Wednesday in Waikiki

                I walked west of the Hilton Hawaiian Village today along Ala Moana Boulevard and over to the convention center and the Ala Wai Promenade where several derelicts hang out.  An ambulance and two cars of police were helping some smelly old derelict.   I walked a stretch of Kalakaua Avenue and then into Fort Derussy.  

I went into the Army Museum.   It has been over 25 years since I was in there, and most of the exhibits are the same.  They have added a room to honor Hawaii’s native son, General Shinsheki.   However, there is no mention that he was recently fired as being the director of the Veterans’ Administration.  

I then went to the waterfall pool outside my Grand Waikikian Tower.   I couldn’t even find a lounge chair to rest on.   The place was packed with families.  The kids love the tunnels, and the adults love to hang out under the waterfall.

I walked over to the Hale Koa.   They have taken away the Thanksgiving decorations this morning, and have put up Christmas Trees – one for each military service.  They are putting up more decorations for Christmas.  Geez!  You would think they would at least wait until the day after Thanksgiving before taking away the Turkey Day decorations.  

I bought a little tuna salad picnic lunch kit at the PX and had a nice lunch at a picnic table on the grass while watching all the tourists walking along the beach.   It was good to be in the shade in this 80 degree weather.  

I walked back past the Hilton Hawaiian Village to the yacht basin west of the Hilton.  There are some strange looking boats there.   Some people there must live on their boats.  At least I could smoke a cigar there and watch some Asians who were paddling their polynesian style canoe boats.   There is also the booth where you get on the para-sail boat for those going out to try parasailing which looked like fun.  I remember years ago that some Japanese girl paniced while parasailing and unhooked her harness and plunged to her death.   I love these gruesome memories!

After watching some Fox News in my room (I see nothing is happening in the world expect for angry blacks in Ferguson, MO), I headed out for the evening stroll as the sun set and the cooler weather came in.  I roamed around Fort Derussy and smoked a cigar.  This is an oasis for smokers in the midst of this non-smoking island.

I went into the gift and snack shop that is in the lobby of this Hilton.  Damn, they are expensive.   The bottle of Pinot Noir that I bought at the PX for $8 costs $32 at this Hilton.   I looked at other booze prices which are outrageous.   The only good deal I found was a bag of Vanilla Macadamia Kona Coffee on sale for $5 instead of $9.    That is even better than the PX price so this coffee must be getting old.   At least I will have coffee in the morning since I don’t get maid service here in this vacation club condo.   The PX has some very nice $90 Hawaiian shirts on sale for $45.   They have a lot of nice nik nak souveneirs.  I don’t think the big Wyland whale paintings will fit in my luggage however, so it’s good that I already have one.

I’m watching Charlie Brown’s Thanksgiving special on my TV.   How come there is no Charlie Brown in Hawaii Thanksgiving cartoon?

I wonder how I should spend tomorrow.   My rental car has not been used for the last couple of days which seems to be a waste.  I don’t think I will go to the $69 Thanksgiving Buffet here at the Hilton.   The Hale Koa is advertising $49 Thanksgiving Buffet.  They both sound overpriced.    Should I invite one of these smelly old homeless woman sleeping on the grass and take her to Thanksgiving dinner?   I should find the nearest homeless shelter and join them for dinner.  

I’m having a lopvely dinner Sopressata meat slices and Picante Provolone Cheese slices on crackers with my beer and wine.    The chocolate-covereded Macadamia Nuts are an excellent finish.   I’m not sure what Sopressata meat is made from, and I hope it is not dead Hawaiians or Asians.    It could be Solyent Green, but it tastes good and fattening.   It’s mmade by Boar’s Head, so I might be eating the head of a boar.   I feel like a native Hawaiian.  I just need some poi to be a true Hawiian.

The Hale Koa sent an email thanking me already for staying with them and offering a 7^th night free if I book 6 nights between October and December next year.   Wow, they want you to plan far ahead.    I should do it since you can’t beat the prices at that military resort that even allows smoking.   I still need to buy a couple of the cigars out of the humidor behind their check out counter at their PX.   I’m still waiting for some prude to tell me that I can’t smoke on the grass so I can tell them to drop dead on this federal property that supersedes the lousy state laws outlawing smoking.   I found a dark area of the Hale Koa where I smoke.   I almost had a heart attack while walked around that very dark yard and stepped on something that moved.   I thought I had stepped on a python or alligator until I saw it was a bull frog.   I think we both wet ourselves. 

               

I will be thankful this Thanksgiving that there is this Hale Koa Military Resort next door with great prices and no taxes in the PX.   The ladies there keep asking me to sign up for their credit card and get 10% off all purchases and my stay at their resort.   I keep telling them no.  I wouldn’t much use of that card back on the mainland.

I should drive somewhere tomorrow.   I wonder if Pearl Harbor Memorial is open, but I forgot to bring my senior citizen pass.   The valet service here is unique.   You put your valet ticket under a scanner at the unmanned valet station in the lobby, and then they bring your car around.  I need to check that out.    You also print your airplane bording pass using a big touch screen board at the valet station.   I will use that tomorrow night to print my boarding pass for Friday’s flight to SFO.  

Time for another cigar in the dark of night.