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Baltimoreans

My friends from my Baltimore church, John and Phyllis, are in Maui. They are staying in Lahaina. Yesterday I drove out to spend some time with them. It was fun.

Their hotel had a free shuttle to downtown Lahaina. I had never been there. It’s nice. Lots of little tourist shops. It feels old and quaint.
Narrow streets.

While we were there, they wanted to show me the big banyan tree. It is, in fact, the largest banyan tree in the United States. Cool! It was planted in 1873. It was very peaceful under its leaves, but the ground was stained with a lot of bird poop. We didn’t hang out under it for long.
I was really there!

I thought this was a cool idea – some couple had their names etched on a padlock and locked it on to a root. It will stay there forever now. Until someone cuts it off. Or the root breaks. Or the lock strangles the root and kills it.
Jurgen and Renate

We finished the evening by going to the Sheraton and eating. It’s not where they were staying, but it was next door. At sunset, the Sheraton puts on a really brief presentation and then a guy dives off a rock into the ocean. It was cool.
Can you see him?

For dinner, I had prime rib. It was awesome. Thanks for a fun day, John and Phyllis!
Good friends and good food.

18 Comments

  1. Lauren

    What a great day! Hooray for visitors!

    Do you think that padlock was put on the tree in 1987, or to remember 1987? Or maybe there was also a bike there in 1987 and now it is long gone.

    • Brad

      The lock looked too nice to be twenty-six years old. I’m going to guess it was an anniversary. It was in really good condition. It might have been a year old. Or maybe they missed their 25th by a year for some reason and it was only six days old…

  2. Carol

    So when friends come to visit you from the mainland, is there a requirement to wine and dine you? I was sort of disappointed not to read “…so we all went to my place and played X-box all afternoon”………………..kidding! Glad to read you had yet another wonderful weekend day of sight-seeing, dining, and cultural education.

    [Wonder if any of the cliff divers ever do damage to themselves hitting bottom sooner than they thought they would? Wonder if any of the tourists who visit the banyan tree go home with diseases from bird poop on them? Wonder why I’m only thinking of the down sides to everything this morning?? Could there be a twinge of jealousy in this posting? (Nah…’gainst m’religion…plus, I’m having a great 4-day weekend myself right now, so there!)

    [Translation of all this rambling? Milk those moments, keep taking pictures, and think of the teaching realia and stories you are collecting every day for later use. Way to go, Brad!]

  3. Kim

    Had your church friends planned their Hawaii trip knowing you were there? Or did they just happen to come to Maui? So glad you got to hang with Baltimore friends. This morning it was in the teens to start the day, so they planned their trip very well.

    I graded like a banshee yesterday, so I only have a little planning to do today. Hope your work goes well today.

    • Brad

      They planned this before I even knew I was coming. They have a timeshare. They spend most of the winter away from Baltimore, and Maui is one of their destinations.

  4. Peggy

    Wow! What a fun day! And you’re looking a little tan there…which is a little annoying beings I sit here all white, dry & flakey.

    Good question about the lock Lauren. I assumed they put it there in 1987. Which makes me go Awwww….I wonder if they’ve ever been back? But now I wonder if they did put it there more recently to commemorate their anniversary. Either way Awww!

    • Deborah

      White and dry and flakey. Just how Lauren likes her biscuits!

  5. Peggy

    BTW: Am I the only one at work today?

    • Kim

      Yes

      • Peggy

        Ththththththffffffftttttttpppppttttt!!!!!!

        • Lauren

          I was at work today, too, Peggy. Girl power.

  6. Lloyd

    Until the lock strangles the root and kills it… Just like our love.

  7. Elaine Royuk

    You saw the tree! That’s what I have been telling you about. Your Dad and Mom walked right under that tree! And we ate near there, some cute little place, and we went to a history place close there, and I can not wait to get there and see it all again!!! Oh yes, that’s where we boarded a boat and went whale watching!!

    • Peggy

      So you’ve been to Maui before? Excellent! How long ago was that? Did you see whales? That’s something I would LOVE to do!

      Also, was that hooded alien looking face in the tree? I would point out where I see it, but lets make it a “Where’s Miph” kind of thing.

  8. Ron Royuk

    Yep….Mom’s right on all counts….as usual!
    And, yes, Carol, the requirement to ‘wine and dine’ Brad, goes without saying! Glad you brought it up! For his Tour Guide expertise and friendship if for no other reason!
    We love you, Brad, see you soon!

  9. Elaine Royuk

    Yes Peggy we were in Maui last year about this time and guess what we are going again next month! Can’t wait!!

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