PARROTS IN PARADISE
A Parrots’ Paradise Overlooking a Busy Street in Honolulu
Yesterday before dusk as I was looking at the street across from my friend’s apartment, I saw a stunning vista. Hundreds of brilliantly bright green parrots were enveloping at least twenty spacious banyan trees. At first, the birds didn’t land on any branches; they just teasingly swirled and twirled, curled and cavorted around the width of the trees, from top to bottom. Some of them even dive-bombed and, at the last second, fluttered away towards adjacent lush foliage. Although none of the parrots were in sync, they had a predetermined plan. After about fifteen minutes of acrobatic arabesques, they all nestled into different canopied areas of the banyan trees, presumably for the night.
What a spectacular ritual that is just one of the kaleidoscopic life-enhancing distractions from the hub-bub of the city: iconic trade winds invigorate me, resplendent rainbows briefly enveloped in mist stir my soul, sprightly roosters followed by hens and endearing baby chicks occasionally keep me company on my daily walk; and next to my condo, pure-white pigeons sometimes nuzzle against each other. Unexpected delights abound in Hawaii. What’s not to like? What’s not to love?