February 2024 Hawaii Cruise - Day 8

Friday, February 23, 2024

Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii

This day did not start out very well! We were supposed to disembark the ship at 9:15am, but for some reason, we were delayed until 10:30am. No explanations, no apologies. Very frustrating and annoying!

We had hoped to get to the Pearl Harbor Memorial by 10am, enjoy a couple of hours leisurely exploring the sites there, and then take an hour’s drive to the Polynesian Cultural Center.

However, we did not get to Pearl Harbor until after 11am and we felt quite rushed to see just a part of what we had wanted to see. We had a reservation to visit the USS Arizona Memorial but we missed our reserved time slot. But luckily we were able to join another group without too much delay. That was a very moving experience, much like visiting Hiroshima in Japan. There is not much to see at the USS Arizona Memorial, but there certainly is a sobering spirit about it.

We had hoped to take a self-guided audio tour of Pearl Harbor. However, after getting the map and the audio equipment, we gave up after a few minutes because the tour was so confusing and poorly laid out. We walked around to a few other sites, but we had no time to visit the many museums and exhibits. So, we decided to leave, with the hope of returning someday when we can dedicate a full day at Pearl Harbor.

We took an Uber to the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) in Laie - about a 1-hour drive. I don’t know how to describe the PCC! Going there today made up for all the problems we had in the morning, and, to be honest, we should have just skipped Pearl Harbor for this trip and only gone to the PCC. It is … Unbelievable! Fantastic! Magnificent! Disney on steroids! In fact, when I first walked in, it felt like I was at Walt Disney World. I have to say that if you go to Hawaii and do not go to the PCC, you have not really experienced Hawaii and you might just as well have stayed home! And if you are planning a trip to Hawaii, put the PCC at the very top of your list! If you don’t, then don’t bother coming to Hawaii. Yes, it’s that good!

We were so fortunate to be invited to the PCC by our friends who lived in Tennessee over a decade ago, Greg & Trish Maples. In fact, Greg was my boss when I worked at Sonic, back in another lifetime! Now his is the Vice President of Culinary Services at the PCC. Greg took care of all the arrangements for us at the PCC like we were royalty. I could never thank him enough for all he did to make our visit possible.

The PCC is owned, operated, and supported by my church, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Its purpose is to support, promote, preserve, and share Polynesian culture from all the islands that make up Polynesia. Next to the PCC is Brigham Young University Hawaii, and most of the PCC’s 1,000+ musicians, dancers, and staff come from BYUH as paid employees.

The PCC is divided into many sections representing the Polynesian islands. It is impossible to see all of it in one day. We were able to visit Samoa, Fiji, New Zealand, and Tonga. As you move from one area to another, you feel like you are actually entering another island. In each area were musical and cultural performances by performers from those lands, dressed in the traditional clothing of the lands they represent and even speaking the languages of their lands. It was absolutely incredible.

As if that was not enough, we next enjoyed a Hawaiian luau and show. Throughout the day, 2 pigs were being roasted in an underground oven, and they were uncovered at the beginning of the luau. The dinner was a buffet that included everything you can imagine from the islands. During the dinner, there was a beautiful hula-style show which was breathtaking. I could hardly believe I was really experiencing such an extravaganza!

After the luau, we went to an IMAX movie about the spirit of Hawaii. A very touching presentation.

After all these experiences at the PCC, Greg told me, “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet!” He was right. We went to a live show called Ha The Breath of Life. This high energy show had me on the edge of my front row seat for almost the entire 75-minute show. Basically, it told the story of a young boy as he grew to manhood from the perspective of the different islands of the Pacific. The dancing, music, singing, fire-walking, and fire-dancing were absolutely spectacular! I’ve never seen a show like it in my life, where one minute the performers were jumping, running, dancing all over the stage with wild enthusiasm, and the next minute they were gently swaying back and forth during some of the tender scenes of the show. I didn’t want it to end! I’ve been to dozens of Disney and Broadway shows, but this one beats them all.

After the show, the Maples kindly drove us back to our ship - about an hour’s drive. It was a great time to catch up on our lives over the past decade. The generosity and kindness of the Maples is beyond words.

This has been an unbelievable day!

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