Rainbows Over Waikiki

Last updated on June 10th, 2020

We get up early so we can be on the beach for sunrise, but it is cloudy, so we aren’t sure it will be very interesting today.Very slowly the sky brightens behind Diamond Head, illuminating the city sprawling along the shore.

Our plan is to walk to Diamond head, but I’m not sure how to get there. Besides, I can see that the same rain we got each morning at Dawn’s will also visit us here. Time to head back.

I grab a chai tea and we wait out the brief shower.

It only rains for a few moments and soon we are back on the beach. No one else seems to notice, but the rain has left behind a glorious rainbow!

We follow the shore until our way is blocked by a large residential tower. Still thinking we will find our way to Diamond Head, we skirt around the edge of a couple of these big condo developments and, quite unexpectedly, find ourselves in a tiny storybook neighborhood.

I have no idea how to reach Diamond Head from here and I can see there is more rain on the way – time to start back.

Today is the Martin Luther King, Jr holiday and a parade is scheduled for sometime this morning. Since the islands don’t have a substantial African American population, we’re not expecting a big turn-out, but the parks are now filling up with booths, stages, a children’s area, and games for older kids. A band is warming up somewhere out of sight. Around us a light crowd is moving toward the street where the parade is about to begin.

The parade starts off as a motley collection of individual units and marchers, but soon picks up steam, with bands and dance groups joining in. The parade is mostly an amalgamation of “lefty” groups (civil rights activists, but also environmentalists, labor unions, and Iraq protesters), but Ron Paul has a contingent participating, as do a few others representing the other side of the spectrum, so it isn’t all one-sided. (Not that an all lefty parade would have bothered me, mind you.)

Soon the parade becomes more organized, with larger groups and more bands and dancers. Looking up the street I can see that it stretches as far as I can see.

We dodge between units and run up to our room.

Ah yes, the view is much better from our lani!

A light rain begins to fall as the parade continues on. Music, cheers, and chants rise up toward us. At the same time, perhaps unbeknownst to those parading below, a gorgeous double rainbow touches Waikiki.


It feels like a blessing has been bestowed upon us.

2 thoughts on “Rainbows Over Waikiki”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.