Posts

Showing posts from June 24, 2012

Honshu and Okinawa

Image
I am back. I spent 10 days in Japan, 5 days for work on the main island of Honshu and 5 days of solo adventure in Okinawa. Travel is so invigorating dispite the uncomfortableness. Jetlag, anxiety, crowds, and other discomforts aside, it is mind-expanding and rewarding. Work went well. I flew a new airline (Skymark) from Tokyo to Naha. I am always wary of strange discount airlines and all the traps they set. However, I had a great expereince with "Sky". I was actually shocked. Super easy checkin at the airport, no extra fees even with extra luggage. The primary mission in Okinawa was to visit the Peace Park and the suicide cliffs of Okinawa. From what I understand, at the end of WW2 the inhabitants were encouraged to commit suicide rather than surrender to the Americans and get tortured and eaten. Besides other types of suicide, they jumped off the cliffs at the Southern end of the main island. If you have seen the original color footage taken at the time, I am sure you ...
"Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future." -- Paul Boese
Image
I spent time this past weekend in North Georgia, in Elijay. El'-a-jay. I went to to a country apple and produce store for some Southern language lessons. Tried some Muscadine cider (juice). It is a type of wild grape from the area. I bet that stuff ferments right up, especially since this is the area that pretty much invented bootlegging and whiskey running. They had some fun with my yankee way of saying things. I got it now... It is not "mus-k-dean" it is "-MUSK'-ah -Dine-" I really like North Georgia and I remember when I rode my Motorcycle through the area in 1980 solo saying I would be back. It is so different from Atlanta and only an hour drive away. I started my Portuguese lessons last night. What a great idea. I didn't realize how much I have missed being in classes. The topic matter interests me and I am learning so much so fast.