Morning In Waikiki

Morning is a special time of day wherever you awaken, but gentle Waikiki mornings seem to have a distinct excitement and uniqueness about them every day. Perhaps it is those “first day of vacation” tingles pulsing through the trade winds. Or maybe it’s the poignancy of sunburned, baggage laden visitors yawning at the taxi stand, steeling themselves for the ordeal of returning to…. wherever else. It doesn’t matter where. Those of us in thrall to Waikiki wish them a sad Aloha, with a bit of a happy twinge (truth be told) that it’s not US (!) leaving the magic beach town; or not yet anyway!
Thoughtful Diamond Head shields us from the earlier dawn, letting us sleep in a bit, and Splash the harbor cat stirs in the pink basket of a little girl’s bicycle chained to the rack at the head of G – Dock. Little feline “Radar O’Reilly” will follow her hunger unerringly to a friendly early fisherman, McMuffin sharing tourist, or juicy trash can fish head. Then, satiated and casual, she will patrol the docks, keeping an eye on the Kolea and Java finches feeding on “her” bit of lawn. Then it’s time to snooze again, no doubt under the dark blue canvas of some neighbors covered boat, till it’s time to work for her dinner again, posing for vacation photos, and licking her paw in the afternoon sunlight. No one exactly “owns” Splash, but she has lots of friends, and lots of names, and is clearly too friendly and self possessed to be a feral wild child. She is simply part of the Ala Wai Harbor, part of our community.
Hard working Hilton, Ilikai, and Hawaii Prince workers fill almost every public parking space in the harbor on some days, like the morning tide rolling in, just as the hard working harbor residents leave for their jobs. And Stan the Man, who builds and maintains everything at the Hawaii Yacht Club walks his two miles from home, smoking like a narrow gauge Japanese locomotive, and saying funny-friendly things to everyone that matters as he passes.
Older (or younger!) couples whose very appearance screams: “Maine!” “Ohio!” “Stuttgart!” or “Beloit!” thoughtfully muse upon the tethered boats, and our alluring harbor bulletin boards where boats for sale, and crewing positions to Tahiti, are offered. Till the wife (usually it’s the wife) gets hungry for breakfast at the Harbor Pub and, clutching her discount coupon, drags her husband away from what “might have been” back to whirlwind vacation fun, Waikiki edition: the beach, the bar, the lunch, shopping at Ala Moana Shopping Center, the world’s largest open-air mall, and finally, the bus to the Lu`au. Very few akamai souls will take a customized, really local and personal tour with Papa Al, or get off the beaten path by themselves to experience the wonders of America’s oldest China Town, the royal Iolani Palace, or the historical and breathtaking Pali Lookout. You came this far; so check out the stark and beautiful Ka Iwi coastline, and the lush, tropical Windward Side of our island of O`ahu while you’re here!
Then there are the lucky and blessed folks who simply rest and rejuvenate in the healing sands of Waikiki, this ancient spa favored by the Chiefs, Chiefesses, Kings and Queens of this kingdom by the sea. Very few modern people, I think, fully relax long enough to truly benefit from our medicinal breezes, chanting waves, and rustling palms. But Waikiki waits patiently as always, full of tangible magic for the lucky one who lets everything loose just to listen to the warm, the song of birds, and the laughing voices of children from all over the world playing together. Yes, too few of us surrender to the Lomi Lomi of Waikiki’s healing Mana. Try. . . You’ll like!
Having fallen under that magical spell, a lucky, blessed few of us never leave, like Splash the harbor cat waking to another gentle Waikiki morning. What will there be to eat today? Who will I smile upon or talk with on my slow progress up the beach this afternoon?
I hope that I will awaken here in Waikiki as long as my boat, my mooring permit, my luck, and my body hold up. Each day here is unique in beauty. . . like all the others, just because it opens its petals here in magical Waikiki. So the white doves of Fort DeRussy, Splash the harbor cat, and me, we’ll hold a place for you under the palms, right in front of the Hula Mound.
Till then. . . I’ll be here. . . Walking in Waikiki. . .

Aloha!


You can check out my novel: “Aloha Where You Like Go?” at Isle bookstores and at Amazon.com. MAHALO!