Thomas had recommended we hike Crouching Lion, which we realized was literally around the corner from Manny's place where we were staying. I had researched it before and everyone said to avoid going right after rainfall because it gets pretty slippery. I'm not sure when it's ever not right after rainfall in Hawai'i. It rains all the time. So we set out hoping for the best.
It was a slippery slope up, and we both fell at least once and got pretty muddy on the way up and down, but the view from the top - oh man! We didn't make it all the way up to the lion, but the view from the ridgeline was stunning. I can't get over how beautiful this place is!
Jaime hiked a bit higher than I did - it was hard to see her in the sea of green!
I was glad I wore sandals- they were a lot easier to clean off afterwards!
Some parts of the trail were pretty steep and had ropes strung between the trees to help hikers. I was so grateful for those - with the slippery mud, it would've been nearly impossible to get up without them!
And some parts that didn't have ropes, well, they just had to be maneuvered by crawling and scooting. But look at that scenery!! I can't get over it.
We cleaned up then headed over to the Polynesian Cultural Center for the afternoon. Johnny used to work there, so he was able to get us in for free, which was a huge blessing because it's very expensive. We had a great time going to all the different island villages and learning about their culture and seeing their traditional dances.
Fiji was first.
Then Tonga. We played a spear-throwing game, and I actually got my spear to stick inside the circle, thank you very much.
About midway through the afternoon, they do a canoe pageant where each island has a canoe that comes out and shows some of their traditional dances and costumes.
Hawaiian hula dancers
Tahitian wedding ceremony
Samoan tree-climber (not as legit as our personal Fijian coconut tree climber)
Aotearoan warriors
These guys were my favorite. Their dances and faces were so intense! Apparently, the bigger their eyes, the louder their voices, and the fiercer their expressions, the more they like you. Or so they said...
We enjoyed a Hawaiian luau with some good Americanized-Hawaiian food (finally) and dancers.
We wrapped up the night with the night show - Ha: Breath of Life. All the island nations are represented in a show that includes music and dancing and other visual effects. We loved it!
The next morning, we did a temple session with Megan before we headed back to Honolulu.
Afterwards, we said goodbye to Johnny and Megan, which was sad. We so enjoyed spending time with them while we were there.
We decided to drive the long way back to Honolulu so we could see more of the island. We stopped at the Dole Plantation and got some famous pineapple whip.
Overall, it was a fabulous trip! I was ready to come home to an air-conditioned house and my own space, but I don't think I could have ever been ready to leave that scenery. It was the most gorgeous place I've ever been in my life, and I still miss it. We had a great time!
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