Go gatsu (May) 2010

Konnichiwa from Okinawa. May has brought a bit more sun and a bit more humidity than April did. This month Will got to head back to Bethesda, MD for a week at the National Naval Medical Center. Can't say alot of learning occured but it was strangely odd to go into a restaurant and have the staff speak english. Katie, Ellie and Maddi survived no worse for the ware but with Ellie sick and Maddi too, once again murphy's law holds true. By months end we took a trip to Kumejima (means Kume Island)...a sleeply little island approximately 100 km east of Naha. A great little place to see true Okinawa (ie no marines). We had a great time despite a bit of rain. Ellie has managed to become more of a toddler this past month. Not walking on her own, but she just about needs a leash to keep track of her. We hope you enjoy the following photos...and as always...send us your comments, and photos and add to our wine list here on this blog if you have come across a great bottle lately.

One fine Saturday morning we went to the beach to collect some coral for a landscape project and some sea glass...course we brought breakfast and the dog too...Not sure why Ellie is in a stocking hat here...its about 75 degrees out this morning. But we thought this was a great photo of Will and Ellie.
In Japan the first week of May is Golden week, devoted to children and their prosperity...in Japan a carp is a sign of longevity...they hang these fish up everywhere for the week.

Above...Maddi is rooting out a gecko from under the stove. Not sure if anyone else knew this, but geckos chirp just like a mouse might...you think you have a rodent in the house when you hear one.

Above Ellie has just finished lunch. If you notice the window is covered with dew from the humidity.

Above...Ellie has learned she can hang on Maddi and the two can walk together...Maddi just thinks its torture.

Above is Ellie and her doll...she takes this thing everywhere!

Below we start a bunch of photos from our trip to Kumejima.

Here are Ellie and Will on the ferry...it has tatami rooms where you sit on the floor but they also have seats just like an airplane...it actually was a great way to travel.

It was raining the day we left...it might look cold and wet in this photo...trust us...it is hot and humid!

Above is a huge tidal pool in front of our hotel...it is a great place to snorkel and kayak!

Above is a picture of tatami ishi...or 'turtle back'...natural stones that look like turtle scales. And below Ellie is learning about sea turtles. We laughed at this museum...Marie and Bill (two people who would outlast anyone else on earth reading at museums) would have been frustrated because everything was written in Kanji.

Above is a huge pine tree that is said to be some 500 years old...it really is pretty cool.

Despite the language barrier we managed to rent a car (without a credit card mind you...the island is only so big...its not like you can take the car very far if you wanted to steal it). Once Ellie hit the carseat she was out. Actually it is funny that they even rented carseats...most kids Ellie's age in Okinawa ride on the drivers lap.

Ok...you will have to take our word for it...the above photo is of 'mystery hill'. If you were there you would swear that the wheel in the photo should roll away from you in this photo...but it rolls toward you...something you have to see to really believe.

So...our hotel offered slippers and PJ's in the rooms. Here we are eating some sushi take out. We got to enjoy a bottle of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc that Will brought back from Bethesda.

Here is Katie standing on top of the world...or at least Kumejima.

Above are some tiny blue fish in a tidal pool. Below are several more images from a section of the coast that was littered with these pools...some of which are really deep. Ellie loved looking at the fish in them.

Below is a little house that was typical of this island. This type of house is typical of the more rural parts of Okinawa too.

Above is Ellie's first trip to the pool...she is a natural swimmer!

Ellie has learned to wave and caused quite a riot at dinner this night...here she is posing for some cameras for some Japanese folks...

Here we are toasting some local Kumejima awamori (rice whiskey)...about 20 proof the way they serve it and drink it is fun but it does not taste good. We are also drinking out of some local Ryuku glasses.

So we say goodbye to Kumejima and to Go ka getsu. This last photo is of a flying fish...they were all over the place jumping by the ferry...they really can 'fly' about 100 feet. If you can blow the last photo up and look close you can see one in the bottom half and left third of the picture.

Hope you all enjoyed and we will see you next month.

Mata aimasho!!