May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii.

Although Waikiki is a 20 minute drive away, it has a very different atmosphere from where we live.
So when friend Denise was going to perform hula for the May Day Lei festival at Kapiolani Park's Bandstand, we spent the night of the 30th at Kaimana Hotel (The New Otani Hotel) to avoid
parking hassles and to just enjoy Waikiki.

When we were children our parents brought us often to San Souci and Kuhio Beaches here.  I even had swimming classes in the Natatorium, the ocean water public swimming pool and War Memorial.
There it was below our balcony.

We met Denise and Jay for dinner at the hotel's Hao Tree Lanai restaurant.

R.L. Stevenson is supposed to have liked to sit there when he was in Hawaii.  Wonder what the area was like in those days.

We had a beautiful sunset and thought we saw the green flash that occurs fleetingly when the sun dips below the horizon.

We all enjoyed our dinner choices and the service was  good with a friendly waiter.
Denise's choice was mixed seafood, with scallops, fish and shrimp.

My Filet Mignon was tender and perfectly done.

Jay and R had the Tasting Menu.
Fish and Steak and the intermezzo sorbet.

Bring on the desserts!

My Apple Normandy with Sorbet.  Wish I had ordered the Lemon Cake that came with their Tasting Menu.

Denise's pie.  Looked good but I can't remember the name. 

Next morning, at 7 a.m., we met at the Hao Tree Lanai for breakfast.  It was a beautiful morning and we enjoyed our choices.
My Hash Brown, with grilled bananas, eggs, toast and rice.

Denise's Hawaiian Breakfast Plate with mini Poi Pancakes.

We found good seats and listened to the Royal Hawaiian Band. Then the Na Wahine O Ka Hula Mai Ka Pu'uwai performed for 45 minutes with a variety of Nostalgic "hapa haole" music and dances.

Denise leads the ladies in for a very lively and amusing
Hasegawa General Store dance.
This song was written by a Mainland visitor when he was intrigued by this little store in Hana, Maui.

The dances were beautifully costumed and the instructor's narration of the songs gave so much meaning to the dancer's graceful movements.
How lucky we are to have May Day dedicated to flowers and hula.

Interesting booths selling hats and hula instruments.

There were  booths selling leis -floral, ribbon, and even some with folded dollar bill frogs.

Ladies weaving Ti leaf leis.

After the Hula, R and I walked back to the hotel to check out so we could go on to the Hula Marathon for Breast Cancer Awareness held at Ward's Center, that Denise's group was participating in for an hour or so.
We walked past the Natatorium - still there, but a bit crumbly around the walls of the pool.

Doves were still there too.

Diamond Head.

A short drive to Ala Moana.

At the stage at Ward's Warehouse.
Ladies dancing the beautiful "Kalua"
Hollywood Hawaiian song.

Denise's group (part of it) waiting to go on.

R and I really had a chance to appreciate the beauty of hula today.
The story is in their expressive hands.  The narrator's voice over the music is expressive also and between the two we were caught up in the mesmerizing calm and sway of the dance.
It was a beautiful May 1st.