Kerama Retto Again

The crew of Fu Kyo decided to join the yearly yacht-race to Zamami Island in the Kerama Retto.

Noticed the word JOIN ? 

 Catamarans weren't able to take part in the sail-race...
but the crew could join the Apres Race Party....

One of the racing boats, just showing off  the good conditions.

Zamami Port got loaded with sailboats that day, 

and once the last ferry had left there was plenty of parking space.

Fu Kyo was Here.

Well, the party was like the party-food: So-So

The the map of Zamami Island,

...where this beauty used to live: Marilyn-chan.

Did you read up on Shiro-kun  and his sweathart Marilyn ??

The strait between Zamami Island and Aka Island.
Shiro-kun's swimming waters. 

Facing East from one of Zamami's look-out points.

This is Zamami Elementary School, a nice rural set-up.

Zamami is famous for its watermelons....

(nope, they aint watermelons but fishnet floats from the Philippine Islands..all glass, made of old coca-cola bottles, washed up on the pretty Zamami beaches)

Papaya trees grow either male or female fruit, 

see pix above and below.

You make out what is what...

???

That's right, a garden wall.

Well, it can't be always Sunny and Shine.

After Zamami we spent 1 more night at Aka Ferry port.
The next morning was very wet for a while.

Sleeping Snoopy?

That was an other nice weekend in the Kerama Retto.

When will be the next time?

By now, Fu Kyo is getting ready to sail back to Fukuoka.
Keep you updated.

Salute 

This and That @ Okinawa

When i was back in Fukuoka last time, 

i bought a load of engine filters for Fu Kyo the Cat.

They were in my luggage...that just went trough this airport scanner...

"Whadiwhadiwha, 
this foreigner is trying to bring some dangerous items onto the airplane......."

So, the security staff asked me kindly if they could have a look inside my bag...
And of course they found the filters.

"What are these?" 

they asked me while opening a box with 4 filters.

Well that was clear as it was even printed in Japanese that they were 
OIL FILTERS

""Oh-no, you can't take them onto the airplane as OIL is a No-No"

But they are NEW and UN-used!

"No, it says they are for OIL,  that is a No-No!"

BUT they are UN-used!

"Oh, they are new?

 But, it looks like there is some grease on the rubber seal!"

So they used some TOILETpaper to decrease the seals...

"OK now"

I asked them about the other box with 2 OILfilters.

"They are okay " with-out checking them.

Pfff, ...we all have our jobs...

Then at one of the many rent-a-car places in Naha, Okinawa

 i spotted this orange shirt.

Suppose this japanese guy hadn't seen Nederland failing  at the EU Football Games...

We had dinner at this very cozy place:
 kuro butta sjabbo-sjabbo.

Knorr-knorr, Oink-Oink.

(not my favorite food, but as said...we all have our jobs;-)

That night when our guests climbed on board of Fu Kyo the Cat, 

something went wrong with 2 suitcases...

Well, the suitcases did pass their swimming test...but doing so, they also swallowed a lottt of salt water and thus: 

It Was a Midnight Affair at the Coin Laundry..

Next day, it was lunch-time @ 

Shimujyo.

One of Okinawa's oldest noodle places...

The menu?

Of course noodles with butta...oink-knorr-again!

See my belly?

Time to head back to Tofu Land!!.

Spotted this poster at Aka Shima, it says something like:

Kids should be home when it gets dark as at that time 

The Bad are Coming Out...

....All doped by karaoke, pachinko and whatever...

Mind you, No karaoke nor pachinko on the island!

Okinawa Landmarks, next to Ginowan Marina..

Working hard to produce all the AC juice for the coolers..

It's hottt these days.

What a nice place to meet Friends of Bill W,

every Sat at 9AM.

Tropical clouds over the island, 

good for the odd T & L and downpour.
Cool us down, cool us down, cool us down.

salute

AM PM

Early morning...

And at Sunset

......that was a fine day...

even here in Ginowan Marina.

Salute

A spin in the rain with Esther the Car

After an Alishan-bound morning due to heavy-heavy rain, 

  we jumped into Esther the Car for a spin (swim??)  to our favorite Mt Raizan in Itoshima. One of the reason we like to go there as it is only a 30 minute drive.

And it turned out we had timed it well as the rain became less and less.

 As usual, we parked Esther next to this shrine...

 Facing the tori...

Facing the opposite direction..

From the car park we took a stroll along the unused mountain road (never figured out why they make these sort of roads, all tar sealed, guard railed  and with mirrors at each corner...Funny enough, they are 

off-limit to traffic AND they go No Where...)

But it's nice to walk them esp with this wetttt weather.

What is green?

 By times the rain stopped and the odd gap in the trees showed us this scenery.

 Ajisai, so pretty in the rain...

Marijke at 'work".

Spotting some low flying birds...or ...??

See Wings 'n Things

More ajisai, don't ask me what brand, but they are cute neh.

Remember this waterfall, last winter?

See HERE

And Esther?

She too was happy to have come out to Raizan.

Even in the rain.

Salute.

Home Run

As you might know, Okinawa is "base" for a few men and women from the USA.

Beside all the "ahum" things, they like their "own food".

Some are so-so but some are...A-30K-drive-worth!

Buddy Patto-man loaded us into his K-truck and 

1 hour later we arrived at GATE 1.

(on Okinawa 30Ks takes you at least an hour due to the traffic jams).

This food place is across from ...yes, GATE 1.

Now there are a few USA playgrounds, so make sure you drive to the correct PG.

( btw, those white bags have something to do with typhoons, you know...)

Inside GATE 1,
no need to be able to speak or read Japanese.

This is It.

Maybe it's like bungee-jumping...

You Might Have To Do It once in your life.

 Admitting, it was a good burger; Volume and Value for us$$.

After 3 weeks Okinawa, as many T-bags 

and some of its A-A-F....

.....it was time to Jump Island...

The trip started with a 1 hour+ bus drive to the airport...

Most of the way there were less than 3 passengers!

Public transport is poooor in Okinawa as everybody is using My Car (hence the jams).

4 hours later i found a very surprised Alishan Crew..

But they luffed the A-A-CAT-F i brought them (Temptations..).

Ha, and soon after, all of us were enjoying some 

 Meinohama Sashimi. 

Thank you Sumie Maru!

And Marijke for cleaning and prepping the

aji, tai and ika ;-)

It's GOOD to be Home with Marijke, N&W and Alishan.

Next day we went for an early morning walk,  still rainy season conditions here, (hot, humid, shine and/or rain).

 This pix's showing Momochi Sky Line and Ballerina Maria.

The beach front near Alishan, the beginning and final Ks of many Home Runs.

A few days later, buddy runners Noriko and Ohara san took me for a spin into the heart of Kyushu...

All the way to Mt Kuju Land, to a 3K Cross Country Training Trail.

We set off with smiles and in pouring rain. 

...after 4 laps...did it get wet!

But it was fun and a great exercise.

Of course we found an onsen nearby, and tell you it was nice to sit in that HOTspring as it was chilly due to altitude and rain.

All Fukuoka Food.

A Truly Home Run. 

Salute