Honolulu Overlook: I was up extra early on Wednesday so, after getting directions on the internet, I jumped in the car and headed toward Honolulu to get overlook views of the city all lit up at night. I found the road leading up into the hills, but was unable to locate the park situated along it as I navigated the dark, narrow twisting path. However, there were many turnoffs, five at which I stopped and three I found suitable for pictures.
Sunrise on Waikiki: Once out the hills, I headed over to Waikiki Beach to watch the sunrise there. I found a spot and waited for the rays of light to stream across the ocean, but they remained hidden behind the tall buildings lining the beach until well after the sun had risen. I still enjoyed my time watching the early morning surfers riding the waves and tourists out for early morning walks along the beach.
Day at the Resort: Having several days earlier purchased tickets to a luau on Wednesday evening, we decided to spend the morning and afternoon at the resort. So, after our time in the water we got changed and took the ten minute walk down the street to one of the top rated luau's on Oahu, the Paradise Cove Luau.
Paradise Cove Luau: We arrived at Paradise Cove early and waited in a light drizzle for the facitlities to open. Once inside, the rain stopped and didn't come back as we participated in the many activities included with admission. The activities included:
- Outrigger Canoe Rides. A short trip around the cove gave participants a taste of riding in a traditional outrigger canoe. They even got a close-up view of a seal asleep on the breakwater rocks.
- Polynesian Tattoos. Here I asked for a tribal design that wrapped around my forearm. The tatoo symbolized a weaving pattern, where skilled craftsmen were able to make the weave so tight the resulting basket could hold water without losing a drop. Such a basket was considered so valuable it was at one time used as currency and is still used as a revered gift reserved only for special guests.
- 'O'o Ihe (Spear Throwing). At this station we threw spears chiseled to blunt ends at a straw target. This game was used to test warriors and hunters skill with the weapon.
- 'Ulu Maika (Stone Disk Rolling). A popular game, a special puck-like stone is rolled between two stakes for accuracy or down a long course for strength. At the luau, only the accuracy course was set up.
- Moa Pahe'e (Dart Sliding). Similar to 'Ulu Maika, but a moa, or wooden dart, is slid down the course. It's path is less predictable than the stone and therefore requires greater skill.
- Lei Making. At the Arts & Crafts Table was the oportunity to make a traditional Hawaiian flower lei.
- Palm Leaf Weaving. In additional to lei making, palm leaf weaving was also being demonstrated, and each person had the opportunity to try their hand at the craft. Once a strip was complete, the expert manning the table would tie it into a headband that could then be decorated with flowers.
There were also two different bands playing Hawaiian music, one near the Traditional Games area and another by the Arts & Crafts, setting the perfect mood for the activities.
Luau Hula Show: After our time with Games and Arts & Crafts, we found a spot on the beach to watch the Hukilau Ceremony, a demonstration on traditional fishing methods. Audience members were asked to help in the tradional pulling in of the nets as rythminc drumms pounded the bear. It was then over to a small amphitheater for the Imu Ceremony, the unearthing of the cooked boar central to our luau feast. Our final venue was at our dinner table where the hula show on the nearby stage began while we served ourselves at the buffet-style dinner. The kids were invited on stage to learn to dance the hula twice, and many variations of tribal dance were performed, including the crowd pleasing fire dance.
Each ticket came with a set amount of credit good for purchasing drinks with dinner, souvenirs in the Marketplace on site, or arrival pictures. Tim and Becky opted to get the arrival pictures, each of the kids found a souvenir to take home while Peep and I had exactly enough credit to purchase a "Hawaii" photo album.