Who knew?!

Emerald Beach

The coral sea  

at the cafe

Pineapple World

The entrance to International St.

 Dinner

This ice cream shop is EVERYWHERE 

 

 

 

Breakfast, seaweed, cucumber, chicken and jellyfish salad.  Yum.

 



We finally got out of Naha, which is not a pretty place.  We took a tour bus (it was easier and cheaper than trying to figure out the connections ourselves) north to the Churaumi Aquarium  http://oki-churaumi.jp/en/index.html check it out.  The main tank is even bigger than the one in Monterey.  There are 2 whale sharks and many, many rays as well as various other fish swimming around.  There are 4 different types of viewing areas.  The main view is a lot like the big tank in Monterey, then there's a 1/2 tunnel area (one side and part of the ceiling) and my favorite was the cafe where you watch the fish as you eat.  You can also look down from above but we didn't get to that area.  I think the rest of the aquarium isn't quite as diverse as Monterey although in the outdoor area there are places with dolphins (and a show), manatees, and sea turtles.  There is a little 'nesting beach' attached to the turtles pool.

We had 4 hours at the aquarium, which as it turned out was just about perfect.  We even had time to enjoy some taco rice (famous in Okinawa for some reason) while sitting amoungst the fish.  We did get caught in some downpours while outside and didn't get to see the 'emerald' qualities of Emerald Beach to the east because of the overcast sky but it must be beautiful.  It is part of the China Sea. 

The Ocean Expo Area of which the aquarium is a part has many other features including the swimming beach, a botanical garden, tropical garden, historical area, etc.  We did stop into the small historical area - just two or three buildings - where we were served tea with brown sugar candy (another Okinawan specialty) and we were given a short sanshin (similar to the mainland shamisen - a stringed instrument) lesson which was very fun.  Shamisens (good ones) are made of cat skin... sanshin are made of snake skin. 

On the way back we stopped at Pineapple Land which is nothing more than a place to shop.  Good samples though.  Pineapple wine, pineapple cake, snake wine, pineapple sherbert and soft cream.  On the way back, the tour guide convinced us to try simmered pigs' feet (I was going to skip that Okinawan delicacy) and it was really delicious.

We headed back to Kokusai dori for dinner and to pick up the rest of the necessary gifts.  We found the market I had read about.  Downstairs is a pickle/fish/meat market and upstairs are restaurants (you can buy things downstairs and have them cooked above or not).  I had a delicious fish plate with Gurugun (the prefectural fish of Okinawa) fried without batter that is served whole and you eat the bones, sashimi, soup, rice and my favorite kind of seaweed - sea grapes (another Okinawan specialty).  Yoshie had chanpyu (bitter gourd and egg - yes, an Okinawa specialty) and some tuna topped rice.  Then the last of our shopping and back to the hotel to pack.