Day 7 - Marine Life, Plant Life, and Human Performances

Sitting at the bottom of the ocean gazing out at coral and fish through a small window was how Dave and I began our morning.  For approximately forty five minutes we sat in a small submarine submerged to depths of 130 feet.  Observing marine life in this way is a great alternative to an aquarium.  Here the fish are in their natural habitat and the laws of nature are at play.  There's no one who comes to the top of a tank and drops food down for the fish or sharks to feed.  There are no schedules in which specific things may occur.  It's wild and uninfluenced by humans (at least not directly).

This is not to say that aquariums should be dismissed.  In fact, after Dave and I resurfaced and docked that was the next placed we ventured. The Maui Ocean Center is one the biggest things to do here in Maui as they provide room and board to most of the fish you would observe in the wild-- if you spent five years under the water.  For me, the best part of the aquarium is the information that's provided along side the marine life you are viewing.  You can glimpse a particular fish and think, "What is that?" only to look to the side and find out.  We were able to learn a lot more about the fish we saw while on the sub by visiting this aquarium.  If you're not interested in the information, there is another major reason for visiting this specific place.  As part of your experience, you can enter a tunnel that allows you be within the biggest tanks.  Surrounded by glass, you are able to see fish swim next you, below you, and above you: something that you'll be hard-pressed to find anywhere else on the island without your Scuba certification.  

When we were finished marveling at the sharks and stingrays swimming over our heads we opted to do some more observing of dried land and made our way over to Maui Tropical Plantation.  I think I might have gotten this confused with the Sugar Cane Train Ride that Jamie had recommended but it was still a good time.  We hopped on a tram and traveled around the plantation where we watched as our guide shuck and open a coconut for our tasting pleasure.  On our tour we also learned how to wear the Plumeria flower in your hair properly (on the right side if you're available and on the left if you're not) and how to determine when certain tropical fruits are ripest and how to eat them.  As we got this experience as part of a package deal which included the submarine and the aquarium, it was a nice way to spend our afternoon. 

For the evening we went to see the stage show 'Ulalena and it was so good.  There is something about live shows that make the experience so much more.  In this show performers (mainly dancers) along with live musicians tell the story of Maui through the lens of the Hawaiians in accordance with their mythology.  It was so much better than I thought it would be (and I thought it would be decent): the music was moving and the dancing powerful.  There was also sprinklings of comic relief through the performance which really made it all the better.  If one ever does go to the show, I recommend staying after briefly.  Dave and I actually got a chance to speak with one of the musicians.  He plays a nose flute; yes, it is a flute like instrument that one plays by breathing through his nostrils.  For at least 15 or 20 minutes he talked with us about meditation and how playing connects him to his soul. One of his songs was actually commissioned by Hollywood and will be played in George Clooney's next film, The Descendants.  He has no idea how much of his song will be played but he's received the royalties from the film and we talked about how surreal that must feel.  

After a bit more shopping in Lahaina Center, we drove home and it's now 11:03pm here.  I haven't stayed up anywhere close to this late since before we arrived on the island.  Unfortunately, I'm a bit uncomfortable. It appears that I may be having an allergic reaction to my sunscreen.  Every place I applied it is now covered in an itchy rash.  It's not bad, but it is rather unpleasant.  We'll have to pick up a different type tomorrow before hitting the beach.