Sunday:

Coffee at the Princeville Bay Terrace Sunday morning

Sunday morning we met for "Coffee at the Bay Terrace" of the PrinceVille Hotel overlooking beautiful Hanalei Bay.

Ellen's partner Margot, Doug, DeDe, and DeDe's friend Susan.

The reflecting pool on the Bay Terrace.

Dorothy, Ellen, Dorothy's son Brad, Frank, Jon and Frank's Anne.

Steve and Valdeen enjoy the easy ambiance.

The gang assembles at the beautiful Bay Terrace Fountain, designed to mirror reflect the beautiful surroundings of the Hanalei Valley. What a wonderful start to what looks like the week of a lifetime getting underway.

Church Service at Wai'oli Hui'ia in Hanalei

Sunday after coffee at the Princeville, we gathered for morning services at the historic Wai'oli Hui'ia Church in Hanalei.

The gang begins to assemble on the grounds of the historic Mission House built in 1834 by ancestors of our own Pam Wilcox, Abner and Lucy Wilcox who relocated to Hanalei as Christian missionaries to settle the region. Other Wilcox family members to follow help found and build the current church on the same grounds.

The gang enters Wai'oli for the morning service which featured beautiful Hawaiian music and a sermon titled "Parenting is not for the faint of heart".

Pat, Lois, Karen, Jon and Karl gather again outside, spiritually refreshed and centered and ready to plunge into a full week of reunion activities.

Plate Lunch at Pam's in Hanalei

Sunday after church services we all gathered at Pam Wilcox's beautiful home on the ocean in Hanalei for Plate Lunch and Shave Ice.

We enjoy the beautiful open views of Hanalei Bay from Pam's beautiful home. We know we are back home now.

Pam greets Lionel and Ellen on her front porch.

Lionel continues working the crowd. Here he is with Denby and Janet.

The gang arrives for a lunch reception at Pam's beautiful home. Shade under the tents and the tradewinds kept us cool and comfortable during lunch outside in the bright tropical sun.

Anne and Frank dig into their shave ice.

Our chief food coordinator Judi with Keikilani and Wayne Hirada of Hanalei, our plate lunch caterers.

What da kine flavor you like Enrique? Cherry, Strawberry, Orange, Passion Fruit, Mango, Lime, Vanilla, Banana, Grape,,,? Clyde Kaluahini of Lihue got 'em all and more. Up to three flavors included for the same price.

Limahule National Tropical Botanical Garden Tour

After lunch was over, Pam Wilcox and Frank Young led 40 of us on a walking tour of nearby Limahule National Tropical Botanical Gardens in Haena. The gang viewed first hand many native species of Hawaiian plants and others brought by the first settlers to supplement their food and clothing supplies including; Uhi-Breadfruit, Kalo-Taro, Ki-Ti leaves, Wauke-Paper Mulberry, Mai'a-Banana, Ko-Sugar Cane, Kukui-Candlenut Tree, 'Awapuhi-Shampoo Giner,m 'Awa-Kava, Mango, Guava, Waiawi-Yellow Strawberry Guava, Koki'o ke'oke'o-White Hibiscus, Koa Tree, Melia-Plumeria, Hala Tree, and many many more species of the historic plant life of the Hawaiian Islands.

Taro (Colacasia Esculenta) still grows in the ancient terraces, called lo'i kalo, built by the early residents of the valley. Kalo, often made into poi, was the most important food of the ancient Hawaiians.

Pam describes each of the many natural displays of the various native Hawaiian and imported plants and trees throughout the gardens.

Here are the Limahule taro terraces which archaeologists have dated back to 1100AD.

Pam talks to the entire group about the important mission of Limahule Gardens to the preservation of native species of Hawaiian plant life.

Pam describes more of the unique inhabitants of Limahule Forest including the Hala Tree of the main Punahou logo below.

Ilona gives the "Shaka Babe" sign as she, Karen and Walter relax in the shade after the slightly strenuous hike around Limahule.

Luau

After Limahule, the entire gang of 60 met back at the two beach houses in Haena for an evening of luau food and festivities. Preparations include making 60 Plumeria leis for the Luau.

Susan, Pauahi's Pat, Julie and Sheila's Art take their turns with the needle and thread.

Sheila, Carolyn, Val and Frank finish up their leis. Check out the leis hanging over the deck railing. You can see the second Haena beach house "Hale Makua Ma Ke Kai" in the background.

Here is Hale Makua, one of our two Haena beach houses and site for the Sunday Luau.

Don watches eagerly as Pat, Karl and Keith grill 30 pounds of fresh caught Ahi for the main course.

The gang eagerly awaits dinner after a very busy first day.

We all dined "al fresco" outside under the open beach house protected from occasional brief rain showers that grace Haena in the evenings. Luau kau kau included grilled Ahi, Pami brought garlic sour dough bread from San Francisco, Don bought fresh Island salad makings at the local farmers' market in Kilauea, sticky rice, and fresh Haupia Cake from Mrs. Ching's Bakery in Hanalei. Accompanied with a lot of good wine and beer, the kau kau was enjoyed by all.

We relaxed together. We talked about old times and got reacquainted in a wonderful informal and unrushed manner.

Old friends come together after too many years apart. Joy, Denby, Judi and Sheila aren't glad to be together again are they? Wanna bet? One Okolehao, two Okolehao, three Okolehao, floor...

Bro Jon gives Sister Judi a big mahalo and reunion hug from all the gang for her hard work putting together and coordinating the onolicious Luau kau kau. Watch those hands Bro Jon.

Sunsets end each special day

During the Luau the gang gathered to enjoy a glorious sunset marking the end of our first fabulous day in Paradise. Every evening's sunset was totally different. You had to be there to truly appreciate the natural beauty and magic at work in the skies over western Kauai at sunset.

And then we all headed home for a good night's rest before our next big day on Kauai.