Paniolo Pride

Ladies + Gentlemen, we celebrated the 36th Annual Waimea Paniolo Parade on Saturday, September 17th, 2011!!!!  Jeff was up + ready!  We drove 20 min inland + when we arrived in Waimea, I saw the crowds + tents + boy howdy did I start getting excited!!!!  I LOVE festivaaaaaaals!!!!!  Lobster Fest, Octoberfest, Scottish Fest, Swallow Day Fest….I could go on. It’s too bad my festival homie Debbie Im couldn’t be with us.  In spirit, Debbie!!!  In spirit!!!

 

Jeff found this Hawaiian western shirt couple days ago thrifting + wore a tiki bolo tie that he brought from his collection in Canada, just in case.  Who knew it would become useful on this trip?  Who knew?  Jeff knew.          

 

 

 

 

 

 

The parade begins!!!!!  I’m going to organize the photos by section because we took so darn many.  Hawaiian Royalty!!!!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check out the court announcer singing with his gelled Jonas Brothers hair.  And check out the kid in the red loincloth next to him giving serious stink eye!!!!  Hah!!!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

This guy is going to beat you down with a stick.  In ancient Hawaii it was kapu (forbidden) for those of lower class to look upon the chief or cast your shadow upon him.  The penalty is death.  I think this guy is regulating!!!  

 

 

 

 

 

These were my two favorite guys at the parade.  How cute is the french horn player???  

 

 

 

 

 

I picture this as my friends + I as we gracefully enter our sunset years.

 

 

 

Here come the paniolos!!! My heart was racing!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why sir, that is a very handsome moustache!  Y’all know I’m a sucker for a hearty moustache!!!

Here are a couple of hunky paniolo pics for you ladies:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lots + lots of adorable keiki (kids)!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Princesses!  Each one represented a Hawaiian island.  They would extend their hand from their mouths + softly say, “Aloha.”.  After each one passed by, without fail I’d say, “preeeeettyyy”, like Lennie from Of Mice and Men.        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The pink princess, I called the Nicki Minaj of Paniolo Princesses.  She was all about it!!!  Posing, waving, huge smiles!!!  Girl was like, “Haaaaay!!!!!”!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some other highlights from the parade.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My favorite outfit with the whitelace gloves + jaunty woven hat.  Sassy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s not forget the pooper scoopers!!!  Each one had a different theme!  Look!  The driver is receiving a kiss! Poop + romance!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The haole local ladies sitting in front of us did not appreciate this one!!!  Oh my, no they did not!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeff was obsessed with this kid because he had a drawn on moustache.  Ole!!!!

 

 

 

After the parade was over, we went to the Waimea Farmer’s Market where Jeff had a fresh, homemade bacon sandwich.  He pretty much was salivating over the lady making it + staring intensely at her (which I think freaked her out a bit), because we were staaaarved at that point.  I really think it was wild boar that they killed in the hills because apparently the island is over-run with them + it tasted really, really amazing + fresh.  I still think it was not enough food for a lumberjack, unfortunately as you’ll find out later in the post.

 

 

Sir, why so intense, sir???  Do you realize you’ve been on a tropical island on vacation, sir?  Hello, sir???

 

 

 

 

At least SOMEONE was enjoying themselves!!!  Sheesh!!! Island style, brah!!!  Chill, mon!!! Someone bring me a Mai Tai!

 

 

 

 

After Jeff had a little food in him, we wandered to the park for the Ho’olaule’a for food, hula + fun.  My recommendation to anyone going to the 37th annual Waimea Paniolo Parade is to skip this part.  Great people watching, don’t get me wrong.  But it was crowded as heck, the lines were insanely long for food + it is generally like herded cattle.  We waited for $7 kahlua pork, they forgot about us + when we reminded them, they said they ran out of rice + the amount of pork given to us was like a melon ball scooper’s worth.  Jeff was so irate but I felt bad for them because they seriously looked panic stricken + one of them was calling their auntie to bring mo’ rice. 

Look at all those darn people!  Moooo!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Princesses on their off time, hanging out in their jeans + drinking pop.  This one princess in tan was probably related to Andre the Giant + was like 2 times taller than her husband.  He + the baby were both wearing forest cammo tshirts.  Bad ass Waimea style, yo!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The good part is, there was a really crowded craft tent + Jeff bought a carved bone necklace by this old time artisan, Ika Vea who carved the pendant that Jeff chose + wove + braided the necklace while we hung out.  It’s a very special handcrafted piece of art that Jeff is really happy about. 

 

 

Here is Cranky Pants not so happy to be in a craft tent holding one of the gorgeous wood carvings Ika made that we now regret not bringing home with us.

 

 

 

 

Note to all ladies.  Don’t take your significant others to festivals unless they’ve been previously amply fed.  You’ll thank me later.

 

 

 

 

Sadly, I’m writing the ending to this blog post from Vancouver.  Not sad, because I love Vancouver (we arrived at 2am to Tom + Deb’s last night), but sad because I miss my tropical paradise + all of my turtle family.  I spent the entire last day in the backyard of our house at the beach.  I couldn’t bear to be near the computer + had to fully enjoy our most amazing last day of the honeymoon.  I will post more pictures of that last day tomorrow!!!!  Sniff, sniff.