Luau at Last

Monday was wedding day so we didn't venture too far from the hotel, as we had to be back in time to get ready for the 3 p.m. ceremony. Around 11 a.m., we headed back to L&L Hawaiian Barbecue. We both had the same thing again -- Hawaiian BBQ mix for me, Teriyaki beef for her. Maybe the novelty of Hawaiian food has worn off; I thought the BBQ was good, but not spectacular as I had proclaimed before.

On the way back to the hotel we stopped at a couple of local Kona beaches. The first was Kahaluu Beach Park, which was listed as a gem in the guidebook. The beach itself is nothing special, but the crystal clear water is perfect for snorkeling.

Next up was La'Aloa Bay Beach Park, also known as White Sands Beach Park. You'll never guess what this park is known for. Despite being a Monday, the beach was full of sunbathers and swimmers. This beach was not listed as a gem but I give it high marks for the white beach and blue water.

Last on the Kona beach tour was Pahoehoe Beach Park, which was simply a park overlooking a beach. This park was nearly empty, featuring palm trees, grass, a seawall and a beach full of rocks.

The wedding was held on a lagoon overlooking the ocean and finished quickly, ending on cue just before a rain shower. The luau at Royal Kona Resort also served as the wedding reception and drinks were flowing. The luau mai tais were watered down so several trips were made to the hotel bar for stiff mai tais and cold Big Waves.

Soon it was time for the ceremonial unveiling of the pig, which had been cooking in the Imu (Hawaiian Earth Oven) for eight hours. The pig was cooked perfectly, as it fell apart when it was removed from the oven and hit the serving table.

When it was my turn at the buffet table, I loaded up the plate provided with four compartments. Salad went into the small one, macaroni salad next to it. And then the pig, beef and chicken filled up the remaining area of the plate. The luau food was solid -- except for the poi, which looked like baby food and tasted worse.

The show was fairly entertaining, even though the guy twirling the fire had an off night, dropping the spear twice. Luckily for him, he didn't catch the stage on fire.