November 20, 2008

Our guidebook did not begin on an auspicious note: “We know you would really rather be on Maui, but…” Well, it didn’t really say that, but it did try hard to convince us of O’ahu’s greatness. After a long weekend there, I mostly agree.

Despite learning that we wouldn’t be spending our entire 72 hours on the beach, I nonetheless skipped straight to the beach on Friday morning. Good thing I’m not a big ocean swimmer, though – jellyfish mating season! “It should calm down in 3 days” – great, just in time for us to leave. Next, we wandered around Waikiki. Not my favorite town set-up – a tourist ghetto, with no evidence of the real lives of real residents – but fish tacos and Mai Tais soothed my soul.

The next day featured a drive around the island. (What a strange mix of beach and city and countryside this island is!) We headed first to rainy, drizzly Pearl Harbor (not its fault) to see exhibitions and the memorial about this event. I admit, I’m not up to speed on 20th-century history, so it was a good primer for me. The exhibition did a pretty good job at balancing the practical and emotional aspects of the attack, and I especially like how the memorial is situated over the wreckage of the Arizona.

Lunch following Pearl Harbor deserves its own paragraph. Clint had casually mentioned “shrimp trucks,” and I scoffed at him. After learning they were actually legit and scrumptious, we made it a point to seek one out. I can honestly say this was the best roadside meal I’ve ever eaten (okay, it’s the first one I’ve eaten out of a truck). Messy and garlicky – yay!

Next, on to my absolutely favorite part of O’ahu – the Polynesian Cultural Center. Generally, I’m a fan of recreation villages (see Toronto, Salt Lake City, Jamestown, Plymouth, Williamsburg, et al.), but I don’t have any specific ties to the South Pacific (Hawai’i, Tonga, Tahiti, Fiji, New Zealand, and Samoa). But this center, run by Brigham Young University of all places, introduces you to each island’s culture in a fascinating and engaging way. We jumped from “island” to “island,” observing the buildings and artifacts of each society, and watching the presentations. The presentations – presented by actual members of each cultural group – showcased dances, chants, and methods (how to start a fire with coconut leaves!). How amazing to give these students (native residents who attend BYU) a chance to demonstrate and preserve their culture, all while entertaining and educating us. The awesomeness of it was intoxicating. My dream now? Build a similar center for other Native American cultures!

So, what’s missing from this Hawai’i trip? Actual ocean time, of course. Driving the other way around the island, we arrived at Hanauma Bay. Sure, the jellyfish were still around, but nothing will stop us from snorkeling! Swimming out straight from the beach, we encountered the reefs and all their various inhabitants immediately. How crazy to see huge colorful fish (totally ignoring you) in just five feet of clear water. Then, the craziest part – up ahead, a huge sea turtle grazing on the reef! We swam with it a bit, feeling totally blessed. A sea turtle!

Well, nothing could top swimming with a sea turtle, so we quit while we were ahead. Relaxing rounded out our O’ahu trip, with plenty of food, drink, and resting. All in all, O’ahu is worth its own trip. There’s more to Hawai’i than beaches and volcanoes, and a stop at this urban island will prove it.