MY WAKIKI MINI VACATION: Waikiki Beach and the Westin Moana Surfrider

Okay, I woke up after nine hours of deep sleep at the Sheraton.  Thought I'd walk over to Eggs 'n Things, as I always saw lines when I passed by and wondered what Japanese tourists saw about that place.  The restaurant has moved around and has been serving for 37 years.  Alas, the line was too long, so I thought I'd find a take out place (I had a beer and the remains of my Waikiki Sunset from last night), and walked all the way to Cheesecake Factory for a blue cheese, bacon, lettuce and tomato hamburger, with french fries:

Unfortunately, they must not even look to clean the lanai because under my seat was a pink used condom and a couple of cigarette butts.

Recovering from my disgust, I then decided to do something I've never done before:  walk from one end of Waikiki Beach to the other at the waterline.  Thus, I would be doubling my record, as I planned to walk back.  The beach essentially starts at the Sheraton:

The first point of interest was the Mai Tai Bar, where I had a drink two days ago:

Then the Moana Hotel at five minutes, where I will check-in a couple of hours from now:

I looked back, and saw all three hotels:  from the left, Sheraton, Royal Hawaiian and Moana:

The sand ends about a hundred yards from the Natatorium, which looks like it will be torn down soon.  It takes about half an hour to get here.  The sands are quite different from one patch to another.  The first two-thirds featured an easy walk with the sand slightly giving way with each step.  The final portion had coarser grains, and your foot sunk about an inch or two, making the walk strenuous.  After a short rest, I 

walked back.  The most interesting scene was a baby shark someone had caught.  Wait a minute, if there are babies, there must also be adults around.  

Finally, an hour and fifteen minutes into my walk, I'm back at the Sheraton:

After a soothing bath with a Hibiki Scotch on rocks, I checked out and went to the Westin Moana Hotel, the oldest hotel in Waikiki, opening in 1901.  Alas, my nice persistence did not work and I could not get a suite.  However, the person checking me in said she would give me her favorite room, somewhat cozy, but a corner room closest to the beach on the top floor of the historic building (the one that has been here since 1901) facing Diamond Head:  

I would say this location trumps both suites at the Royal Hawaiian and Sheraton.  Looking towards the Ewa direction, I can see both of those hotels:

Then the other direction was mystical:

I might add that the cozy term applied well, as the total square footage is probably less than the size of my bathroom at the Sheraton.

I was planning to have dinner at the steakhouse here, which is located on the first floor just below my room.  However, after being mesmerized by this view, I think I'll shop around to find just the perfect composition for my meal here for the sunset.  I still have that bottle of champagne from the Sheraton.  Where can I get some caviar?

Like Eggs 'n Things, I also noticed that there was always a long line for a relatively new noodle restaurant called Marukame on Kuhio Avenue.  Maybe a takeout from there might be worthwhile.  Unfortunately, the line was, again, long.  So I went to the Food Pantry for some caviar and foie gras.  No such things, so I settled for a chili on rice.  As the contents were lukewarm when I arrived back at my room, I had to use a hair dryer to warm it up a bit.

I took a closer look at the champagne and noticed it came from Madera, California.  I thought it was illegal to use this term in the U.S. if not from France.  Well, the chili was, in fact, actually pretty good.  My view at sunset:

From La Mer to Food Pantry Chili and California sparkling wine, with a screw cap.  They both had their unique charms and were equally memorable.

I went down for a free glass of Fetzer white at the Moana Courtyard, which hosted most of Hawaii Calls radio programs from 1935 to 1975, generally hosted by Webley Edwards.  Edwards was the first to announced the Attack on Pearl Harbor, was on the U.S.S. Missouri during surrender ceremony in 1945 and wrote the lyrics for "Pearly Shells."  I had a small acquaintance with him when he spent his final period at Maunalani Hospital, where Pearl worked.

I could hear the waves crash on Waikiki Beach as I went to sleep.  At 5:45AM, a couple of minutes after sunrise, there was no one on the beach in front of the hotel:

However, there were people already reserving their places:

Diamond Head looks so far away, but that is an optical illusion, as I felt I could reach out from my bed and touch the Lookout:

I went down for my free continental breakfast, and what a surprise:

Only at the Moana Hotel.

Well, three nights in Waikiki were relaxing, enjoyable and better than three Four Seasons nights on Lanai.  No airline flights, no taxicabs...and no FLIES!  However, the internet was really slow, especially at the Moana.

Yet, after dinner last night, I just had to have a boffo finish, so I decided to go back to Marukame Udon for a take out.  I got there, the line had already formed, but the door had not opened yet.  It took 15 minutes, but I finally got through:

My best lunch of this mini-vacation:

That's an ume musubi in black, with a Steinlager beer and J. Roget's California Champagne.  Frankly, I'm not a fan of udon, which is the only noodle served at Marukane.  It is five times the cross-sectional area of a typical spaghetti, and chewy.  Yet the soup was good and entire experience  heavenly.  A $10 lunch, with beer and champagne, plus a million dollar view.  A GREAT WAIKIKI MINI-VACATION!

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