Oahu

After our very relaxing and chill week in Maui, we headed over to Honolulu.  It was quite a shock to be back in a bustling and busy city.  I found Honolulu to be over the top.  The main shopping area along Kalakaua Ave was lined with high end shops, most of which I can't afford to buy anything from.  That made shopping not very attractive for me, plus, I never really envisioned "Hawaii" and "shopping" to go together.  It all just felt so contrived.

Oahu did redeem itself once we left Honolulu and explored the northern part of the island.  We visited the Polynesian Cultural Centre and there is so much to see that one could spend the entire day there.  I found it very interesting and I wish we had spent more time there.  The presentations at the different Polynesian villages were very entertaining.  We also went to the luau at the Center but I was not very impressed with the food, except for the roast pork, the purple bread, and guava tart.  The show after the luau, though, was excellent.  It was titled "Ha Breath of Life" and it showcased the dances from the different Polynesian islands, like Hawaii, Tahiti, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, and Aotearoa.  The fire dance at the end was fantastic.  Sophia, Ed, and I really enjoyed the show.

All of us also learned a little more about Hawaii's history.  We visited Iolani Palace and learned about the Kingdom of Hawaii, and monarchs like King Kamehameha, King Kalakaua, and Queen Lili'uokalani. We learned more about how Hawaii was annexed by the US.  The highlight for me was seeing Sophia use and listen to the audio guide all by herself.  After the tour, she asked us where the kings and queens were now and why they were not around anymore.  It's amazing how much information children can absorb.

We spent a day hanging out at Waikiki beach with our friends Yvette, Josh, and Aves.  It is an excellent beach and we had a great time playing in the water.  That was one of my favourite days during our trip.

By the end of our stay, I grew to like Oahu more and more, aside from the over-the-top commercialism of Honolulu.  The North Shore felt much more authentic and I would like to return someday and spend more time in that part of Oahu.

Both Maui and Oahu did not disappoint.  I understand now why people go back to these islands time and time again.  

Here are pics from our Oahu visit: