Thursday, March 26, 2009

Dr. Fish and the rest of Kevin's visit :)

So Kevin got dragged to school most of the time, but we did try and get out to all our favorite restaurants and have a little bit of fun at least :)

Here we are cooking our own food at the flashy light restaurant (I don't know the name, it's in Japanese!) YUMMY food!
The Dr. Fish! OH MY - so I saw somewhere that the Dr. Fish were very popular in Japan and I've been harassing Adrienne to go for the last 7 months and Kevin said he was up for whatever so she was outnumbered!!! Anyway, we paid our 1300 yen...you could go in the pools and whatnot also...but they were all labeled naked zone so we passed on that! Anyway, I was THRILLED with the whole thing, giggled through the whole thing (which I'm sure you can hear in the video) Our feet came out not quite callus free, but well on their way (I'd do it again, Adrienne says NO WAY!...we'll see!)

My kids talked Kevin into playing dodge ball - I found it hilarious!

For Saint Patrick's Day it was Green Day...AKA no uniforms, wear as much green as possible! Here are my little green munchkins! I put up my traditional green feet and they wrote stories about the leprechauns coming to play - they didn't notice for over an hour that these little footprints were ALL over...so much for their detective skills ;)




Friday, March 20, 2009

End to End

Kevin came to visit me which has been really nice to have a face from home - good change of pace! He saw A LOT of Adrienne and my classrooms but we did get out and about and we did the island end to end for the first time for Adrienne and I (took him a week, us 7 months!) I took Friday off and the 2 of us headed north for Cape Hedo and Naha - it was kind of rainy but thankfully it was only on the drive! We go up to where the East China Sea meets the Pacific Ocean and it was really pretty out and VERY windy!

We were sad that Adrienne couldn't come too...she was stuck with her 4 year olds :(
Really? This is where I live...absolutely beautiful no matter what the weather is!


Next we went trooping through the National Park and saw the unusual rocks and the mandatory banyan trees :) Good times!


And what visit is complete without a visit to the Pineapple Park - I think Kevin was a little shocked at how good all the samples were! I'm telling you, it's a must do!


After our glass blowing experience we wanted to down to the southern most tip of the island so we can say we've covered the WHOLE island end to end, but it was pouring rain. When we came down to pick up our glass it was gorgeous, so off we went! I have to say the southern tip is NOT as pretty as the north - but it did make a very nice sunset!
Yep - there's really nothing down south but a field we walked by - some people were planting something...
Adrienne walking ahead...again! Ok ok, this was actually posed, but I promise this is how I live my life here...


Kevin had to put up with a lot this visit - not the best school days for sure - thankfully he survived with a smile!
There was a fence so we decided to do a timed group shot...it was pretty funny trying to get us all in and not fall off the wall!
The HUGE hair is back - hate humidity :( I had to take like 8 pictures so that my hair wasn't taking over Adrienne's face...the wind wasn't helping matters either - but we finally managed to keep the hair out of the picture - poor hair!

Glass Blowing!!!

So for those of you that have previously missed it - I have a glass PROBLEM! I love the glass here...I admit to the fact that it's most of my souvenir items - it is also my gifts for some lucky people but I admit it...I have acquired a lot of Ryuku glass on the island...not sure how it's all coming home, but the numbers are in my favor! Anyway, I had read in the trusty tour book that you could do it yourself and for only 1500 yen ($15) a bargain for sure! So last weekend was the day - Kevin who has been visiting (more on that in another blog) and Tom joined us for the little trek down south too! We arrived, chose our colors, and were VERY thankful for someone that spoke enough English to explain what to do!

The orientation...this is what it will look like after you blow in that pole and they put it in the fire (a loose translation on my part!)
Adrienne's safe in her gloves!

Adrienne and I with our gloves and little paper cup that we blow through the pole with...basically and ice cream cone slip
After you blow in the pole with your little paper mouthpiece you have to roll it out poking the LARGE tweezer like things into it, while rolling the bar....I admit it was hard to do it and almost set my glove on fire....ooops!
Going into the fire!
My lovely glass that I can't put in the dishwasher or microwave, I also can't put hot liquid in it and based or silverware, based on the pictures I'm not even sure if I should have photographed it! Anyway, the whole thing was random fun - one more thing to mark off the list :)


Me rolling out my glass - watch for the glove to start steaming!

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Zip line video

Ok I've tried a half dozen time to get the spiderwoman video - no harm I suppose...less of me being a chicken :) Anyway - fun times...wanted to share!

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Forest Adventure

So we had a different sort of adventure today - REALLY fun though! Tom invited us to go on zip lines adventure course...only in Okinawa, we'll just say that! We signed out life away, got on a van and headed out to the course! There were 7 zip lines on the course and a few bridge type things, and lots of exercise (at least for those of us lazy civilians!). We first got our harnesses on and our safety course and then we were off! We went through the course twice and the adventure course once (I refused to jump off spider man style twice - it was a bit intense!) I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...no other way to explain this one! We were extremely thankful that the rain held off till the end...a little damp, but still laughing! The pictures are out of order (again) sorry!

Me landing on my butt - so graceful!
Zip zip - it was hard to not get turned around!
Clipping in - it got easier after awhile


I always get left behind...they were figuring out Adrienne's pace count

LOVE this face - she was climbing up to get to the zip line
I went first - they're back on the other side getting ready to go...yep there's the jungle below...CRAZY!
I'm pretty sure the building in the distance is Kim's house...yes, everywhere we go has an insane ocean view!


Part of the adventure course - this was after the spider man jump - I avoided the ring part (see the video's at the bottom for comic relief of Adrienne crossing!
The Spider Man Jump - ok that tall thing straight across is where you stand, you jump, fly across and run into the net...I couldn't hold on to the net so I ended up back half way across kicking my legs to get back - I was terrified!
Crossing the swinging bridge
Adrienne about to do the Spider Man jump
This is the view before the last zip line
This bridge was my favorite - I like to bounce!
This was my least favorite - it was hard not to get stuck it was so narrow
I landed on my feet a couple of times, my butt most of the time - Adrienne on the other hand managed to regularly land on her back - talent and grace I say!
Zipping along!
The adventurers!
The view from the beginning - we were getting our little training
My self portrait skills was a little off today :)


The video is taken while I'm on the zip line - it's just the view. I'll try and get a copy of the video of me being a big wimp doing the spider man jump :) The whole day was hilarious - lots of laughs!

Monday, March 2, 2009

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