2/28/99: Church at Emmanuel again. Afterwards we took Dad and Mom out to lunch in Lahaina. Found a terrific buffet that served primarily Hawai’ian dishes, so dad was in heaven! He really “wacked-up” (Hawai’ian pidgin for “ate a lot of delicious food”)… Later in the evening we stopped by at Todd’s and Kathy’s to say good-bye. Another sad farewell on this year-long journey…
2/28/24: *During our 1999 stay with Dad & Mom at the end of our round-the-world trip, we did not take many photos. So, I am posting photos and stories from some of our other trips to Maui over the years.
NOTE: The photo above shows Dad and Mom, on February 28, 1999, the day that we took them to dinner in Lahaina, the day before we flew to Los Angeles for a drive across the U.S. Mainland and back to Chicago.
As I write this post about Lahaina, in February 2024, my heart is still grieving over the fire that almost completely demolished the town last August 8 (2023). Lahaina, and its beloved banyan tree in the town square, has been a regular spot for us to visit whenever we are on Maui. In fact, we were in Lahaina just 6 weeks before the fire occurred. Ruth has family whose homes were destroyed, and friends who fought the fires there and those upcountry in Kula, so this hit home for us in more than abstract ways. Thankfully, the entire town was not destroyed. And surprisingly, the banyan tree, planted in 1873 as a gift from missionaries to India, has survived as well. We pray for those who have lost so much, and look forward to seeing the town and tree grow again in the future.
Ruth with Lahaina Harbor in the background, as we prepare to watch the sun set from this beautiful location, during our 1995 trip to Maui.The lovely sunset over Lahaina Harbor. (1995)Having worked in a print shop and on a printing press, I loved our visit to the Hale Pa’i Printing House (est. 1837) museum during our 1995 trip to Maui. I have heard that this museum was high enough up the hill that it may have survived the fire on August 8, 2023.A Hawai’ian music and hula dance performance on Lahaina’s famous Front Street, during our 1995 trip to Maui.Ruth with Mom/Grandma and the boys in front of The Pioneer Inn in 2010. It was a historic hotel in Lahaina, and completely lost in fires that destroyed so much of the town. It was immediately across the street from the banyan tree and the Lahaina Courthouse.Also from our 2010 trip, as always, we spent time strolling under the banyan tree. On this occasion, there was an art fair, with local artisans displaying their paintings, photography and hand-made jewelry for sale.Ian and Josiah climbing up into the Lahaina banyan tree during our 2006 visit to Maui. Like “The Giving Tree,” in Shel Silverstein’s famous book of the same name, the banyan in Lahaina (along with the arborists who tended it) welcomed children of all ages to enjoy its cool shade, to sit on its lower slung branches and roots, and to climb along its outstretched and welcoming arms. The tree was a friendly presence to all who came to Lahaina.Ian crawling along one of the long, outstretched arms of the banyan tree in Lahaina. (2006)Josiah nestled into a nook of the cradling arms of the Lahaina banyan tree. (2006)Ian straddling one of the Lahaina banyan tree branches, while flashing the “shaka” greeting with his hand. (2010)Josiah giving one of the Lahaina banyan tree limbs a hug. (2010)
