Waikiki Observations

This week I went to Honolulu to explore a potential business opportunity. I stayed in the Waikiki area. While I had been to Waikiki a few times before, I had never really spent too much time there altogether. Early in my career I did a lot of consulting for Qantas in Australia and would stop at Waikiki for a on the way home for quick mini-vacations. Following are some quick snapshots of observations that I had...

• Their version of 7-11 is called "ABC". In Waikiki, these stores appeared on about every two blocks.
  
• ABC sold everything from gifts to tourists, aloha shirts, typical 7-11 type stuff and a lot of Japanese oriented treats (ex: bento boxes)
  
• Every other business is named Aloha something or other. Ok, I exaggerate - but only slightly...
  
• Honolulu is very much of a purely mixed Japanese and American culture. I as impressed how integrated and seamless to both cultures it appeared. For example, I went to a Japanese noodle house for lunch one day. In Japan, this can be slightly intimidating as nobody speaks English and the ordering process can be tricky to a newcomer. In Waikiki, though I was the only American there, the waitresses spoke English and ordering was just like in America even though I was seated next to the typical Japanese businessmen I had been used to seeing in Japan. The saba (salted Mackerel) I had was amazing! Like I remembered it was in Tokyo.
  
• Everybody wears Aloha / Hawaiian shirts. Tourists and businessmen alike. All that was missing were the lei's.
  
• I bought an Aloha shirt (from ABC store, of course!)
  
• Waikiki is very touristy (obviously) but I was also surprised at how many locals lived and worked there.
  
• Apartments are listed as either "furnished" or "partly furnished". Partly furnished means they come with appliances like a refrigerator and stove. Many apartments are furnished because many mainlanders maintain vacation apartments there.
  
• I found the service people very friendly and willing to talk about their experiences living in Honolulu.
  
• Roy's was excellent!