DOLE PLANTATION--
With Natalie arriving yesterday, the four sisters were complete. We headed to the North Shore, Laie and the Polynesian Cultural Center on a beautiful sunny day. However, on the way we stopped in Wahiawa at the fun Dole Plantation.
Originally operated as a fruit stand beginning in 1950, Dole Plantation opened to the public as Hawaii's "Pineapple Experience" in 1989. Today, DP is one of Oahu's most popular visitor attractions and welcomes more than one million visitors a year.
Isn't this the cutest picture of Beverly as a pineapple doing the hula dance?!
We took a fun ride on "The Pineapple Express," a vintage-style train that took us on a two-mile journey through a working plantation of pineapple and other crops. We also learned about the island agricultural history, from the days when pineapple ruled the plantation to today's rich diversity of farming enterprises, from mangoes to coffee to cacao beans.
We viewed fields in all stages of growth, from planting to harvest.
A pineapple takes 20 months to grow the first fruit and another 14-15 months for the second fruit grown from the crown of the first fruit. All pineapples at Dole are planted AND harvested by hand! The field is then knocked down and started again!!!
My sister Natalie and Dad
We all wore our leis that Stephanie gave us since we were going to the Polynesian Cultural Center!
Reservoir used by the plantation for irrigating the crops.
Macadamia Nut trees
Sugar Cane plants
We also took this walking tour where we saw eight attractive mini-gardens. Each garden showcases a variety of crops and plants, many of them native to Hawaii.
Mindanao gum tree trunk--This tropical tree looked like someone had poured cans of various colored paints on it! The rainbow-colored trunk is the result of thin strips of bark that continually peel off, exposing new layers of pink, orange, lime to dark green, violet and blue beneath.
The eucalyptus tree is also fast growing--5 to 8 feet in height per year, and can grow 8 feet wide!
These beautiful croton plants are grown potted at home!
Laura standing in front of red ginger plants
Pond in garden
Decorative bromeliad family of plants--pineapples belong to the bromeliad family.
Bromeliads around base of tree
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Beautiful beach on the North Shore from the plantation to Polynesian Cultural Center
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POLYNESIAN CULTURAL CENTER--
is a Polynesian-themed theme park or living museum located in Laie, on
the northern shore of Oahu, Hawaii. Owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and dedicated on
October 12, 1963, the PCC occupies 42 acres owned by nearby Brigham Young University--Hawaii.
Within six simulated tropical villages, performers demonstrate
various arts and crafts from throughout Polynesia.
Visitors may also take a free shuttle tour of the university and see the Laie Hawaii Temple and
its associated visitors' center of the LDS Church.
Seventy
percent of the center's approximately 1,300 employees are students at BYU-Hawaii. Although it is largely a commercial
venture, PCC profits fund various scholarship programs at BYU–Hawaii. Students may work up to 20 hours per week during school
terms and 40 hours during breaks.
ISLANDS OF AOTEAROA (New Zealand)--
The first simulated cultural village we visited, which included the Maoris of New Zealand.
New Zealand is the only part of Polynesia to experience four seasons, so the Maori's create significantly different housing and lifestyles than their Polynesian cousins in the tropic islands!
Painted rafters and ceiling of Maori meeting house, which is the focal point of all Maori cultural and tribal activities to this very day.
These large red carved poupou panels on the walls represent the history of the tribe. Each figure symbolically depicts a specific ancestor and the carving would indicate information about him and his accomplishments.
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ISLANDS OF SAMOA--
Our family has always had a soft spot in our heart for the Island of Samoa. Our father's parents were married one day, and the next day our grandfather left on a 3-year-mission to Samoa. Luckily, the mission president needed someone that spoke a little German--that was our grandmother. Fortunately, she had taken a German-speaking class in college, and she was able to join our grandfather three months later!
Comedian Samoan demonstrating how to make a fire.
Demonstration of palm tree climbing--
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CANOE PAGEANT--"Rainbows of Paradise"
Since Dad was in a wheelchair, we got prime seats in the shade along the lagoon right across from the musical entertainers to see essentially what you would call "a parade on water."
The Hawaiian court--
Hawaiian hula dancers--
Tonga performers--
Tahitian dancers (I think these are the prettiest girls and have the most exciting dances!)--
Samoa--
Fiji canoe--
Aotearoa (New Zealand) Canoe--
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Sister missionaries demonstrating how Hawaiian quilts are made. The Christian missionaries in Hawaii introduced quilting to the people, and they then adapted their own art form like those seen in the picture.
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ISLANDS OF TONGA--
This is such a fun, fun show! You laugh constantly! Drums are the Tongan specialty.
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ISLANDS OF TAHITI--
This culture has always been interesting to me since Doug and I visited three islands of Taihiti about 29 years ago!
They made a presentation of a Tahitian wedding!
Beautiful bride being dressed for her wedding!
Dad, Beverly, Laura and Natalie watching the wedding!
Bride and groom
It's truly amazing how those dancing Tahitian girls can have their hips swaying rapidly while the rest of their bodies are calm and stately!
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Laura with Fijian temple in background
Piles of coconuts along the trail
Natalie standing in front of five authentic Moai at the Easter Island Exhibit--
--and in front of a lagoon!
Beautiful waterfall
As part of our entrance fee to the PCC, we took a tour of the community of Laie, including a visit to BYU-Hawaii. They dropped us off at the Hawaii Temple Visitor's Center for a short visit.
The Visitor's Center also features a ten-foot marble replica of Thorvaldsen's famous "Christus" statue.
The temple is often called the "Taj Mahal of the Pacific." This was the first LDS temple built outside of the continental U.S. by the Church.
After our tour of Laie and the temple grounds, we came back and ate at the Ali'i Luau--
--where as we entered they welcomed us with real flowers leis!
The luau featured authentic Hawaiian food, live music and traditional song and dance.
To complete the day, we attended a spectacular performance entitled, "Ha: Breath of Life," in the Pacific Theater. This large-stage production includes Polynesian dance, music and blazing fire knives featuring over 100 Polynesian natives, special effects, animation and surround sound.
Since no video or photography was allowed, I took the last three photos off the internet. They aren't the clearest pictures, but maybe it will give you an idea of what a big production it is.
Another very full, satisfying day! The most important thing--Dad really enjoyed our experience! Tomorrow we are going to visit Punch Bowl!
2 comments:
That really was a special day--we learned so much, plus we had such a good time, too! I loved your beautiful dress and hat you wore that day! You blended in so well with the entire Polynesian experience! I hadn't thought about the New Zealand homes being so much different until you pointed that out about the four seasons!
The stops we made on this day are truly the stops that made me feel like I was in Hawaii. To see the pineapple plantation showing the islands' agriculture crops and vegetation and then to see the islands' cultural background through the Cultural Center gets all the five senses going; Seeing, Hearing, Tasting, Smelling and Touching. Not many places bring all these senses together like Hawaii.
(Really did love your new dress and hat, also.)
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