Diapers in da House...

Lately Ive been excessively inattentive towards incomplete entries saved in drafts and have not done justice to them soon enough. Sorry for that folks! Last Thursday, dear Saori san and her crafts-bazar artist friends came to my house to learn how to cook some indian dishes. I taught them one of my fav. Rajma- or kidney beans, Raita - or yougurt salad, and of course, Chapati [I figured no need to teach how to make rice... ] It was great fun and best of all, there was baby love!!! there were three little ones in diapers in my house - Koharu, haruka and Mana! and Saori sans daughter - Koharu, the one who has put my magnets into the tissue box -was totally enthralled by my snoopy act! {the one where I speak from behind my Snoopy making him bow or wave! :> mmm oishi kodomo !!! }

Kawaii so???

On Wednesday, after a few good rounds of badminton with some of the Town Office and Board of Education staff, Dave and I went at this new place near my aparto for dinner. I remembered having seen the owner busy working on the decore of the place on one of my walks to the Churaumi Aquarium sometime before. And I remember having thought, "Oh! I wish I could go and ask if he needs free help!" ( You know my hands itch for arts and crafts!) Anyhow, this place has one the best decore, it is simple and everything reminds one of the ocean. There is a boat on the ceiling and various shells adorn the place. Also, the walls are essentially bare concrete and have the occasional etching as sole decorations. One of the etching is the Motobu Peninsular and surrounding islands. Unfortunately I left my camera at home....

So we go to this place, even though we had been there once before and the lady had flatly refused that there was nothing vegetarian nor could she alter something or make something different. But Dave had been there afterwards by himself, and he said they completely revamped the menu (False!) He had met this other older lady working there who was very friendly and so we decided to take a chance since everywhere it would be the same situation for me.

This kind old lady was overly friendly, bursting into peals of laughter, slapping Dave on the back when he couldn't pronounce some Japanese word. And she was quite loud and jovial in the manner of Kazuko sensei. Anyhow, after understanding fully (doubtful!!) that I didn't eat any meat or fish, she squealed "kawaii so!!!" (Meaning 'how sad' in a pitiful tone.) Now, I really don't think there is anything kawai so-ish in being vegetarian! But I just laughed it off.

Also, today I met some students for the first time at Motobu Junior High School. They are 1st years, and of course after a quick introduction, the inevitable question came up in the Q&A session: "Do you have a boyfriend?" to which I replied, "No." as if it any of their business! and guess what? the boy says back to me "kawaii so!" The gall! :) So I asked him, "Do you have a girlfriend?" to which he shook his head, "No." and I retorted back "kawaii so!" The class laughed, and the poor boy blushed deep red! Now that was the most kawaii so part!

Miyako jima

This weekend a bunch of us went to Miyako jima, one of the bigger islands of Okinawa. There were lots of little places to see, but we didn't see any of those. After arriving on the island in the evening of Friday, we ate a hearty meal and then did what the locals do: drink and go to bed late at night. On Saturday, we had a long lunch at a Greek restaurant on Ikema Island in the north, which said restaurant had a "fantastic" view. Afterwards, we took pictures of the long bridge that connects the two islands from a place which had one of the best beni-imo mochi ever. we drove from extreme north to extreme south to the Maehama-yonaha beach (but, not before we got lost and had a cockroach attack in the car) and we lazed on the longest white sand beach in Japan. Came back to the hotel before sundown to shower and then headed off to Pizza Doraku for dinner. Wrapped up the evening early, some drank in our hotel room, talking et al. Et al included Paul capturing the big ass cockroach which had snuck into the room, attempts at waking a sleeping Amy by putting her hand into a bin of water, and my trying to read "The Idiot" amid general delight and joy. The next day found us heading to the Cape Higashi-henna Misaki, on the way to which we found the Sunflower Festival being held in Miyako. The sky gradually turned overcast and on the return from the cape, it started pouring down. We headed off to the German culture village, where a replica of the some of the buildings of Miyako's sister city in Germany had been constructed. After Nazi salutes and random roving, we drove back up to Hirara in search of the elusive Bagel shop. We circled the block until we asked a lady on the road where it was. She pointed to a building with closed shutters exactly across the road, the irony...! We instead turned to All American Food then. We had ample time to waste in Hirara. We found a cafe restaurant and played Asshole. Then went into an arcade where Amy slammed poor unsuspecting crocodiles, Paul and Christina shot zombies and I did one of my worst purikura (print club) until it was time to go to the airport, easy and relaxed - the extreme opposite of our ride to the airport in Naha. Amy had a class and could not leave earlier than 4-30, and our flight was at 6-35. we had about one and a half hour to reach the airport, park the car and check-in. It was very tight and we thought we could make, if it wasn't for the jam on the expressway because of a military truck that had tipped over. We honestly thought that we wouldn't make it to the flight in all that traffic!! Paul stressed and cussed and broke all courtesy rules of the road; and I sitting in the passenger seat wanted to have my own gas peddle to somehow make things start moving again. If we couldn't even catch our flight, what was the point of reserving hotels and rentals cars and planning a trip; all energy gone to waste! Rachel and Brigit were at the airport and we had given them instructions to fake an illness and somehow hold the plane up! The stress wasn't worth it. But we made it by a few minutes and ironically, the plane was delayed 10 minutes. It is sort of funny to talk about it now! That was our trip to Miyako, a relaxed island mini-holiday over what might have been a boring weekend otherwise.

Kumejima

During the later part of Golden Week, I had the opportunity to fulfil another big resolution - to visit Kumejima. Lords knows why I was so fixated about going there! After many failed plans, I finally got my chance thanks to Ben and Dave who wanted to go as well. Everything was planned at the last minute and we were set to go! Even though I knew I wouldn't be able to meet Jess (one of the resident JET @ Kume), I couldn't miss out on the trip having found company as charming as Ben, Elina and Dave... Here on this blog I shall also provide some info for those googling kumejima, and reaching my blog! I highly recommend a trip there, and I am all for going back there! We couldn't see some places as one day was spoiled by bad weather! for example Haate Beach - which was right in the middle of the sea 7km away from the coast - sort of like Nylon Pool off the coast of Tobago!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The ferry to Kume costs 5,700 yen (return trip), makes 2 trips a day (except on Mondays) and takes 3:15 to 4 hours (depending on whether it stops at Tonaki or not). If you're planning to go during a peak season, better buy the ticket in advance from Tomari Port or any tourist office like OTS (they give you a voucher which has to be exchanged for the tickets at the port). It starts at 8-30am and 2-00pm from Tomari Port in Naha and Maeshiro Port at Kume. They run from both ports simultaneously so that they meet somewhere in the middle near the Karema Islands.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is the Uesu House constructed in 1754. It is said that the Uezu family descended from the lords of the old Gushikawa Castle.The family were Pechin, a rank equivalent to Samurai. It is an old family. Generations were Magiri (an old administrative district) heads. The House is a collection of flat wooden houses surrounded by a stone wall and Fukugi trees, that passed over from one generation to another as the residence of the area head. It houses unique bonzai trees, a courtyard well (down which Dave is peering in the picture on the right) and the interior is kept preserved as it used to be in the old times. Based on the wind-water idea of the Ryukyu kingdom, it is National Heritage site. It cost 300yen and it was a price worth paying to preserve a house as old as this one for posterity.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

tatamiishi - or Tatami mat stones, so named because they spread out like a mat on the sea shore. This is a unique formation of lava cooling into a hexagonal or poly-angular shape, somewhat reminiscent of the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland. These were the main reason why I wanted to see Kume! One Day I shall visit the Giant's Causeway, but till then I shall be satisfied with something no less interesting!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The mihugi rock , also know as the vagina rock. Women who are unable to bear children come to pray at this spot. Water drips from top of the center of the crevasse, perhaps lending some more signification as a vagina symbol and the fertility rites connected to it. Walking to the crevasse was very dangerous, with rugged, uneven lava rocks and pools of standing water, and my flimsy flip flops, the strap of which broke ( I should have listened to my bad Google translated info: "because there is also a place where foothold is bad, footwear such as sneaker is suitable")!!!! Funny thing is, a group of 5 Japanese girls folded their hands and posed for pictures under the crevasse and David copied them when our turn came. So, I'd figure, Dave should have no problem in childbearing!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the same shore, but on the east of mihuga, is the tachijiyami rock. And corresponding to the vaginal symbol, this is a phallic symbol. I wonder if impotent men come here to pray for fertility! It is approx. 40m high, 70m wide and 5m thick. Well, the angle at which this was shot taken and bad lighting doesn't make it seem impressive, but it definitely was! There were endless steps down to it (yes, bad puns ensued on how we had to go down on it..) and once we reached the end of the steps, a drizzle made us rush back up to the car, good that we did as soon enough thunder rumbled in the distance and a typhoon-ish-storm came down on us. Had it been a clear day, we would have wondered about in the hidden paths there for sure.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

These above are the Aka Waterfalls - small cascades that fall from the cliff after a nice rainfall. The view from up there was excellent! Also a strange phenomena occurs up here some times. Due to strong winds from the sea, the water apparently "retrogresses". We probably should have gone there after the storm, there would have been more water falling...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At Bade Haus, they have pools of pumped deep oceanic water and use German warm bath therapy to relax onself. Deep seawater is full of minerals and is purer than surface water. It is pumped from a depth of 612m (2,007 ft.) at this facility. There are specialized underwater programs according to your health condition. It's a must do at Kume and one can spend a whole day there. The cafe had very oiishi cakes! yummy!! :) But word of caution, if you have a tattoo, remember to cover it up as they wouldn't let you in the pool otherwise. It costs 2000 yen for the common spa, but 2500yen if you buy the whole package including the private spa (were men and women have separate areas and no swiming suits are allowed). There are various massages available as well, and I have no detail on that!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Gushikawa Castle Ruins Site. Built in the 15th century, on a limestone hill at the edge of the sea, its east gate is at a height of 30m. The style of stacking the stones is unique and Chinese coins and crockery has been found here. It was unimpressive to me, as I could not visualize what it might have been like in a earlier era when these empty grounds contained more than just shrubbery and thickets, but the others really liked it. And it did have a magnificent view!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wild lilies grew everywhere!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am a big fan of capes; at capes you reach the end of a landmass and can look directly into infinity of a boundless ocean in front. This cape was extremely pretty. From the point where we parked the car, it was easy to misjudge the last point of the cape. It was in fact a collection of capes, one of which was the tori no guchi - meaning bird's mouth. the path to these peaks were strewn with wild lilies and it reminded me of Switzerland for some vague reason of my unconscious mind. Anyhow, if one were to go there during the humpback whale season (i.e. around the month of March), and if luck abounds, these beautiful mammals can be seen flitting around in joy from the cape. In all the place I believe, is called the Toukujimu Natural Park.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

These are the Uezu Castle Ruins. At 309 m it is the highest point on Kume. On a clear day the Okinawa Honto (main island) is visible, but the panoramic 360 degree view on any day is anyway too great to bother about seeing Okinawa Honto! Chinese porcelain was found during the excavation which only supplements the historiacal fact of Ryukyu kingdom's strong trade with China. There are warnings not climb the masonry, but you couldn't give me money not to!! Of course I climbed them and took the pictures below. I also found a Habu snake skin on the ramparts! Kowaii!!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Goeda no Matsu: Pine of the Five Branches, only 6m tall, but its radius from the central trunk is 4.3m covering around 250 sq.meters. It is often described as a gaint bonsai, due to it crawling branches. It is believed to have been planted earlier but the last recorded date says 1839. Its beauty and praise is sung in Ryukyuan songs, having been planted to worship the harvest gods. It is one of the famous pine trees in Japan.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Apart from the loads of sightseeing, there were so many things that I didn't capture in photographs: playing a Russian card game Elina taught us and pulling Dave's leg about losing so many times; camping and waking up to find my bum wet as it had rained in the night; waking up early in morning and finding cowrie shells on the windy beach near the campsite; getting lost and then finally finding the ghost road and debating why the car was moving for no reason and what was happening to us; meeting new friends, making human pyramids and playing Kabbaddi at the camp with them; eating some of the best food in Okinawa; and challenging our minds to word association chain games! All in all, it was one of my best trip ever! Thank you Ben, Elina and Dave!