Waikiki Beach: Go Play

Waikiki Beach is a long sandy playground with lapping waves.  Go there.  Have fun.  People who will not have fun in Waikiki are desert rats who hate water and families.  That's probably it.  Of course, I don't really want to know who won't enjoy Waikiki.  I am only really interested - deep down - in swimming, diving, floating, splashing, snorkeling, paddling, and standing in warm ocean water.  I am interested in having sand to walk on with warm salt water swishing around my legs.  I want to see kids playing for hours in lapping little waves, building castles, canals, lumps and sandy blobs in the sand.  And I want to see old people strolling along or sitting together on towels, looking at the young people and remembering how it was when they were young in warm water together.  That's Waikiki.  It's pleasant and invites playful relaxation in a hundred different ways.

Of course, you can shop yourself into oblivion along Kalakaua Avenue, or you can jog or boogie board or surf or sail or canoe or sit at a bar and drink.  But, the real fun is directly connected to the ocean, the aqua blue rolling and swaying water that is shallow so far out into the distance that a tall person really doesn't have to swim for quite some way.

The air now in December is about 75 degrees and the water is about 76 or so, a little chilly at first, but easy to get used to.

Waikiki demands that you make big decisions about this:  Should I get into the water here, or would over there be better? When is sunset going to happen?  The problem is not if you will get in but when.  Locals get in very early at the little jetty pier and boogie board as soon as it's light out, stay in for an hour and then get out, rush home and get ready for work.  Or, they skip work and stay out longer or go surfing further out at one of the different breaks.

This morning we got up at about 7 a.m. and decided we'd better make the most of it and soak up tropical beauty while we still could.  I put on my suit, beach clothes, grabbed my beach bag and started walking.  Not sure where, but outdoors and close to the water was our goal.  Joggers, walkers, strollers, kids, and other moving humans were all out already, just like they are every day on Waikiki early in the day.  The beach has a magnetism, and people of all kinds just simply go there and look at it.  Just like us.

We walked north and revisited everything we'd seen the week before, except now there were more Christmas decorations splashed around here and there, none more tasteful looking than at the Moana Surfrider Hotel.  Its four fluted columns - Greek style - were wound with garlands and a huge silk-flower wreath including poinsettias and hibiscus adorned the front.

Duke's buffet breakfast is the best choice for breakfast along Kalakaua Avenue.  It's currently $14.95 for all-you-can-eat ample buffet including made-to-order omelets.  I chose sticky rice, papaya, lots of fresh pineapple, passion fruit-guava juice, Portuguese sausage and a few other items.  It doesn't take long before you see the sense in eating meals island style including frequent servings of sticky rice and fresh fruit.  We requested a table as close to the beach as possible.  Being there early helped a lot.  Dukes fills up fast due to the attentive friendly service and good prices for their tasty food.  We bought a handsome blue baseball cap afterwards.  

I couldn't stop admiring the ocean waves, the surfers, and the outrigger canoe rides going on.  The waves were nice at the outer break, about 3-4 feet.  A few drifty little rain showers wafted around on the morning trade winds ("the trades"), back lit prettily by sunlight.  A rainbow or two sprang into view and quickly disappeared.  The soft sound of surf swishing on the sandy beach and similarly swishing palm fronds was like a balm.  Don't take medication; go to a beach in Hawaii.  

After breakfast, we took our bag and walked along the firm wet sand until we found a nice sloping spot to continue watching everyone playing.  A young guy and his little daughter who was wearing a bikini walked into the water's edge, got on a paddle board and off they went together.  She must have been about four and already a little water bug.

I sat for about a minute and couldn't stand it anymore.  I had to get back in the ocean.  It was cool and refreshing, and rocking waves rolled constantly from beyond the reef half a mile out to lap languidly at the beach.  I doodled around in the water for as long as I had time for and then got out, but hated to.

Oh no!  Reality faced me; the final deadline to actually leave.  Ugh, it was so hard.  The trip had been so varied, so full of discovery balanced with beauty and peaceful relaxation.  I am realizing I didn't watch TV for two weeks and never missed it.  I didn't listen to anything but Hawaiian slack-key music with rare exceptions, and I - honest to God - did not hear any foul language for two weeks.

As we ascended up and away from Honolulu, the island gradually disappeared beyond clouds as if it had all been a dream, gone from sight but not from memory, ever.  Later in the flight, I lifted the window cover for a look outside and was met with a remarkable sight.  The ocean was far below an infinite number of small cumulus clouds edged in gold and at the horizon, the line between the clouds and the dark blue sky was one long rainbow streak.  It was as if all the rainbows in the islands gathered themselves like a sash and formed a band to guide us back home to the mainland.  How could I be sad about that?