oahu 0902-05
september 13, 2002
another unrestful evening leads me to wake up at pre-dawn hours in hawaii. but at the least it gave me a chance to really capture the morning light as it breaks behind diamond head. those lights that line the bottom rim of the mountain do eventually turn off with one big sweep and then everything is black. the lights you see near the bottom of the photo are from the lights surrounding the pool area.
another gratuitous pre-dawn photo. there are definitely perks to waking up early. *yawn*
perhaps it was the need for some "me" time and to hear myself think but while the rest of the people slept, i sneaked out and went for a morning walk around 6am. it's amazing how quiet and peaceful it is there when the rest of the city is still asleep or getting ready for work. but that doesn't mean there weren't joggers and walkers out and about taking in the coolness of the morning air before the blazing sun begins to beat down on them. the best thing i did was to take my camera with me on this morning walk. and the worst thing i did was not leaving a note for anyone telling them of where i was going. :x shhhhhhh.
i really like the photo above because it's rare to see the umbrellas and lounge chairs of the royal hawaiian hotel empty. but look at how ready they are for the day ahead with towels ready and waiting for each guest and it was only 6am! the sheraton waikiki hotel is in the background and i took the route walking through the sand first before heading out onto kalakaua towards diamond head.
even duke was quiet at this hour of the day.
there was this little jetty in which you can walk out onto and to catch views of folks surfing nearby. i used it as a photo op for taking pics from the ocean inward. it looks like i was actually standing in the ocean huh? i actually wanted to score a seat at the end of the jetty to watch the surfers ride narrowingly close to the rocks but it was pretty full even at that hour of the morning. of course it didn't help that this security guard lady was kicking trash leftover by everyone else into this heap near my foot while her cigarette dangled dangerously close to me.
if you've ever been to or seen the sheraton moana surfrider, you'd know that there's these white rocking chairs out front near the circular driveway. however there are usually a ton of folks on there enjoying the tradewinds while watching life go by in waikiki. i think this was my only chance to capture this row of chairs unoccupied for once. of course my active imagination was trying to have me think that these chairs may very possibly rock on its own. =:o yeah, i'm crazy like that.
more shots from the sheraton moana surfrider. above is the chandelier inside the main foyer with an amazing but partially cut off ikebana arrangement. and below is the giant banyan tree in their courtyard. one thing i really wanted to try but didn't was their afternoon tea at the banyan veranda restaurant. perhaps i'm one of those girls influenced by scenes of afternoon teas in hong kong at reputable hotels, but the idea of scones, finger sandwiches and drinks in the afternoon somehow appeals to me. however at this place, they charged a flat rate of $20.00 per head for afternoon tea and even that, my friends is too steep for afternoon tea for me.
