Cafeteria trays, surfer boys, and the Waikiki pier September 3, 2008

My local “buddy” Alec

Riding the boards into the pier

Alec breaker walking

 

So todays adventures included some more adventures at Waikiki and the beginning of the never ending reading pile for my HPU grad classes.  I decided that my favorite place, the Waikiki Pier, would be a great place to “study”.  I soon discovered I got more done on the bus ride then at the pier, but it was worth it. 

The pier was filled with a combination of locals and tourists like normal, but today, although I was a perceived haole, I was no longer a tourist to some of the local boys.  That was a welcome change, I guess a few are recognizing me now!  So I spent some time taking some more pictures of the surfer boys and enjoyed the massive wave splashes that come from the water hitting the pier.  I’ll have to try and get a few pics of that event as well as some of the locals pier diving.  It is insane to watch…maybe I’ll have to do video, because they are very inventive on their jumps, from flips, to cannonballs, to some odd belly flop techniques…and more.  I discovered today that some of the locals like to play tricks on the tourists by making “seal” sounds by putting their mouth to the water somehow.  It’s funny to watch,l because you have all these tourists looking around for a seal…and yes I fell for it…ONCE! 

I spent that day talking to a surfer dude named Alec,  he’s about 25 and has lived here all his life.  He is definately known, baecause gramps was there today and was yelling at him for picking on the tourists with the seal calls.  It was funny.  He spent a good portion of the day trying to ride waves in towards the pier and jumping up and grabbing the rim of the pier…it was funny to watch, because one he never succeeded, and two because he scared the wits out of a couple of Japanese tourists!  His buddies were given him flack for talking to me, a haole, but ti was okay…they weren’t too serious.  And before everyone gets their pants in a bunch…no I am not dating him!

So I discovered a new and fascintaing use for cafeteria trays today!  So everyone knows (well at least UD students know) that stealing cafeteria trays for sledding is one fun thing to do with them, but how about boogy-boarding on a tray…it was fun to watch.  I didn’t think it would work because the guy was so big compared to the tray but apperently it works, but you must have flippers too (according to Alec). 

So after a long bus ride home with a stop off at the ever present Safeway grocery store, I am home, cooling down and red beyond belief…and yes I did use lotion!

Enjoy the pics above!

 

PS:  I have hit over 500 views on my blog..thanks and keep coming by!

Waikiki, waves, and lobster skin August 31, 2008

 

Surfer dude 1

Boogy boarder

Surfer Dude 2

 

So my time at Waikiki left me looking like a lobster, but it’s not hurting so Im ok!   I have begun to wonder about some people here in Hawaii.  Everywhere I go, I see people talking and gesturing to themselves as they walk down the street..or better yet as they are sitting by you on the bus!  I think some people are getting a little too much sun!

So I sepent the better portion of my day at Waikiki taking pictures of the boogy-boarders and surfers as they waited on waves.  I’ve included some pics for everyone today, enjoy.

Also, as per the Haole post yesterday…I wasn’t directly called a haole to my face but indirectly when some local was referencing me.  I don’t care…I was also called a tourist!  Maybe I am in a way because I definately don’t plan on living here beyond grad school!  None of it matters really, because I really enjoy that pier and will be there weekly if I have my way, so they better get use to it! 

Now here’s a question: What’s black, and white and red all over? 

Anser: Me at my sisters wedding!   Jess I may need to get someone to do my makeup too…in order to blend all the red properly!  Wanna make appts at Macys or Elder Beermans or something?  Let me know! 

Later!

Pier Diving, wipeout and those locals August 30, 2008

Waikiki Beach with Diamondhead taken from the Pier

Wipeout!

Waiting on a Wave

 

So my daily adventure included grocery shopping (which is a several time a week outing) and an excursion to Waikiki Beach.  Several of you have been wondering if I’ve tanned or better yet burnt yet…and to let you all know…Prior to today I was “tanning” but now I am red (mainly due to the fact that I’m an idiot and forgot sunscreen at the house).   But everyone should be glad to know that I may be red, but I’m not burnt…at least not in pain yet!

So todays adventures at Waikiki consisted of some lite reading(I didn’t get too far with my book) and my favorite hobby, photography.  I discovered a pier at Waikiki which all the locals used as a jumping point to access waves for boogy-boarding and surfing.  I love how the county tried to keep people from jumping or diving off the pier…what do they do…they post signs, and then station no one around!  Like that will stop people!  There were some tourists hanging around the pier watching the water logged locals trying to catch waves.  I must have sat there long enough because I got to talking to a few locals, including one, as the locals call him “gramps”.  He’s definately an older guy who loves the water as much as the young.  Every where you look you see all these young locals running around being all offensive to the haoles (which would i guess include me), but when it comes to their elders I’ve never seen such transformation to show respect.  Interesting…maybe I’ll do a whole study of this during my free time…

By the way a Haole is a somewhat offensive term used to indicate non-locals from locals.  Its pronounced “How-lee”.  And I have been called one, today in fact, but thats another story that I will tell tomorrow. 

Today’s pics include Waikiki Beach with a view of Diamondhead, a boogy-boarder wiping out, and the many locals waiting for those waves!

Enjoy, Later!