SUMMER IS IN FULL SWING IN WAIKIKI

WOW - Waikiki is always a busy place but there are quieter times, quieter days, but this isn't one of them.  Yes, we were hit by the failing economy, probably not as hard as some places, but the impact was felt.  When I moved to Waikiki 6 years ago, the unemployment rate was 3.8%.  Now, it's closer to 8%, so things have changed.  But last year felt like things were picking up and this year, it's confirmed. Just walking down the street in the middle of the day, there are scores of people on the sidewalks.  It doesn't matter if it's a week day or weekend, it's crowded.  And the beaches........oy vey!  They are very busy.  Right up until the sun goes down people are floating about and surfers stay out until after dark.  The water is a nice 81 degrees so why get out even if the sun has gone down?  Tides are high in the summer and the surf in Waikiki is the largest it gets all year (2'-6' is common).  Our days are longest now with sunset coming at about 7:15pm and the average temperature is between 84 - 89 degrees.  The trade winds bring pleasant relief so you never really feel too hot.  If you want to experience Waikiki, I'd recommend coming after school starts to avoid the crowds and get some better deals.  But if summer is your only chance, go for it.  You won't lack for any activity, you won't need a jacket and you won't want to go home!

Questions from Canada, Answers from Hawaii

Aloha from Waikiki on a sunny Friday afternoon.
I have been neglectful of this blog for the last few weeks as we have been dealing with a family friend in crisis.  In fact, the person in crisis is a friend of my son's who has chosen to take up Meth as a new habit.  I have been wanting to write about the drug issues in Hawaii, in Waikiki specifically, because it is truly a sad commentary and a widespread problem.  It is readily available here, cheap, and a favorite of people that are working impossible hours to support themselves.  There are no two ways about it.  Hawaii is an expensive place to live.  Most food is barged or flown in, adding to the cost, and housing is exceptionally high as well.  It is very common for people to work two and even three jobs here.  Once they are working this hard, they are looking for ways to sustain their energy.  Sadly, meth becomes a cheap option.  Of course one cannot sustain themselves once addicted, but that doesn't seem to stop them from trying.  There are public service announcements here constantly that preach, "Not Even Once" and it couldn't be more true.  But my entry on drugs, in more detail, will have to wait another day.  Suffice it to say, there's no shortage here.

I received an email the other day, offering me suggestions for my blog and asking about other "goings ons" in Waikiki.  Ask and ye shall receive!  I appreciate the time and energy spent to inquire and will do my best to answer. As you can imagine, there are a lot of Canadian visitors here.  Hawaii is a fairly short flight and caters to "Snow Birds".  The letter I received was from Richard, of Calgary Canada, who wanted to know about a specific street performer, the beach widening completion, homeless people, the Kuhio sewer project, the International marketplace and the line at the UGG store.   Richard, this is for you............

1.  The man of silver who stands on Kalakaua Avenue every night is one of many street performers making his living off of donations and tips from tourists.  He literally sprays his face a metallic silver and wears clothes that are also sprayed with the same paint.  He stands amazingly still only moving to create a reaction.  I'm not certain if he has another job or not.  I do know that he's amazingly patient and even in the heat, doesn't flinch.
His costume changes from time to time but he's a loyal performer.

There's another man of gold that is often standing down the street.  He's an older guy from Europe.  One night we were walking down Kalakaua and saw him lying on the sidewalk, blood all around and surrounded by police.  Some crazy guy had come up to him and started beating him up for no apparent reason.  His arm was broken and there was a lot of blood.  We didn't see him again for about 8 months and always worried what had become of him.  When he finally returned to the street, we told him that we had seen him that night, even prayed for him.  He told us that his recovery was very long and painful.  He's about 65-70 years old and this is his full time "gig".  He also plays the piano which was seriously impacted by his attack.  The guy that attacked him was arrested but the gold man lost his livelihood for 8 months, not to mention the medical costs involved.  I guess all that glitters isn't always gold!

NOT UNCOMMON TO SEE IN WAIKIKI

THIS IS A VERY COMMON SIGHT

2.  The homeless people of Waikiki.  Again, this is something that I intend to do a more detailed blog entry about, but it is a serious and growing problem in Waikiki.  The state never passed sufficient laws to combat the problem, something that is highly incompetent.  Homelessness is a serious problem and many people live on the beaches at the West end of the island.  But the Waikiki homeless tend to be not only financially challenged but mentally challenged as well.  They will literally "live" on a particular bench or table surrounded by their suitcases and garbage bags and shopping carts.  Seriously?  Waikiki is the gem of the Hawaiian Islands and contributes to the financial well being of the entire state.  To let some of these people loiter is awful.  Many, many of them have open wounds from sepsis, something that his highly contagious, many are on drugs and many are plan old scary for tourists to encounter.  The problem is worsening, unfortunately.  There are shelters but shelters bring rules that many are not willing to abide by.  Each new candidate for Mayor swears that they have the solution but it's not getting better.  Again, more on this later, but all I can say that as a potential tourist, if you write the tourism board and the local newspapers and complain, if enough people do this, possibly you will be heard.  I encourage this whole heartedly!

3.  One block off the main street, Kalakaua, that runs thru Waikiki, is Kuhio Avenue.  Not as glamorous as Kalakaua, Kuhio is the only two way street that runs thru the city of Waikiki.  It is lined by businesses, hotels, bars, hotels and condo's.  Unfortunately, the sewer lines in Waikiki are very old (I'm thinking like over 40 years old) and in poor condition.  Instead of digging up and replacing the pipes, the city has opted for a less invasive procedure where the pipes are exposed and then resealed with a new liner that will recycle the existing pipes and save money for the city.  The problem is the smell.  The project is slated to last over a year and will move from the west end of Waikiki to the east end, more commonly called, "the zoo end".  Although the project was to have started already, I have seen no evidence of it yet.  The city is not mincing words, however, and say that there will be "smell issues" in the areas that are being worked on.  I can't wait!  Click here for more information.  Waikiki Sewer Project

4.  Can anything save the well known outdoor shopping area known as The International Market Place?  Unfortunately, probably not.  The Market Place has been around for years and can be seen in old Elvis movies and in new Hawaii 5-0 shows.  It runs between Kalakaua and Kuhio, features kiosks filled with Hawaiian trinkets, jewelry, a food court, a bar and even a farmers market on Thursday nights.  It is run down and in need of rejuvenation but the Queen Emma Trust that owns the land, has other ideas to make this huge piece of property in the heart of Waikiki more profitable.  Although nothing is likely to change in the next couple of years, plans are in the works for more hotels and updated shopping.  Here's a link to learn more about the marketplace:  International Market Place

5.  Are there still lines at the UGG Store?  Yup.  I have no idea why fur lined boots are so popular (and this coming from a long time Alaskan), but they are.  Especially with the Japanese tourists, the UGG items are in high demand.  I imagine that they are less expensive here than in Japan, but a line?  Really?

6.  YES, the beach project is done!  It took them forever to return the one pond area back to a "beach" after using it for their pumping site.  The water was icky and dirty for weeks after.  But it is finally looking like it's old self.  Unfortunately, the new sand is hard and packed from all the dump trucks.  It is also littered with small chunks of coral that feel horrible to step on.  Heavy sigh!  And then, it's all very gray as well.  This will improve in a few months as the sun bleaches the sand, but the coral is here to stay for a while.  There is, however, much more room in front of the Moana Surfrider Hotel and The Royal Hawaiian to spread out, so that objective was met.  I'll take some photos and add them down the road.

Please feel free to write me or follow me on twitter!  I love to share what I know about this place that I love and feel so grateful to live in...yes, despite the homeless and the noise and even the sewer project!

Oh, and thanks, Richard!