The Mysterious Market

...Continued from yesterday:
     On Friday morning some of our group went on a bike hike along the coast followed by a walking hike to the top of Diamond Head, pictured below,

...while others headed directly for the beach.

    Tom, Theresa, and I started our day at the Koko Cafe,

... which, along with the awesome dinner buffet, also offers an awesome breakfast buffet.

Omelette station,

​...and a friendly chef.

       I didn't try the coffee jello cubes, but I heard from those who did that they're great if you need a quick shot of caffeine.

     After breakfast Tom, Theresa and I walked down to the beach,

...to say hello to Claire and Miguel, who'd already staked a nice spot in the sand.

    Then we headed back to the hotel, taking a stroll through the botanical garden along the way.

    We next decided to walk into downtown Waikiki,

...to look for a street market tucked away off the beaten path that Tom and I happened upon during our last visit to Honolulu (see post from 4/24/2017, "Busing Around Honolulu, Day Two). But now neither of us could remember where it was.
     We'd asked about the market at the hotel desk but the clerk pointed out an image on a city street map that appeared to be a recessed mall of upscale stores called the International Market. This, we knew, was not our market. We also asked a tour guide we met on our way into town but he, too, directed us to the International Market.
      We decided to try and find the place on our own by walking around the streets,

...starting with the main commercial strip, Kalakaua Avenue,

...where we walked up the street,

...and down the street,

...but we had no luck.
     So we cut over to a parallel street, Kuhio Street, which we likewise wandered up and down,

...with no luck until we were accosted by two hippie-looking young women who were trying to sell us something, a guided tour, or a time-share, or a tie-dyed tee shirt, none of which we wanted. However Tom asked them about the street market and they knew exactly what we wanted and where to find it.
     "Dukes Alley," one of the young women told us, pointing out the way, "a really small street about a block away, off to your left."
       We followed the girl's instructions and sure enough, there was a tiny street sign that we'd passed and re-passed without noticing, as the alley ran perpendicular between Kuhio and Kalakaua Streets.
       The market was tucked so far back into the alley that I can't figure out how we found it in the first place.
          But there it was,

...in all its colorful glory,

...and we found some good deals there,

...on aloha shirts and dresses.

    To be continued...