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Amazon…how I love you!
On a break from all things Japanese, I am choosing to use a thispost to explain the greatness of Amazon to all of you. As much as I have become a fan of online shopping a.k.a. the only form of shopping over here, I have fallen head over heels in love with amazon.com! Not only can you get anything shipped over here in a week or less from them but if you join Amazon Prime for a small yearly fee, you can get free expedited shipping. If you live in the US this means 2 day and if you live in Japan it means a week (considered pretty fast over here).
However, even better than that, is the fact that Amazon’s prices blow B&N and other sites out of that water; and for this reason and many more I now have 145 books on my list and it keeps growing. Yep, that’s right folks, I might just be starting my very own library-if they don’t have it over here, built it.
Long story short-LOVE AMAZON!!!!!!!
私ミス
Nemo
Don’t worry kids, there is no translation today for Nemo. In fact, Nemo, is not even a Japanese name, but rather a Latin word meaning no one or nobody. Let’s not get too excited though, I am not branching out from my Japanese lessons to teach you all Latin too-I can only handle so much! I simply thought a Nemo reference was appropriate for what I am about to “blog” about.
Welcome to the Churaumi Aquarium-kicking the Shedd Aquarium’s butt since who knows when and home to some crazy big tanks! Exhibit below:
Not only are there huge fish/shark/mana ray tanks they even have dolphins, large sea turtles, and manatees outside in their own habitats. The Churaumi aquarium is part of a larger park which boasts botanical areas and a butterfly area. By the end of our sightseeing at the aquarium, we were tired and hungry and decided to skip the extras (after seeing things of gigantic proportions, are butterflies really going to cut it?) we decided to head to a restaurant-Pizza in the Sky.
Pizza in the Sky, feels like it is literally in the sky! After going up a mountain on roads that are described as being 1.5 lanes wide we finally made it there; that is after some eye closing to avoid nasuea. Pizza in the Sky only serves 1 kind of Pizza everyday-think of it as Chef’s choice. That day our Pizza was cheese with peppers and hot dog or spam, we couldn’t decide which (this happens a lot here and while I might be trying something new, I might not). All in all, the pizza was good and the view better.
view from Pizza in the Sky
pizza at the top of the island
Things I learned: 1-Nemo is small fries compared to these creatures. 2-Other adults scold you when you make Nemo references while at Churaumi aquarium (in my defense, I worked with kids who loved Nemo). 3-I may never again get in the water in Okinawa, as most of these sea creatures are native to the area. 4-I can’t wait to go back…..the butterflies await.
Fi-To
I am officially in love with Japan or more specifically Japanese beauty products and salons! From the Japanese hair straightening-that in the states starts at about $450 and here runs around $90 to the hour long leg and foot massage you get with your pedicure (not to mention they feed you while they’re doing it!).
After hearing about it for weeks and in the name of “research” before my mom and sister come in December, Anna and I visited Cocok (the k is silent) for some pedicure action. I knew it was going to be good when we were led over to huge recliners, given sweetened green tea, and yakatori. On a side note, yakatori is similar to a shishka-bob only with some tasty teryiaki or bourbon sauce on it-yummy! From there it only got better from the 300 different designs for nail art that are included in your pedicure to the hour long massage-its heaven on a recliner! I am convinced I’ll have to do lots of research at Cocok’s before having visitors and after looking at their salon menu, I may be researching their massages, Thai head massage, and of course the Japanese hair straightening (the last being a “necessity” to kill the evil beast of humidity).
So now I’m wondering when we move back to that states will pedicures ever be the same or as good but better yet, if I have more discoveries like this, will I want to go back?
Japanese word of the day: Fi-To, which you can guess means foot
Bareru
Have you ever considered all the different places you can eat sushi? Much like green eggs and ham…. you can eat it in a boat and you could eat it with a goat. You could eat a California roll in the rain, and in the dark, and on a train. Or a spicy tuna roll in the car, and in a tree, sushi is so good, so good you see! In Okinawa you can eat them here or there or anywhere. But can you eat them in a cask?
Welcome to Tonneau! Our Friday night dinner plans took us to a new restaurant where we ate dinner in a cask-a restaurant shaped like a cask. Tonneau is the largest “izakaya”, standing four stories tall, with two stories of seating. Izakaya means bar, but unlike in the United States, most bars here are more like restaurants with a bar on the side; similar to Applebee’s or Chili’s bars. We went for the food-specifically sushi and something labeled as “potato pizza”.
When you first enter Tonneau you remove your shoes and place them in cubbies. This is not done in all Japanese restaurants although many do observe this tradition. From there you’re lead to your table which is close to the ground with a hole under it to place your feet. Below is our table with Tyler and our friends Jay and Anna.
Between the appetizer they give everyone, consisting of a sour plum, pickles, and pork tempura with a dipping sauce and the horse sashimi (yes, horse) the night was interesting. In the end, good sushi and times were had in, of all places, a cask-just a typically unexpected night in Okinawa!
On a side note: My husband is either a crazy person or really loves food-he had all his wisdom teeth taken out yesterday and today was out to dinner like a champ, a chipmunk-like champ, but still out none the less. What a guy!
Our bright, shiny, new kuruma
Here in Japan, some things translate relatively easily. Vans are now called “people movers”, a Volkswagen Golf is now a Volkswagen Polo and a Nissan Altima is now a Nissan Bluebird, but there is no translation for what is now a Fun Cargo. Our bright, shiny, new Fun Cargo! The Fun Cargo is like a clown car of sorts. At first it looks relatively normal, seating 5, in 2 rows; but fold the seats down (completely into the floor) and you could fit at least 20 clowns, I’m sure of it!
Eventually couples and families get two cars. I are holding out for the Toyota WiLL- on top of its unique design, it comes in lots of candy coated colors.
Honba
Honba = Home in Japanese and we have finally adjusted to a new one! After looking at a lot of apartment/homes out in town and a lot of wood paneled rooms (apparently thats a really big thing here, or at least thats what we assumed after seeing it in every place) we got a fantastic housing offer on base-a single family, 3 room house in Kishaba. Little did we know, but were promptly informed, that Kishaba is “the” housing development to live in. Does this mean its the Upper East Side of USMC housing in Okinawa? Well, I don’t know if you’d say that, but after some serious painting (and still more to be done) we’re enjoying it!
While we’ve been busy unpacking boxes, painting rooms, and furniture moving…..we’ve made progress, but we’re not done yet! To tyophoon proof a house, the outside walls are made of concrete and while we haven’t figured out what the inside walls are made out of, it is something very much like concrete-which makes hanging things on walls a challenge. And Marines to the rescue……..they have a tool check out here on base, where you can check out all sorts of things but more specifically the tool that allows you to drill into your walls to hang curtains and other such things. As one can imagine, its a very popular tool, so popular it makes all the other tools jealous! We’re currently on the wait list to be this tool’s friend but when we do, curtains, pictures, and all sorts of other things are finally going to get a place.
Welcome to 1921 Arizona Street!
First Row (l-r):outside,living room, dining room Second Row (l-r):bedroom, bedroom, bathroom Third Row (l-r):soon to be man room, guest bedroom
Stay tuned for updates!
Konnichi-wa!
Ohayo Gozaimasu (good morning), Konnichiwa (good afternoon), Konnbanwa (good evening)! After logging some serious frequent flier miles across the United States and over the Pacific Ocean, we finally arrived in Okinawa. Since, its been a little more than a month since we arrived let me give you the condensed version of things up to this point.
After a 12 hour flight from LA to Tokyo and another 2 hours to Naha, Okinawa, we were feeling like we’ve logged enough time in an airplane for awhile; but after spending a few days in a hotel we were feeling stir crazy! A drive down to Naha and a monorail ride later, we were at the 10,000 Eisa dancer festival. Thanks to a handy camera and some wikipedia searching, we’ve got pictures and a definition for what exactly Eisa is:
Eisa dancing is a form of folk dance that is unique to the Ryukyu Islands(Okinawa). We attended the 10,000 Eisa, however the actual Eisa festival falls around the end of August, at the finale of Obon. Think of the pictures from the event above, as sort of a sneak preview for the big event. Our friends who live off base have also experienced some late night Eisa action. In Okinawa it is not uncommon for various neighborhoods or businesses to request that Eisa dancers come to rid bad spirits or honor ancestors; however this is often done after the business is closed or late at night. For video of Eisa, check out htp://www.youtube.com, where there are tons of awesome videos from right here on the island and throughout Japan!
