A Luau To Remember

Hello again! My last day in Hawaii started off with a massage at the spa at the Aqua Palms & Spa (where I've been staying). It was an incredibly relaxing way to start the day. It started with a foot bath and ended with a relaxing cup of tea. I was then ready to face the world.

Did some shopping at the Ala Moana Mall, just a few short blocks from the hotel. It is a huge shopping space, with high-end stores galore, as well as every other kind imaginable – from Neiman Marcus to Sears to Long’s (where I picked up some wonderfully silly souvenirs for my friends back in Seattle).

The day was topped off by attending the luau at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, an 80-year old landmark building, parts of which seem untouched by the years. An incredible structure, it has been dubbed the Pink Palace of the Pacific. It stands out brightly among the other buildings on the beach. The luau was attended by a few hundred of us tourists (and some natives, I found out). It started with a huge buffet dinner with traditional Hawaiian foods. Following this was The Royal Polynesian Extravaganza - a song and dance show complete with band, hula boys and hula girls. It had just the right blend of music and kitsch to delight me.

I am off to Seattle tomorrow - hoping that the sun is out there to greet me. For my recap of the Honolulu Rainbow Film Fest, check the next edition of the Seattle Gay News. Aloha!