Yoshida Hotel Okinawa

... presence by the locals was very evident everywhere that we went.<br><br>We will miss Okinawa and hope that perhaps someday we can return to visit again. It was well worth it to make the trip down to this place not only for the warm weather and the friendly people but also to learn that, where we come from in Canada, we haven't known (and hopefully will not know anytime soon) the horrors that the ancestors of the people we visited experienced and still feel the pain from today.<br><br>

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

... the US invasion forces landed near the end of the war. Apparently this was one of the most difficult and bloody battles of the Pacific War. It is hard to believe that this beautiful place was once a WW2 killing ground. Thousands of Americans died here and hundreds of thousands of Japanese died. I'm sure that the war memorials here will be very sobering.<br><br>It will definitely be an interesting couple of days.<br>

... 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 ...

... we saw how Okinawans lived in the past (obviously). The Okinawans lived in squat wooden houses on shelly lawns. What's interesting about this island is that it was not always a part of Japan- that only happened in the last century. It had its own special Ryukuan culture, as evidenced by many things around the island that are different from Japan's other islands. One of Okinawa's most special features is the shisa dog. Shisa dogs are ...

... We finally got a chance to go to a Festival. While at the festival we got to explore another castle ruins. The Cherry Blossoms were pretty, but I think we were a week or two early to really get some good blossom pictures. Other than that we are trying to save some money to try and make it home, maybe this summer!!!! I hope you enjoy the pictures.

... home 2-3 days a week with the kids and work 2-3 to get out of the house (weekends excluded). As for child care, I was a little worried about doing daycare and I haven't had time to really look off base. I am lucky enough to have a good friend that I met on the airplane Krystal. That is my friend with the little boy, Noah. She is watching the kids for me, THANK God! I have started a new ...

... said she thinks he has asthma and sent us home with an inhaler&lt;which he has used before so im thinkin its asthma too&gt;. But before we got to the doctor that morning we had to drop Jonathon off at work and we had so time to kill so we went to the library which wasnt open yet. As i was getting Noah out of the car all this fluid rushed out from under it, and it looked like antifreeze. On the way to the doctors &lt;which was just around the corner&gt ...

... to the animals here. Ava had a blast! Next we headed to the beach. The water is soooo clear here you can see what you are stepping on. Then it was to the Aquarium. My favorite part is driving around (on the left side) and seeing the similarities and differences from here to the states.

... kanssa? Meinaan, että tippejähän täällä Japanissa ei todellakaan anneta, mutta pitäisikö tässä nyt jotain muuta sitten jättää, apua? Pitäisikö kenties jättää ämpärillinen Pachinko palloja, jotka voisi sitten yön pimeydessä käydä vaihtamassa rahaksi jossain sivukujilla vai mitä? :-) Juu, eli nopeasti meni taas aika ja diggailin kyllä Okinawasta erittäin paljon! Nyt kun tämä pääsaari on nähty, niin seuraavalla kerralla mennään pienemmille saarille, se on varma juttu! Ei kun etiäppäin...