No Hawaiian vacation would be complete without a Luau!
So this is the one we chose, the Old Lahaina Luau. A little Googling before the trip turned up plenty of reviews that said this is the best luau experience in Hawaii.
The place sits right behind a huge strip mall. But once inside, it's like you've entered another world.
First you drop off your things at the table (or for the more traditional, at the cushion on the ground) to which you've been assigned, and then you just wander around to take in the sights.
Doug was determined to videotape everything. Even Bill.
Here's the stage for the show we're going to see when the sun goes down.
See? These people elected to sit on the ground.
Not us, though. The wise guy in the back is our waiter.
Beautiful Hawaiian melodies entertained the tourists.
And everyone just wandered and waited and wandered and waited.
So let's look at some of the arts and crafts on display. I think this guy ate too much at last night's luau.
Speaking of eating, here's where the big spread will take place.
And right there under all that sand is what we're going to eat -- a very hot pig.
More arts and crafts.
Don't step on the arts and crafts.
This luau is right on the beach.
The sun is going down. Soon, I hope, cuz I'm hungry.
The illustrated man.
About time! This reminds me of Saturday night in Jack's Creek, Tennessee.
Lotsa pigmeat. Mmmm, smells good!
Hey look, our entertainment is getting warmed up!
Bonnie's getting warmed up too. That concoction is called a "lava flow."
Bill just wants some food. Nice lei, Bill.
Our waiter seemed really to like mai tais.
Oh boy, now it's our table's turn to fill our plates. Want to know what was on the menu? Try not to drool:
Kalua Puaʻa
That, my friends, is a bowl of poi. It tasted like...well, like not much of anything. Very bland. And then, just as we sat down to eat...
Say...do you think it might rain?
The skies opened, the rains came, and the waiters began frantically handing out ponchos. Just like Disney World.
At least we weren't sitting on the ground during the deluge.
But about the time we'd dumped all the water out of our plates and finished our soggy pigmeat, the rain stopped and we enjoyed some tasty desserts. See those chocolate cups filled with whipped cream? Mmmmmmmm. And those rubbery coconut-flavored square blobs? Not so very mmmmmm.
Bill's plate is a lake, but he's still having a great time. And hey, I do believe the rain has just stopped.
And now the show is starting. I think this one's called the dance of the coconuts.
Guys do the hula? Who knew?
So Bill's thinking that if fat guys hula too, maybe in his retirement he should...nah.
Here you go...hula with style.
The illustrated man was weaving a basket while the show was in progress.
Want to see some video? The clips in this first set show a little of the pre-dinner performance, followed by the rainout announcement, followed by the early part of the main show.
This clip continues the show.
And these clips take us right up to the end of the evening's performance.
But not quite the end of the evening. Bill made a friend on his way out.
Wait! Bill made two more friends!
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