So far in this series I've covered Maui's plant life, sunsets, and beaches. Those are things that immediately come to mind when one thinks of Hawaii. Today I'd like to share with you some of the beautiful scenery we encountered during our daily drives through the island.
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| Kula Highway - view of road from the car |
This wonderful, twisty Kula Highway captures the sense of adventure one feels when traveling through this rural East Maui district. It is largely a residential area where many full-time local residents prefer to live, as opposed to the warmer, busier tourist areas near sea level. There are hardly any commercial development here with the exception of a botanical garden and a couple of charming wineries that dot a portion of the up-country highway.
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| View of the isthmus from Upper Kula |
The weather is cooler, although many micro-climates exist. With these lovely bi-coastal views, one can see why new homes are starting to dot the area.
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| Chickens and bikes at Sunrise Protea Farm |
No trip to Maui is complete without a visit to Haleakala National Park. On the way there, we stopped at this protea farm and along with the flowers, found a great mix of colorful chickens.
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| Haleakala Summit |
The East Maui Volcano forms more than 75% of the island of Maui. The tallest peak is at 10,023 feet. The thin air requires slow movement. During our visit it was approximately 40
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| Haleakala Summit |
The early Hawaiians gave the name Haleakala, meaning "house of the sun" to this massive mountain. The slopes are lined with rare, fragile species of plants. Even the views look other-worldly.
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| Haleakala - earth |
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| Haleakala - Nene |
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| Botero's Woman Smoking a Cigarette at the Grand Wailea Resort |
Besides the natural beauty of the landscapes, Maui's luxury hotels also harmoniously integrate original artwork by internationally renowned artists. Each time I've been to Maui, I've made a special trip to visit Colombian artist Fernando Botero's human figure sculptures with exagerrated proportions. This beautiful bronze sculpture found in the lobby's atrium, Woman Smoking a Cigarette, is exhibited to allow viewing from all sides. All nine of the Botero sculputures are placed among beautiful flowers with the ocean view as a backdrop.
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| View from Maui Botanical Garden |
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| View from Maui Botanical Garden |
These last two photos were taken at one of Maui's many gorgeous botanical gardens. Even with a huge selection of lush flowers and trees, these incredible shots from the heart of the valley caught my eye. They are merely the setting for the garden and not the main event.
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