I'm Off...

Very excited for so many reasons...

Homeward Bound...

Sunday morning rain woke me up early.

I'd made plans to go out to breakfast with a friend.  We ended up going

early.  Another visit to "Hawaiian Style Cafe".  The amount of food you 

get there really is insane...we couldn't finish it all.

She dropped me off back at the hotel and I went to church. 

I'd asked the front desk for a late check-out and thought I'd be gone

by 3, but they said stay until 5...no problem.

Hilo airport was still crazy when I got there. A lot of people

waiting for flights all had the same look, exhaustion!

I found a quiet place to sit and it was perfect for people watching.

much easier to leave from Kona that's for sure.

lots of halau leaving on flight to Maui and Honolulu.

Hubby even tried getting me on an earlier flight, but every seat was taken 

and they even added 3 extra flights out of Hilo that night.

dancers carrying ipu, lei and costumes all anxious to get home.

I was talking to some kane members of a halau and they were telling me

that they'd only gotten 2 hours of sleep. 

finally got to board and was so happy to see the bright lights of Honolulu after 

the short 45 minute flight.

another Merrie Monarch full of memories...

now I have a full year to recover!

Merrie Monarch Final Day~Friends...

the final day started early with a breakfast at Ken's with Charlotte and friend...

Charlotte is our neighbor, but lives in D.C., was stationed in Hilo

and has property there...funny that we were there at the same time.

once a year I have a leup chong omelette from Ken's...

once a year is enough.

we stopped by the craft fair so I could get a haku for my hat to

wear that night (it's so pretty)

the long awaited night is finally here...

Iris and Susen 1 row down...

bext to Val and Benita

1 row up, Roy and Stacey

t-shirts showing  support

#8 on the program...

Halua Hula Lani Ola.

They did such a wonderful hula.

I loved that they showed traditional hula at it's very best!

I know that Aunty Lei was looking down on them.

I could see Ms. Alama and the pride in her face was priceless.

so another year of Merrie Monarch is over...

this year was different in so many ways, but to see Pua's studio

up there was the best.

Merrie Monarch Day Two...Rain and a First Look...

Day Two brought a lot of rain to Hilo.

I woke up to the sounds of rain on the pool deck and actually went back to sleep.

The craft fair really didn't have anything that I just "couldn't live without"

that night was the first time we got to see the Kane...

and they were exciting as ever on kahiko night.

it was also the first that we got to see Pua's halau hula lani ola

the girls did great!

I loved their kahiko.

Day two was a day of first in so many ways...

on to day 3!

Merrie Monarch~A Different Year...

this year's Merrie Monarch for me was different in so many ways...

the biggest difference was the hotel.  In January, DeeDee got a call from our

other hotel (that they'd been staying in for probably 20 years) that all rooms were cancelled!

Luckly Dee Dee got us rooms at another hotel, thank goodness.  One bad thing was that

it was double the price!  So I decided not to get a car and fly into Kona to visit my friends.

A few weeks ago I tried to get a car, but there were none to be found, oh well...

I'd forgotten how pretty and mystical it is to fly into Hilo.

The first thing that you see is the volcano above the clouds,

then dropping below the clouds to see the Hamakua coast, is something else.  

My hula sister, Anne now lives in Hilo so she came to pick me up at the airport and

we went to lunch at

Hawaiian Style Cafe...

we should have shared this sandwich (I had the other half for dinner)

Hawaiian Airlines was running the free shuttle again, so that was great

Day 1 is the Miss Aloha Hula and the crowds are crazy.

Glad our seats are in the same place.

I didn't take my good camera this year because there had been a lot of 

publicity about "... only professional photographers would be allowed to use cameras with

lenses.  Without a permit your camera would be taken away..."

I didn't want to chance it, so I became one of those people that I said I never would...

taking pictures with an i pad!

Oh well.

so the first long night ended with a new Miss Aloha Hula being chosen

and she was beautiful.

(Merrie Monarch photo)

Day 1 is over and onto Day 2...

Merrie Monarch Begins...

Day 1 of Merrie Monarch is over. It ended with the crowning of a new 

Miss Aloha Hula.

I forget from year-to-year what a really long, late night it is.

I also forget how really hard the seating is.

But in the long run it's well worth it.  

I'm Off...

I'm off this morning for Hilo Town

and plenty hula.

it's long, the seats are horrible, its crowded but...

it's the smell of the flowers, it's the pageantry, it's the love of hula.

I'm so fortunate that I'm able to go for 11 years,

I love those that make it possible and I appreciate it.

I'm excited to get caught up in the whole "Merrie Monarch Fever" that takes over Hilo Town.

Music, Friends and Hula...

Saturday evening we met friends out at Aulani to listen to Tony C.

This was the first time that hubby was able to go, so that was especially nice.

Tony said some very nice things about Aunty Lei that were touching.

the gang

an added bonus was that Pua, family and her cousins were also coming

out.  Tony had the girls come up and dance.

This was such a treat because I've known them since they were toddlers.

They've grown in such beautiful young women and are beautiful dancers.

Dee Dee and Tanna with  one of the twins

they all danced  "Pua Carnation" one of my very favorite songs.

Pua can still take my breath away when I watch her dance.

not only was it great music but also nice to spend

some time just talking before the craziness of Merrie Monarch.

Pua and her halau have been invited to compete this year, so they were all leaving for 

Hilo the next evening.  

Hula is Life...

Lots Going On Here In Hawaii Nei...

the last few days have been so busy with lots of happenings here.

First off...

Michele Wie won her first tournament here at home.

Not that we're golfers, but we've followed her story...

nice that this happened here.

local boy Bruno Mars started his concert tour here at home to three sold-out

crowds.

Just four years ago no one really knew him and now...

would't have minded going to see that.

 the 51st Merrie Monarch Hula week has started.

Halau are starting to practice on the stage

I leave on Thursday for Hilo.

then there was Easter and all the fun yummy food that comes with that...

been a busy last few weeks and another coming up.

I'm tired thinking about it.

2013 In Review (part I)...

to be continued...

Hou'oli Hula Maids...

In 1971 the very first winners of the Merrie Monarch Hula Contest

were the Hou'oli Hula Maids.

When I was in Hilo for Merrie Monarch, the surviving members danced

at the hoike of Wednesday and then held a "talk story" at Imiloa.

I saw them dance but didn't get a chance to go hear them talk.

(HPS photo. Mahalo to them for all the great old photos I've used)

On Friday at the hula conference, they were there and danced a few songs.

even though all these years have passed and one of them has health issues,

they are still out there dancing hula! With smiles on their faces and beautiful hula

hands they continue to dance.

Hula is life and Hula lives...

Merrie Monarch Randomness...

Big Island flowers in the lobby

Good Morning Hilo Town

beautiful floor at Imiloa

Kenneth Makuakane with a drummer and dancer at the hotel

thank you Hawaiian Airlines for the shuttle that goes from

the hotels to the stadium...means not having to hunt for parking

or walking in the rain

"Ice Pond" still gives me chicken-skin

friends we only get to see at Merrie Monarch

 Ms. Alama is beautiful even from behind

the last Hawaiian Princess

the tv crew and cameras

 just random Hilo

Aloha and Mahalo Hilo

a hui hou until next year