Sunday, 4 November 2018

The Swap Meet



The Swap Meet is like what we at home call our Farmer's Market.  

WEB SITE FOR SWAP MEET:   http://www.mauiexposition.com/MAUISWAPMEET.html

    It is held every Saturday morning from 7 AM to 1 PM at the University of Hawaii, Maui College   in Kahului.   There is an entrance fee of 50. Cents. 

GOOGLE MAP FOR LOCATION :https://www.google.com/maps/place/Maui+Community+College/@21.0859053,-157.0153707,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x7eaab60fcf4ef28b:0x504bb8221d10580c!8m2!3d21.0859003!4d-157.013182?hl=en&authuser=0
   

  I think it is totally worth going to.  One can buy produce for the week.  The produce is  fresh, locally grown and a bit cheaper than the local supermarkets.  There are also amazing tropical flowers direct from the growers..  Go early, it gets very hot and the good produce goes quickly! 
There are over 200 stands with crafts, souvenirs, flowers,  clothes and jewelry.   

  If you are adventurist, try a Spam musubi, it  is a popular snack (lunch) in Hawaii composed of a slice of grilled Spam on top of a block of rice, wrapped together with nori dried seaweed in the tradition of Japanese omusubi.  There is a truck at the Swap meet that makes them fresh and they are still warm.   There is also a stand that sells fresh fruit popsicles.  Delicious!  An other thing to try is the Malasadas with haupia, oh so good! 

Why Maui

     In 1991 my husband, children and I travelled to Hawaii for the first time.  We spent a week in Honolulu and two weeks on Maui.  We fell in love with Hawaii at first sight.  We smell of the floral air, the weather, the beaches, the volcanos, the water and the people.  What is not to love.
     We stayed in privately rented condos in both locations.  We were so impressed with the accomadations that we had both times.  Every thing we or our children needed was there.  We also liked the idea of owning a condo and then renting it out when we were not using it.  Unfortunately we could not afford to buy a place, we were young, with young children and just establishing ourselves, but we never forgot the idea.
     In 2010 we took a cruise that would bring us to all the Hawaiian islands.  This confirmed for us that we still loved Hawaii and that Maui was our favourite island.  So in 2012 we vacationed on Maui for three weeks and every afternoon we looked at different condos that were for sale.  Our Canadian dollar was high at the time and it made our dream of owning a condo on Maui  attainable.
     June 2012 we purchased a two bedroom condo in Kihei on Maui.  Our dream was now a reality.  Ownership has not always been easy, as with any real estate rentals it comes with ongoing issues.  Yet every November we get to enjoy our home away from home. 

https://mauicondo.squarespace.com/

Our favourite view


     I am no expert on what to do and see on Maui, but because we rent to friends and family, we get a lot of questions.  This year, I finally decided that maybe writing a blog about our experiences would be the best way to share the information and experiences we have.  So come along with me and experience Maui.



    If anyone reading this block has any information they would like to share with Hawaii bond travellers, please feel free to share.