Paia and Makawao

Life here has been more of the same; a day or two split between the beach and copy editing, then a day to explore more of the island. Yesterday Bunny has some business that took her back toward the north shore, so I rode along to see the town of Paia. LOVED IT! It was the exact size of Winthrop, WA, and likewise, seemed to have its own special appeal that the surrounding towns didn't have (although it certainly wasn't western-themed!). Put bluntly and in my own words, Paia is a hippie surfer's paradise. Especially if that hippie is a vegan. It was a town filled with young faces. You could tell lots of transplants from the mainland lived there; those who came to vacation, drove through Paia, and never left. About 80 percent of the stores were either restaurants of some kind, art galleries or clothing/gift shops. Bunny and I went into a food store that still a very local feel; boxes and extra supplies were stored within view, on top of the shelves. No box-store renovations had been done to upgrade the purchasing counters. It was wonderful. Lots of fun tattoos to look at, too, I might add. I managed to track down a gallery showing the art of Randy Groden. He does a few landscapes, but mostly portraits. I LOVE his work! (click on "Giclees" at the bottom of the site.)

Next, Bunny took me along the coast to watch the windsurfers.





We then headed to Makawao, which is 'up country' about ten miles or so. We passed a few historical plantations and churches along the way. Makawao also had an incredibly strong art vibe to its downtown area. Having already walked around a town for over an hour, however, I only had enough energy to watch some glass-blowing and walk through two galleries. Makawao's downtown area seemed like it could have been smaller than Paia's, but its residential area was very expansive.

Although we wanted to continue on to see a winery, the map indicated it was still another 20 minutes away, and we were both tired already. The drive back provided many beautiful shots of the fields in up country before the view gave way to the ocean. Today I am headed to Lahina. More art galleries and historical sites. Instead of a hippie's paradise, however, this town boasts lots of money.

Today I am a lion and a mango margarita.