A Week in Paradise: Day 2
We spent Tuesday at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie, Hawaii. This is a must-do when visiting Hawaii. I also recommend going with a tour guide. Ours was fabulous. He got us to all of the major shows all afternoon. It was stress-free and fun! The point of the Polynesian Cultural Center is to learn about the traditions of all the different islands in Polynesia. We saw a drum show and were entertained by lots of traditional dancing and singing. We watched a man make fire, open a coconut and make coconut milk, and even saw someone climb high into a coconut tree! My favorite tidbit about the Polynesian culture is that the men cooked, not the women. Cooking was considered very hard work! (And I’d agree if I had to cook so archaically too!) Bron and I even got to participate ourselves in some Polynesian traditions. We played music with sticks, “learned” how to make coconut bread and poi (mashed taro), and even hula danced! There was so much more we could’ve done but just didn’t have the time.
Climbing the coconut tree! And some beautiful flowers I just couldn't get enough of.
The dancing float parade.
My hubby and me at the Polynesian Cultural Center
Bron learning to hula!
Man makes fire!
Now that's a roasted pig! It looks gross, but is was yummy!
After dinner, Bron and I took a quick shuttle ride over to the Laie LDS Temple. It’s a stunning sight, especially at sunset. Perfectly beautiful. And maybe it’s so beautiful because the temple means so much to us.
Looking a little Hawaiian in front of the Hawaii Temple
Eye Candy
Then it was time for our show called “Ha: The Breath of Life”. It was a story about a baby who grows into a boy and into a man. He marries and has a son of his own. The show was about the eternal nature of our spirits, family, and the circle of life. Better yet, it was entertaining! Eighty percent of the folks working at the Polynesian Cultural Center are students at BYU-Hawaii. Performing at the center helps pay for their tuition and living expenses. They did a spectacular job! The show encompassed all kinds of traditional dancing and even boasted a better fire sword dancer than the night before! Awesome!!!
We went back to the hotel late that night feeling tired, full, and happy.
We loved the PCC too, but the Laie Temple was even more impressive.
ReplyDeleteJess... loved reading about your adventures this time around... what FUN times we had with your family when we all lived there!
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