Birthday Luau

We had about half an hour to put our feet up back at the resort. I left Mom on the bed while I went out to lie by the pool, but when I came back, she was sitting on our little patio with her book, too wound up to sleep. She took calls from Erika's family and Katie's, and then we really had to rush to get ready for our great evening out--the luau at the Grand Hyatt Resort in Po'ipu.

On the way we swung by Spouting Horn Park. Nearly impossible to catch a picture at just the right second to get the water at its highest point. Suffice it to say that it was quite impressive. There are multiple holes at this spot. You can see a second just to the right in this picture.

And then a little further to the right is another spot where the waves crash high into the air. Again, the picture does not do it justice.

The Grand Hyatt is so grand that it makes our lovely resort look tawdry. I planted Mom in line and used the excuse of a search for a bathroom to explore a little. Lovely lounges inside and out overlooking the sea. A waterfall from the lounge level down to the pool level. Absolutely gorgeous at double the price of ours, which was not cheap.

We were greeted with seashell leis--the sign that we were participants of the luau (don't take it off). Mom and I were let in first and had a chance to choose seats right up front for an unobstructed view.

The food was fabulous, the show was classy, and our table companions delightful. There were three honeymooning couples at our table, plus a first anniversary couple and a few others. The couple across from us was from Boston. The couple next to us was from Kansas City. When the guys got into an energetic discussion of footfall, I suggested maybe that topic should join religion and politics, and they laughed. At the end of the evening, those two were making arrangments to meet in the bar on Thursday for the Patriots-Chiefs game.

I guess they always acknowledge people with birthdays this month, but tonight they especially acknowledged Claudia Hardy, turning 92. She stood to a big cheer and people were greeting her even when we left at the end of the evening. Actually, they asked everyone who had a birthday this month (which includes me) to come to the stage. (Claudia was excused.) Then they taught us a hula. I had been thinking it was so beautiful and I would love a lesson, but I wasn't expecting that to be in front of a hundred people. Unfortunately, I didn't think to hand anyone my camera, so you will just have to imagine.

The dancing covered a variety of Polynesean cultures.

There were numbers with the women (all young a beautiful this time with flowing black hair) and numbers with the men (most of them heavily tattooed). I heard one of the little girls behind us say, "I like the boys."

The evening culminated with a fire dance. The little girl decided to move back closer to her parents. "That scared me."

We stopped for a picture with some of the girls on the way out

On the way back to our resort it started to sprinkle, then it let loose in a downpour lasting approximately three seconds. Barely misting when I let Mom out at the hotel entrance, but by the time I parked to car it let loose again--for about five seconds! I waited in the car until it let up, but when I caught up with Mom in the lobby of our building she was thoroughly drenched. She had been crossing the courtyard when it let loose. She toweled off and went to bed.

And so ended a wonderful birthday evening. I asked Mom where she wants to go next year. She only laughed. We may be nearing the completion of the bucket list.