It’s a family tourist town, rife with whaling expeditions, charter fishing boats, jet ski rentals, and surfing lessons (although

the waves are not anywhere near the size of those on the north shore).  And everyone is white. We wondered if the

natives felt resentment that they had been deposed, pushed off of what had once been their piece of the beach.

The experience in Lahaina was not much different from being in the “states”, in that, it was all imported, all for show.  And we joined the show: bought our “authentic” gifts for the folks back home to give them a taste of Hawaii.

I don’t mean to sound caustic. It was, in fact, a great experience and one we enjoyed very much, but it felt good to come “home”, back to Hana, back to where it seems so much more real and true, without the consumerism, without the show.