Detour: Oahu

Monday, Nov 1

The hubby and I left early this morning for the flight to Maui. We always stop/change planes in Honolulu but this year we decided we’d stay for a few days and check it out. It had been a good 20 years since either one of us had been here.

Rain clouds covered the island and landing was a bit scary. I know the pilot has instruments and can land blindfolded but I did not like it. By the time we collected our luggage and left the airport, the skies cleared and the sun shone… it’s just what we’re used to.

First off the traffic is … HORRIBLE! We arrived at noon, island time, and bumper to bumper on the freeway that was worthy of San Francisco Bay Area traffic. Going toward the shore, near Waikiki, wasn’t much better. Honolulu is a real city now. Gone are the days of Jack Lord’s Hawaii Five-O . . . welcome Alex O’Loughlin’s 2010 Steve McGarrett.

On a side note-what I really enjoy about the new series is the plugs for Only in Hawaii things: masaladas, Blue Hawaiians, and the Pidgin English sprinkled throughout the show. I feel very proud to have provided my own “island feel” in my 2007 Honeymoon Husband. And I’m very glad they kept the phrase, “Book’em, Danno.”

We checked into the hotel and within the hour we were out exploring. We want to rent a car and drive around the island tomorrow. We walked over a couple blocks to the Enterprise Rental and booked us a car for the day.

Next we headed makai, toward Kalakaua Ave. I froze when I saw this:

It’s a city. Much larger, busier than I remembered but … wow. I wouldn’t deny anyone comforts the rest of the US has but Hermes, Ralph Lauren, Burberry, and Gucci are places I don’t frequent at home, why would I here?

Hubby wanted to check out the Sheraton Waikiki, the hotel that he and his family stayed at when he was in grade school. I reminded him that it might not look familiar… they may have done a little renovation during that time.

You’ll notice the little pink building on the lower right-hand side. That’s the Royal Hawaiian. At one time it was THE hotel on the Waikiki strip. It’s sad to see it dwarfed by the high-rises.

We planned to walk through the Royal Hawaiian because neither one of us had had the pleasure. Even compared to the newer, shinier hotels it’s a beauty. Here’s the famous view from the ocean.

We moved through the lobby toward the beach and this is what I saw when turning to the left. This picture cannot capture how awesome this sight was/is.

After staring for several minutes we moved toward the Sheraton. It had a huge pool with a waterside that hubby says he would have remembered if it were there. It had an infinity koi pond that wasn’t there because his brother would have thrown Necco wafers into it.

There was an awesome infinity pool called The Edge that people floated in above us as we walked along the paved path connecting the hotels which soon ended and we discovered we were cut off from the patio bar.

We backtracked and found our way into Rum Fire. We sat inside so we could watch the SF Giants playing the Texas Rangers AND see Diamond Head ! (the flat screen tv on the upper left, just inside the window with this view, is missing from this picture)

We ordered drinks, Mai Tai for him and a Chi Chi for me, and a Puupuu Sample platter. Small beef bbq ribs, finger-sized chicken egg rolls, and a fish taco.

It might have been a long time since I had a chi-chi but I think that might have been the best one I’ve ever had. The pineapple, which I have a weakness for, was sweet and juicy. I wanted to order the Fruit Platter. “Fruit” as in pineapple and “platter” as in a stack of them!

Well… there is a Dole Plantation on the island and we might just be driving past it tomorrow.