Saying Goodbye to Kuniko-san

Today was our Mama-San's last day.. it was really sad to see her go today.. she is such a sweet lady !! Although I always asked her if she wanted to sit and have some coffee or have a break anytime she wanted..she was always busy.. only taking a 15-20 lunch and then back to work.. from 9am - 530pm every other Thursday. We got her a gift to say Thank You and told her I would be on the look out for a job for her.. It was sad to know she was not coming back.. She will be missed !!

Last Family Pictures On Okinawa ~ 2011

The other night I came up with a wonderful idea of our last family picture here on Okinawa.. we all get Oki All Day shirts and go to the seawall to get pictures taken.. there was this one spot were I really REALLY wanted to go.. it had (HAD being the word) "Goodbye Okinawa, We will miss you". It was one of those spots where you thought "this will aways be here" because it was so cool and everyone got there picture taken there. WRONG!! Someone painted over it.. I was so mad !! How could someone do that?!? So, we went ahead and took pictures and they turned out great.. (never any doubt) we did take some on the seawall and then walked over to a park/beach and took some.. it was hot outside and with this cast.. I didn't want to be out there to long.. Liz did a great job and now the hard part is picking what ones I want !! Here are a few of the ones I think I'm going to pick :) Thank you Liz so much for doing this for us at such short notice !! Love them !!

Lonnie + Alex = Cast For Liz

My First Cast..

Lonnie and Alex were playing around at home after the Orion Beer Festival and I put my hand up because they were getting to close and they jammed my wrist so hard it broke !! They didn't mean too.. and they were drunk.. i ( I was the sober one lol) Have to wear it for three THREE weeks !! Had a panic attack right before they put it on..but ok now..They both feel bad, so I am going to milk this as much as I can :) With that being said, I do get out of dishes for three weeks !! :)

Orion Beer Festival 2011

Well, Tonight we went to our last Orion Beer Festival.. Takayo bought me a Happy Coat to wear and came over and gave it to me, she wrote on the back of it for me in Kanji "Love Family Williams Family" and the Date and Okinawa.. I Love It and wore it all night... Kayleigh, Alex, Lonnie and I drove up to the USO and tried to get a cab..but it was so busy we ended up just walking the 15+ to get there.. At the USO we met Ron and Wanda Locklear and walked down with them and spent the time with them so the "kids" could go and hang out with their friends. It was so busy and crowded that it took us a good 45 min before anyone would "let" us sit with them... all the places were taken.. so, I was tired of standing and just went and started taking seats and we made our own place to sit.. and then the people that we sat next to were so nice they let us use the table with them.. and we all ended up having a great time. We took lots of pictures with them also. (They were from Mainland and got moved here after the earthquake that happend in March 2011) Wanda and I sat and watched people and Ron and Lonnie went and got beer. We ran into alot of people/friends we knew. When the festival was over there was a big fireworks show (9pm) and then everyone was to leave... oh, but not us.. Ron and Wanda took off and we hung out with Kayleigh, Alex and their friends.. taking pictures.. hoping into other peoples pictures... Lonnie getting "free" beer... haha.. the taking of flags... the walk home... getting home.. going back out to look for Alex's wallet... One night we will not forget... ok, I will not forget.. being the sober person has great reward.. No hangover and I remember everything that happend..HEHEHEHE !!! So glad we went !! One of the best Beer Festivals we have been too !!!

Meiji Shrine ~ Yoyogi Park

Meiji Jingu (Meiji Shrine), in Tokyo near Harajuku Station, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deified souls of Emperor Meiji (d.1912) and Empress Shoken (d.1914). It is the most important and popular Shinto shrine in Tokyo, hosting many festivals and ceremonies. The first emperor of modern Japan, Emperor Meiji, was instrumental in opening Japan to the outside world. He became emperor in 1868, ushering in the Meiji Restoration that brought the rule of the Tokugawa government to an end. At the same time, the capital of Japan moved from Kyoto to Tokyo.
After the deaths of the emperor and empress, the Meiji Shrine was constructed to enshrine their souls. It was dedicated on November 1, 1920.
The shrine buildings burned down in 1945 during World War II, but were rebuilt by public donations. The spirits of the imperial couple were transferred to the new buildings in a ceremony on October 31, 1958.

Takeshite Street ~ Harajuku Street

Harajuku refers to the area around Tokyo's Harajuku Station, which is between Shinjuku and Shibuya on the Yamanote Line. It is the center of Japan's most extreme teenage cultures and fashion styles, but also offers shopping for adults and some historic sights.
The focal point of Harajuku's teenage culture is Takeshita Dori (Takeshita Street) and its side streets, which are lined by many trendy shops, fashion boutiques, used clothes stores, crepe stands and fast food outlets geared towards the fashion and trend conscious teens.
In order to experience the teenage culture at its most extreme, visit Harajuku on a Sunday, when many young people gather around Harajuku Station and engage in cosplay ("costume play"), dressed up in crazy costumes to resemble anime characters, punk musicians, etc.

Hachiko ~ True Story

Hachiko was a real dog,he belonged to a Tokyo University professor named Eisaburo Ueno in the 1920’s.Hachiko was the quintessential example of the spirit that embodies man’s best friend. He would see professor Ueno to the station every morning, and trot out to wait for him as he came home at night.When the professor died, his wife moved out of Tokyo. She gave Hachiko to some relatives who lived near the station, but he wouldn’t stay with them. Every time he had a chance, he would dash away to Tokyo station to wait for his master.Years later, one of professor Ueno’s former students heard about Hachiko’s constant vigil. He wrote about it, and the story quickly became a national sensation. People used the story as a symbol of the kind of loyalty they were trying to promote.

Eventually, Hachiko’s popularity grew to the point that a bronze statue was carved in his honour. He was even present at the unveiling in April 1934. It was melted down to aid in the war effort during World War II. But even this couldn’t diminish his fame. After the war, people petitioned for–and were granted–a new statue in Hachiko’s honour.Hachiko died in 1935. But even today, over 75 years later, it’s no surpise that people choose to meet by the statue of the dog who would always be waiting for his master.

Diabutsu pt.2 (History of Buddha)

The Great Buddha of Kamakura (Daibutsu in Japanese) is a monumental outdoor bronze statue of Amida Buddha in the city of Kamakura, Japan. Seated serenely in the grounds of Kotokuin, a Buddhist temple of the Pure Land sect, the Great Buddha is one of the icons of Japan.
At 13.35 meters high and weighing 93 tons, the Daibutsu is the second largest monumental Buddha in Japan (after the one at Todaiji in Nara) and to many, the most impressive.
The Diabutsu was cast in 1252 in the Kamakura period and was originally housed inside a temple, as in Nara. But a huge tsunami washed away the wooden structure sometime in the late 15th century, and the statue has sat out in nature ever since.
The Great Buddha is seated in the lotus position with his hands forming the Dhyani Mudra, the gesture of meditation. With a serene expression and a beautiful backdrop of wooded hills, the Daibutsu is a truly spectacular sight.
The Daibutsu is Amida Buddha, who is the focus of Pure Land Buddhism. Originating in China, this sect gained prominence in Japan in the 12th century and remains very popular today. The central teaching is that through devotion to Amida Buddha, expressed through mantras and sincerity of heart, one will go to the Pure Land or "Western Paradise" after death - a pleasant realm from which it is easy to attain nirvana.

Daibutsu ~ (Great Buddha)

Today we were not really sure what we were going to do, but I talked to Lisa Lemos the day before and she told me about going and seeing the Great Buddha. So after breakfast we went to see the tour guide to see where we needed to go. She gave us a map and directions and we were off. We got on a bus down the street from the hotel and that took us to the Shinagawa Station. As we were waiting for the JR train we asked someone if this was the right train to Kamakura, they didn't answer fast enough and I ended up on the train and Lonnie was still on the platform......OMG was not what came out of my mouth! Lonnie yelled a me through the doors and told me to get off at the next stop. While I was on the train, a man came over to me and told me that if I got off at the next stop, Lonnie would be two trains behind me, so I got off and waited there. A lady came and I asked her if I could use her cellphone and called Lonnie to let him know I was waiting. When we met up we were off again..... Together! We got to Kamakura and had to transfer to the Enoden Line. So we got our tickets. It took us about 50 min. But we made it to Hase Station where we got off and walked to Daibutsu ( Great Buddha ) it was beautiful! We got to go inside it also. It was cast in 1252 which makes it 769 years old. On our way back we stopped at a Vietnamese restaurant for coffee and noodles. We got back to the hotel and headed right for the bar, then up to relax before we head out to the pub Lonnie found yesterday in Roppongi. That night we headed back out and went to a Irish Pub and had a beer and then found a Sushi place and had some great sushi !!

Wondering Tokyo

This morning we got up and ate to breakfast at the Emporium, came back and got ready for the day. On the back down we ran into Jim and Carla and joined them for their breakfast. The plan for today was to go to Tokyo Tower. We got on the subway and headed out. We got to our stop and had to walk a few blocks to get to the tower. When we got there we got our tickets to go up to the first level. We walked around the floor and then took the stairs down one flight to see the level with windows on the floor. Lonnie did not want his picture on the windows :)

After the Tower we got back on the subway and headed to the Hard Rock Cafe. Had lunch and looked in the gift shop. It was a very small HR. Lonnie found a pub near by that we may go to.

We headed to Shibuya next. That is the famous Intersection that is in a lot of movies like Tokyo Drift. We went up to Starbucks and sat in the window and watched the busy crossing. One one of the corners is the famous dog Hachi - Ko. ( will write more about that)

Then we were off to Takeshite Street also known as Harajuku Street. This is the street where teens dress up. Some like dolls (will write more about this)

On our back to the subway from Harajuku Street we went to Yoyogi Park and went to Meiji Shrine. (more to come on this)

It was a very long day and a lot of walking so when we got back to the hotel we went to a very nice dinner at Kikuya a Japanese Teppanyaki Restaurant.

Tokyo Disneyland ~ 2011

This morning we got up and went down to the Emporium for breakfast/buffet. Then checked in with the Tour guide for directions to Disneyland ! We took the subway and the JR train to get there. We had to wait about 30 min to get because the line was long, oh and it was VERY hot out. We didn't ride any rides while we were there because they were to long, the shortest line was 110 min wait! We did get a lot of pictures with characters and Lonnie did wait in line with me twice for Micky Mouse. That was about 2 hours total. I have an amazing husband! ( first time they took our picture my eyes were closed, so we had to go again). I had a wonderful time there.. I kept running ahead telling Lonnie to hurry up !! haha.. Came back to the hotel, got cleaned up and went down to the bar to meet Jim and Carla Hartford for some food and drinks.

Trip To Tokyo

Today we got up and packed for our trip/vacation to Tokyo Japan . Kayeigh took us to the airport and dropped us off. We flew from Naha to Tokyo, took the train in and then took a cab to the New Sanno Hotel. We got unpacked and then went to find something to eat. We ended up at a place called Hero's Sandwich Shop and then went into the bar for snacks, drinks and some gambling. We were still so tired from the fishing trip on Sunday that we fell asleep early.

Deep Sea Fishing

One of the things on my Okinawa List Of Thing To Do is going deep sea fishing.. I have always wanted to go fishing but was always scared, knowing that if I get sick, they are NOT going to bring me back. So, today was the day.. Lonnie and I, with a bunch of friends went out. Lonnie and I got up at 3am and got ready.. we had to be at the dock/port by 5:45am. We got all of our food and things on the boat and were off.. 2 hours out from shore. Once we got to our fishing spot the Cpt. handed us fishing poles and the bate. Shaun caught the first fish.. but I got the second one.. it was so fun !! And alot of work.. took me about 5-6min to reel it in. It was a Bonito fish. I'm guessing about 10 lbs. I caught 4 fish in all: 1-Bonito, 2-Tuna and 1- Flying fish. Lonnie got about 15 total. What a great day !! So glad we went.. oh, and I didn't get sick !!!!

Hail And Farewell ~ 1-1 ADA

Tonight was Lonnie's farewell from 1-1-ADA where he works.. the theme of the night was "Come As Your Favorite 80's Icon" .. Lonnie went as Magnum PI ! I think he looks pretty good ! It was a fun night

10,000 Eisa Dancers On Kokusai

Lonnie and I went to Naha today to see the 10,000 Eisa Dancers preform. It was a nice hot day after the typhoon to get out of the house and do something. Liz and Bill Rogers met us down there also. We all went in to the Market to look for some curtains and went to the Fish Market there. Bill bought a crab and a huge shrimp, we took it upstairs where they cooked it for him. Lonnie and I are going to go back before we leave and have some food cooked for us.

Typhoon Muifa "Provisions"

Here is our "Provisions" as Lonnie likes to call it.. :)

Typhoon Muifa 2011

Typhoon Muifa is coming.. this is said to be the worst typhoon in the past 12 years on Okinawa. We were here for the last one "Typhoon Bart" hit in 1999 right after we got here.. We had just moved out of TLF and into our home out in town.. We really didn't buy anything, no one told us too. .. and then Lonnie had to go into work for "Typhoon Duty" so the kids and I were stuck out in town for almost 3 days.. No phone, No AC, No food..( We did have a little.. beenie weenies) and to make matters worse, some of our roof feel in. We spent most of our time playing games (pick up sticks) and trying to sleep.. SO, flash forward to this one. We are living on base, Lonnie will have it off, we more then likely wont lose power and we have food and water !! Kayleigh is staying at one of the houses she is watching and Nick is staying at his friends place in the barracks, so its just us and the dogs ! I guess this is Okinawa's way to say Hello and Good-bye to us since we leave in Oct. OH, and did I mention that there is ANOTHER one right behind Muifa?? Hope this comes fast.