Beach Party

The lodge hosted a free pancake breakfast on Saturday morning - and we were the first ones there, lol. The kids could not sleep. After eating, we took the kids canoeing with grandma and grandpa. We also went down to Tulabi Falls, a great little spot with some rapids and a small waterfall that the kids thought was amazing:)

A new biography takes yet another peek into the tortured inter-workings of Wilson chronicling as the title puts it, “The Rise, Fall & Redemption of the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson.” Perhaps author Peter Carlin feels that he can do some more summing up after Wilson’s successful 2004 release of his previously shelved record of the late sixties, “Smile.”

I saw the immortals overlooking the volleyball court on our recent visit to the Kona side of the island, and felt an affinity. The Waikoloa Hilton is like that. It’s a massive resort complex, complete with its own trams and boat shuttles, littered with art both ridiculous and sublime, much of it Asian in origin or theme. The odd juxtaposition of beach party atmosphere and cultural decor which triggered my professional interest was mitigated only by the fact that our four-year-old still won’t slow down much for art. It all seemed like such a metaphor for Asianists in the American academy…

That’s enough of senseless-philosophy, let’s get back to the movie. So, the movie is about a Child Beauty Pageant, yes, you read it right. WTF is what I first thought, but it is no fuck, it is real. Take a look here - if you didn’t scream in horror after looking that, then you can be sure that your soul is safely resting with the devil. Something like a fancy-dress competition with kids is cool, but something like a two-piece bikini competition with kids? In the movie, the only thing that came to my mind when I saw the 7 year-old girls with 32-teeth-fake-smiles, tons of cosmetics, and in swimsuits, was this. If you think I’m exaggerating, read the comments here (you’ll probably need registration).

At the show opening, the class differences between the tribes are emphasized. The inhabitants of Tiger Island are working class, haven’t been to university and have left behind “trade” labor jobs like plumbing and construction. On Shark Island, the tribe members are all university educated. When they first arrive at their island, Tiger quickly gets to work at putting together shelter while the Shark tribe discusses construction of their shelter, trying to agree on how they’ll divide the tasks before they begin work. They never get far in the project, as they quickly get into a routine of giving up when it gets too hot and sunbathing for the rest of the day. At this point, it could feel like Survivor but the first new arrival finds the good things about the Sharks’ lifestyle (they don’t really have to worry about food or grooming, it seems, since we see them with tinned foods and disposable razors).

Despite its development, the area of Aghia Marina has maintained those characteristics that allowed it to become such a popular destination in the first place. It has all the necessary modern infrastructure along with a wide spectrum of activities that range from shopping and night life to water sports and excursions. Surely it is no coincidence that every year Aghia Marina welcomes thousands of visitors, many of which not for the first time.

This weekend Mito had its big festival. Its kinda equivalent to the State fair but instead of seeing people dressed like white trash, you see people dressed in kimonos. We will post some pictures, so be sure to check it out. It came at the perfect time because the Waughs were here visiting. They couldn’t have come on a better weekend. The streets were decorated with red lanterns and streamers, all the japanese wore kimonos, and there was always some kind of activity going. It was amazing!! When you close your eyes and picture Japan, this is what you would picture. It started out Friday night with an hour and half long fireworks show. Then on Saturday, they had a parade and a “dance” parade. There were too many groups to count and I be there were at least 100 people in each group. Each group was dressed differently, there were several groups dressed in different styles of kimonos, a hawaiin group, a group of old men and women dressed in bubble gum pink, a bikini group, and yes, even an elvis group. It definitley was a sight to see.

Kitesurfing is a smorgasbord of wind and water sports, combining elements of parasailing, surfing, wakeboarding, windsurfing, and halfpipe skateboarding, among others, to create an extreme sport so visually astonishing that it almost makes Jesus’ walking on water look mundane.

Instead of becoming a member of a community with an opportunity to introduce other young people my age to social nudism, I continued to visit Palm Springs a few times a year until I discovered another lost treasure; the nude beach near Abalone Cove in Ranch Palos Verdes.

First was the University of Hawaii, but I quickly abandoned that idea because I thought that there would be too many people searching for a beach party. I imagined myself at the University of Alaska in Anchorage, but their programs of study were limited. Then I Googled “American Universities Oversees.” I thought it would be worthwhile to study psychology in Japan, or Beirut, even London. Anything sounds better than another two years in Gloucester City.

How will they enforce it? Are they going to have male officers walking up to female topless beach-goers handing out citations? You can imagine the things these men will be called and the lawsuits that will be filed because a male officer ticketed a topless woman.