Aloha Friday and the Lighting of the Christmas Lights In Wailuku

Well I made it to at least the start of Aloha Friday on Maui. Just getting ready to go out the door to work.

Tonight is the Lighting of the Christmas Lights in Old Wailuku Town during their Monthly 1st Friday event when the Main Street fills with People and the Shops stay open Late. The Crafters and Musicians set up everywhere from almost Happy Valley to the other end of Main Street.

I have enjoyed many wonderfully nights just walking the streets, checking out the people and exploring the shops. The bands set up in various nooks and cranny's. One shop La Bohemia near th Happy valley side has got to be one of the classsiest shops. Maggie, the owner (who may have her first child by now, if so Congrats!) She and her staff always keep an elegant second hand shop that makes you feel like your both Down-Home and in High Society at the same time and always some great goodies to taste or mull over, The restaurants like Cafe Marc Aurel are filled to capacity and their music is always great and there are a number of new clothing shops and such, even in a time when most places are shutting down.

Old Wailuku Town was the Main Town in Maui's days gone by with it's Wailuku Grand Hotel. I actually stayed there upon moving to Maui as a kid. While it was more of a high rise generic hotel then, it did offer me my first glimpse of waking up on a Maui Morning and looking at the West Maui Mountain's Iao Valley.
It's now a medical center.

there are some great books describing Wailuku's past, but for now I hope to enjoy Tonights's 1st Friday Events and hope they carry on. Winter tends to shut it down until Summer, but it's the one time of each Month when the essence of Old Wailuku Town seems to come out and like the ghost of Christmas present, makes itself felt.

Hope everyone's December is off to a good start and remember it's the Love you give and not the gifts that hold meaning for a lifetime.