In Search Of A Suitcase, Part 2

...Continued from previous post:
       The following day, Wednesday, April 1, our first full day in Honolulu, Tom and I started off the morning, as we start off every morning at the Hale Koa, with breakfast at Koko's,

...the hotel breakfast eatery,

...with a beach view,

...a patio,

...and the most splendid breakfast buffet.

Omelette station

     Waffle station

...with all the fixings

      After breakfast my mate and I set out on a search for the Hawaiian suitcase of my dreams (see previous post) and  a copy of the New York Times for Tom. Our first destination to this end was the Ala Moana Center, the largest open-air shopping center in the world, which is located about a mile from the Hale Koa.
       We decided to walk the mile by way of Waikiki Beach.

     This route took us past the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel, which is located on the next beach over from Fort DeRussy.

        We then continued down Ala Moana Boulevard, which is the main thoroughfare between Waikiki and downtown Honolulu, and also the way to the Ala Moana Center.

        Our first stop after we reached the Ala Moana was Barnes and Noble, where Tom was able to find a copy of the previous day's New York Times, since the paper always reaches the island a day late.

     From there we made our way up to the third level,

...which offers a panoramic view of downtown Waikiki,

...and a Target.

      I looked in the luggage section, but the suitcases there were of the conventional solid-color variety. To get a Hawaiian suitcase, I knew I'd have to hit the ABC Stores.
​      The ABC Stores are a Honolulu-based convenience chain that sells sundries, souvenirs, Hawaiian clothes, snacks, necessities, ​

...lunch, 

...dinner,

...and just about anything else one might find oneself in need of, including a colorful Hawaiian-themed suitcase.

       In Waikiki one cannot walk far without coming to an ABC Store,

​...and so it's said that ABC stands for "All Blocks Covered." This is accurate.
        In the Ala Moana Center there are at two ABC Stores.

       Both carried suitcases, but neither had the suitcase of my dreams.

        At that point we decided to take a lunch break at the Makai Market,

...which is the Ala Moana food court where, we learned years ago, the local folks like to come to eat. And so do we.

​        After lunch we decided to head back to Waikiki. 

​…once again cutting through the Hilton Hawaiian Village,

…on our way to the Hale Koa, where some of our fellow lodgers appeared to be enjoying some lobby time. 

​    That evening, after splitting an order of Hulihuli half chicken at Happy's

...we walked down to the beach,

...to watch the sunset.

        We then walked along the beach into downtown Waikiki.

      And, what the heck, as long as we were in town, what was the harm in popping into every ABC Store along the way to look at the suitcases?

       And so it went for the rest of our trip: No need to go out of anyone's way, but as long as we happened to be passing an ABC store, or a Target,

...or a Ross Dress for Less,

...or the Post Exchange,

...what, really, was the harm in just popping in and having a quick look at the suitcases?
      The number of Hawaiian suitcases I looked at was legion.

      And so it went until finally, after ten days of cogitating over designs on suitcases, I finally decided, on April 10, after much back and forth among a few close contenders, on this one I saw at the Ross Dress for Less at the Ala Moana Center:

     It had the turtles and the flowers, and if I couldn't have the red, I found that the blue also called to me.
​       And, ultimately, it did indeed turn out to be a snap to find on the baggage carousel.

     To be continued...