Leo Plaza Hotel Sasebo

... learn in person!). Each plant only produces one pineapple and it takes around 2 years for the fruit to ripen. No wonder it's difficult to compete with low-cost producers! I also did not realize that there were so many applications for pineapple -- from cakes, to wine, to vinegar. For those of you that have been to Hawaii, this is probably not a revelation. For me though, it was interesting.

Today is our last day in Okinawa and it is with mixed emotions that we leave ...

... any pictures to upload of this eerie and fascinating place as my camera battery was drawn down and I was forced to use an old-fashioned disposable film camera. I've been in caves before but the stalactites and stalagmites and the underground stream that runs through this one are just beautiful. This cave was well worth the visit.

One of the most sobering places that we visited was the Himeyuri Monument. This was an area in which Okinawan school girls that ...

... this though, I probably would not have noticed this at all -- the signs that this prefecture is a bit behind others are subtle. A shabby building here, some litter in a river there -- things that one tends not to see to such a degree in other parts of the country. Nonetheless, this is quite a nice place and definitely a sub-tropical paradise.

We will definitely see a lot more of rural Okinawa over ...

... did all of our shopping in fast forward. On our way home, we stopped at the military exchange, the small American-style mall on base. My mom and I went inside to buy silk robes, like the one Julia gave me for Christmas. We also got books for our respective plane rides, and then went to dinner at Macaroni Grill nearby. It was absolutely delicious, and Riley was very funny. While Julia packed at home, my mom and I took Riley ...

... it was a hot day made even worse by humidity.

The aquarium was very cool (especially since it had A/C, ha ha). There were lots of little exhibits to look at in addition to several big tanks that were chock full of fish. Since we were in Japan, everyone had a camera and crowded around to photograph every fish. Luckily, I was taller than almost everyone there, so I got some pictures too. The big tank with the whale sharks, rays ...

... of my still-tender toe, but I just pointed to it and tried to explain, and so the lady doing my feet avoided it except to paint it. It was extremely relaxing- the little girl across from us completely conked out. I chose jasmine oil to help me recover from my fatigue, and opted for some nail art to try to blend in more in Asia.

Unfortunately when we left the nail salon, it was pouring, so we slipped along the road in our massage oil-covered flip flops. Then when we ...

... routes in the forest were paved with stones and surrounded by attractive tropical trees, but some parts of the routes were slippery and it is better to use a cane sometimes which you can borrow for free at the starting point. In the most important site, two large rocks were naturally put together to make a route to the altar, where we can see the Pacific Sea through the bush. Seifa-Utaki had less visitors than the other attractions in ...

... experience. Also very informative. Life is precious I was thinking, Peace. In the evening went out for a great meal and to karaoke in Sasebo. I love karaoke in Japan. You get your own room with just you and your friends, and you order drinks there, and they had all the songs I could imagine. Great fun, def one of my favourite bits of Japan. Next day we took the train back to Tokyo, took us the whole day so was quite tired when got back to the hostel. Kind of ...

... This is the hotel at which the Hotel Manager is best friends with Veronica's old Teacher from the high school she attended while here as an exchange student. The manager gave us a superb rate on the room (AU$200 per night for a $440 per night luxury suite), and promised to look after us. She has a soft spot for Australian's because her daughter was an exchange student in Western Australia, and when she found out that Veronica was taught by her friend, that ...