Polynesian Cultural Centre

Polynesian Cultural Centre…wow. I definitely recommend it, simply as a general rule. As to what we did…well, here goes.

We went for the Ambassador level—I don't remember where that is on their ladder, but I knew there were people fancier and less fancy, package deal wise. What we got was a guided tour, hitting all the shows along the route pretty much exactly when we needed to, and we got a break in the middle for snacks/drinks/photos. We did most of the major attractions—rode a pole catamaran, visited each 'island's' cultural presentation (and some hands-on stuff), and got to see the canoe parade. There is a formal word for that, but it's late, and again I don't remember.

One thing I wish was different about this was it was too short; I knew all along—especially toward the end—that I was missing other things that I could have done as well. Being me and a  rather…particular…person, that bugged me a bit. Granted, we took the tour right from opening (1200) through dinner (1725), but it still felt compressed.

After the tours and day shows, we had a luau-style dinner, complete with emcee (he was attempting to be funny, I know…but it was actually really annoying), hula and live music. The luau was actually the part I liked the least, as there was not much for me, Ms. Veg., to eat. I know it's authentic Hawaiian…but I was a bit disappointed that there were so few veg options. Even some of the salads tasted fishy. Plus the smell of pig was everywhere, what with the whole, "We buried this pig to cook it all day and now you can pose beside it before you eat its relatives," routine.

What really made the day, though, was the night show. We saw their production Ha: Breath of LIfe, and it was amazing. Now, I don't want to spoil it for you, but the transitions—birth scenes, death scenes—were amazing. One of my favourites is when the main character is depicted growing and maturing. They do it in a few moments, but it's very clear!

The whole show was a spectacle, and I mean that in the best possible sense. (Free ice cream with our admission in the intermission didn't hurt!)

I can't think of anything else to say…at least, not about that. We did do the Dole Plantation earlier, but it was not nearly as impressive. The pineapple was really fresh, though!

A huge bonus for me was that I didn't acutally burn today—I got a bit browned (no comments on how that's all in my head, please!), but other than that, I'm untouched! Sweet!