Day-9 – Going to a Luau

Tonight we are going to the Smith’s Family Luau which is along the Wailua River. 

To get to the Luau we enter the gardens and will begin a tour of the grounds before we sit.  Carmen is ready to go inside and is waiting for me.

When we enter the gardens and wait for our shuttle tram, we see this sign post showing distances to various places. 

Of course while everyone is waiting for the tram I am off and I see this peacock strutting with its feathers all fluffed out.  The peacock must have been trying to impress one of the other peacocks in the area.

We have been on three islands now and have not seen the State bird in the wild.  Here we get to see one in the gardens around the Smith’s Tropical Paradise.  Not sure if it is wild or not, but it is here and I have a picture of it.

Riding around the gardens and the ponds it looks very peaceful.  We pass through the bamboo forest, the ginger garden and the different villages.  However, it looks like the clouds are coming in more and that it might rain.  Hope we are under cover for the Luau.

We pass this Aku Aku head as they appear on Easter Island.  This one is a replica to represent Easter Island one of the South Pacific islands.

While we are waiting for them to take the pig out of the emu (the in ground oven) I get this picture of Carmen in front of a Rainbow Eucalyptus tree.

At the emu they have pulled back all of the sand on the top, then removed the banana and other leaves, and have pulled out the pig.  Now they are removing the lava stones from inside the chest cavity.   You can see one just by left hand of the man bending over.  He has just flicked it out.

As we walk past the roasted pig, I get a picture of what we will be eating.  There were two others that they have pulled out earlier so that the pork is ready when we sit to eat.

During the time while we wait to go up and get our food, we are serenaded by this trio. 

Here we are just before we eat and then go to the show.  The Mai Tai and fruit punch were free or part of the price for the luau and I don't have to drive home.

And the show begins. 

Representing Pele coming out of the volcano the show goes into full swing.

One of the skits included these dancers and drummers. 

A lone dancer performing a traditional Hawaiian dance.

After a change of clothes some of the dancers are back on the stage. 

In Japanese clothing, the dancers are back on stage doing a traditional dance.

Under colored lights several of the men, in traditional Samoan or New Islander dress, perform. 

Swinging their Poi balls these dancers make for an interesting look

A spectacular Polynesian fire dancer entertaining us at the Luau show in Kauai. 

As the show winds down, dancers each in a different island dress.  It has been sprinkling on and off during the night while the show has been on and I am grateful that they continued their dances and no one got hurt. 

We head back to the bus and the hotel.  It has been a very good Luau and would recommend this Smith’s Family Luau to anyone.