Saturday, December 17, 2005

A very nice sunny day

Posted by Dawn at Saturday, December 17, 2005
Coming to Hawaii is a great change as the temperature in Mobile, Alabama has been very cold (from below 0 degrees lowest to highest at about 14 degrees celsius). So, it was a nice change to once again experience summer weather.

We woke up at about 7am and left the hotel close to 8am for a morning walk to Waikiki Beach and see the whole row of shops. It was a very pleasant walk as the temperature was aircon temperature in the morning at about 18-22 degrees.

This is a picture of our hotel that we stayed throughout our trip



After a nice morning walk in the beach, we dropped by at Macdonald's for breakfast. I spotted local favourites in it and of course, I ordered that as no where in the world would Macs sell this except in Hawaii.

It was Portugese sausages, with eggs and sticky rice. They also had spam with eggs and rice. It was quite enjoyable eating rice in the morning.

After breakfast, we walked back to out hotel to explore as it was a 37th storey hotel. So, we went all the way to the top to check out the view. Very nice view of the clear waters..



At the side of hotel, I can see a view of the golf course.


We then drove to Dole Plantation, where they plant pineapples. They have the world's largest plantation maze and moreover, it is free entrance!

Driving in Hawaii is very scenic with volcanoes everywhere and fields.


After half an hour drive, we reached the plantation.


We bought a pineapple icecream with rushed pineapple fruit as toppings. Very yummy esp for a sunny weather like this.


This plantation has the largest maze in the world. We did not go in as there was an entrance fee for that maze and we did not have time to solve this maze.

In the gift shop, there was a pineapple presentation on how to grow them and cut them neatly to serve guests. Very educational.

This is the view from the plantation..it is situated in the countryside and middle of Oahu.


Next, we drove to the North Shore Beaches which is famous if you are a surfer. They have the biggest waves there and so, many of the surfing competitions ae held there.

We went to a calmer side of the North Shore first..



We drove to a town area at Waimea Bay for lunch. But before finding lunch, we had to stopped by the waters again to see the waves. This part of the North Shore was not a beach..as it was very rocky.



We managed to find lunch at a supermarket. They have hot packed bento set lunches for only US$3.99 a box. CT took a set with fried fish, chicken and luncheon meat with seaweed rice. I had rice with Jap chicken stew with carrots. The box has lots of rice..so it was very filling. We bought and ate in the car with the waters at sight until CT has eaten finished. I continued eating my share as he drove. We were making our way to the Banzai Pipeline which has the biggest waves...

However, when we were reaching there, the roads were lined up with cars parked at the side and many people were walking along the roads. We were wondering what was going on...until I realised and remembered that there is a surfing competition going on. It was the "THE 2005 RIP CURL PRO PIPELINE MASTERS", quite a prestigious surfing competition in surfing and it occurs in winter time, December. I wanted to go in so desperately but we did not because we were rushed for time and there was no space to park the car.

We were rushing to go to the Polynesian Cultural Center as it opens at 12 noon and we need to spend the whole day there as we paid for it. I love to watch people surf as I always wanted to do something like that..I guess, any sport to do with water. Since I cannot do it because there is no waves in Singapore, I can only watch. Sigh..too bad I cannot see.

Anyway, on our way to the cultural center, I saw a nice building and asked CT if we could just go in to take pictures of the nice building. It was actually a mormon temple. We went to learn more about this religion...and we understood why people are attracted to it- the presentation and building that we saw is so attractive and so nicely done.

We did not spend much time in it and left after the presentation and intro of this religion. CT found it very cultic but I told him that I just wanted to learn more about it. So it was more an educational visit.

We finally reached the Polynesian Cultural Center.

We were immersed in the lifestyles, habitats, entertainment and hospitality of 7 Pacific cultures- Tahiti, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Aotearoa, Marquesas and Hawaii.

We paid for the admission fee, dinner and night show. It was expensive but I wanted CT to taste the traditional Hawaiian food and I would also like to learn all the 7 diff polynesian Cultures. We went to the one in New Zealand, Rotorua but they only displayed their culture. So, this was interesting.

We first went to the IMAX theatre to watch a show on "Coral Reef" which I happened to see it before. I did not realise it until I sat down and saw the show...so familiar. After that, we saw the "Rainbow of Paradise Canoe Pageant" which displays all the diff 7 tribes in the canoe performing their dance. Quite interesting. There were a lot of tourists, especially from Japan and Thailand.



The scenery and landscape of this center is very big and nice. I love the tropical field to it...

We also then visited the different polynesian islands where they displayed their dance and teach us some skills that they have.


There was a drum presentation and show in this island..


This is a performance in Marquesas Island


Playing games in Hawaii Island..

First, an island version of checkers


Their version of bowling..


At night, we went for the Ali'i Luau buffet cum show in the dining area and after that, we moved to a theatre for a night show. At the entrance, we were greeted with Orchid Lei...


Dinner was great. It was buffet with traditional food and strange food. One traditional way of cooking is putting stones and lighting it up, wrapping the food in leaves and placing it underground to cook. They showed us how they cooked it and took out the roasted pig from the ground!


The buffet table..


There was entrees like Chicken Long Rice (like Tung Hoon), Kalua Pig (the roasted pig), Teriyaki Chicken, Island Fish, Sweet Potatoes (Purple), Rice. Salad like Spinach Salad, Purple sweet potato salad (which tastes really good), Ambrosa Salad etc.. and at the end of the buffet table, there were cups of hawaiian specialties like Poke (Marinated Fish- taste like raw tuna with sesame oil and green onions), Lomilomi Salmon (cubed raw salmon with tomatoes), Pipi Kaula (Seasoned Beef that is cubed, taste like beef jerky) and poi (purple paste underground root).

I enjoyed the food but did not take too much as I was quite full already after one serving. During dinner, there was live music and shows. But after the dinner,there was a night show at Horizons Theatre in the center.

It was about an hour show with performances. Quite interesting.



After the show, we went back to our hotel which was about an hour drive away. We drove along the east side of the island and the moon light was reflecting on the ocean which looks very beautiful. CT kept looking at it while driving...

Reached home at about 10 pm. Exhausted but enjoyed our day tremendously..

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