Travels of THB: Days 6

Days 6 - 8 : Kapalua (Maui)

Day 6: Kapalua

Now you can see the outcome of THB and DB's arts and crafts project; in this shot, six Cecily's and one Jasmine

Cecily inspects Jasmine's barrette or is it vice-versa?

Weather: Breezy, blue water, high 80s, no rain anywhere

Early morning snorkel for THB and LB: fabulous! Turtle popped up before we got into the water; octopus; sting ray; large eels swimming; huge trumpetfish; large schools of fish; vibrant coral (and dead coral, too).

THB fudged a bit. Actually the snorkel seemed more like late morning because the building fire alarm went off at 3:40am! The twins are up before and after the alarm and THB and DB get up to help out. Remarkably, the twins are in good spirits after de-cribbing and THB can easily tell them apart.

When the twins go down for their first nap of the day it is actually time for breakfast. One group is going mid-morning to Slappy Cakes for make-it-yourself pancakes while THB and LB are going to snorkel (see above). The Slappy Cakes group never makes it, problems with the car seat.

THB and DB go snorkeling mid-afternoon and the twins go to the adult pool for floating around with LB and K&E. It's hot and the snorkeling is not near as good as the 8am snorkel. The water feels great.

Now for the make-up photo shoot. THB took a lot of pics when he wasn't posing.

Selected pics by THB of all sorts from the photo shoot (selected professional pics will be posted later in week):

Yesterday rain, today high 80s; the shoot starts on the grass above the beach you can see from the condo, finishes on the beach

LB with ... with ... Cecily

For those of us less observant, the twins get an outfit change mid-way

Cecily on left, Jasmine on right (maybe)

The girls are having fun as the tide comes in: one, two, three jump...the adults are getting sore knees

French Angelfish, THB's fave, not seen in Kapalua

Pics of the other wedding ceremonies on the beach just to the side of the Montage:

Maybe just a renewel of vows?

And a few random photos:

Sunset from the beach. There are probably 6 other couples on the beach awaiting this photo op

Dinner on the deck: momofuku pork shoulder dish (except we substitute pork loins), tofu for one, brewskies, wine

Day 7: Kapalua

Weather: Breezy, blue water, high 80s, no rain anywhere

Twins sleep in (K reports they were up in middle of night for a while), and DB and K&C&J head off to Slappy Cakes before 7. THB has Grape Nuts with blueberries and shares a ripened mango with LB, then we do our usual 8am snorkel. E sleeps in!

Slappy Cakes doesn't go so well (is eating there under a dark cloud?). Girls are fussy, won't go down for a nap so - damn, is THB disappointed - the twins and DB and K&E join LB and THB at the owners' pool.

Back to condo for lunch: DB and THB have leftover Momofuku "carnitas" open faced tacos with rice and avocado and various leftover salsas, brewski and an Arnie for THB (this is his metho once-a-week day, no alcohol allowed). Four take long naps, LB and THB are the holdouts.

DB and K&E and twins do some recreational shopping at Blue Ginger, a shop that specializes in apparel for kids. And the results are in: introducing the Aloha sisters!!

J thinks C needs an adjustment

RALLY CAP TIME, C

Hat modeling in this girl's future?

DB and LB have drinks on the deck (THB alas is still having a no alcohol day), then THB and DB have pork ribs fresh off the grill with leftover rice and a small green salad for dinner while twins enjoy peas, leftover carnitas, cantaloupe, cheese, and rice.

Another professional photo shoot, this one at 8:15am

Our condo is 2nd balcony from bottom

Book Review: Directorate S, The C.I.A. and America's Secret Wars in Afghanistan and Pakistaon, Steve Coll: Not actually all that secret as THB has read a lot of Coll's reporting in the NYer and elsewhere. Spy vs spy vs spy, with the secret orgs' national priorities at odds with what might be good for their own people, at odds with their elected officials announced policies and priorities, and of course at odds with the groups providing the funds and weaponry for all this strife. And, maybe inadvertently for the US, it has resulted in the best possible outcome: stalemates everywhere on meeting local objectives might actually thwart the spread of terrorism, though at a tremendous cost (if you think never-ending wars are costly, which they are in real terms, maybe not in reducing terrorism). Neutral

Day 8: Kapalua

Weather: Breezy, blue water, high 80s, no rain anywhere

The guy in the center is trying out the lie-flat-jacuzzi while working on an extensive sunburn. The guy on the left is looking for the switch that sends a strong electrical charge through the guy in the center. It's one of the psychological quizzes usually given to college volunteers. The guy on the far right (you can barely see him) is already burned and charred.

Big moment of the day: C takes her first 3 consecutive steps! The girl takes a few small steps for twinsisterhood. Can J be far behind? Actually, since they can crawl like demons, J will have no trouble keeping up for a while.

To save a bit of reading, today was very mundane. THB won't be hurt if you just look at the pics.

Usual morning: twins up and cheerful around 5am, coffe and toast shortly thereafter, Grape Nuts and fruit with side of mango, twins go down for early morning nap, and DB and THB do a snorkel (LB takes the morning off).

There are twins under those pink hats

Z & LB, ex-co-workers. We saw Z 4 years ago when staying at Montage; Z's parents live in development right next door.

Quiet morning, THB and DB sit by the "big" pool and have leftover ribs and rice for lunch. After lunch we rejoin everyone at the big pool and a friend of LB's, Z, joins in and everyone takes turns dipping twins lightly in shallow water.

Gabe's first job site

K & DB cooling off

K goes with DB and THB to beach in afternoon and THB snorkels and the two women tread water to cool off.

Gabriel's second job site

DB and THB go out for pizza at Pizza Paradiso on the reco of Gabriel. Gabe works the snorkel stand and has a second job at this Greek pizza spot. Gabe comes from a long Hawaiian tradition: he smokes two joints in the morning, he smokes two joints in the afternoon, then he smokes two more. He definitely is a surfer. And he is on the soft serve line at the pizza place. One 12" inch pizza with anchovies, artichoke hearts, white onion and fresh tomato, Caesar salad, small chardonnay, Maui bikini blonde, and two 12 " pizzas to go, $100 with generous tip.

Other pics: