Fireworks

We did not even have to step out of the airport before recognizing how beautiful Hawaii is. As soon as we exited the terminal, we found ourselves in front of this serene garden and couldn’t help but just stand there for a while, gazing at it, before starting toward the baggage claim.

After grabbing our luggage, taking a shuttle (though standing room only made it feel more like surfing!), and getting our sweet new Jeep Renegade rental car, we headed out toward our temporary home. As soon as we hit the road, I became immediately entranced with the mountains. I hope to capture better pictures of them in the future, but I just cannot help taking pictures whenever I see them.

Upon arriving at our apartment building, we met up with the property manager and her sister who showed us around our cute new little place. They mentioned that there was a cultural festival going on near Waikiki beach, and that there would be a parade and fireworks later in the evening if we wanted to check it out. With that, we threw our luggage in the bedroom and set out on foot toward Waikiki! I guess it doesn’t hurt being a quarter mile from the beach. 😉

It was not hard to find the parade on Kalakaua Ave, the street was filled with music, dancers, and homemade parade floats. The hula dancers were precious, ranging from young girls to great grandmothers. If I am ever a great grandma one day, I hope I am a hula dancing one.

I do have to say though, my favorite part of the parade was the fire-breathing dragon at the end.

By this time we were pretty dang hungry, considering Hawaii time is three hours earlier than Arizona time, our airplane snack game was not on point, and we had not eaten dinner yet. Now that the parade was over and we could cross the street, we wandered our way over to the Pa’ina Lanai Food Court where we grabbed some Teriyaki Chicken and Yakisoba. Once we had our food, we went downstairs and sat down on the edge of the little performance stage in yet another dreamy garden court area. Being extra hungry made it extra delicious.

Full and dreamy eyed, we made our way toward to beach, and happened upon a really neat alleyway lined with surf boards on either side, that let out right on the sand. Even on a starless night, the beach and ocean were breathtaking. Walking closer toward the water, behind us was a city and buildings and a whole island of people and lights, and before us was nothing but water and darkness. And apparently three boats filled with copious amounts of fireworks.

The beach was packed with families waiting for the fireworks show. According to our property manager, the fireworks had been shipped in from Japan, which made the anticipation extra exciting! We still had about an hour before they were to start, so we found a spot on the sand and sat down. I don’t know what exactly came over me, maybe jetlag, but the sand was so soft and beach weather so calming, I laid right down and took a nap. A few minutes before show time, Danny woke me up, and as I sat up and looked around I noticed the crowds had probably more than doubled since I fell asleep! Everyone and their cousins were there to watch this display.

Show time. Fireworks started firing from one boat. They were so close! It was so pretty watching them not only burst in the sky in syncopation with the music, but also seeing how they lit up the sea beneath. They went on for a while, and at one point we thought they might be done. NOPE! Fireworks starting going off from THREE boats now! You know that shout Maui does in the movie Moana? There was a lot of that going on. People ‘oohed’ and ‘aahed’ in roars! We felt like we were surrounded, like being in a snow globe of fireworks! They were non-stop, they were AMAZING, they were THE BEST FIREWORKS WE HAD EVER SEEN!!! 10/10 would watch again. Our pictures don’t even begin to do them justice.

People cheered like mad at the end! Quickly recognizing the crowds we would all have to face, the whole beach seemingly stood up all at once in attempts to make an exit. Instantly, we were penguins. A giant colony of waddling penguins. All trying to funnel into the surfboard alleyway to get back home.

Once through, we made the short trek back to our apartment, and crashed.

This was a great first day.