We are on famous Waikiki Beach, where shallow, sandy, warm water meets golden sand. Ocean swells rise as they approach the shallower seabed and reefs, making Waikiki an exceptional place for beginner surfers. I would certainly recommend the ocean-view rooms at the Sheraton Waikiki. Coming to the shore at sunrise, watching the surfers, and drinking Hawaiian coffee over an açaí bowl is wonderful.
Hawaiian royalty once lived here. Today almost everything is designed for visitors: shopping centres, restaurants and entertainment venues. Despite that, it remains a beautiful place.
The EO meetings continued for three days, beginning each morning with Hawaiian music and dance. Hula is not merely entertainment; it is part of religious ceremony, oral history, mythology and cultural expression. Like the whirling ceremonies of the Mevlevi tradition at home, it carries a spiritual meaning, even though it has also become an essential part of tourist shows.
The meetings were built around the theme of ʻohana. ʻOhana means family, but not only family formed by blood. It also means living together, treating one another with love and respect, and looking after each other. It is a way of life and a great inheritance from communal culture.