Jul
4
The correct proximity to fireworks
Filed Under Sunrise on KGMB9
I live in Wild West Waikiki and my lanai commands an excellent view of the fireworks show Hilton Hawaiian Village throws every Friday night just for me.
For some reason, however, I wasn’t content with this, and one Friday night I decided to drive to the end of the marina parking lot and put the top down and REALLY commune with the fireworks, which are set off from there.
This was a really dumb idea. It was painfully noisy, I had to crane my neck to see the fireworks, which were above me, and hot pyrotechnic detritus rained on me. What was I thinking?
What’s more, I could have figured this out simply by consulting my own childhood memories.
I grew up in a suburb on the southern side of Baltimore, Md. It took half an hour to drive into downtown Baltimore back then, but more than an hour to drive to Washington, D.C. So the logical place for the family to go to for Fourth of July fireworks was Ft. McHenry, in the middle of Baltimore harbor, the fort whose star-spangled banner withstood a night of British bombardment in the War of 1812 while an attorney named Francis Scott Key stood on the British warship taking notes that rhymed.
One year we got a place right down by the water, but the fireworks barge came unmoored and floated toward the shore, sending the crowd fleeing. We were rained on that night, too. Another year we were late, and when the fireworks started we were a mile from the fort in the middle of a railroad switching yard. Dad stopped the car and we watched from there, an excellent vantage point because we could see everything and we could see it lighting the fort besides. Furthermore, when the show was over we hightailed it back to the highway, beating everyone else and missing the usual traffic jam.
Closer is not better. This year we’ll view the fireworks from Mariposa restaurant and then walk home. I figure walking will be faster than driving.
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Aloha Howard! We live on a sailboat next door to the Hilton Village. Ron usually runs up on deck to add his voice to the hoots and hollering that rings around the harbor and from the beach at the Hilton. I used to. I mostly stay down in the stateroom watching my Sci Fi shows. I have one night where I control the television remote and I’m not giving it up for even FIREWORKS! LOL!
Tonight we’ll have a ringside seat for the Magic Island show. We couldn’t go anywhere even if we wanted to. Folks just park their cars in the middle of the road and leave them so it’s a complete blockade despite the valiant attempts by the DLNR to have some control over the situation.
As usual, the explosions will echo off the Ilikai and the Prince along with the ring of car alarms. It’s pretty funny. Anyway, wanted to stop in and wish you and yours a wonderful and safe 4th.
Jen