February 22: Honolulu - First Day of Two-Day Port Call

 

As we entered Honolulu Harbor, there was an impressive lightning storm taking place on the north side of the island.

A bit later, coffee cup in hand, I went to the open-air 10th deck to see what was on the port side of the ship. The trade-off for not being docked at the iconic Aloha Tower was a shorter walk to Waikiki. 

With today's forecast sub-optimal, after breakfast, we headed out on a walk to nowhere in particular before the rain arrived.

We hopped a city bus from the cruise terminal to Waikiki Beach. We got off at the International Market Place. 

Like everything else in the area, it has changed so much since I first visited Oahu 50+ years ago, when much of it was an open-air tourist trap. Now it is multi-story and full of Tumi, Burberry, and other much higher-end stores.

It was nice to find the banyan tree was still there.

Having entered the "market" from Kuhio Ave., we exited it onto  Kalahaua Blvd. 

Across the street was the row of famous beach hotels, including the Royal Hawaiian and Moana Surfrider. Pam & I stayed at the latter on our first trip here together, specifying a room in the historic part of the hotel rather than its 20-floor tower. 

We crossed Kalahaua Blvd. and turned left (southeast) within a city block, coming to the portion of Waikiki Beach near the road, free of buildings. 

It was like we had the beach to ourselves. Okay, maybe not.

Since it was a Sunday, tourists were sharing the beach with locals. There were a lot of people at play.

This is a statue of Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku, commonly known as Duke Kahanamoku, who is generally regarded as the person who brought surfing to the world. The woman in green on the left would help people who were having their picture taken dress for the occasion. This was not done out of the goodness of her heart, but she had plenty of customers.

The secret is knowing how to pick the perfect surfboard. Unfortunately, I don't know the secret. 

They spent 15 minutes wandering the beach, photographing her with the fancy drink.

They held hands the whole way in.

We re-entered the concrete jungle again to look around a bit more. When we got to the Royal Hawaiian, we were surprised to find a large green space.

Deciding we had seen enough, and uncertain where to catch a bus back, we opted to flag down a taxi for our return to Nieux Amsterdam.

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When we returned from our outing, two genuine Hawaiian leis awaited us on our bed. Pam said we could wear them to dinner. My response was, "We?"

a wall poster in the International Market Place

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Today's Tour: Cirque du Soleil ‘Auana

A Journey Through Hawaiian Storytelling: Prepare to be captivated by ‘Auana, Cirque du Soleil’s exclusive new production in Honolulu. Inspired by the beauty and spirit of Hawai‘i, this unforgettable live performance blends thrilling acrobatics, heartwarming comedy, mesmerizing hula, and soul-stirring music. Featuring both international and local talent, ‘Auana unfolds across eight enchanting chapters, each based on a unique Hawaiian legend or moment in history.

The title ‘Auana means “to wander” or “to journey,” a fitting name for a show that guides guests through Hawai‘i’s rich heritage and storytelling traditions. This one-of-a-kind performance debuted in December 2024 and is held at the custom-designed OUTRIGGER Theater inside the Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel.

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While the theater was filling, he entertained us with enchanting melodies on Hawaiian instruments.

It was classic Cirque du Soleil. We greatly enjoyed it. The process of getting us from the ship to the show and back was easy and uneventful, making for a great overall experience.

We had a late dinner in the main dining room, went up to an open-air deck for a quick nighttime look-around, and headed to our stateroom for the night.