Sunday morning had a gradual start. A stroll along the waterfront, meandering though the resort shops, a nap on the beach. It was one of those days.
That evening happened to be the annual Pan-Asian parade along Waikiki's main waterfront. Several of Oahu's different Asian communities each built a float and the members hula danced in front of them. It was a little surreal, but a fun little show.
On Monday morning, we toured a ukulele factory. This was actually one of the trip activities that I was most excited about. I picked up the ukulele about a year ago, and it was one of the few things that kept me sane during intern year.
There are three or four major ukulele makers still on the island (most have moved overseas), and Kanile'a was the one that I was most interested in visiting. It's one of the (relatively) newer manufacturers, and they build ukuleles that can hold up in drier climates like Arizona.
Our tour guide actually happened to be the company founder, and he was a great ambassador for the company. He took us through everything from the loading dock that the special Hawaiian Koa wood arrives at to the workspaces of the craftspeople putting on the final glaze.
He even played us a song at the end!
I like this place.
Of course, I walked out of there with a brand new Koa ukulele. Best souvenir ever.
That afternoon, we did a little driving tour along Oahu's famous North Shore. The surf was relatively low, but that area can easily get ten to fifteen foot waves. It's largely credited as the birthplace of modern surfing.
On Monday night, we headed over to the house of an Arizona friend that now lived on Oahu. We peppered him with questions on what it's like to live in paradise, and took very close notes. It was a great way to spend our last night on Oahu, and I'm sure we'll be back.
