i'm told. I tried the basic “Chevre Goat Cheese” and discovered it is
udderly the best I’ve ever tasted and definitely my favorite. It is creamy soft, light, very mild and fresh but without any sense of the "goat-ie" taste that I usually find and must tolerate. Goat cheese is easy to digest especially of this calibre and, more often than not, those with lactose intolerance can partake with little concern. Yippee for me!
Winner of Eleven national awards and one of Maui’s most visited Ag Tourism destinations, see the cute gamboling baby goats and tour the rest of the farm. Great people, great place to visit - petting pens for children, free cheese tasting, nice location and plenty of attractive, covered seating areas to sit, visit, and eat more cheese. “Da Feta Mo’ Beta”
www.SurfingGoatDairy.com After leaving we drive to the top of a hill and discover a panaramic view that was nearly picture perfect. There are so many beautiful panaramic views that its hard to capture them with only
Kula_Maui, Hawaii
Surfing Goat Dairy_Scenic Road In. (I made Becky stop so I could stand in the middle of the road to take this picture. She is, however, getting used to this.) a small digital camera. But, it doesn't keep me from trying!
Next in our travels is the village of Keokea and home to “Grandma’s Coffee House” famous for, of course, Grandma’s Maui Coffee. Why? Because grandma figured out how to get her hands on a rare variety of coffee, blend and roast her own beans in a kind of cool, laid back sorta way and now everyone wants her coffee. Though she ain’t aroun’ to sign autographs or anything, absent or not, her coffee is very good. I am a Kona fan and think her “Poli Poli Springs Organic Blend” gave my 100% Arabica from Kona a pretty good run for the money. In all fairness, I am not a coffee connoisseur. I just like what I like. That could be said about everything I write about here. Accept chocolate. I am the queenly quintessential connoisseur of dark chocolate…just ask Phil. But, Phil ain’t here and that is a story for another time.
As i was saying - Grandma wasn’t there for me to ask personally “What’s up?”, but I did ask the wahinee (Hawaiian for women or young girl) behind the counter what she thought. She
Kula_Maui, Hawaii
Surfing Goat Dairy_Tasting Shop was friendly and effervescent giving me a good hearted spiel which I can’t now remember. However, here is what it says on the side of my Poli Poli package:
“High on the slopes of Haleakala, growing wild in the gulches and meadows, is one of Maui’s best kept secrets. (I don’t know about that, because she is on the world wide web, but…) A delicious strain of coffee, first introduced to the island in an experimental planting in 1898, has thrived and matured into one of Hawaii’s Premier gourmet coffees.”
“Since 1918 Grandma, a lifelong resident of Makawao, has roasted and blended Grandma’s Maui Coffee. The product of a family tradition Grandma’s Maui Coffee is a labor of love and a delicious taste of the best Hawaii has to offer.” www.grandmascoffee.com Enjoy!
Becky and I decided that lunch at Grandma’s, out on the lanai, sounded good. I tried the homemade Portuguese Chili, a local favorite I was told. It’s bean chili, thick, rich, spicy, and flavorful. I recommend it. Would eat some right now if I had some. Oh, I do! Leftovers in the fridge…pardon’ while I sup….
Ok, after Grandma’s I went next door to
Kula_Maui, Hawaii
Surfing Goat Dairy_Building Held up by
Surfboards... (-: see an art gallery I had spied on the way in. Though I did not particularly connect with the paintings, I did find a delightful “distressed wood finish” on all the window frames and doors that, in my past, designers have paid me way too much to do as a faux finish. It was by far the most interesting “art” in the room for me which may not say much about my taste in art....
The artist was there and I found it challenging to connect with him. I desired to support his work by sharing it on this website. However, he was not supportive of this and indeed expressed a great amount of concern over “bad publicity he had received and might still receive though he would give no detail. And evidently, he felt he might receive such from me as well. I couldn’t heart connect with him either. He wouldn’t allow for it so i agreed not to include his picture or write specifically about his art, and he would only give me a pseudonym “Shag20“ and no explanation for choice either. I do hope he comes to terms with his fears so that his life experience
Kula_Maui, Hawaii
Surfing Goat Dairy_Loc and Angela
Happy Employees is a happier one - for himself as well as those of us around him. It’s hard to sell your art if you are afraid of customers based on who you perceive they might be. That said here is one picture of his art which he did allow me photos of, for some reason, which of course, he didn't explain.
From there we went on down the road to Tedeschi Winery in ‘Ulupalakua. I hate to admit it but we did no wine tasting. Becky and I neither one care for alcohol. Instead we walked the grounds where lovely huge and very tall trees dwarfed us as we stood under them. I wish I could describe the stately sense of beauty and living consciousness of several we had the pleasure to “meet”. One in particular I was enamored with. I queried for self awareness and was rewarded with acknowledgement in my mind that “he” was “present“. I felt intelligence and a willingness to communicate. Relaxing more deeply I received what I thought was wise and significant guidance about my time and travel here on the Island. He imparted to me encouragement to recognize that what Becky and I had
Kula_Maui, Hawaii
Surfing Goat Dairy_ Gamboling Baby Goats...well, maybe not right now. seen and experienced so far were things unimportant and superficial. That the true island presence and influence lay beneath the surface where one would have to open and sink deeply into the island energy to know them.
“This is where, he said, you will discover the true wisdom of the islands. This is what your time here is about. Disregard all else other than knowing and experiencing these forces for they are the true gift we have to offer.” His communication with me was a gift in and of itself and his advice relevant. So far neither Becky nor I had been too impressed with the people we had met, or even the energies we had come into contact with and, for me, this is very unusual. Now, I am committed to looking past these situations to the heart of the islands - to receive and know the “inner aloha“.
I am excited to share this with Becky, but first we drive across the road to the ’Ulupalakua Ranch Market where I took a few more playful pictures and wandered through the gift shop. Nothing caught my attention and soon after we leave.
ulupalakuaranch.com I feel complete
Kula_Maui, Hawaii
Surfing Goat Dairy_Flat William Says Hi! with our explorations for the day. But our real journey has not even begun. Tonight we are to attend to the power and presence of Haleakala, the largest volcano of two that birthed this island. I felt as clearly as if someone were directing me - "Go! to the summit tonight to honor the mountain." I look forward to it.
Becky and I return to our room, change into warmer clothes for the higher altitude and gather our sacred items. We did a lot of sight seeing today, but I understood we were just passing the time until now. Our first and foremost priority is to be welcomed by the island and to ask for the island’s blessing for our time and travels here.
I will end, for now, since this is such a long blog. With my next posting I’ll finish this story with our experience of the journey to the top of the majestic and sacred Haleakala Volcano, home of Pele, the goddess of fire…
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Vern
non-member comment
I want to move
I love your descriptions of the island and the energy there. I want to move. but i don't think i would do well working at a gas station etc...