L.A. Witt's Blog, page 23
June 12, 2011
The Dumb American's Guide to Living on Okinawa Part 3: Everything Will Kill You
DISCLAIMER: I am not an expert by any means, so for actual concrete information about not getting yourself killed, refer to people who actually have letters behind their name and know what they're talking about. I'm speaking only from my experience, hearsay, and what I've read since I've lived here.
As you're exploring Okinawa, you will encounter a lot of things you've never encountered in America. Things like giant bats, large tombs, and politeness. You may not know how to react to things like that, and that's why I'm here to help you out. Basically, as you run into unfamiliar things on Okinawa, there's one rule to keep in mind:
It can probably kill you.
An expanded version of that rule:
If it's alive, it can probably kill you.
If it's man-made, it's either sacred or it can kill you.
Just assume it has the capability and
quite possibly the desire to
shove you off this mortal coil.
So, I'm going to show you a few things that may or may not kill you, and give you some tips on how to avoid them or -- if you're anything like me -- find them.
Onward...
THING: Unexploded Ordnance. I don't have any pictures, because thankfully I've never encountered any of these. In short, they are bombs that were dropped during World War II, but never went off. This doesn't mean they're duds, though, and people have been injured/killed over the years when UEO has gone off.
HOW TO AVOID: Don't go wandering off the beaten path into the bushes. If you see metallic objects that look like they might be shells, don't play with them, and do report them. Even I'm not dumb enough to screw around with UEO, and I'm the kind of person who'd poke a Habu with a stick.
THING: Shrines & Tombs
Above - Tomb
Below - Shrines
Obviously shrines and tombs won't kill you. Duh. However, they are everywhere. Any time you go hiking, or even wander through a park, I promise you will find tombs and shrines. The reason I'm pointing them out here is not that they are dangerous, but they are something to be aware of and avoided out of cultural courtesy. They can be photographed, but do not mess with them. Americans are forbidden from going into cemeteries without an invitation from a local national who has family buried there. If someone is praying at either a tomb or shrine, don't disturb them. If money has been left on a shrine, leave it alone. If you do mess with it, I hope someone comes along and kicks your ass.
HOW TO AVOID: Don't be a dumb American. Be respectful, keep your distance, and don't disturb shrines or tombs. Also, Habu sometimes hang out in tombs, so if being respectful isn't enough of a deterrent to keep you out of tombs, then just remember there might be poisonous snakes lying in wait.
THING: Wild boars
(Actual sign on the side of the expressway)
I really don't know if the wild boars are dangerous or not, as I've never actually seen one, but swine can be rather foul-tempered, so...
HOW TO AVOID: If you see a wild boar, leave it alone. And don't run them over. That's just mean.
THING: Hermit Crabs -- These are obviously not dangerous, but they are everywhere. And they're kinda fun to play with.
Really, the only reasons you need to be aware of hermit crabs are:
1. So you're careful to watch your step on the beach and not squish them.
2. So you're careful to check every shell you bring home, lest you wind up with a stowaway. Think I'm kidding? This little guy went home with us a few months ago (the lens cap is about 2" in diameter):
(He was taken back to a beach and released)
They're not dangerous, but they can sometimes have a bit of an attitude...
HOW TO AVOID: Just don't step on them and try not to bring them home.
THING: Staring birds -- Again, not dangerous. You'll see them everywhere, though. They might give you the evil eye, but they won't hurt you.
HOW TO AVOID: Look, if you're trying to stay away from a little blue bird, you're going to be a quivering mess of terror after a week here.
THING: Cone Snails -- Okay, these? Highly dangerous. These can kill you.
(picture from Wikipedia, since I can't seem to find any on my hard drive)
Wait, seriously? It's a snail. Why the hell do I need to avoid a snail?
Cone snails are extremely poisonous. They really can kill you.
HOW TO AVOID: When walking in water, always wear scuba booties. Always. If you're like me and can't resist picking up potentially dangerous animals while you're snorkeling, wear gloves. Even I'm not dumb enough to pick up one of these suckers with my bare hands. That's not to say I'm not dumb enough to pick them up in the first place, but I do wear gloves. I have standards, people.
THING - Sea Mangoes -- Yes, sea mangoes. Not necessarily going to kill you, but I'm told eating them will make you wish you were dead.
HOW TO AVOID: Don't pick fruit and eat it. Really. Just don't. You can buy mangoes at the commissary and farmer's markets.
THING: Box Jellyfish -- Also something that can kill you.
This is the closest I have to a picture of a box jellyfish. Hey, I'm stupid, but I don't have a death wish. I'm not getting in the water with a freaking box jellyfish.
HOW TO AVOID: Don't swim, snorkel, or dive where jellyfish warnings are posted. Check websites for warnings about jellyfish swarms. If you see one while you're swimming, get out of the water. Don't be stupid.
THING: Sugarcane Trucks -- They won't necessarily kill you, but notice how they don't quite fit on or share the road:
HOW TO AVOID: Don't drive like an idiot on narrow, winding roads. When driving on narrow, winding roads, be mindful of these:
When you see those mirrors on a curve or corner, USE THEM.
THING: Sea Snakes -- These will kill you.
They're pretty much impossible to miss: The black and white pattern is striking, and...well...a 3-foot striped snake is not difficult to see. We've seen them in as little as 3 feet of water, and the last one we saw was in amongst the tall sea grass. So pay attention. You should always be aware of your surroundings when in the water anyway, but if avoiding a sea snake isn't motivation to maintain situational awareness, I don't know what is.
HOW TO AVOID THEM: They're actually pretty easy to avoid most of the time: Just leave them alone. Sea snakes are generally not aggressive, but they are curious. It's not unusual for them to draft in your fins while you're swimming, but they'll usually swim away if you face them. Basically, don't fuck with them, and they won't bite you.
THING: Habu -- Okay, these will definitely kill you.
The Habu is a nocturnal snake living on Okinawa, and they are as plentiful as they are dangerous. They're quite aggressive and highly poisonous. There are actually four varieties of snakes living on Okinawa (not counting sea snakes), and three of those are Habu. If you see a snake on land, assume it's a Habu. Learn that face, my loyal blog minions:
HOW TO AVOID: Stay on the beaten path. If you see signs warning of snakes, they're not screwing around.
I understand Habu tend to hang out in tombs, caves, under rocks, etc., in order to stay cool during the day. (Funny, I always thought of snakes as trying to stay warm, but since it's usually hot here even at night, it does make sense) Also keep an eye on low tree branches when hiking through thick vegetation, as they like to hang out in the trees. Basically...don't be stupid.
While we're on the subject of wiggly serpenty things...
THING: Moray eels -- These are pretty shy and not outwardly aggressive unless you approach them.
To get this picture, I dove down about 8 feet, several times, with the camera in hand. The eel was less than impressed, and snapped at me several times. His head, which contains that gaping mouth full of sharp pointy teeth, was about as big around as my fist, if that gives you an idea of his size.
So, if you want to avoid being bitten by one, don't be like me.
HOW TO AVOID: Don't approach them. Don't poke at them. Don't harass them. Don't insult their mothers. Don't call them names. Don't taunt them to see if they'll bite your glove. Don't put your fingers in their mouths. Leave them alone.
THING: Cicadas -- They won't kill you, but if you've never heard a swarm of cicadas, well...you're lucky. When they swarm in the spring, the novelty wears off after about the third day of not being able to carry on a conversation outdoors.
Also, if a bunch of them suddenly take off, they tend to pee all over anyone standing below them. I speak from experience.
HOW TO AVOID: Good luck with that.
THING: BANANA SPIDERS -- These suckers are freaking huge...
...however, they will not kill you. I mean, with everything on this island that's foul-tempered, venomous, and carnivorous, it blows my mind that the spiders are not dangerous. Yet, they aren't.
HOW TO AVOID: Look, if you can't avoid a 3-inch spider in a web...
THING: Fruit Bats -- They will kill you with their cuteness.
Seriously. How cute is that? A little fox with wings! That's like lethal on the squee scale.
HOW TO AVOID: Don't walk in the middle of the road at high noon while wearing a beanie and eating an ice cream cone.
THING: Lionfish -- At best, they'll ruin your day. At worst, yep, they'll kill you.
(The lionfish is the big brown blob on the right, as opposed to the big brown blob on the left) These are so freaking cool to watch. They're absolutely beautiful, and they're not aggressive at all.
Just...you know...don't get stung.
HOW TO AVOID: They're usually found in deeper water (I've seen them in as shallow as 8-10 feet), and I've only seen them close to rocks, pylons, etc. They're pretty hard to miss, so just keep your damned eyes open and you won't get stung.
THING: Butterflies -- These will RIP YOUR FACE OFF AND KILL YOU.
Seriously. Look at that thing. Tell me it's not planning to kill someone.
HOW TO AVOID: Um...it's a butterfly.
THING: Sea Urchins -- They won't kill you, but they can definitely ruin your day. You'll basically see two varieties of sea urchins in the waters around Okinawa. These relatively benign little pincushions...
...and these malevolently spiny creatures of prickly doom:
To give you an idea, those spines are about 8-10 inches long. And I speak from experience, my loyal blog minions: getting stung sucks. They're not dangerous per se, but unless you want to itch like you've never itched before...
HOW TO AVOID THEM: Scuba booties. Gloves. Freaking pay attention to where you're swimming!
THING: Gravity + Cliffs -- The cliffs of Okinawa have a long and tragic history, and you don't want to be a part of that.
HOW TO AVOID: Duh. Stay away from the edge. When you see signs warning against getting close to the edge, heed them.
Um...
Moving right along...
THING: The sun -- You're in the tropics now, folks. The sun is not something to screw around with.
Still, in order to understand just what we're dealing with, every last one of us seems to require a proverbial baptism by fire:
HOW TO AVOID: Well, assuming you actually want to get outside and enjoy the island, which is why you're reading this, staying indoors out of the sun isn't an option. So...common sense. Don't stay out in it too long, cover your skin when you can, etc. Sunscreen is your friend (Tip: Buy sunscreen on base...it's horrendously expensive off base).
THING: Puffer Fish -- I'm told they can sting you and really ruin your day. However...
...if you manage to get stung by a puffer fish, I'd be willing to bet money you probably deserved it. They're extremely skittish, and will swim away from even the slightest movement. Getting them to puff even a little is quite difficult, never mind getting them to blow up all the way and get close enough to sting you.
HOW TO AVOID THEM: Just...you know...leave them alone.
THING: Sharks, Barracuda, Stonefish, & Blue-ringed Octopus -- All of these things can kill you. In fact, if you really have some bad karma coming your way, they could probably gang up on you and make sure you have an horrific bitey-stingy-eaty death at sea. And you don't want that.
HOW TO AVOID THEM: Shiny things attract barracuda. Blood attracts sharks. Stonefish hide on the bottom of the ocean and can sting if you're not wearing scuba booties. A Blue-ringed Octopus is extremely shy and probably wouldn't have stung you if you hadn't cornered it in a rocky crevice and kept molesting it even after it let you know it wasn't happy.
In other words...don't be an idiot, don't get killed.
In closing, Okinawa is teeming with things that either want you dead or will inadvertently cause you to be that way. So...just be careful. All you have to do is pay attention and don't do dumb things like poke animals with sticks like Eddie and I do...and even we've managed to stay alive.
As you're exploring Okinawa, you will encounter a lot of things you've never encountered in America. Things like giant bats, large tombs, and politeness. You may not know how to react to things like that, and that's why I'm here to help you out. Basically, as you run into unfamiliar things on Okinawa, there's one rule to keep in mind:
It can probably kill you.
An expanded version of that rule:
If it's alive, it can probably kill you.
If it's man-made, it's either sacred or it can kill you.
Just assume it has the capability and
quite possibly the desire to
shove you off this mortal coil.
So, I'm going to show you a few things that may or may not kill you, and give you some tips on how to avoid them or -- if you're anything like me -- find them.
Onward...
THING: Unexploded Ordnance. I don't have any pictures, because thankfully I've never encountered any of these. In short, they are bombs that were dropped during World War II, but never went off. This doesn't mean they're duds, though, and people have been injured/killed over the years when UEO has gone off.
HOW TO AVOID: Don't go wandering off the beaten path into the bushes. If you see metallic objects that look like they might be shells, don't play with them, and do report them. Even I'm not dumb enough to screw around with UEO, and I'm the kind of person who'd poke a Habu with a stick.
THING: Shrines & Tombs
Above - TombBelow - Shrines
Obviously shrines and tombs won't kill you. Duh. However, they are everywhere. Any time you go hiking, or even wander through a park, I promise you will find tombs and shrines. The reason I'm pointing them out here is not that they are dangerous, but they are something to be aware of and avoided out of cultural courtesy. They can be photographed, but do not mess with them. Americans are forbidden from going into cemeteries without an invitation from a local national who has family buried there. If someone is praying at either a tomb or shrine, don't disturb them. If money has been left on a shrine, leave it alone. If you do mess with it, I hope someone comes along and kicks your ass.HOW TO AVOID: Don't be a dumb American. Be respectful, keep your distance, and don't disturb shrines or tombs. Also, Habu sometimes hang out in tombs, so if being respectful isn't enough of a deterrent to keep you out of tombs, then just remember there might be poisonous snakes lying in wait.
THING: Wild boars
(Actual sign on the side of the expressway)I really don't know if the wild boars are dangerous or not, as I've never actually seen one, but swine can be rather foul-tempered, so...
HOW TO AVOID: If you see a wild boar, leave it alone. And don't run them over. That's just mean.
THING: Hermit Crabs -- These are obviously not dangerous, but they are everywhere. And they're kinda fun to play with.
Really, the only reasons you need to be aware of hermit crabs are:1. So you're careful to watch your step on the beach and not squish them.
2. So you're careful to check every shell you bring home, lest you wind up with a stowaway. Think I'm kidding? This little guy went home with us a few months ago (the lens cap is about 2" in diameter):
(He was taken back to a beach and released)They're not dangerous, but they can sometimes have a bit of an attitude...
HOW TO AVOID: Just don't step on them and try not to bring them home.THING: Staring birds -- Again, not dangerous. You'll see them everywhere, though. They might give you the evil eye, but they won't hurt you.
HOW TO AVOID: Look, if you're trying to stay away from a little blue bird, you're going to be a quivering mess of terror after a week here.THING: Cone Snails -- Okay, these? Highly dangerous. These can kill you.
(picture from Wikipedia, since I can't seem to find any on my hard drive)Wait, seriously? It's a snail. Why the hell do I need to avoid a snail?
Cone snails are extremely poisonous. They really can kill you.
HOW TO AVOID: When walking in water, always wear scuba booties. Always. If you're like me and can't resist picking up potentially dangerous animals while you're snorkeling, wear gloves. Even I'm not dumb enough to pick up one of these suckers with my bare hands. That's not to say I'm not dumb enough to pick them up in the first place, but I do wear gloves. I have standards, people.
THING - Sea Mangoes -- Yes, sea mangoes. Not necessarily going to kill you, but I'm told eating them will make you wish you were dead.
HOW TO AVOID: Don't pick fruit and eat it. Really. Just don't. You can buy mangoes at the commissary and farmer's markets.THING: Box Jellyfish -- Also something that can kill you.
This is the closest I have to a picture of a box jellyfish. Hey, I'm stupid, but I don't have a death wish. I'm not getting in the water with a freaking box jellyfish.HOW TO AVOID: Don't swim, snorkel, or dive where jellyfish warnings are posted. Check websites for warnings about jellyfish swarms. If you see one while you're swimming, get out of the water. Don't be stupid.
THING: Sugarcane Trucks -- They won't necessarily kill you, but notice how they don't quite fit on or share the road:
HOW TO AVOID: Don't drive like an idiot on narrow, winding roads. When driving on narrow, winding roads, be mindful of these:
When you see those mirrors on a curve or corner, USE THEM.THING: Sea Snakes -- These will kill you.
They're pretty much impossible to miss: The black and white pattern is striking, and...well...a 3-foot striped snake is not difficult to see. We've seen them in as little as 3 feet of water, and the last one we saw was in amongst the tall sea grass. So pay attention. You should always be aware of your surroundings when in the water anyway, but if avoiding a sea snake isn't motivation to maintain situational awareness, I don't know what is.HOW TO AVOID THEM: They're actually pretty easy to avoid most of the time: Just leave them alone. Sea snakes are generally not aggressive, but they are curious. It's not unusual for them to draft in your fins while you're swimming, but they'll usually swim away if you face them. Basically, don't fuck with them, and they won't bite you.
THING: Habu -- Okay, these will definitely kill you.
The Habu is a nocturnal snake living on Okinawa, and they are as plentiful as they are dangerous. They're quite aggressive and highly poisonous. There are actually four varieties of snakes living on Okinawa (not counting sea snakes), and three of those are Habu. If you see a snake on land, assume it's a Habu. Learn that face, my loyal blog minions:
HOW TO AVOID: Stay on the beaten path. If you see signs warning of snakes, they're not screwing around.
I understand Habu tend to hang out in tombs, caves, under rocks, etc., in order to stay cool during the day. (Funny, I always thought of snakes as trying to stay warm, but since it's usually hot here even at night, it does make sense) Also keep an eye on low tree branches when hiking through thick vegetation, as they like to hang out in the trees. Basically...don't be stupid.While we're on the subject of wiggly serpenty things...
THING: Moray eels -- These are pretty shy and not outwardly aggressive unless you approach them.
To get this picture, I dove down about 8 feet, several times, with the camera in hand. The eel was less than impressed, and snapped at me several times. His head, which contains that gaping mouth full of sharp pointy teeth, was about as big around as my fist, if that gives you an idea of his size.So, if you want to avoid being bitten by one, don't be like me.
HOW TO AVOID: Don't approach them. Don't poke at them. Don't harass them. Don't insult their mothers. Don't call them names. Don't taunt them to see if they'll bite your glove. Don't put your fingers in their mouths. Leave them alone.
THING: Cicadas -- They won't kill you, but if you've never heard a swarm of cicadas, well...you're lucky. When they swarm in the spring, the novelty wears off after about the third day of not being able to carry on a conversation outdoors.
Also, if a bunch of them suddenly take off, they tend to pee all over anyone standing below them. I speak from experience.HOW TO AVOID: Good luck with that.
THING: BANANA SPIDERS -- These suckers are freaking huge...
...however, they will not kill you. I mean, with everything on this island that's foul-tempered, venomous, and carnivorous, it blows my mind that the spiders are not dangerous. Yet, they aren't.HOW TO AVOID: Look, if you can't avoid a 3-inch spider in a web...
THING: Fruit Bats -- They will kill you with their cuteness.
Seriously. How cute is that? A little fox with wings! That's like lethal on the squee scale.HOW TO AVOID: Don't walk in the middle of the road at high noon while wearing a beanie and eating an ice cream cone.
THING: Lionfish -- At best, they'll ruin your day. At worst, yep, they'll kill you.
(The lionfish is the big brown blob on the right, as opposed to the big brown blob on the left) These are so freaking cool to watch. They're absolutely beautiful, and they're not aggressive at all.
Just...you know...don't get stung.HOW TO AVOID: They're usually found in deeper water (I've seen them in as shallow as 8-10 feet), and I've only seen them close to rocks, pylons, etc. They're pretty hard to miss, so just keep your damned eyes open and you won't get stung.
THING: Butterflies -- These will RIP YOUR FACE OFF AND KILL YOU.
Seriously. Look at that thing. Tell me it's not planning to kill someone.HOW TO AVOID: Um...it's a butterfly.
THING: Sea Urchins -- They won't kill you, but they can definitely ruin your day. You'll basically see two varieties of sea urchins in the waters around Okinawa. These relatively benign little pincushions...
...and these malevolently spiny creatures of prickly doom:
To give you an idea, those spines are about 8-10 inches long. And I speak from experience, my loyal blog minions: getting stung sucks. They're not dangerous per se, but unless you want to itch like you've never itched before...HOW TO AVOID THEM: Scuba booties. Gloves. Freaking pay attention to where you're swimming!
THING: Gravity + Cliffs -- The cliffs of Okinawa have a long and tragic history, and you don't want to be a part of that.
HOW TO AVOID: Duh. Stay away from the edge. When you see signs warning against getting close to the edge, heed them.
Um...Moving right along...
THING: The sun -- You're in the tropics now, folks. The sun is not something to screw around with.
Still, in order to understand just what we're dealing with, every last one of us seems to require a proverbial baptism by fire:
HOW TO AVOID: Well, assuming you actually want to get outside and enjoy the island, which is why you're reading this, staying indoors out of the sun isn't an option. So...common sense. Don't stay out in it too long, cover your skin when you can, etc. Sunscreen is your friend (Tip: Buy sunscreen on base...it's horrendously expensive off base).THING: Puffer Fish -- I'm told they can sting you and really ruin your day. However...
...if you manage to get stung by a puffer fish, I'd be willing to bet money you probably deserved it. They're extremely skittish, and will swim away from even the slightest movement. Getting them to puff even a little is quite difficult, never mind getting them to blow up all the way and get close enough to sting you.HOW TO AVOID THEM: Just...you know...leave them alone.
THING: Sharks, Barracuda, Stonefish, & Blue-ringed Octopus -- All of these things can kill you. In fact, if you really have some bad karma coming your way, they could probably gang up on you and make sure you have an horrific bitey-stingy-eaty death at sea. And you don't want that.
HOW TO AVOID THEM: Shiny things attract barracuda. Blood attracts sharks. Stonefish hide on the bottom of the ocean and can sting if you're not wearing scuba booties. A Blue-ringed Octopus is extremely shy and probably wouldn't have stung you if you hadn't cornered it in a rocky crevice and kept molesting it even after it let you know it wasn't happy.
In other words...don't be an idiot, don't get killed.
In closing, Okinawa is teeming with things that either want you dead or will inadvertently cause you to be that way. So...just be careful. All you have to do is pay attention and don't do dumb things like poke animals with sticks like Eddie and I do...and even we've managed to stay alive.
June 9, 2011
The Dumb American's Guide to Living on Okinawa Part 2: Where to Eat
Okinawa has some of the most awesome food. Seriously. There's a reason I've gained about 20 lbs since I moved here, and it's not entirely because I completely let my gym habits fall by the wayside. There are countless places to eat while you're here, and so many things you simply have to try. I'll probably post a blog at a later date with specific things you should try, but this one is devoted to places.
In no particular order, some of our favorite places to grab some grub:
PIZZA SKY (or Sky Pizza, or Pizza in the Sky...it's all the same place)
They even put up big shades when it's super bright out, which is really nice. I love this place. About half an hour out of Nago, it's a challenge to find, but the food is fantastic. Seriously, I love pizza, and the pizza here is like sex in my mouth. The menu is very simple: one kind of salad, one kind of pizza, a handful of drinks, and a chilled mango dessert (on a hot day, that chilled mango is DIVINE). Bring yen - they do not take Visa! It can be crowded, especially on Sundays/Mondays (Japanese weekend), and it's closed on Tuesdays/Wednesdays, but it's well worth the drive and the wait. I highly recommend combining it with a visit to the aquarium, butterfly farm, Nakijin Castle, and/or the Nago Pineapple Park.
Plus the atmosphere is great:
Yes, this is the kind of place where you take your shoes off and sit on the floor. If your knees and hips can't take that, there are picnic tables outside with benches.
It's a little bit of a challenge to find the first time, but it's not too bad: Take 58 north into Nago. Go left on 85 (at the Kentucky Fried Chicken). Follow to a T-intersection and go right, then continue to 115 (which is marked and has a stoplight; you'll be driving for a while before you get there). Turn right onto 115, follow it past several cemeteries, and as you're going up a hill, you'll see a turn-off on the right with a green, white, and red sign (kind of like an Italian flag). Turn right. Follow to a T-intersection (no light), and go left. Follow until you see a tomb sticking out in the road at the bottom of a hill (trust me, you'll know it when you see it). Pizza Sky is on the left.
SAM'S BY THE SEA -- I have to say, I'm super-biased about this place. I think Eddie and I have been there about 50 times. The rest of the Sam's chain is good, but I'm rather fond of this one. Their steak is spectacular. Eddie tells me their seafood is wonderful. Their curry soup? OMFG. Even if you aren't a fan of curry, TRY THE SOUP. (It comes with every meal) One of these days, I'm just going to ask them to give me a spoon and let me sit at the big cauldron where it cooks all day long.
Insanely easy to find: Leave Kadena through Gate 2. Follow the road, which will take you out toward Awase. Keep going until you see a giant gorilla on your left (you can't miss it). At the light immediately after the gorilla, turn left. At the stop sign, turn right. Follow until you see torches. Go left through the gate with the torches on it.
And speaking of that giant gorilla...
KING KONG YAKINIKU -- The gorilla stands at the entrance to their parking lot, so turn there if you want to check this place out. It's basically a buffet of raw meat, which you then cook at a gas grill at your table. They also have soba, seafood, rice, sushi, and various desserts, so it's a really good place to sample things and get your palate acquainted with some of cuisine you might not be used to. They accept Visa, and it's about Y1600 a head (lunch is cheaper and less crowded). Can get crowded on the weekends and in the evenings.
MCDONALD's -- Yes, you read that right.
McDonald's in Japan is just something you have to experience. Why? Because it'll put any American McDonald's to shame. From the polite service to food that's actually prepared like they give a shit whether or not their customers are satisfied, it's awesome. And I think it's a crime that they make better Big Macs here than in the States. (Yen only...no Visa here.)
How to find: Drive. You'll see one. Trust me.
SEASIDE RISTORANTE at KADENA MARINA -- This is an American-run, dollars-and-Visa-accepting restaurant, so it doesn't count as dining out in town, but it's worth experiencing for the view alone:
I recommend it more for lunch than dinner; the portions are a little smaller, and they don't come with the salad and bread that accompanies dinner (which are good, but just way, way too much food). Don't expect 5-star food (though the vodka chicken penne contains large amounts of awesomesauce), but it's a nice place for a leisurely lunch outside on a sunny day.
Leave Kadena via Gate 1 and go right. You'll see the sign for Kadena Marina and the Seaside Ristorante on your left. Turn left at the sign, follow down the hill, and the restaurant will be right in front of you. Tip: This is also a great place to snorkel...just, you know, not right after lunch.
FAMILY MART, COCO!, LAWSON STATION -- Basically, the convenience stores. You'll see Lawson and Family Mart (and to a lesser degree, Coco!) all over the place. There's almost as many of those places as there are vending machines. Like, if you give someone directions that include "turn left at the Family Mart", they'll invariably glare at you and say that's about as specific as saying "go to the aisle with a bunch of cheap crap" in a Wal-Mart.
Why the hell should you eat at a convenience store? Well, if you're exploring Okinawa, you will inevitably find yourself, at some point, getting hungry. And quite honestly, the sandwiches, munchies, and baked goods at these places are awesome. Family Mart has some of the best chocolate eclairs on the planet, and even their prepackaged sandwiches are worth driving out of your way to find. Not that you'll have to, since these places are everywhere.
However, Coco! is not to be confused with...
COCO'S CURRY -- I wasn't a fan of curry before I moved here. Always too spicy for my taste. Japanese curry is different, though. The flavor is stronger, but the spice is much milder (though you're more than welcome to ask for a stronger spice...Coco's has from 0 to 10, and you have to finish a 5 before they'll let you order 6 or above). They also have salads and a mango pudding that is to freaking die for. This is a fast food joint with a diner atmosphere, but don't let it fool you: the food's amazing.
KOKUSAI STREET -- Okay, I'm kind of cheating here. Where should you eat on Kokusai Street? The short answer is...everywhere. The only Vietnamese restaurant on the island (that I'm aware of) is here, so if you're craving Pho, this is the place to be. Several of the Sam's restaurants are here, and there's at least one Yakiniku place. Really, you can't go wrong anywhere here. Well, except Perestroika, which is the only Russian restaurant on the island. Good luck finding it, since it's tucked down some back alley, but the one experience I've had there resulted in unanimous thumbs-down from everyone in attendance. So, skip that one and eat everywhere else on Kokusai Street.
The marketplace--which extends off the main drag for a loooooong way--itself is a good place to find munchies, whether they're giving out samples of cookies/sweets or selling pineapple on a stick.
I'm serious, you can get the most insanely awesome fresh grown-like-ten-minutes-away pineapple here. For Y100, you get a chunk on a stick. We've actually started carrying wetnaps with us when we go to Kokusai Street, because invariably, we end up getting pineapple, and this stuff is so juicy, it's impossible not to get sticky.
It's not just pineapple, though. This is a good place to get great deals on locally grown garlic, onions, tangerines, sugarcane, and some of the more unique-to-Okinawa produce, such as goya, beni imo (a purple sweet potato that I believe only grows here), and dragonfruit:
When cut open, dragonfruit strongly resembles kiwi fruit, but is either white or a vivid purple. It also tastes like kiwi. Tip: The closer you are to Kokusai Street, the more expensive the dragonfruit. When you first walk into the marketplace, you'll usually see it for Y800 or more. Keep walking, and you'll find it for as little as Y400 depending on which vendors are there, the time of year, etc.
THE AQUARIUM -- The aquarium? WTF? Why the hell do I need to eat at the aquarium? Is the food really that good?
Well, no. The food is nothing to write home about. It's not bad, but it's not spectacular. Don't go in expecting to have your palate's socks knocked off, though some of their desserts are pretty damned good.
It also tends to be crowded, and it's every man for himself to find a table, particularly those with a view. Be ready to move quickly and commandeer a table. It's not quite the Thunderdome, but competition for a prime table can be fierce. (Tip: Don't go to the aquarium on the weekends. At all. Ever.)
So, crowded..."meh" food...competition for a table...
Why on earth are you telling us we should eat there, Lori?
Quite simply? Because this restaurant has the most spectacular view EVER:
Basically, you're sitting right next to this:
That's a 21-foot whale shark on the left. There are three in the tank, plus loads of manta rays, sting rays, and other sharks and fish. If you know how tranquil it can be to sit and watch a fish tank, then you can probably gather why eating your lunch -- mediocre or not -- beside the second largest fish tank in the world is an experience not to be missed.
FOUR SEASONS TEPPANYAKI -- WTF is Teppanyaki? You know those Japanese steak houses like Benihana, where they cook right in front of you? Half-show, half-dinner? That's Teppanyaki. Naturally, you can't live in Japan or even visit without going to one of these places. If you're a fan of steak, the words "highly recommended" don't even come close to how I feel about the Kobe steak. If the pizza at Pizza Sky is sex in my mouth, the Kobe steak at Four Seasons is a threeway-with-the-mancandy-of-your-choice orgy in every bite. (Give me a break, I'm an erotica writer...) Anyway, go there. Try it.
They're not hard to find; there's a Four Seasons out by Awase (near Sam's by the Sea and King Kong Yakiniku), and there's another by American Village. Check local guides for directions to the specific locations.
Tip: Go during lunch. It's less crowded and significantly less expensive.
Another tip: They offer a couple of side dishes with every meal; I highly recommend declining at least one, or else it is way, way, WAY too much food. And that Kobe steak is just made of too much awesome for you to walk out feeling like you never even want to think about eating again.
NAGO PINEAPPLE PARK -- Okay, so this isn't really a place to sit down and grab dinner, but believe you me, you can beat a serious case of the munchies in this place.
If you have a sweet tooth like I do, and you like pineapple, this place is a veritable cornucopia of pineapple goodness. Jam, tarts, cookies, cakes, fresh chunks of pineapple, white chocolate flavored with pineapple, chips, little cookies made of pineapple filling squished between two pancakes, more chunks of fresh pineapple, juice, wine, sake, vinegar, more delicious pieces of OMG THIS CAN'T BE REAL pineapple...you get the idea. Trust me, you can eat pretty damn well in there. Be prepared to spend some money, though...once you sample stuff, it's really hard not to buy it.
Tip: You don't have to go through the tour to visit the shop unless you want to do the wine-tasting. There's no charge to go into the shop itself. The tour is pretty fun, though.
Another tip: The pineapple pickles are interesting, but...well, try them just to say you've tried them, but don't say I didn't warn you. They're pineapple pickles. Just combine those two concepts, and you can probably imagine.
One final tip: After you've spent a shameful amount of money on pineapply things, you'll turn right to leave the checkout line. Straight ahead of you, before you turn right again to continue to the parking lot, there's a little booth where they sell PINEAPPLE CREAM PUFFS. Imagine, my loyal blog minions: a fresh cream puff that has been stuffed with cream AND PINEAPPLE. And then dusted with powdered sugar. Take the dirty descriptions I gave of Pizza Sky's pizza, Four Seasons' Kobe, and crank that description to whatever could possibly bring you an unspeakable amount of ecstasy, and that is a pineapple cream puff.
(I really like pineapple, so I may be biased.)
How to get there: Take 58 into Nago. Turn left on 85 at the Kentucky Fried Chicken. Follow to a T-intersection and go right. If you don't see the pineapple park, please return to base immediately and have your eyes checked. Parking can be a bit of a bitch, so if it's full, drive a little farther up the road to the Lawson Station and park there (there's also an Okinawa Fruit Park or something in the same parking lot as the Lawson...totally worth checking out too).
***
There you have it: a selection of some of our favorite places to eat on Okinawa. Have you lived here or do you live here now? Feel free to add your own favorites in the comments section.
Stay tuned for more installments of The Dumb American's Guide to Living on Okinawa.
In no particular order, some of our favorite places to grab some grub:
PIZZA SKY (or Sky Pizza, or Pizza in the Sky...it's all the same place)
They even put up big shades when it's super bright out, which is really nice. I love this place. About half an hour out of Nago, it's a challenge to find, but the food is fantastic. Seriously, I love pizza, and the pizza here is like sex in my mouth. The menu is very simple: one kind of salad, one kind of pizza, a handful of drinks, and a chilled mango dessert (on a hot day, that chilled mango is DIVINE). Bring yen - they do not take Visa! It can be crowded, especially on Sundays/Mondays (Japanese weekend), and it's closed on Tuesdays/Wednesdays, but it's well worth the drive and the wait. I highly recommend combining it with a visit to the aquarium, butterfly farm, Nakijin Castle, and/or the Nago Pineapple Park.Plus the atmosphere is great:
Yes, this is the kind of place where you take your shoes off and sit on the floor. If your knees and hips can't take that, there are picnic tables outside with benches.It's a little bit of a challenge to find the first time, but it's not too bad: Take 58 north into Nago. Go left on 85 (at the Kentucky Fried Chicken). Follow to a T-intersection and go right, then continue to 115 (which is marked and has a stoplight; you'll be driving for a while before you get there). Turn right onto 115, follow it past several cemeteries, and as you're going up a hill, you'll see a turn-off on the right with a green, white, and red sign (kind of like an Italian flag). Turn right. Follow to a T-intersection (no light), and go left. Follow until you see a tomb sticking out in the road at the bottom of a hill (trust me, you'll know it when you see it). Pizza Sky is on the left.
SAM'S BY THE SEA -- I have to say, I'm super-biased about this place. I think Eddie and I have been there about 50 times. The rest of the Sam's chain is good, but I'm rather fond of this one. Their steak is spectacular. Eddie tells me their seafood is wonderful. Their curry soup? OMFG. Even if you aren't a fan of curry, TRY THE SOUP. (It comes with every meal) One of these days, I'm just going to ask them to give me a spoon and let me sit at the big cauldron where it cooks all day long.
Insanely easy to find: Leave Kadena through Gate 2. Follow the road, which will take you out toward Awase. Keep going until you see a giant gorilla on your left (you can't miss it). At the light immediately after the gorilla, turn left. At the stop sign, turn right. Follow until you see torches. Go left through the gate with the torches on it.
And speaking of that giant gorilla...
KING KONG YAKINIKU -- The gorilla stands at the entrance to their parking lot, so turn there if you want to check this place out. It's basically a buffet of raw meat, which you then cook at a gas grill at your table. They also have soba, seafood, rice, sushi, and various desserts, so it's a really good place to sample things and get your palate acquainted with some of cuisine you might not be used to. They accept Visa, and it's about Y1600 a head (lunch is cheaper and less crowded). Can get crowded on the weekends and in the evenings.
MCDONALD's -- Yes, you read that right.
McDonald's in Japan is just something you have to experience. Why? Because it'll put any American McDonald's to shame. From the polite service to food that's actually prepared like they give a shit whether or not their customers are satisfied, it's awesome. And I think it's a crime that they make better Big Macs here than in the States. (Yen only...no Visa here.)How to find: Drive. You'll see one. Trust me.
SEASIDE RISTORANTE at KADENA MARINA -- This is an American-run, dollars-and-Visa-accepting restaurant, so it doesn't count as dining out in town, but it's worth experiencing for the view alone:
I recommend it more for lunch than dinner; the portions are a little smaller, and they don't come with the salad and bread that accompanies dinner (which are good, but just way, way too much food). Don't expect 5-star food (though the vodka chicken penne contains large amounts of awesomesauce), but it's a nice place for a leisurely lunch outside on a sunny day.Leave Kadena via Gate 1 and go right. You'll see the sign for Kadena Marina and the Seaside Ristorante on your left. Turn left at the sign, follow down the hill, and the restaurant will be right in front of you. Tip: This is also a great place to snorkel...just, you know, not right after lunch.
FAMILY MART, COCO!, LAWSON STATION -- Basically, the convenience stores. You'll see Lawson and Family Mart (and to a lesser degree, Coco!) all over the place. There's almost as many of those places as there are vending machines. Like, if you give someone directions that include "turn left at the Family Mart", they'll invariably glare at you and say that's about as specific as saying "go to the aisle with a bunch of cheap crap" in a Wal-Mart.
Why the hell should you eat at a convenience store? Well, if you're exploring Okinawa, you will inevitably find yourself, at some point, getting hungry. And quite honestly, the sandwiches, munchies, and baked goods at these places are awesome. Family Mart has some of the best chocolate eclairs on the planet, and even their prepackaged sandwiches are worth driving out of your way to find. Not that you'll have to, since these places are everywhere.
However, Coco! is not to be confused with...COCO'S CURRY -- I wasn't a fan of curry before I moved here. Always too spicy for my taste. Japanese curry is different, though. The flavor is stronger, but the spice is much milder (though you're more than welcome to ask for a stronger spice...Coco's has from 0 to 10, and you have to finish a 5 before they'll let you order 6 or above). They also have salads and a mango pudding that is to freaking die for. This is a fast food joint with a diner atmosphere, but don't let it fool you: the food's amazing.
KOKUSAI STREET -- Okay, I'm kind of cheating here. Where should you eat on Kokusai Street? The short answer is...everywhere. The only Vietnamese restaurant on the island (that I'm aware of) is here, so if you're craving Pho, this is the place to be. Several of the Sam's restaurants are here, and there's at least one Yakiniku place. Really, you can't go wrong anywhere here. Well, except Perestroika, which is the only Russian restaurant on the island. Good luck finding it, since it's tucked down some back alley, but the one experience I've had there resulted in unanimous thumbs-down from everyone in attendance. So, skip that one and eat everywhere else on Kokusai Street.
The marketplace--which extends off the main drag for a loooooong way--itself is a good place to find munchies, whether they're giving out samples of cookies/sweets or selling pineapple on a stick.
I'm serious, you can get the most insanely awesome fresh grown-like-ten-minutes-away pineapple here. For Y100, you get a chunk on a stick. We've actually started carrying wetnaps with us when we go to Kokusai Street, because invariably, we end up getting pineapple, and this stuff is so juicy, it's impossible not to get sticky.It's not just pineapple, though. This is a good place to get great deals on locally grown garlic, onions, tangerines, sugarcane, and some of the more unique-to-Okinawa produce, such as goya, beni imo (a purple sweet potato that I believe only grows here), and dragonfruit:
When cut open, dragonfruit strongly resembles kiwi fruit, but is either white or a vivid purple. It also tastes like kiwi. Tip: The closer you are to Kokusai Street, the more expensive the dragonfruit. When you first walk into the marketplace, you'll usually see it for Y800 or more. Keep walking, and you'll find it for as little as Y400 depending on which vendors are there, the time of year, etc.THE AQUARIUM -- The aquarium? WTF? Why the hell do I need to eat at the aquarium? Is the food really that good?
Well, no. The food is nothing to write home about. It's not bad, but it's not spectacular. Don't go in expecting to have your palate's socks knocked off, though some of their desserts are pretty damned good.
It also tends to be crowded, and it's every man for himself to find a table, particularly those with a view. Be ready to move quickly and commandeer a table. It's not quite the Thunderdome, but competition for a prime table can be fierce. (Tip: Don't go to the aquarium on the weekends. At all. Ever.)
So, crowded..."meh" food...competition for a table...
Why on earth are you telling us we should eat there, Lori?
Quite simply? Because this restaurant has the most spectacular view EVER:
Basically, you're sitting right next to this:
That's a 21-foot whale shark on the left. There are three in the tank, plus loads of manta rays, sting rays, and other sharks and fish. If you know how tranquil it can be to sit and watch a fish tank, then you can probably gather why eating your lunch -- mediocre or not -- beside the second largest fish tank in the world is an experience not to be missed.FOUR SEASONS TEPPANYAKI -- WTF is Teppanyaki? You know those Japanese steak houses like Benihana, where they cook right in front of you? Half-show, half-dinner? That's Teppanyaki. Naturally, you can't live in Japan or even visit without going to one of these places. If you're a fan of steak, the words "highly recommended" don't even come close to how I feel about the Kobe steak. If the pizza at Pizza Sky is sex in my mouth, the Kobe steak at Four Seasons is a threeway-with-the-mancandy-of-your-choice orgy in every bite. (Give me a break, I'm an erotica writer...) Anyway, go there. Try it.
They're not hard to find; there's a Four Seasons out by Awase (near Sam's by the Sea and King Kong Yakiniku), and there's another by American Village. Check local guides for directions to the specific locations.
Tip: Go during lunch. It's less crowded and significantly less expensive.
Another tip: They offer a couple of side dishes with every meal; I highly recommend declining at least one, or else it is way, way, WAY too much food. And that Kobe steak is just made of too much awesome for you to walk out feeling like you never even want to think about eating again.
NAGO PINEAPPLE PARK -- Okay, so this isn't really a place to sit down and grab dinner, but believe you me, you can beat a serious case of the munchies in this place.
If you have a sweet tooth like I do, and you like pineapple, this place is a veritable cornucopia of pineapple goodness. Jam, tarts, cookies, cakes, fresh chunks of pineapple, white chocolate flavored with pineapple, chips, little cookies made of pineapple filling squished between two pancakes, more chunks of fresh pineapple, juice, wine, sake, vinegar, more delicious pieces of OMG THIS CAN'T BE REAL pineapple...you get the idea. Trust me, you can eat pretty damn well in there. Be prepared to spend some money, though...once you sample stuff, it's really hard not to buy it.Tip: You don't have to go through the tour to visit the shop unless you want to do the wine-tasting. There's no charge to go into the shop itself. The tour is pretty fun, though.
Another tip: The pineapple pickles are interesting, but...well, try them just to say you've tried them, but don't say I didn't warn you. They're pineapple pickles. Just combine those two concepts, and you can probably imagine.
One final tip: After you've spent a shameful amount of money on pineapply things, you'll turn right to leave the checkout line. Straight ahead of you, before you turn right again to continue to the parking lot, there's a little booth where they sell PINEAPPLE CREAM PUFFS. Imagine, my loyal blog minions: a fresh cream puff that has been stuffed with cream AND PINEAPPLE. And then dusted with powdered sugar. Take the dirty descriptions I gave of Pizza Sky's pizza, Four Seasons' Kobe, and crank that description to whatever could possibly bring you an unspeakable amount of ecstasy, and that is a pineapple cream puff.
(I really like pineapple, so I may be biased.)
How to get there: Take 58 into Nago. Turn left on 85 at the Kentucky Fried Chicken. Follow to a T-intersection and go right. If you don't see the pineapple park, please return to base immediately and have your eyes checked. Parking can be a bit of a bitch, so if it's full, drive a little farther up the road to the Lawson Station and park there (there's also an Okinawa Fruit Park or something in the same parking lot as the Lawson...totally worth checking out too).
***
There you have it: a selection of some of our favorite places to eat on Okinawa. Have you lived here or do you live here now? Feel free to add your own favorites in the comments section.
Stay tuned for more installments of The Dumb American's Guide to Living on Okinawa.
June 7, 2011
The Dumb American's Guide to Living on Okinawa Part 1: How NOT to be Bored
When I was but a wee child, my family had a dog named Goldie. (Stick with me, there's a point to this)
Goldie was a mix of about twelve billion different breeds of dog, but one thing was certain: she had some sort of sheltie or collie in her. A herding dog, anyway. Now, the backyard shared a fence with a horse pasture. That pasture ran parallel to two other pastures, each occupied by one horse. Goldie could spend hours every day running along the fence, trying to get the horses to run up and down the hill.
After years of running along the fence, Goldie carved a path in the lawn. It was ridiculous: the dirt was like 3 inches below the roots of the grass on either side of it. It ran the length of the fence, then at the bottom of the hill, made a loop (apparently Goldie didn't turn on a dime, so she made a loop at the bottom). From the air, it probably looked like a noose, so I can only imagine what any pilot might have thought if they happened over our yard.
Anyway. This path was Goldie's little thoroughfare. A somewhat less pronounced one extended from the top of her trail to the deck, since she didn't make that part of the journey as often or as violently. The rest of the grass? Pristine and untouched.
You're probably wondering what on earth my dog and her silly little path have to do with Okinawa, boredom, or anything remotely relevant to, well, anything.
You see, my loyal blog minions, I have heard many people complain about how boring Okinawa is. There's nothing to do. It's so small. It's sooooooo boooooooring.
Now, I can understand why some people have a difficult time adjusting, or just plain don't like it here. The food is different, the climate takes some getting used to, the language barrier is intimidating, the place is isolated, etc. But what floors me every time is the number of people who say they were bored.
On Okinawa.
BORED.
Upon further questioning, I've found that most of the bored Okinawa-haters have a few things in common, and I'm passing these things on to you so that, should you ever find yourself here for 2-3 years, you will not be bored.
Much like my crazy lawn-carving dog, the extent of these people's exploration of Okinawa is the roads connecting one base to another. Back and forth, from gate to gate, until they've worn a path between all the bases. Anyone who lives on Camp McTureous (myself included) knows the roads to Kadena, Courtney, and Foster like they know the hallways of their own cramped apartment. Those who live on bases that actually have stuff besides housing stay on their own bases unless they absolutely have to go anywhere else. If they leave the base at all, they go to American Village, which is a few kilometers from Kadena and right across from Foster. Not exactly branching out, you know?
Day in and day out, for their entire tour, people simply flit from one base to the next without exploring the rest of the island. Folks, there's more to Okinawa than what you see from the roads between bases! You want to enjoy living here? GET OFF THE BEATEN PATH AND EXPLORE THE REST OF THE YARD.
And when you do, here are a few pointers, rules, tips, and hard-earned pieces of wisdom:
American Village doesn't count as leaving the base. Okay, it's not on base, and it is run by local nationals, and you use yen, but it's almost 100% geared toward Americans. They even have a Tony Roma's, for heaven's sake. If American Village is the extent of your off-base exploration, you haven't done any exploring.Neither does Gate 2 Street. I can't tell you how many people who've complained about "getting bored and seeing everything Okinawa has to offer in the first month" have eventually admitted to spending the majority of their time on Gate 2 Street. This is the street just outside Kadena's Gate 2 (hence the name) where everyone goes to drink and party (and, to a lesser degree, shop...for American-targeted merchandise). Folks, you're living on a tropical paradise surrounded by palm trees, 14th century castles, WWII memorials, and more culture than a lab full of bacteria. You can drink in the States. Get thee out to the rest of the island!
Always carry yen and dollars. Visa is everywhere you want to be unless you want to be on Okinawa. It's very rare to find establishments off base that accept Visa, especially places where it's worth actually spending money. This includes McDonald's, A&W, and other American fast food joints...you need yen. Some places will accept American dollars, but expect to get screwed on the exchange rate. Yen is your friend. Carry it. Always. If you find yourself always being able to use your Visa and never needing yen, you aren't exploring enough.
You'll get used to driving on the left. Really, it's no excuse for not leaving the base, since you have to drive on the left on-base too. This intimidated me and was part of what kept me from getting my Okinawa driver's license for an embarrassingly long time, but I promise you, you'll get used to it.It's okay if you don't speak Japanese. I've lived here for almost three years, and my Japanese vocabulary consists of "arigato" (thank you) and "gomenasai" (I'm sorry). I understand three or four other phrases if they're spoken to me, but hell if I can remember them and say them myself. Honestly, the vast majority of people here speak enough English to help our dumb asses, and where language leaves off, gesturing and drawing pictures bridges the gap. Just be polite, be patient (remember, you're the one who doesn't speak their language), and you'll do just fine.It's okay if you don't read Japanese. Most of the major streets are numbered. Restaurants generally have pictures on their menus. There are English subtitles on a lot of signs, and if not, they're not too difficult to figure out. I know precisely one bit of Kanji (the ones that spell "Okinawa"), and I've had very little trouble finding my way around. And really, even when a sign is a bit baffling, it's half the fun of exploring a foreign country. If you find yourself encountering nothing but signs that are in perfect English, you aren't exploring enough.
Go where the "Y" plates aren't. Okinawan cars have a little symbol on the left side of the license plate. Japanese-owned cars have Kanji, and are referred to as "K" plates. American-owned cars have a "Y", hence..."Y" plate. What this means is, you can tell at a glance if the driver in front of you is Japanese or American. Now, the further you get from a base, the fewer Y plates you'll see. I don't mean just a smaller concentration of them: I mean once you get more than 10 km from a base, you might see two or three. Get north of Nago or south of Naha, you'll be lucky if you see one. Why? Because most Americans don't explore Okinawa. If you are surrounded by "Y" plates, you're not exploring.Get in the water. You haven't lived until you've seen what lives below the surface of the crystal clear waters around Okinawa. Dive, snorkel, whatever, just get in the water.You're not allowed to say you're bored until you've been to at least 4 castles. I can't tell you how many people I've talked to who have only been to Shuri or Katsuren Castles. Those are worth visiting, of course (you haven't lived until you've seen the view from the top of Katsuren), but there's like 9 castles on this island. If you haven't put in enough effort to cart yourself to at least four of them (especially when two are spitting distance from Kadena), then you haven't done enough exploring to complain about boredom.People, a decisive battle of freaking WORLD WAR II was fought here. The Himeyuri Peace Memorial, the underground headquarters, the countless monuments and battlefields...even if you aren't a history buff like me, it's fascinating. And there is something incredibly surreal about not just reading about the war (which all my American blog minions can probably recall reading about in school from a geographical as well as chronological distance), but standing right there where it happened.
My parents were here for 10 days, and we still didn't see everything. I ran my poor parents ragged while they were here, trying to see as much as humanly possibly in 10 days. I took them everywhere from Cape Hedo to the south end of the island, the aquarium, Kouri Island, Ikei Island, beaches, WWII monuments, Kokusai Street, three separate castles, and most of our favorite restaurants...and we didn't come close to seeing everything. Not even all the highlights. If you've seen everything? You aren't exploring.
More tips to come, but there's a pretty basic rundown. This is only the beginning...more to come, I promise. The point is, Okinawa is bigger than it looks. This place is unbelievable. If you don't mesh with it, and it's just not your cup of tea, fine. Not every
But if you're complaining that there's nothing to do?
Well, Goldie, try getting off the beaten path and exploring the rest of the grass.
Goldie was a mix of about twelve billion different breeds of dog, but one thing was certain: she had some sort of sheltie or collie in her. A herding dog, anyway. Now, the backyard shared a fence with a horse pasture. That pasture ran parallel to two other pastures, each occupied by one horse. Goldie could spend hours every day running along the fence, trying to get the horses to run up and down the hill.
After years of running along the fence, Goldie carved a path in the lawn. It was ridiculous: the dirt was like 3 inches below the roots of the grass on either side of it. It ran the length of the fence, then at the bottom of the hill, made a loop (apparently Goldie didn't turn on a dime, so she made a loop at the bottom). From the air, it probably looked like a noose, so I can only imagine what any pilot might have thought if they happened over our yard.
Anyway. This path was Goldie's little thoroughfare. A somewhat less pronounced one extended from the top of her trail to the deck, since she didn't make that part of the journey as often or as violently. The rest of the grass? Pristine and untouched.
You're probably wondering what on earth my dog and her silly little path have to do with Okinawa, boredom, or anything remotely relevant to, well, anything.
You see, my loyal blog minions, I have heard many people complain about how boring Okinawa is. There's nothing to do. It's so small. It's sooooooo boooooooring.
Now, I can understand why some people have a difficult time adjusting, or just plain don't like it here. The food is different, the climate takes some getting used to, the language barrier is intimidating, the place is isolated, etc. But what floors me every time is the number of people who say they were bored.
On Okinawa.
BORED.
Upon further questioning, I've found that most of the bored Okinawa-haters have a few things in common, and I'm passing these things on to you so that, should you ever find yourself here for 2-3 years, you will not be bored.
Much like my crazy lawn-carving dog, the extent of these people's exploration of Okinawa is the roads connecting one base to another. Back and forth, from gate to gate, until they've worn a path between all the bases. Anyone who lives on Camp McTureous (myself included) knows the roads to Kadena, Courtney, and Foster like they know the hallways of their own cramped apartment. Those who live on bases that actually have stuff besides housing stay on their own bases unless they absolutely have to go anywhere else. If they leave the base at all, they go to American Village, which is a few kilometers from Kadena and right across from Foster. Not exactly branching out, you know?
Day in and day out, for their entire tour, people simply flit from one base to the next without exploring the rest of the island. Folks, there's more to Okinawa than what you see from the roads between bases! You want to enjoy living here? GET OFF THE BEATEN PATH AND EXPLORE THE REST OF THE YARD.
And when you do, here are a few pointers, rules, tips, and hard-earned pieces of wisdom:
American Village doesn't count as leaving the base. Okay, it's not on base, and it is run by local nationals, and you use yen, but it's almost 100% geared toward Americans. They even have a Tony Roma's, for heaven's sake. If American Village is the extent of your off-base exploration, you haven't done any exploring.Neither does Gate 2 Street. I can't tell you how many people who've complained about "getting bored and seeing everything Okinawa has to offer in the first month" have eventually admitted to spending the majority of their time on Gate 2 Street. This is the street just outside Kadena's Gate 2 (hence the name) where everyone goes to drink and party (and, to a lesser degree, shop...for American-targeted merchandise). Folks, you're living on a tropical paradise surrounded by palm trees, 14th century castles, WWII memorials, and more culture than a lab full of bacteria. You can drink in the States. Get thee out to the rest of the island!
Always carry yen and dollars. Visa is everywhere you want to be unless you want to be on Okinawa. It's very rare to find establishments off base that accept Visa, especially places where it's worth actually spending money. This includes McDonald's, A&W, and other American fast food joints...you need yen. Some places will accept American dollars, but expect to get screwed on the exchange rate. Yen is your friend. Carry it. Always. If you find yourself always being able to use your Visa and never needing yen, you aren't exploring enough.
You'll get used to driving on the left. Really, it's no excuse for not leaving the base, since you have to drive on the left on-base too. This intimidated me and was part of what kept me from getting my Okinawa driver's license for an embarrassingly long time, but I promise you, you'll get used to it.It's okay if you don't speak Japanese. I've lived here for almost three years, and my Japanese vocabulary consists of "arigato" (thank you) and "gomenasai" (I'm sorry). I understand three or four other phrases if they're spoken to me, but hell if I can remember them and say them myself. Honestly, the vast majority of people here speak enough English to help our dumb asses, and where language leaves off, gesturing and drawing pictures bridges the gap. Just be polite, be patient (remember, you're the one who doesn't speak their language), and you'll do just fine.It's okay if you don't read Japanese. Most of the major streets are numbered. Restaurants generally have pictures on their menus. There are English subtitles on a lot of signs, and if not, they're not too difficult to figure out. I know precisely one bit of Kanji (the ones that spell "Okinawa"), and I've had very little trouble finding my way around. And really, even when a sign is a bit baffling, it's half the fun of exploring a foreign country. If you find yourself encountering nothing but signs that are in perfect English, you aren't exploring enough.
Go where the "Y" plates aren't. Okinawan cars have a little symbol on the left side of the license plate. Japanese-owned cars have Kanji, and are referred to as "K" plates. American-owned cars have a "Y", hence..."Y" plate. What this means is, you can tell at a glance if the driver in front of you is Japanese or American. Now, the further you get from a base, the fewer Y plates you'll see. I don't mean just a smaller concentration of them: I mean once you get more than 10 km from a base, you might see two or three. Get north of Nago or south of Naha, you'll be lucky if you see one. Why? Because most Americans don't explore Okinawa. If you are surrounded by "Y" plates, you're not exploring.Get in the water. You haven't lived until you've seen what lives below the surface of the crystal clear waters around Okinawa. Dive, snorkel, whatever, just get in the water.You're not allowed to say you're bored until you've been to at least 4 castles. I can't tell you how many people I've talked to who have only been to Shuri or Katsuren Castles. Those are worth visiting, of course (you haven't lived until you've seen the view from the top of Katsuren), but there's like 9 castles on this island. If you haven't put in enough effort to cart yourself to at least four of them (especially when two are spitting distance from Kadena), then you haven't done enough exploring to complain about boredom.People, a decisive battle of freaking WORLD WAR II was fought here. The Himeyuri Peace Memorial, the underground headquarters, the countless monuments and battlefields...even if you aren't a history buff like me, it's fascinating. And there is something incredibly surreal about not just reading about the war (which all my American blog minions can probably recall reading about in school from a geographical as well as chronological distance), but standing right there where it happened.
My parents were here for 10 days, and we still didn't see everything. I ran my poor parents ragged while they were here, trying to see as much as humanly possibly in 10 days. I took them everywhere from Cape Hedo to the south end of the island, the aquarium, Kouri Island, Ikei Island, beaches, WWII monuments, Kokusai Street, three separate castles, and most of our favorite restaurants...and we didn't come close to seeing everything. Not even all the highlights. If you've seen everything? You aren't exploring.
More tips to come, but there's a pretty basic rundown. This is only the beginning...more to come, I promise. The point is, Okinawa is bigger than it looks. This place is unbelievable. If you don't mesh with it, and it's just not your cup of tea, fine. Not every
But if you're complaining that there's nothing to do?
Well, Goldie, try getting off the beaten path and exploring the rest of the grass.
Cover Art: Out of Focus
Yes, it's a week of covers!! This time for Out of Focus, my BDSM M/M/M due out in August from Samhain:
He'll bend for them. But they may break over him.
For twelve years, Dom lovers Ryan "Angel" Morgan and Dante James have run a successful photography business, and satisfied their need for a submissive with the occasional sizzling three-way. On a wedding job, they both zero in on the bride's beautiful brother, but as professionals, they keep their attraction on the down-low—for now.
Jordan Steele has no trouble establishing mastery over his stallions. When he hires Angel and Dante to shoot promotional photos for his stable, though, there's something about them that calls to his inner submissive. After a little flirtation and a photo session that gets almost too hot to handle, Angel and Dante are happy to show him the ropes. And the whip.
Once they break the ice, their sexual chemistry burns hotter than a macro flash. Everyone gets what they need…until emotions come into play. Their power could develop into something permanent, throw everything off balance—leaving one of them the odd man out.
Product Warnings -- Contains lots of sarcasm, a double helping of steamy erotic photography, and two dominants having their way with one very enthusiastic submissive.
June 6, 2011
Cover Art: Damaged Goods
Just got some LOVELY cover art from Anne Cain for Damaged Goods, which will be out June 14th:
Jocelyn Rhodes is a single mother with a demanding career and a long-neglected libido. Frustrated with the dating scene and way overdue for some satisfying sex, she takes a friend's advice and hires Sabian, a deliciously sexy escort. He's well worth the money, and the sheets haven't even cooled off before she's ready to call him again.
The more time she spends with him, the more she realizes she and Sabian have more in common than she thought. She's a single mom, he's a prostitute, and when it comes to dating, they're both damaged goods. To most potential mates, Jocelyn and Sabian are in a category akin to dented soup cans, but if the two of them can look past each other's respective dents, they just might find something they've both been missing.
But even if they do find that something, how on earth can she make a relationship work with a man who sleeps with other women for a living?
June 5, 2011
Cover Art: Trust Me
Trust Me, the sequel to Cover Me, is due out in mid-July, and here is the cover art:
On the scene of a multiple murder that's grisly even for a veteran homicide detective, Brian Clifton is stunned when one of the victims bears an uncanny resemblance to his boyfriend, James. As the similarities keep piling up, so do the bodies…and the evidence pointing to James as the killer.
Since long before the shooting, James has been dishonest. He's been evasive. Oh, and there's that minor little detail he withheld from Brian about being a gambling-addicted drug dealer. He may not be the best boyfriend in the world, but he begs Brian to believe he's no murderer. In fact, whoever did pull the trigger undoubtedly wants to finish what they started, and Brian is the only one James trusts to keep him safe.
But how much is Brian willing to risk to protect a man he may not even know?
May 31, 2011
The Dumb American's Guide to Living on Okinawa
So, as my time on this island winds down, and I inch closer to that day when I must return to the States, I've decided to do a series of posts in which I impart all my hard-earned wisdom to those who might also spend some time here. Since I'm of the wordy persuasion, and I like adding photos to my blog entries, I'm breaking it up into several posts. The posts will show up about a week apart, depending on my workload (which sometimes keeps me from blogging, as my loyal blog minions have likely noticed).
Currently planned, and in no particular order, posts will include, but are not limited to:
Places You Must Eat...and a Few Things You Might Want to AvoidYou're Not Allowed to Say Okinawa is Boring Unless You...Getting Lost on OkinawaHow Not to be a Dumb AmericanWhy Leaving Base Isn't as Scary as You ThinkThings That Will Probably Kill YouEven if you're not going to be living on or visiting Okinawa any time soon, hopefully you'll find the posts entertaining. If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you're probably aware that I don't tend to take things very seriously. These posts will be no exception.
Stay tuned!
Also, I have one paperback and two ebook releases in the month of June, so expect no shortage of cover art, release info, and related posts in between the Okinawa survival posts. It's gonna be a busy summer!
Currently planned, and in no particular order, posts will include, but are not limited to:
Places You Must Eat...and a Few Things You Might Want to AvoidYou're Not Allowed to Say Okinawa is Boring Unless You...Getting Lost on OkinawaHow Not to be a Dumb AmericanWhy Leaving Base Isn't as Scary as You ThinkThings That Will Probably Kill YouEven if you're not going to be living on or visiting Okinawa any time soon, hopefully you'll find the posts entertaining. If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you're probably aware that I don't tend to take things very seriously. These posts will be no exception.
Stay tuned!
Also, I have one paperback and two ebook releases in the month of June, so expect no shortage of cover art, release info, and related posts in between the Okinawa survival posts. It's gonna be a busy summer!
NOW AVAILABLE: A. J.'s Angel
A.J.'s Angel is now available!!!
(Please note: The links on my website may still be listed as "pre-order" and "coming soon", which means I'm probably without power or internet due to Typhoon Songda. Links will still take you to the correct sites to purchase the books, and I will add sites such as AllRomance as soon as I'm back online.)
Tattoos fade with time. Emotions never lose their edge.
(Please note: The links on my website may still be listed as "pre-order" and "coming soon", which means I'm probably without power or internet due to Typhoon Songda. Links will still take you to the correct sites to purchase the books, and I will add sites such as AllRomance as soon as I'm back online.)
Tattoos fade with time. Emotions never lose their edge.Luke Emerson is the last person Sebastian Wakefield expects to see strolling into his tattoo shop. But Luke's not back after four years to take up where they left off. Not even to apologize for the cheating that broke them up.
Luke wants a custom tattoo, a memorial for someone known only as "A.J.". Much as Seb would love to tell Luke to take this ink and shove it, he's a professional. Plus, he's reluctant to admit, he wouldn't mind getting his hands on Luke again. Even if it's just business.
Once Luke's in the tattoo chair, though, Seb finds himself struggling with all the anger and resentment he thought he'd left behind—and those aren't the only feelings reignited. Their relationship may have been turbulent, but it was also passionate. Four years clearly hasn't been long enough for the embers of that fire to go cold.
A few subtle hints from Luke is all it takes to make Seb consider indulging in some of that physical passion. It shouldn't be that tough to keep his emotions from getting tangled up in sweaty sheets.
After all, it's not like he's in love with Luke anymore. Right?
Product Warnings -- Contains two exes who shouldn't want each other like this, steamy ex-sex they shouldn't be having, and a whole lot of ink.
May 30, 2011
NOW AVAILABLE: A. J.'s Angel
A.J.'s Angel is now available!!
Samhain
Barnes & Noble
Amazon
More links to come as they're available.
Tattoos fade with time. Emotions never lose their edge.
Samhain
Barnes & Noble
Amazon
More links to come as they're available.
Tattoos fade with time. Emotions never lose their edge.Luke Emerson is the last person Sebastian Wakefield expects to see strolling into his tattoo shop. But Luke's not back after four years to take up where they left off. Not even to apologize for the cheating that broke them up.
Luke wants a custom tattoo, a memorial for someone known only as "A.J.". Much as Seb would love to tell Luke to take this ink and shove it, he's a professional. Plus, he's reluctant to admit, he wouldn't mind getting his hands on Luke again. Even if it's just business.
Once Luke's in the tattoo chair, though, Seb finds himself struggling with all the anger and resentment he thought he'd left behind—and those aren't the only feelings reignited. Their relationship may have been turbulent, but it was also passionate. Four years clearly hasn't been long enough for the embers of that fire to go cold.
A few subtle hints from Luke is all it takes to make Seb consider indulging in some of that physical passion. It shouldn't be that tough to keep his emotions from getting tangled up in sweaty sheets.
After all, it's not like he's in love with Luke anymore. Right?
Product Warnings -- Contains two exes who shouldn't want each other like this, steamy ex-sex they shouldn't be having, and a whole lot of ink.
May 27, 2011
McD's just isn't the same over here...
Explanation: I can't seem to upload to Photobucket, and someone on Twitter mentioned the fact that McDonald's doesn't sell hot dogs.
Guess what? They do in Japan!
Guess what? They do in Japan!
