Signs of Moloka'i

leaving Oahu
5 people on our flight :)

We got away for a couple days to celebrate a dozen years of marriage... yea!  (BIG thanks to Aunty Lacey for staying with the kiddos and for Grandma Liz who helped make this whole plan possible).  We wanted to go to Moloka'i before we left here.  We've visited the other islands and didn't want to leave Ben's favorite out.  However, when we told anyone local that we were going there, they said, "What?!?  Are you kidding?  WHY are you going there?  There is NOTHING to do."  ha!  We started to skip revealing the location and just told our friends we getting away for a couple days.  :)

Moloka'i airport baggage claim

 This is the greeting as you turn out of the airport. ha!  Love it!  Moloka'i definitely was a slow-going place.  No stoplights.  Only 38 miles by 10 miles.  The people were real friendly and chatty.  Shop keepers talked story with us.  Just relax... it's Moloka'i.

The signs of Moloka'i

One thing I really wanted to do was visit the old leper colony at Kalaupapa.  It is a big hike or mule ride - both only by tour.  And kids under 16 are not allowed - strictly enforced.  So had to be content with viewing from above.

Maunaloa Country Store

Kualapu'u Cookhouse
Prime rib night...mmmm!
And my baby backs were delicious too!

 One of my favorite things was grabbing bread at the Kanemitsu Bakery.  I've heard people rave about the fresh, hot sweet bread so we had to give it a try.  Around 8:30pm, you walk down a dark (and kind of creepy) alleyway, follow another alley until you find this little door.  Again, we talked story with a few local folks as we waited for our bread.  It smelled so delicious that we bought 4 loaves of hot bread (thinking we'd take some home)!  Well, we ate 2 1/2 of them before we returned home the following night!  ha!  So yummy!  My fav was the cream cheese/blueberry jam...mmmm!

from Hotel Moloka'i pool area

 There is one hotel on the island - Hotel Moloka'i.  There are a few other places to stay - condos, B&B's, etc. but only one hotel.  It was on the older side, but really nice and peaceful.

chillin' in the hammocks - so relaxing!

A whole fleet of Dodge chargers :)

The parts of Moloka'i we could see were pretty dry compared to some of the other islands.  Of course, we can't see the sea cliffs by the leper colony.  I've seen in video and they are gorgeous and lush.  However, we saw a lot of plumeria trees in so many gorgeous colors.  We stopped at the Plumeria Farm around 11am.  The guy came out and said they'd started the weekend early and closed up, but we were welcome to look around.  :)  It smelled heavenly!

Woot Woot!

Halawa Valley - East end

 George snorkeling at a beach along the east side.  Check out that clear water!  Maui in the background.

Angel baby

21?

Ahh... there we go!

Father Damien's church
There are a lot of litte churches around the island!

Kapuaiwa Coconut grove near Kaunakakai

 One thousand coconut Trees were planted in the 1860's by King Kamehameha V to represent each warrior in his army.  Only a few hundred remain, but it was quite a site!

 Our last stop was a beach on the west side - I think Papohaku?  Anyway, it was huge.  We saw 2 other couples there later, but that was it.  Pretty wild!  And gorgeous - the water was a beautiful turqoise.

 Hau'oli Ho'omana'o, hubby!  Here's to the next dozen!  :)