Paradise Cove Luau

[ √ ] Luau

Last Friday Rob took me (along with a friend from the ship and his wife and his brother) to a luau!  It was great fun!  We went to the Paradise Cove Luau in Ewa Beach.

I was super upset at myself for forgetting my camera, thankfully with our deluxe royal luau package we got two photos. One with a sexy Hawaiian Lady in a coconut top and a sexy muscular Hawaiian Guy...

... It'd be better if their tanned bodies didn't make me look so pasty white!!!

I think this is a pretty good one of Rob and I!  Especially since we're spoiled with technology and digital camera and didn't get to look at it or do any retakes, lol

When we entered Paradise Cove, we were greeted with an Aloha and a Lei.  Mine was a beautiful Plumeria Lei and Rob's was an awesome Kukui Nut Lei.  

Little History:  Brought by the early Polynesian settler, the Kukui Tree became very useful to Hawaiian People.  Once used as a source of light at night by early Hawaiians, the Kukui Nut was nicknamed Candle Nut.  This was done so by breaking the shell in half.  Leaving the seed intact and was strung on a wooden stick and was let to burn overnight.  Kukui Nut, also with its unique shape, size, and color are hand picked and hand polished, strung into a beautiful lei worn by Hawaiian Royalty, which symbolizes high honor and nobility.  

We then enjoyed some Mai Tais, virgin ones so it was basically just a delicious mix of fruit juices.  The luau had such fun things like lei making, temporary Hawaiian tattoos, and spear throwing!  We were able to walk along the beach and watch the sun set.  There was even a market place with shops selling native Hawaiian art and jewelry.  

Rob bought me a beautiful silver plumeria necklace!  I LOVE IT!

They had fun shows on how to hula, how to tie your sarong, how to open a coconut, and climbing a palm tree to reach the coconuts.  

They even showed us the ancient tradition of bringing in the fishing nets at sundown.

After that, they lead us to the outside amphitheater for the Royal Procession and presentation of the pig.

But the best part... dinner!  We had a tasty salad, potato salad, macaroni salad, then delicious meal of pulled pork, white fish with macadamia nut sauce, fried chicken and green beans!  I even tried Poi.  

Poi is a Polynesian staple food made from the taro plant (known in Hawaiian as kalo). Poi is produced by mashing the cooked taro (baked or steamed) until it is a highly fluid. Water is added during mashing and again just before eating, to achieve a desired consistency.

It was... interesting.  Bland and a different consistency than I'm used to, for sure.  But not horrible!

And after I was sufficiently stuffed, they brought out dessert!  Coconut cake, chocolate cake, pineapple slices, and Haupia.  

Haupia is a traditional coconut milk-based sort of gelatin dessert.  It's pretty good.  :)

After a delicious dinner, we had an amazing show.  Learning the culture of the island and surrounding islands.  Watching hula dancers and the best...

The fire dancer!  IT....WAS...AMAZING!  Best way to end the evening!

So much fun!  I can't wait to go to another one!  With my camera this time!