"So, this is Okinawa" I hear this about ten times a day and I laugh every time. John has been an amazing host and has taken me on some adventures on this small island. Wednesday I did my normal library in the morning and beach in the afternoon. The weather was perfect in the afternoon and once the tide was high enough I put down my book and went for a swim. I got to snorkel without being thrown about and got to enjoy actually seeing what was around me with the water being a lot clearer than the last few days. I had just gotten done with my swim and was eating my favorite after snorkel snack, Nutter Butter Cookies, when I got surprised by a very handsome soldier who got off work a little early. I'm glad he was able to find me on the beach because I had found a secluded spot to myself and was enjoying soaking up the sun. |
After changing into some dry clothes, my wonderful host took me to the castle up the hill, Zakimi Castle. This castle was very different from the castle in Nagoya. It was mainly just the castle walls and some ruins, but we were able to take some stairs up to the top of the wall and walk along part of it. It gave an absolutely beautiful view of Okinawa. From on top of the castle on the hill we could see the river and the ocean, and even part of Naha City. We were not alone at the castle of ruins, we were welcomed by the largest spiders I have ever seen..... and it was terrifying how huge they are. Next to the castle was an art museum, unfortunately they were closing for the night when we got there, but on the outside there was an area filled with ceramic vessels. Some were large vases or lidded jars and some were shaped like a building with Shisa dogs (guardian dogs, one with it's mouth open and one with its mouth closed) or with "dolphins" (looks more like carp). These vessels were traditionally used as urns. It was a fun adventure and afterwards we went to a restaurant that you order from a vending machine, it prints out tickets and then when you are seated you hand them to your server and they bring out your food. It was very delicious and I got to enjoy goyoza that I love so much.
Thursday John had the day off and he spoiled me by taking me to the Yomitan Pottery Village. I got to look at a bunch of pottery and walk around seeing the difference between the styles of Okinawa and Seto. It is amazing how different the styles could be even with similar subject matter. Along with the pottery village we also visited American Village. American Village is this large shopping center with stores and small restaurants. We had sushi rolls for lunch which were perfect for the hot summer day. After an evening of chapel rehearsal we went to dinner for ramen at one of our favorite places and decided to walk around the shopping center. Neither of us had explored the area and thought it would be good to walk off all the food we ate. We found a 100 yen store, a place similar to a Barnes and Nobles but Japanese obviously, a bakery, and an arcade. Let's just say both of us were very excited about the arcade and we may have had a little friendly competition on a couple games. We plan on going back soon. The evening was filled with a movie and relaxation.
I really enjoyed getting to experience more of Okinawa off of base and hope to discover more in the short amount of time I have left. I hope you enjoy the pictures and I'll have more to come soon. Best wishes and enjoy your Fourth of July safely! I think we are going to try and find some fireworks to watch on one of the many bases on the island. Until next time!
I really enjoyed getting to experience more of Okinawa off of base and hope to discover more in the short amount of time I have left. I hope you enjoy the pictures and I'll have more to come soon. Best wishes and enjoy your Fourth of July safely! I think we are going to try and find some fireworks to watch on one of the many bases on the island. Until next time!