Shuri Castle Part 2

We went back to Shuri Castle for another round! This time there was a 'flower festival', and Hanashiro-san took us on a LONG walking tour of the area. It was absolutely wonderful! We are so fortunate that she enjoys hanging out with us b/c we have seen so many parts of Naha that not many others have explored. We walked for 3-4 hours and visited a lot of old streets...really cool!!

Big bell...I don't remember the significance of the writing though.

This means 'Do Not Enter'. Good to know :)

Cool old stone carvings outside of castle

<--- View of Naha City from the hills around Shuri Castle.

Large old trees! 

<---Using the mirrors helps to see traffic around the corners b/c the streets are so narrow! You can see our friends walking up ahead in the right side.

  <---Really old shi shi dog

School Zone: I got super excited that I could read the katakana---> 

 <---Not much privacy here haha

 Found a Lion's Club! Wonder if they have any good glasses :)

Fun park!

Slides for racing! :)

Never a dull moment with Temi around :) 

 Now that's a 'real' picture!

More of January 2011

Yes, It's now May and I'm still adding stuff from January!! When have I ever not been a procrastinator?!? :)

Here's our buddy 'the lizard' who decided to live in our fire light thingy outside of our apartment haha.

We also visited a few castles during the month of January...good thing to do when the weather isn't too hot!

The first castle we visited was the Shuri Castle. We went with a few of our friends from the hospital and our friend Hanashiro-san gave us a great walking tour of the area! She's amazing and introduces us to some great new places... and she brings her cute kids along too...which is always fun!

 It was raining to start...but this bird was so cool looking :)

 Entrance to Shuri

 The steps are slanted downwards on purpose! 

It was designed this way to carry the royalty up the stairs!

Under construction

 Underground hideout from wartime

Kirsten & I

Food time!!! Yummo!

Seating area

Oki friends! Hanashiro-san, Kirsten, Luke and Temi :)

For my bro :) And Shi shi puts out fire?!? Cool sign at the fire station!

We parked here...you pay for parking in a vending machine that also has drinks! lol 

Random items:

Things you shouldn't do in an elevator!

 Something to do with the post office. 

 Mail slot?

Sweet double decker parking spots!

Castle #2: Nakijin castle.
You can park just about anywhere! haha

 Kirsten

 Cherry Blossoms! 

So the above two pics are real (mine), but the day was cold and gloomy, and when we came across these pictures on the wall of the 'museum area of the castle', we took pictures of the pictures b/c we figured that was what it would look like on a good day haha :) Not too shabby!

Cool flower we found later that day.

The Aquarium

This place is so cool!!
My favorite thing about the aquarium: The stingrays and the "poop-my-pants fish"...see below for details
Chris' favorite thing about the aquarium: Me freaking out over all of the cool fish!


This is the "poop-my-pants fish". Aka "really old large fish that I would poop my pants if I saw it in the ocean while snorkeling b/c it's so freakin' big" fish.

 This fish probably deserved his own post haha

Eel...see below...what a creeper!

Lobster??--->

                                                                               Bat fish??--->

<---U of M fish haha.

 <---Cuttle fish

    These little eels just poke outta the sand!

 Stingrays!! Wheee!! They looked so happy just flyin' around the tank

Sea roaches=nasty. Eww gross!

Thank goodness these live super deep in the ocean!

 <---Cool flowers