Sea Life Magic

 Norah’s Scuba Day

[ looking at me, looking at you ]

Norah and I met up with Joe, the owner of Penguin Divers, yesterday to learn how to snorkel. Joe is a friendly, athletic Fijian man who has lived in Okinawa with his wife Yumi (also a diver) for fifteen years. We met him at a quiet cove early in the morning where after a short lesson he took us out to explore some of Irabu’s coral reef from a snorkeling vantage point.

[ Norah and Joe suiting up ]

[ Nakanoshima Cove, Irabu Island ]

It was an absolutely beautiful day and we saw beautiful colorful fish and amazing coral within minutes of entering the water. I really could not believe what I was seeing. It was magical. The coral reef around Okinawa, called the Yabiji Reef, stretches 17 kilometers north and south of the islands. Our morning of snorkeling  was enough to prepare Norah for scuba diving with Joe the following day (today).

[ Shiratori Cove, Irabu Island ]

We met Joe early this morning at Shiratori beach on Irabu Island and Norah followed him down the hill to a beautiful cove for a scuba lesson before heading out to a deep underwater reef. I followed along to watch them depart as I was feeling nervous for Norah.

[ scuba lesson in the cove ]

[ thank you Polly for the beach bag ]

I pretended I was reading but really I was watching everything that was going on with the training. With Joe’s confident instruction, Norah practiced with all of her equipment and then they headed out to the dive spot on a kayak. The morning light and the peaceful cove was just magical.

[ kayaking out to the dive spot ]

Joe left me with a snorkel and mask and as soon as they left I swam out to a reef at the end of the cove. I was entertained by clown fish, a school of electric blue fish and many other varieties of colorful fish that were swimming around within easy reach. It was spectacular. 

Norah and Joe safely returned about two hours later. I could not wait to see the photos from Norah’s dive. Joe took a huge camera with him…

Norah saw two turtles while diving, including this one who looked right at her. This was a fabulous day. 

[ ❤️ ]

Kei Van & Sugar Cane

Miyakojima Island

 

[ Sunayama Beach ]

This morning Norah and I packed the cooler with ice, water, and onigiri (two with salmon and two with tuna/mayo) and drove our kei van to the first beach on our list. I did not know for sure what to expect but the magnitude of beauty that we found at this beach was beyond words. 

[ An unassuming marker ]

Sunayama Beach was a 10-minute drive from our residence and was marked by a small sign in the middle of the road. Just beyond the sign was a small parking lot with showers and a sandy trail leading through the island forest. After a short walk the path opened up to a magnificent view of the water. There were a handful of people there already tucking their towels in shady areas along the rocks lining the cove.

[ emerald water ]

[ irresistible ]

Norah and I floated and swam all morning. The water was calm and crystal clear and just gorgeous. I honestly could not believe the color of the water. 

[ that’s Norah floating in the water ]

After a midday sun break we toured the eastern end of the island. We drove through sugar cane fields which cover 65% of the island. Gorgeous. 

[ the soil on the island is red ]

[ fields of sugar cane ]

I had a delightful afternoon just driving through these fields, looking at the neighborhood hamlets clustered across the island, and enjoying the company of my daughter. I plan to do a little reading about the agriculture and the eco-farming that is happening here. Some of the sugar cane by-product is used to produce bio fuels. 

[ just me and my kei van ]

A visit to the homeland

 American Village

[ is this Malibu? ]

In an act of innocence, Norah booked a hair appointment at a salon in Okinawa where she could get a “boy” haircut with an English speaking stylist. That is how we ended up at American Village, a Disney-like menagerie of color and tat that was in close proximity to an American marine base in Chatan. We had no choice but to embrace this psychic return to the homeland.

[meet Pablo Biscotti, my alter ego ]

I left Norah at the salon and wondered the faux stone corridors in search of a cafe and fancy fashion. I found a fabulous hat shop which nearly took me with the variety of bucket hats (denim, mesh, and macrame varieties in a plethora of colors )! I enjoyed the anonymity as I tried on a variety of personas.

[ view from the salon deck ]

The village did offer a respite from the demands of shopping with stellar views along prime real estate of coastline and I enjoyed a promenade along the deck. 

[ ode to Takahashi Fumiya ]

Eventually I caught up with Norah, hair glossed and beautiful. As if I hadn’t had enough, I invited her to stop by a massive shop of beach paraphernalia on our way out where we both temporarily lost touch with reality. I mean - next level trinkets. 

[ mob boss aka Vicki’s body guard ]

I found an island muumuu and Norah found this great Okinawa shirt. We are so ready for our venture on Miyakojima. 

[ homophone anyone? ]

We drove away before the sun set and the evening revelers arrived to fill the seaside saloons. One very good haircut and a taste of Americana filling our soul.

Okinawa Retro Vibes

 Miami + Puerto Rico

[ unfiltered vibrance ]

I am starting to get a sense of Naha City, on the main island of Okinawa, or at least some of its personality. Walking along the narrow streets of the city center, the buildings, the foliage, the heat, and the unfiltered vibrant blue sky make me think of my days in Puerto Rico as a student some thirty years ago. 

[ everywhere, color ]

The space feels Japanese and islander, living in the past and living in the present. Suffering from a little decay yet creative, human, and alive. 

[ painterly back streets and boulevards ]

Norah and I stopped by a tiny cafe for lunch that embraced this vibe I was feeling. The barista, wearing a Cuban summer porkpie fedora brewed brown sugar lattes from behind the bar. He served us hummus and tomato sandwiches on walnut whole grain bread while jazz standards filled the space with sounds of the 60’s.

[ jazz standards at Tasokare Coffee cafe ]

[ never say no to espresso and chocolate ]

[ this cup. ]

So glad to spend a few days in artful time suspended.

Hidden Gems: Lunch Spots

 J.’s Kitchen

[ Taco Rice Okinawa Style ]

Norah has a keen sense for locating delicious food made locally and served at very cute eateries. On the day we were in Motobu visiting the aquarium she found J.’s Kitchen at the end of a leafy lane just in time for lunch. We parked in the gravel driveway and were greeted at the door by one of J.’s cats who was crying loudly in an effort to get in. We let him in.

[ the leafy lane ]

[ J.’s Suzuki Jimny parked out front ]

There were four tables inside, two cooks in the kitchen, and J. behind the bar. All the tables were full but one. We were in luck!! Every detail - from the polished concrete walls and wooden tabletops to the handmade glass water tumblers and the Jack Johnson playlist - created a welcome vibe. We both ordered the Taco Rice, a fusion of Mexican and American food that references the significant population of American marines living in Kin Town and other military bases on the island. My plate was served with a dollop of pulled pork atop warm rice with a side of avocado, spicy salsa, and pickled cabbage on a bed of lettuce. I also enjoyed a homemade apricot soda.

[ what? No alcohol in here?? ]

Our meal was very fresh and tasty and J. And his cats were delightful. 

[ This is J. ]

[ J.’s cats ]

On our outing today Norah directed us to a tiny Korean bulgogi “deli” during a heavy downpour of midday rain. Once inside we were greeted by a young Korean couple who opened the shop last year and decorated it themselves. Extreme cuteness. Another hidden gem!!

[ very friendly and confident signage! ]

[ instagram ready interior! ]

We both ordered the bulgogi - marinated beef and onions, rice, kimchi, bok choy, and japchae. So good!

[ Korean bulgogi ]

[ Norah tucks in ]
  

Okinawa Small Delights

Naha City and beyond

[ View from the Miebashi Monorail Station ]

Norah and I arrived in Okinawa yesterday and settled into our downtown hotel for a few days before we head out to Miyakojima Island. Naha is a larger city than I anticipated with skyscrapers and busy streets. When we arrived the city was bathed in the late afternoon sun of the golden hour when everything shimmers in a pastel glow.

After a good sleep in our “compact room on a high floor” we got up early this morning, ate breakfast, and took a taxi to ABC car rental to pick up a car to drive up the coast. Our outing for the day today was to visit the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Motobu. 

[ Small ships anchored along the coast ]

We drove quite a way through urban sprawl along the coast before the view opened up to volcanic hills and the most beautiful cerulean sea. We passed inlets of ombré blues and greens and several resorts, sandwiched between humble towns, before reaching what Norah described as a thumb of land that housed the aquarium at its tip.

[ Norah and the deep blue sea ]

The aquarium was vast, with many buildings and lots of information about sea life in this part of the world. I was most interested in the exhibit on the many species of coral found in the coral reefs of the East China Sea and the Pacific Ocean surrounding Okinawa. 

[ Norah and a giant ray ]

On the way back to Naha we stopped at 21 Seikinomori Beach, a small local beach, so that I could put my feet in the water. There were lots of families picnicking under the trees along the water’s edge and two young men were playing the sanshin and singing. There were pieces of coral washed up on the shore - I felt kind of distraught to see this but I think that this is a part of the life cycle of the coral. Not sure - need to find out more.

[ Pieces of coral and lovely shells ]

Spring Arrival - Gardening Series

 

Battle of the Bush Begins

The Ditch

Finally, in May, Spring has arrived. And let's just say that my khaki coverall Dickies are my new best friend. The fabric is light and airy and my garden suit protects me from bugs from head to toe. I feel very modern frontier when wearing it. Norah has an outfit too. Hers in chic black worn here as she surveys the ditch in front of our house with ominous intent. This is the day that we beat back the ditch in an attempt to keep it cleared for the summer months. As I recollect from my arrival in Japan last year, these ditch weeds are gonna grow to about six feet tall. I really do not know who will win this battle. 

Before we got started - the birth of the weeds

I began this ditch quest by riding my bike around the neighborhood to observe what other people did with their ditch. Most people had theirs cleared of weeds and some had planted daffodils that have been popping out for the last several weeks. I realized that we had a lot of work to do to clear the rogue grapevines, dwarf bamboo shoots, and other wildin' greenery that were encroaching on the front of the house. We spent a full day chopping, hacking, raking, and hauling debris to the back field.

This is me talking to the sprouting bamboo

Norah was expert with garden tools while in the ditch. She is my big weed strong(wo)man. We pulled out as many roots as possible but I dunno...this ditch seems pretty hellbent on putting up a fight. 

Putting some muscle on the weeds

I forgot to take a photo of the end result of our labors. I can tell you, though, that we pulled out every single weed from the ditch before we were done. I will leave you with a photo of how it looks now, two weeks later...

I'm powering up the weed wacker