A FAREWELL GIFT
On Friday morning, our last day in Honolulu, the lobby of the Hale Koa was a lively place, filled with the local artisan vendors who come to the Hale Koa every Friday morning to sell their hand-crafted wares..
The McDonald's in Hawaii used to sell a item called a Haupia Pie, a pastry akin to the hot apple pie McDonald's used to sell, but with a sort of sweet coconut cream filling instead the standard apple filling.
Sadly, Hawaii McDonald's - or at least the McD's near our hotel - no longer carried the Haupia Pie. However, they were offering a new flavor, a guava & crème pie.
That evening while we were in our hotel room packing for our departure the following day, I suggested we turn on the television.
To our delight, the Hilo hula competitions of the Merrie Monarch Festival, a yearly springtime celebration of Hawaiian culture, were being televised. The dancers were beautiful to watch.