The weather was gorgeous for winter, really hot and the water was warm so we tried paddle boarding on Waikiki. After mastering the kneeling position and falling many times in the standing we managed to get around shakily hoping that the next wave wasn't going to knock us flat. Amazingly I was out when a large sea turtle surfaced beside me causing some commotion with surrounding swimmers, it took off very quickly realising that it was in the wrong place and at such a busy beach.
Paid our respects to the Duke's surfing legend statue on Kuhio beach. He lived 1890 - 1968 and was famous for his world record swim at the 1912 Olympics and for introducing surfing to the US, Europe and Australia.
You can't go to Hawaii without experiencing the Hula, and nightly at the hotel and on Kuhio beach there are performances. Hula began as a religious ritual and as entertainment for the ruling classes. The dance is traditionally accompanied by chants, mele (song) and percussion. After missionaries tried to suppress it the art of Hula returned in the late C19th. The Hawaiian people are very proud of their culture and hula is taught in schools with district competitions.
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| Oren in the donut ring! |
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| The extinct Diamond Head in the background. |
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| We tried paddle boarding - not so easy! |
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| Riding the old trolley cars that transport you around Waikiki - the kids in Hawaiian dress. |
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| Duke Kahanamoku father of surfing on Kuhio Beach. |
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| Nightly Hula performance on Kuhio under the Banyan. |
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| Beautiful hair flower decorations. |
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