I heard there was a ghost town on the island but no one gave me any details so I imagined the Wild West. One my way to the beach I missed the turn and ended up in Maunaloa.

But it was a weird Twilight Zone episode because while everything looked new, no one was around and everything was boarded up. I almost expected zombies to start creeping out with the smell of new flesh.

Okay maybe it wasn’t that bad but it was weird.

The only thing that was open was a kite shop so I stopped in. I was in a modern day ghost town.

Maunaloa was the site of Molokai’s only luxury accommodations, home to a gas station and the island’s only cinema. As I mentioned in my last post Molokai Ranch, owned by a Kiwi company, wanted to continue development but the community was concerned that its plans were too aggressive and urged them to focus on the current property.

That wasn’t in the plans for Molokai Ranch.

In 2008 things came to a head and the two groups could not come to an agreement so Molokaì Ranch shut down completely and abandoned the island. With 120 employees it was the largest employer on the island. They were all left unemployed and the village was boarded up.

This is all that remains.

Disclosure: I was a guest of the Moloka’i Visitors Bureau but all opinions remain my own. No one asked me to write a favourable review or desaturate the photos in this post.

Moloka’i's ghost town is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Moloka’i's ghost town is a post from: Bacon is Magic

One of the first things I noticed driving around the island were signs protesting different things. People had painted enough of them that I started wanting to know what was going on.

At first as an outsider I didn’t want to intrude but I noticed a petition in a cafe and discovered that people LOVE talking about what is going on around the island.

Save La’au

An older issue but the signs remain. Moloka’i Ranch of Maunaloa fame wanted to re-zone land at La’au Point for luxury homes. Not only is the area spiritually significant but residents were concerned about the environmental impact.

Moloka’i is not a commercialized island and when residents heard what was happening they took action and protested. According to some the environmental assessment was incorrect and so far the development has been rejected. There is so much momentum against this development I don’t think it will ever pass.

Cruise Ships

This was a confusing web to untangle as the signs made it look as if the community hadn’t agreed to it. But after some digging I learned the cruise ship was really a 34-person yacht that stop in Moloka’i and its visitors stay a few days to tour the island. At one point a protest stopped the people from disembarking the yacht but today it has been permitted as people have lost interest in protesting on site.

I guess you win some you lose some.

Wind Turbines

The residents are concerned there haven’t been adequate environmental assessments. But the biggest argument is that all of the energy will go to Oahu and there is no economic benefit for the island. They see it as a David vs. Goliath story as they battle big business and the government. This one seems to be gaining support as I have seen many signs and a website dedicated to it.

But what is most interesting is that Moloka’i has a high unemployment rate and many people need to take a ferry to Maui to work. Despite the promise of jobs that commercialization of the island would bring, the community has a strong desire to keep their lifestyle as is.

That doesn’t mean they don’t want tourists, they were all happy to see me. They just don’t want tourism to change their lifestyle.

Moloka’i is small and feisty – just like me.

Disclosure: Moloka’i Visitors Bureau hosted me during my visit, but all opinions remain my own. They did not ask for favourable reviews or that I take so many photos of the protest signs.

David battles Goliath in Moloka’i is a post from: Bacon is Magic

David battles Goliath in Moloka’i is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Getting organized for the mule ride down to Kalaupapa we discovered it was one of the rider’s birthdays. This song is so much better than the traditional Happy Birthday song.

Disclosure: I was a guest of the Moloka’i Visitors Bureau, they did not request that I write a favourable review or decide that I want to learn how to play the ukelele.

How Hawaiian cowboys sing happy birthday is a post from: Bacon is Magic

How Hawaiian cowboys sing happy birthday is a post from: Bacon is Magic

I survived the mule ride and made it down into Kalaupapa Valley, looking out to the ocean could be one of the most beautiful places I have seen.

And yet so sad.

It’s the home to Kalaupapa Leper Settlement and the story is haunting. In 1865, people on the islands were alarmed by the outbreak of leprosy (Hansen’s Disease) and decided to separate and isolate patients to keep it under control.

That is a mild way of putting it, they were in essence banished and exiled, dropped off on ships with only as much as they could carry. There was no way out of this valley. No roads. No boats. Nothing but steep mountains that the sick could not climb. The government mistakenly thought that because they were Hawaiian they would be able to fend for themselves but because they were sick many could not and the last few years of their lives were miserable.

Over 8000 patients have been sent here over the years. People were sent on a ship at might to minimize commotion from family who would never see them again.

They were being sent somewhere to die alone.

But all of these numbers are meaningless until you hear the personal stories. Olivia was 18 in 1934 and about to get married she went to the doctor to get her tonsils out when the hospital discovered she had leprosy, everyone on the island knew what that meant, she said her life was over and unsuccessfully tried to kill herself.

It became a lawless land where the vulnerable were prey and people were terrified they would go there. A Belgian missionary-priest, Father Damien, volunteered to go there to help bring order and faith. He was so close he eventually died of the disease as well (gravestone above, one of the handful that have a marked grave). Say what you will about the Church but more came to help out on land that everyone was terrified to visit.

The Government also realized they needed to take care of the people and worked with the Church to build homes, schools, places for orphans and women.

In the 1940s Hansen’s Disease could be treated with an antibiotic and the people were no longer a threat to the greater population. But the law didn’t change until 1969 – people would no longer be sent here but anyone here could stay if they wished. And some did.

17 patients remain, the youngest is Boogey who is 70 but average age is 80.

Today it is also a state park. There are 30 people here from the Department of Health and 50 that work with the park. You can only stay here if you work here (no spouses) or a patient. You need to get permission to visit but there can be no more than 100 outsiders a day. No children under 16.

It will turn into a national park but they aren’t sure how it will be run or how open to the public. They say there will never be a time when the patients aren’t here as it is spiritually a significant place and the patients will always be here.

I can’t help but get chills knowing such a beautiful place was hell to so many.

Disclosure: I was a guest of the Moloka’i Visitors Bureau but they did not request any favourable reviews, all opinions of my own and I am happy to recommend this wonderful island.

Remembering the exiled of Hawaii is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Remembering the exiled of Hawaii is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Nearly everyone I have asked have told me I need to try poke. Poke is not for everyone, especially those that don’t like sushi as it essentially a raw fish salad of yellowfin tuna or ahi  and very similar to another dish I love – ceviche.

So when I went to Roy’s Restaurant and my server Susie told said Roy’s makes some of the best poke on the island I had to try it. It reminds me a lot of ceviche and I haven’t tried enough to know if Roy’s is the best but I liked it so much I looked for a recipe because I need to know how to make poke at home.

I adapted this recipe from one of my favourite food blogs: A Spicy Perspective

Ingredients
2 large sashimi grade Ahi tuna steaks (1 1/2 lbs.)
1/4 cup vidalia onion or another sweet yellow onion, sliced
1/2 cup chopped green onion
3 Tb. soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. chili garlic sauce
1 tsp grated ginger
1 Tb. sesame seeds

1. Pat ahi dry and cut into 1/2 inch cubes.
2. Toss in bowl with remaining ingredients.

Food Friday: How to make poke is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Food Friday: How to make poke is a post from: Bacon is Magic

I am not the biggest fan of riding animals. The last time I went horseback riding in Ecuador with my mother and sister I decided it just wasn’t something I would seek out in the future. Some people love horse riding, I could take it or leave it.

When I was too lazy to hike back up Colca Canyon I was petrified to learn that mules are edge walkers and I was looking straight down cliffs.

Not really my idea of fun.

So when the Moloka’i Visitors Bureau booked me on a mule ride down a valley in Kalaupapa National Park with Kalaupapa Rare Adventure I was not looking forward to it at all.

I don’t want to die.

Sure I know it will happen but I don’t want it to happen on a mule’s back, I’d rather fall down a cliff by my own clumsiness. Well actually I’d rather not fall off a cliff at all.

Please don’t let me die.

But it’s one of the biggest activities in Moloka’i so I didn’t want to miss out and hopped up on my mule Poele – which means Twilight in Hawaiian. The ride down was at a good pace and the mules stopped every once in a while so I could take awkward iPhone photos. It turns out I was worried for no reason.

I didn’t die.

Actually I really enjoyed it. Unlike my Peru experience, the trail is well established and within the forest. I didn’t have to look down the 1,600-foot cliffs wondering how close I was to my death. I was able to just sit and enjoy the view, one of the most beautiful I have ever seen.

Disclosure: I was a guest of the Moloka’i Visitors Bureau but they did not ask me to write a favourable review or share so many iPhone photos.

Would you, could you, rule a mule? is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Would you, could you, rule a mule? is a post from: Bacon is Magic

I was recently asked to write a post about the person who inspires me the most. It seems like it would be a tough decision, I try to write about the people on the site who inspire me and share their stories on my monthly newsletter and Facebook page. But if you want to know  who inspired and pushed me the most in life to where I am now it’s an easy answer.

I receive a lot of emails from people who want to know how I had the courage to make such a drastic change in my life. It comes down to this:

My earliest memory of my mother is at age 5, she is telling me that my father has died. I don’t really know what that means but then she says he is never coming back and my vision becomes a kalidescope of tears.

She was 29, I was five and my sister was a few months old.

Since that day I have had a sense of my own mortality.

But growing up my mother was my biggest supporter. I grew up believing I could do anything I wanted and nothing was out of my reach.

After ten years of working and having what others deemed as a successful career I told her I was quitting, selling everything and buying a one-way ticket to Mexico. She thought I was crazy but she never said a word, she has always supported all of my decision. It wasn’t until later when she came to visit me in Ecuador we could laugh about it she confessed she had her doubts but was proud of me.

It’s why I’m also excited that she is now meeting me in Maui for the last 10 days of my trip. She really wanted to see Hawaii but was hesitant to ask, fearing she’d cramp my style.

But I’m so happy that I can share this with her.

She is why I have been able to succeed and why I never feared failure. She is my biggest inspiration and I know that if anything should ever happen there is always somewhere I can go - home.

Tri-Cyclen Lo asked me to share the story of who inspired me most. Tri-Cyclen Lo is on a mission to help empower young women across Canada achieve their dreams. Right now they are running a video contest where you could win $10,000! All you need to do is share what you aspire to be and how you would use the $10,000 to achieve that.

You can also find out more information on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and the rules and regulations here. 

Who inspires me? is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Who inspires me? is a post from: Bacon is Magic

When I told people in Maui I was heading to Moloka’i, a small island off Maui, for a week they were puzzled as to what I would do on the island for a week, insisting I only needed two days.

 I guess I would find out.

As soon as I arrived at Hotel Moloka’i I knew things would be different. Moloka’i isn’t about having a luxe vacation. Don’t expect 5-star restaurants but enjoy that you can wear flip flops to dinner. Things are more laid-back and casual. This really is the Most Hawaiian Island.

Although I have never been to Hawaii before it seems that Moloka’i must be like how the other islands were before all the tourism. There are only 7000 people living on the island and it can be described in one word.

Chill.

You can be on a beautiful beach and the only footprints you see are your own.

Go see the famous phallic rock.

Hang out in coconut grove.

You can hike and not hate it!

I am so excited to share my week in Moloka’i with you. But let’s keep it our little secret because Moloka’i is special and I want to keep it that way.

Disclosure: I was the guest of the Moloka’i Visitors Bureau but they did not request that I write a positive review or discover how wonderful this island is and how much it has to offer tourists.

Aloha Molokai is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Aloha Molokai is a post from: Bacon is Magic

I continue to be fascinated by the food scene in Maui. To live on an island so far away from any mainland would be such a challenge for a food supply.

But I am also struck by the sense of community this island has, it is so much stronger than anywhere I have seen. Today I visited the Roselani ice cream factory. It’s a third generation business with 4 brothers and the one sister, Cathy Nobriga Kim who is now the ice cream maker.

In the last 1800s it started as a soda water company that delivered ice by horse and buggy in the plantation community as no one had a refrigerator at home.

In 1932 Roselani moved into the ice cream business and now focuses on tropical flavours, like my favourite – haupia. During the tour we learned about making ice cream and the challenge of finding local vendors but what struck me most was their outreach to the community. Like many companies they sponsor schools and events in the community but they took it one step further.

Cathy was diagnosed early with breast cancer but learned there was a growing trend of women on the islands catching it at stage four, when it was too late. Alarmed by the trend she created a pink flavour, Aloha Cherry Truffle, to bring awareness to annual mammograms and raised funds for women who could not afford it.

It seems like such a little thing to do for any other company but the factory is a tiny operation, to throw in another flavour would be a massive undertaking but Cathy didn’t seem concerned with the logistics, only what good it could bring to her community.

Ice cream for a cause is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Ice cream for a cause is a post from: Bacon is Magic

When the Maui Visitors Bureau asked me to come to and judge this year’s Maui Agricultural Festival food challenge I was happy to accept. I love food. I cook, not to the proficiency of the chefs I would be judging, but well enough that my friends have to put up with my strong opinions on food and restaurants.

But I had no idea I would be alongside accomplished writers, including Carolyn Jung – a James Beard award-winning writer who just judged the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest with a $1 million prize.

I am out of my league.

But I reminded myself that while Pillsbury will never knock on my door, I know good food. There was a lot of good food. So after 12 dishes featuring traditional ingredients from local farmers all of the judges were too full to move but ready to talk.

Fortunately, yesterday we were given a briefing on local foods like taro and breadfruit, which many of us had never eaten before. It was great to talk to the farmers about the challenges of growing and cooking the ingredients.

You would be surprised to hear that I didn’t think a pork product was best. Instead I agreed with the others that Chef Sheldon Simeon was spectacular once again by showing us that taro could not only be traditional like in poi but also sophisticated and modern with his taro dumpling.

I don’t like poi so I had pretty much written off taro but Chef Sheldon was able to change my mind. I think this pretty much confirms I’ll eat anything this man cooks.

Now I just need to figure out how to convince him to transplant his wife and children to Toronto.

Much thanks to Peter Liu for the lead photo.

Who am I to judge? is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Who am I to judge? is a post from: Bacon is Magic