The Hawai’i weather is awesome compared to New York City! There is no checking the forecast here — one simply leaves the house. It is a thing of beauty. And almost every day is a beach day, although for us ladies that can cut both ways!
So what do you get when you mashup Fifth Avenue or Rodeo Drive with a beautiful island beach? Seems you get Waikiki!
“Why would anyone want to perpetrate such a mashup?” is the logical follow-up question, and that is what I’ve often found myself asking since I arrived here a little over a month ago. Why did the developers think this commercialization of the beach was a good idea? Why is this area still dotted with construction cranes, when it seems so unsustainable? Is there no one planning long-term sustainable commercial/tourism development? Well, it makes digging for the hidden gems of real Waikiki character a bit tougher, but all the more enjoyable when discovered.
I guess this over-commercialization explains why some residents of the other islands are so fiercely protective of them. Stay tuned for my future forays to the islands…