tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768248809874325562024-03-05T23:40:00.641-08:00Independent Travel OkinawaR/Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09470492039723704885noreply@blogger.comBlogger158125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676824880987432556.post-83588881464628065822009-08-16T06:06:00.000-07:002009-08-16T06:22:03.630-07:00Farewell OkinawaWe are now far far away from Okinawa. But it was a great two years we will always treasure.<br />Things we miss about Okinawa, in no particular order:<br />turquoise colored water<br />stepping in for a dive off the seawall<br />the amazing cafes<br />fabu curry house for dinner<br />the produce market behind camp shields<br />seaside walks at araha or sunabe, zanpa or maeda<br />the Japanese pride in workmanship and attention to detail<br />safety of one's person and property<br />Skymark flights to mainland Japan<br />weekend trips to Zamami, or Okuma, or wherever...if only we had more weekends<br />uniqlo<br />bento boxes, especially those sold in random places by elderly ladies<br /><br />So for those of you still in Okinawa - don't let the annoyances get you down. Rise above irritations like Mediatti (the worst cable company in the world), and not being able to read the menu or the events listing, and the fact that it always seems to rain on your weekend off. Get out, explore, order the set lunch no matter what might be in it, and trust that the Japanese people will almost always do the right thing. Find a favorite cafe, and keep going back there. Spent a lot of time looking at the sea.R/Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09470492039723704885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676824880987432556.post-70120109995253901442009-08-16T05:49:00.000-07:002009-08-16T06:05:22.722-07:00Seaside the Beach hotel and restaurantLocation: Sunabe; from the 58 turn at Hamagawa, then turn right after the port. Take this road until you see the big purple Sea Dream apartment complex, and turn left there (there is a sign for Seaside the Beach at that corner as well). The hotel is on the right. Park on the seawall.<br />Hours: Holukea restaurant is open from 1700 every evening<br /><a href="http://hotel-thebeach.com/">http://hotel-thebeach.com/</a><br />We had a delightful stay at Seaside the Beach during our last 3 days in Okinawa. The rooms are 7000Y pp per night for two twins beds and a capsule private bath, and includes breakfast. The rooms are smallish, but have a minifridge, aircon, ample closet space, and memory foam mattress toppers. And the location means you can wander around the seawall in the evenings, or head to Gordies or Transit for lunches. The staff are helpful and friendly, and made up a nice receipt for me to turn into the authorities for reimbursement. There are beverage and beer vending machines in the hotel hallways and coin laundry services as well.<br />The breakfast is fantastic - all you can eat hot and cold items which rotate daily. There is an egg dish (tamago, scrambled eggs), meat (spam, sausage, bacon), champuru (tofu, fu, goya), miso soup, burdock root salad, rotating salad (pasta, potato), broiled makerel, rice or congee, yogurt, fresh fruit, toast and jam, coffee/tea/orange juice. It is served in the Holukea space, which has 270 degrees of windows overlooking all of Chatan and the ocean. On nice days, they open the windows to let in the breeze. <br />We also went to Holukea for dinner. They do 250Y Orion or Asahi draft 1700-1900 M-F. Dinner is reasonably priced, with izakaya type food for 400-1200 per plate. We had a decent seafood pasta, curry potato pizza, and soba noodle. All these felt like comfort food to us on our way out of Japan. Better food can be found elsewhere, but not with these views and beer prices. <br />What a lovely goodbye - drinking Orion and eating minipizzas while watching the sun set over Chatan.R/Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09470492039723704885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676824880987432556.post-50611915152189376722009-07-19T06:00:00.000-07:002009-07-19T06:20:35.958-07:00KasthamandapLocation: across the street from Foster; if heading south on the 58 turn right at <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">CowCow</span>, the restaurant is on the north side of the street (<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">ie</span> across from <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">CowCow</span>) right after the turn. The parking situation is quite unsatisfactory - there are about 5 tiny spots that involve parking other people in or having a difficult time backing in/out. A little further west on the same street there is a larger vacant lot which some use for parking.<br />Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily; <a href="http://www.japanupdate.com/?id=9436">http://www.japanupdate.com/?id=9436</a>; 098-936-6355<br />We have done lunch and dinner in the new location of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Kasthamandap</span>. Overall, the new building is much better than the beach shack - there is AC and the dining room is fairly classy. The bathroom still leaves a lot to be desired - it is left open to the outside (<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">ie</span> via a window) and is not <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">air conditioned</span>, so it is sticky and breeds smells. There is a shower in the toilet area, which had been used while we were eating lunch, so one of us had to clean the toilet seat of water droplets sprayed from the shower (yuck!). <br />Service is still <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">lackadaisical</span> though, very much like we remember at the old location. This is not a place to go if you are hungry. It can be difficult to get the attention of the servers. But this makes it ideal if you want to sit around and chit chat with friends - here no one will hurry you along.<br />The food remains adequate, nothing great. During the dinner visit we had the butter chicken curry (approx 1050Y) which was really just a tomato-cream <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">sauce</span> with no appreciable heat and a couple meager bites of chicken. We also tried the chicken meatballs, which were essentially ground <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">tandoor</span> chicken pressed into balls, a bit dry, accompanied with a sweet side sauce and small salad. At lunch, we had a large sampler set and a smaller single curry set. These come with choice of drink (get the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">lassi</span>), mini salad with too much dressing, and a tiny chunk of chicken. The lamb curry was tasty, but had only a couple slivers of meat. The vegetable curry was less appealing, and had remarkably little veg in it, which doesn't make much sense as vegetable is quite cheap in Okinawa. The bean curry (<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">ie</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">dal</span>) was fine. The <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">naan</span> here is large and freshly baked, and is the highlight of the meal. In some ways, this is a south <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">asian</span> chips and dip - <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">naan</span> and curry sauce. Perhaps a friend has a better approach - she orders the chicken biriyani which comes encircled in a salad and topped in an egg.... a bit more action that just a puddle of curry sauce.R/Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09470492039723704885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676824880987432556.post-40751491147116951182009-07-19T04:08:00.000-07:002009-07-19T04:21:27.562-07:00Dim sim lunch at Nikko AlivilaLocation: Yomitan, just north of Nirai beach (off the 6) See map: <a href="http://www.alivila.co.jp/en/access/index.html">http://www.alivila.co.jp/en/access/index.html</a><br />Hours: Sunday / holiday brunch 1130-1500 (<a href="http://www.alivila.co.jp/en/rest/kinshasa/">http://www.alivila.co.jp/en/rest/kinshasa/</a>)<br />This is a lovely brunch for a special occasion. The dining room is attractive and boasts big windows with ocean views. There is a back room with two large tables, perfect for a work function. The cost is 2500Y + drinks (beer, tea, etc 500-900Y). There is a large buffet that includes salad, sides, rice paper rolls, steamed buns, stir-fry seafood and greens, stir-fry rice noodle and veg, various fried bits including pork & chicken, shrimp wontons, shrimp balls various, wonton soup, congee, chili-tofu over rice, and about 15 different types of dessert. Then, on top of that, servers come around with dim sum trays and you pick dumplings of all varieties, colors, and filling-types. Some of these were quite creative, ie purple or green wrappers around interesting meat-based fillings.<br />All the food was quite good. The dumplings brought to the table were quite appealing, especially the shrimp ones. Along the buffet table, the shrimp wontons were very tasty, as was the seafood stir-fly. The egg steam buns should be saved for dessert, but were delightful. Another standout dessert item was the coconut tapioca in benino-flavoured milk. Certainly, this is an all-you-can-eat option that does not compromise quality, and has something for almost everyone.R/Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09470492039723704885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676824880987432556.post-25302688480122651722009-07-11T17:26:00.001-07:002009-07-13T01:39:20.194-07:00Delicious cafeLocation - heading east on the 23, turn right at the Bowling center sign. The restaurant is on the left-hand side, before you get to the Sports/bowling center and Kitakaisen<br />Hours: approx 11:30-1:30 lunch, 6p- dinner, unsure which day closed<br />This new cafe has garnered lots of positive press recently. I was suspicious it may not live up to the hype on the basis of its sign, which proclaims "Let's try Japanese cuisine" (or something to that effect). A sushi (ie flamboyant rolled sushi) restaurant that tries so hard to cater to gaijin has already got one strike against it. <br />We decided to try it anyway. The interior has an unfortunate diner quality, with plastic booths and misapplied plastic frosting on the windows. There is large English menu on the wall, which is slightly different to the English menu brought to the table. At lunch, you order off the standard menu, and get a soup and salad with your sushi selection. Prices for rolls are 600-1300Y. We tried the deep fried California roll and the special of the day, which was a variety of Dragon roll. Sadly, both were almost inedible. The California roll had was filled with the cheapest and most dreadful fake crab stick, an overabundant helping of cream cheese, and underripe avocado, surrounded by excessively sweet rice, mushi nori, then seared on the outside to no apparent culinary advantage. Only slightly better was the dragon roll, which was pretty but simply not worth the calories. The inner part of the roll was a tempura shrimp, which seemed to have no flavour at all. This was surrounded by a large quantity of the over-sweet sushi rice and nori. On the top, outside of the roll, was a small and bland piece of maguro. All this was topped with way too much mayonnaise, another sweet sauce, orange roe, and flecks of tempura batter. There was almost no fresh fish flavour to the roll at all - instead it was just sugar, rice, and mayonnaise - three things I would not want to mix up in a bowl and eat. The accompanying ginger soup was mediocre, and the salad was your typical lettuce/cabbage but drowning in proprietary Japanese dressing. <br />It saddens me to write such a poor review of a local small business. Perhaps the owner will find success with his restaurant by giving the gaijin what they want - fat and sugar, with a small amount of fish thrown in for appearances. But if you are craving rolls, head elsewhere. We haven't been to Sushi Zen for a while, but last time we went the food quality was far superior.R/Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09470492039723704885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676824880987432556.post-62115622130361876062009-06-19T04:47:00.000-07:002009-07-11T16:37:27.829-07:00Monkey pod<div><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357349492424693698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Qscfej_MMsITpPhwewcQ0Eh8vLvOF7RwffJHKxg8DZf0WgYmauIneaMV1yY5wj5AKU3CWVJDABuAbK8dhnhATr0Iy60a9EaLRgotWxUktFtO91ux3bVYIufoprWTkZJ4F3nGHeovnEo/s200/mark+visit+003.jpg" />Locations: Naha, north of Kokusai street; from the Mitsukosji department store, walk a couple blocks east and turn down a street than appears to have several restaurants on it (sorry, cannot be more specific). On the west side of the street, ie your left, within about a block will be a wooden construction cafe with vintage Americana decor. This is Monkeypod - they have a mini-chalkboard sign outside<br />Hours: unknown<br />Options for non-touristy food are scarce in the Kokusai district. We toileted in Mitsukoski (downstairs) and then headed east and north to look for a halfway decent restaurant. Monkeypod had the right vibe. The place is adorable, with vintage Hawaii-theme stuff everywhere. They have an English menus - 750Y for pasta and a drink, 1000Y approx f<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXbGNBzZn6bNGthTm7TsoMzbbrjsy_ry-gRxcnwuo2i3dOBqfWJDKaFOsJNCuStRFgZhJLGi8hEdy9k7dKq5Q-fjOe4VfwN4aZo_g0rwLZNgXF0WY9Hgm4UR2SKgYoAppGT-AcaMfKi0E/s1600-h/mark+visit+004.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357349712447982818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXbGNBzZn6bNGthTm7TsoMzbbrjsy_ry-gRxcnwuo2i3dOBqfWJDKaFOsJNCuStRFgZhJLGi8hEdy9k7dKq5Q-fjOe4VfwN4aZo_g0rwLZNgXF0WY9Hgm4UR2SKgYoAppGT-AcaMfKi0E/s200/mark+visit+004.jpg" /></a>or a locomoco set or Hawaiian plate. We got an array. The food was not spectacular, but was decent. All sets came with a light consomme and ice/hot coffee/tea plus a small piece of angel food cake with mango syrup sauce. The pasta was a creamy mushroom, well-prepared but a bit dull. The Hawaiian food plate had four segments - curried potato salad, rice, mini locomoco, and fried chicken bits. Again, nice, but better food is to be found at Hanahou. Really, the attraction is that this is an artsy, tranquil place within stone's throw of the hustle and artifice of Kokusai street. And that alone is worth a visit for those in the area.</div>R/Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09470492039723704885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676824880987432556.post-66729196952651514822009-06-19T04:04:00.001-07:002009-07-19T15:10:14.453-07:00Korea - week 2<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoTAJkcuNpBHR14CD35W-E66lxe39t54z3YHQcov0nsS5fmXbZIcgy8afXntDYlG0biFuXQ-o9zDVxZQAtdmzNouZIq7Ba1qYkC6j-l4vnAyB01OXpnnt9s0YawVBaRqxWm4oRohd16Gg/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+282.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358203683077149906" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoTAJkcuNpBHR14CD35W-E66lxe39t54z3YHQcov0nsS5fmXbZIcgy8afXntDYlG0biFuXQ-o9zDVxZQAtdmzNouZIq7Ba1qYkC6j-l4vnAyB01OXpnnt9s0YawVBaRqxWm4oRohd16Gg/s200/Korea+May+09+282.jpg" /></a>TONGYEONG - The bus was about 1.5 hours from Jinju, and the station is a bit out of town. We took a taxi to the Gangguan harbour (approx 4000W) and then walked about in search of a love hotel. The first two nights we stayed at the Tower, which was an obvious fake brick building with neon signs on the external west side of the harbour. We paid 40000W a night and got panoramic views and Internet, but the building was a bit rundown and security felt lax. We changed hotels to the Injon, which was right around the corner and charged the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqLBMBwFQPF_7qO_zKVXEXUUFksp9OYWhLpgyx5KXjAr4SjSxyjwDwNgIE6HOGvB8IMB8Y75EMrjjbic686hZUJwYoriCkwttGmt-gLj8zCifO3BSSwVpUpXgmplQZxgQtIix0tO97FMc/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+197.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 182px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 135px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358195527373737106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqLBMBwFQPF_7qO_zKVXEXUUFksp9OYWhLpgyx5KXjAr4SjSxyjwDwNgIE6HOGvB8IMB8Y75EMrjjbic686hZUJwYoriCkwttGmt-gLj8zCifO3BSSwVpUpXgmplQZxgQtIix0tO97FMc/s200/Korea+May+09+197.jpg" /></a>same money for a slightly nicer room with a worse view. <div>What to do:</div><div>Tongyeong is a real live fishing town with a famous live fish market. This, and all the live fish restaurants, are a sight to behold. We also enjoyed wandering through the sculpture garden (in the park on the external east part of Gangguan harbour. We also spent a pleasant couple of hours making our way to the Hallyeo Waterway Observation Cable Car entrance, riding up, and checking out the views over the city <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Sk3X1RnoEiY8VOUVr6St1t-_anQX3BOw5d73y5Gr1hspsDAunVBmm7BK1yfHSJoP2IF-Ruz8nE1OwcRNilbkcNJt2dZmF4ZDtAX27JtcQCMLBLHxml3nq-HVBAILarqp2IPCxnqrscE/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+286.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 183px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 135px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358199298724095442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Sk3X1RnoEiY8VOUVr6St1t-_anQX3BOw5d73y5Gr1hspsDAunVBmm7BK1yfHSJoP2IF-Ruz8nE1OwcRNilbkcNJt2dZmF4ZDtAX27JtcQCMLBLHxml3nq-HVBAILarqp2IPCxnqrscE/s200/Korea+May+09+286.jpg" /></a>and surrounding islands. <a href="http://eng.tongyeong.go.kr/03/06.asp">http://eng.tongyeo</a><a href="http://eng.tongyeong.go.kr/03/06.asp">ng.go.k</a><a href="http://eng.tongyeong.go.kr/03/06.asp">r/03/06.asp</a> </div><div>But Tongyeong's real attraction is the ferry terminal. This Seoul Times article explores some of the possibilities: <a href="http://theseoultimes.com/ST/?url=/ST/db/read.php?idx=6600">http://theseoultimes.com/ST/?url=/ST/db/read.php?idx=6600</a>. Options include a ferry to to Yeonhwasa (check times, for us 9am) for a great hike out to Dragon's head point via the Yeonhwa temple. Take your own lunch, and get a beer at the Yeonwha ferry terminal to celebrate your safe return (at approx 1530). This hike is discussed in the LP. Another option is to take the early <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiis-WdjOIkGwzkv6rw588-loOGCflI9_RL-pNjroHEylInbI0YwkTG3TZomtlY7l2_jYOF1SyBMQYusQQ1FJTYfKY0ZMbbUZMxaHDYcZztShZUokmDfHeSrbAXQ6nGT08KL95mCoSGkdI/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+202.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 131px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 175px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358196868940995202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiis-WdjOIkGwzkv6rw588-loOGCflI9_RL-pNjroHEylInbI0YwkTG3TZomtlY7l2_jYOF1SyBMQYusQQ1FJTYfKY0ZMbbUZMxaHDYcZztShZUokmDfHeSrbAXQ6nGT08KL95mCoSGkdI/s200/Korea+May+09+202.jpg" /></a>ferry to Bijindo (approx 7am), and hike the western part of the island, following a well-marked trail to the summit. Bijino's village, situated on one side of the strip of beach which connects the two tiny islands, wins the Korea "Tidy Town" award and has a distinctly Greek island feel about it. Relax on the beach before hopping the (approx 11:30am) ferry to Somaemuldo, where you can do another well marked hike out to the lighthouse. Some nice photos of that hike: <a href="http://nathanhendrix.wordpress.com/2009/05/16/tongyeong/">http://nathanhendrix.wordpress.com/2009/05/16/tongyeong/</a><a href="http://nathanhendrix.wordpress.com/2009/05/16/tongyeong/">ress.com/2009/05/16/tongyeong/</a><a href="http://nathanhendrix.wordpress.com/2009/05/16/tongyeong/">ix.wordpress.com/2009/05/16/tongyeong/</a> This three leg trip needs to be discussed with the helpful desk people at the Tongyeong t<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghixdpaQHBGjH6ySIK-Hg6fxac9dFf0oyJ00ETl1xSEwqWJXTfIQtZ1Lzk5K-5QJRfIBWvqveBapYXVbfGr4EKNmvBOhOMoqdGAkr22dShSvEpQNrcVu9UayhqnuqIz0v9Ql7xmBE4hGM/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+300.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358207838224702914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghixdpaQHBGjH6ySIK-Hg6fxac9dFf0oyJ00ETl1xSEwqWJXTfIQtZ1Lzk5K-5QJRfIBWvqveBapYXVbfGr4EKNmvBOhOMoqdGAkr22dShSvEpQNrcVu9UayhqnuqIz0v9Ql7xmBE4hGM/s200/Korea+May+09+300.jpg" /></a>erminal, and also must be explained to the boat captain on the way to Bijindo. That way, you can clarify what time the ferry from Bijino to Somaemuldo will depart. You need to keep your ticket stub (which says Somaemuldo) when you get off at Bijindo. Luckily, our boat captain had worked in Australia and had great English language ability. Remember to pack food as options on these islands are limited and tend to include raw shellfish. There is accomodation on the islands. Bijindo had a cute looking pension or two, and would be our recommendation as to where to stay. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT90-ScFun4fu-gm1GE2owGKbMl-TFVnAeePeaZF3SNEunXUjSLk3IqimgwlDgmAwquH7-C1d43KFfWuLW8zG2a3IIh0Go98zDOQqNm92UVYjRlY_50BcR6aFt6DO4LL-nJPjo0PZJhk4/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+350.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 143px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360131242420418850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT90-ScFun4fu-gm1GE2owGKbMl-TFVnAeePeaZF3SNEunXUjSLk3IqimgwlDgmAwquH7-C1d43KFfWuLW8zG2a3IIh0Go98zDOQqNm92UVYjRlY_50BcR6aFt6DO4LL-nJPjo0PZJhk4/s200/Korea+May+09+350.jpg" /></a>Somaemuldo was a bit overdeveloped, with multiple hotel options, but the town was somewhat muddy and unpleasant. It appeared there was an unused hotel in the town on Yeonwha, but the place had a unwelcoming air.</div><div>Food: </div><div>Tongyeong is a provincial city, and we often felt we were an annoyance to restaurateurs who might have preferred to avoid interacting with foreigners. Despite this, we had some memorable meals. A visit to the most popular squid kimbap store on <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtRZUHVZqQCuFP3IFrfujih2W18AAE7xPJ_vYefJNgewZ_OgPi_c08K2eTLVpi6HV5PPYYRrBtoZ9imJtj_WMdSyd1poj46QGBhF7JtBzEnmmanwwCVCQrNeJtA8Kpk1sl1bmGKL8NcSY/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+334.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360130559197597570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtRZUHVZqQCuFP3IFrfujih2W18AAE7xPJ_vYefJNgewZ_OgPi_c08K2eTLVpi6HV5PPYYRrBtoZ9imJtj_WMdSyd1poj46QGBhF7JtBzEnmmanwwCVCQrNeJtA8Kpk1sl1bmGKL8NcSY/s200/Korea+May+09+334.jpg" /></a>Gangguan harbour is recommended - this is the restaurant with the picture of the middle aged Korean lady on the sign. For approx 3500W each you get all you can eat squid in red sauce of daikon with an array on nori-wrapped rice. We also had an amazing samgyeopsal meal between the harbour and the ferry terminal. We picked the restaurant because it was packed and smelled of frying meat, and for 15000 each we had a feast comprised of fatty pork cooked on an aluminum-foil covered hotplate, wrapped in lettuce leaves with lots of toppings, and several <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjDY7U3pGSTJb0dlqiCUgCfuGknLQHWnzbIWw575aVi3XD7TYhApF0iA9HwRra8uKVA8eeMYJAnIt6lnTe-su2DIWyhYdyf0lvfQsIEKWrvwQxf0y94zyqOW8cztE8SI6hx1Kvz-In35o/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+347.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360130931553143330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjDY7U3pGSTJb0dlqiCUgCfuGknLQHWnzbIWw575aVi3XD7TYhApF0iA9HwRra8uKVA8eeMYJAnIt6lnTe-su2DIWyhYdyf0lvfQsIEKWrvwQxf0y94zyqOW8cztE8SI6hx1Kvz-In35o/s200/Korea+May+09+347.jpg" /></a>bottles of beer. At the end of the meal, the proprietor fries off rice and veg in the porkfat so the rice gets crunchy on the bottom - mmm, like dolshot b<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbuRg-uaM_GJdKB28s91iOCj4eMV_ZpyJnWEGMLXkkFYaWAdp4FuuATSBSY1CWVGX5_ED1vomZYBvdk0H3L3RiIZmFwuTctj8es-Tgbej5bZB98uBN9EwgmPVSq8a5iFagy_nCQz204ZY/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+366.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360133412707565362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbuRg-uaM_GJdKB28s91iOCj4eMV_ZpyJnWEGMLXkkFYaWAdp4FuuATSBSY1CWVGX5_ED1vomZYBvdk0H3L3RiIZmFwuTctj8es-Tgbej5bZB98uBN9EwgmPVSq8a5iFagy_nCQz204ZY/s200/Korea+May+09+366.jpg" /></a>imibap but possibly more delicious. We also enjoyed a fish lunch at a busy joint by the Ferry terminal (just east of it, on the corner). For approx 7000W, we got 4 small grilled fish with red pepper sauce and a vast array of side dishes. We got all our breakfast pastries from Neuf, near the live fish market. </div><div>BUSAN</div><div>The bus ride from Tongyeong (one <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVbK7DyhDQRnnUmMjA7_Eo3WJcYTYR00jamwAPkLS0bAsHlGVxDqDr73r9pGVjB2F_QvV323Q7D-RMnYSTRCIZzqzzLVaoITrTbbHRAKgqO9CYNfJBs1McMr7EH0s_W6ywpkKhBB_zVE/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+373.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360132725425547922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVbK7DyhDQRnnUmMjA7_Eo3WJcYTYR00jamwAPkLS0bAsHlGVxDqDr73r9pGVjB2F_QvV323Q7D-RMnYSTRCIZzqzzLVaoITrTbbHRAKgqO9CYNfJBs1McMr7EH0s_W6ywpkKhBB_zVE/s200/Korea+May+09+373.jpg" /></a>can catch the bus to the station from downtown if you can find someone to ask which line is correct) to Busan is about 1.5 hours. It arrives in the western terminal, which is on the metro line that zips you into center city. We took the metro to Yeonsandong, and then surveyed the love hotel options. We checked out the Good Morning haotel, recommended by the LP<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjax6I5haN4zXXHOb48MTwjQ6WF36MZP33H5Hh_ZPgg5Y7Z9ZmgOqoud93xmce2IgHpSvgOhYbuBOsbcXZXIUeRr5sYMRnh6z9LM3MGm55IRaLiHKeepeuDPDiQUHJTBYKr_r8GU6c99so/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+385.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360134985684787506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjax6I5haN4zXXHOb48MTwjQ6WF36MZP33H5Hh_ZPgg5Y7Z9ZmgOqoud93xmce2IgHpSvgOhYbuBOsbcXZXIUeRr5sYMRnh6z9LM3MGm55IRaLiHKeepeuDPDiQUHJTBYKr_r8GU6c99so/s200/Korea+May+09+385.jpg" /></a> - very cute, but with an obvious foreigner population. Ian and Wendy offer directions: <a href="http://www.ianandwendy.com/travel/korea/haotel-motel-busan-wonderful-clean-cheap-motel.htm">http://www.ianandwendy.com/travel/korea/haotel-motel-busan-wonderful-clean-cheap-motel.htm</a><a href="http://www.ianandwendy.com/travel/korea/haotel-motel-busan-wonderful-clean-cheap-motel.htm">busan-wonderful</a><a href="http://www.ianandwendy.com/travel/korea/haotel-motel-busan-wonderful-clean-cheap-motel.htm">-clean-cheap-motel.htm</a><a href="http://www.ianandwendy.com/travel/korea/haotel-motel-busan-wonderful-clean-cheap-motel.htm">motel.htm</a><a href="http://www.ianandwendy.com/travel/korea/haotel-motel-busan-wonderful-clean-cheap-motel.htm">motel.htm</a> We looked at a room at the posh Vu motel - for 100,000W a night you get a huge suite with double sink/shower/Internet and general plushness. We stayed at a motel two doors down, for 40000W a night, which offered the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYfPEa97frvl6yH_RHeSFJiIDMuzyF9XII2OYrJtPeqirgtThwLeYTHEfRTongtsW9Xa1RHdZ3wb-RkJwmm9jAwcGMZccqfi5BM5HtiA5nfwAggGCpm382Q4o6xSMzmPunMVyQPdh3BJA/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+439.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360136677937433890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYfPEa97frvl6yH_RHeSFJiIDMuzyF9XII2OYrJtPeqirgtThwLeYTHEfRTongtsW9Xa1RHdZ3wb-RkJwmm9jAwcGMZccqfi5BM5HtiA5nfwAggGCpm382Q4o6xSMzmPunMVyQPdh3BJA/s200/Korea+May+09+439.jpg" /></a>standard Internet, double bed, fridge, decent bathroom, room service, water dispenser. Yeonsandong is a great base - it has amenities but in not overrun with tourists and has a fantastic selection of restaurants. We enjoyed another meat on grill meal on the main drag there. </div><div>What to do: </div><div>We had to check out the live fish market and shopping district around Nampodong, which was hopping on a Saturday. On Sunday, we took the subway to Nopodong and followed all the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJbTUZ-iWiIaPaiood3bxqxVdDSJbmjXdvg90dDvpEvLazNya6zl7YOV3DdMcg6kbn-aoiwlZ9azDe7QDyffKXktr5WUovLVDp6D7FEZtrZfb8qtHcyKn2uXs7JXJ06x5atLHco-_nCSU/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+410.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360135231078972482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJbTUZ-iWiIaPaiood3bxqxVdDSJbmjXdvg90dDvpEvLazNya6zl7YOV3DdMcg6kbn-aoiwlZ9azDe7QDyffKXktr5WUovLVDp6D7FEZtrZfb8qtHcyKn2uXs7JXJ06x5atLHco-_nCSU/s200/Korea+May+09+410.jpg" /></a>Koreans dressed in expensive hiking gear up the hill to the bus stop for the bus to Beomosa. Honestly, Beomosa was not that impressive after having seen a variety of other Korean temples, but it was alive with activity. More importantly, it in the same zone of the city as the Hurshimchung spa (across from the Nongshim hotel; approx 8000W) which is easily seen from the pedestrian overpass you take coming out of the Oncheonjang subway stop. <a href="http://chrisinsouthkorea.blogspot.com/2009/01/destination-hurshimchung-heosimcheong.html">http://chrisinsouthkorea.blogspot.com/2009/01/destination-hurshimchung-heosimcheong.html</a> </div><br /><div>Not far from the Oncheonjang subway station is the entrance to th<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjElmnVjfhEK0Z36MdU42-PVDuOuSnp8BuDoouPTTQ-bWkG2znqDIkOHXUTt_jgeJmeMYjR8LTUGyFIYufQ5fSOD4HED4sv2EgBDAKVm8-FbGB2s_lkDDu7hBM5f6QVSGQIJqbC7B861DQ/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+420.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360136046685750466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjElmnVjfhEK0Z36MdU42-PVDuOuSnp8BuDoouPTTQ-bWkG2znqDIkOHXUTt_jgeJmeMYjR8LTUGyFIYufQ5fSOD4HED4sv2EgBDAKVm8-FbGB2s_lkDDu7hBM5f6QVSGQIJqbC7B861DQ/s200/Korea+May+09+420.jpg" /></a>e Geumgang park and cable car, which provides a remarkable view over the sprawling city. You can then hike to the South gate of <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzVKp0cdxTqt26CotqS8Du5__2pgc5qCJnbQ4KnNTwXICeqkaBCjyWS1LuITU_NzOmqbKGCX7GGRwmBAm-cH4eB7UO1tMMhJ_aidsg9qgftHkIsQPnu8rShwGDkhfItsw0TU6V-v-rs4Y/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+468.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360137556688569090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzVKp0cdxTqt26CotqS8Du5__2pgc5qCJnbQ4KnNTwXICeqkaBCjyWS1LuITU_NzOmqbKGCX7GGRwmBAm-cH4eB7UO1tMMhJ_aidsg9qgftHkIsQPnu8rShwGDkhfItsw0TU6V-v-rs4Y/s200/Korea+May+09+468.jpg" /></a>the fortress, and from there to a variety of spots. Interestingly, many Koreans end their hike with a picnic along the trails behind the cable car station. Ladies have small kitchens in the woods and set out a tarpaulin and table for you. If you wander up the hill from the cable car station, you will inevitably run into these joints. We did not partake, but almost everyone else did. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEeYT9MYZG13RcE1KuX679Ds3bjNFZ1nSzPwDd7nKow55bj8_irru-UxUKUWmEACbd1a_F9Dg3Oxo1-VBWG55FNtrDxWaU_PTPTQkuH-jWE0QMG0xWV_XRpVNkZR8twA2hjLuzlnVgC4/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+421.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360136817627766210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEeYT9MYZG13RcE1KuX679Ds3bjNFZ1nSzPwDd7nKow55bj8_irru-UxUKUWmEACbd1a_F9Dg3Oxo1-VBWG55FNtrDxWaU_PTPTQkuH-jWE0QMG0xWV_XRpVNkZR8twA2hjLuzlnVgC4/s200/Korea+May+09+421.jpg" /></a></div><div>We also enjoyed a walk and a beer along Hae-undae beach and Dongbaek park. It is an easy walk from the beach to the Vesta spa (get a map from the friendly tourist info ladies) where for approx 8000W you partake in lovely outdoor/indoor pools and saunas with a view of the sea. We enjoyed this spa more t<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp6XjAaoo6-Z4ybveYCVxoORs2s9yxNtRdvo-55XdxxxrnYLEulbB20YK6El484wU79jxgin5dXMJMRi2ClRJHcQTFsn6y2j5EqYZAp3BIVrKSqPinqrxSRiF-UzQVUVXqHZ-qRjeKFaE/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+449.jpg"></a>han the larger but less aesthetic Hurshimchung. (For a bit more info on the etiquette of Korean spas: <a href="http://chrisinsouthkorea.blogspot.com/2008/10/destination-dragon-hill-jimjilbang-or.html">http://chrisinsouthkorea.blogspot.com/2008/10/destination-dragon-hill-jimjilbang-or.html</a><a href="http://chrisinsouthkorea.blogspot.com/2008/10/destination-dragon-hill-jimjilbang-or.html">dragon-hill-jimjilbang-or.html</a> ) Food: </div><div>The food in Busan was a bit of a blur - we enjoyed cruising the main drag in Yeonsandong and choosing a meat-grilling restaurant, always ordering the obligatory house soju. We loved a tiny joint in Onche<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8ZwnmJWgYQQEhct3U6uDokXqP8q5OBm-MfK5yX6lb4fvfG0hFzEilxHe6_Dwrhja-mrLVQYQxzEnc_Fa110pAP3KTOOMFspFvePA0iY8TL3ZubmMsdvNqGXDvwpbynyKRGtMPlbNohM/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+445.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360137035931389970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8ZwnmJWgYQQEhct3U6uDokXqP8q5OBm-MfK5yX6lb4fvfG0hFzEilxHe6_Dwrhja-mrLVQYQxzEnc_Fa110pAP3KTOOMFspFvePA0iY8TL3ZubmMsdvNqGXDvwpbynyKRGtMPlbNohM/s200/Korea+May+09+445.jpg" /></a>ondong (see photo with happy crab sign) on the main north-south street that runs between the spa and the gate to the cable car entrance. The place was crowded at 5pm, had no English menu, and catered to middle-aged Korean men who hiked the same route every Sunday for the past 20 years, then descended the mountain to get drunk and eat crab stew in this restaurant. And while wandering around the university zone we stumbled on a place doing a "couple set" for 11000W which included salad, drink, and a huge place of spicy glass noodle chicken stew (very much like the Andong chicken we <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp6XjAaoo6-Z4ybveYCVxoORs2s9yxNtRdvo-55XdxxxrnYLEulbB20YK6El484wU79jxgin5dXMJMRi2ClRJHcQTFsn6y2j5EqYZAp3BIVrKSqPinqrxSRiF-UzQVUVXqHZ-qRjeKFaE/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+449.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360137211458370978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp6XjAaoo6-Z4ybveYCVxoORs2s9yxNtRdvo-55XdxxxrnYLEulbB20YK6El484wU79jxgin5dXMJMRi2ClRJHcQTFsn6y2j5EqYZAp3BIVrKSqPinqrxSRiF-UzQVUVXqHZ-qRjeKFaE/s200/Korea+May+09+449.jpg" /></a>had in Gyeongju).<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoEbxtvn9VCPesRpRLeMXNKyyn9fLIY_w0TGMiTUeMuFv-cZZxG0ORzQB3gTrpFbyv6bx_z0hAjlKA51YO3vhbrLNExS3wjqTdbYi_jDLdq2xfqxlYpXXU9EF7ypoBlP0XPkkEOSboYrU/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+464.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360139142042014978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoEbxtvn9VCPesRpRLeMXNKyyn9fLIY_w0TGMiTUeMuFv-cZZxG0ORzQB3gTrpFbyv6bx_z0hAjlKA51YO3vhbrLNExS3wjqTdbYi_jDLdq2xfqxlYpXXU9EF7ypoBlP0XPkkEOSboYrU/s200/Korea+May+09+464.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULE0oaGxOsFTvrgUpoLalZ2SM5eqAkOW9uYn5pWGWIhyphenhyphenIA5QjHseOgNaGg5GJF8BtmOMRpvFRjBQusFbeBwW4LDjlvzzUj_PP5lyj1dtgr-81WPodGEt1uWo-ikFmJCqIavvHKt8C62o/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+463.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360139294082114594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULE0oaGxOsFTvrgUpoLalZ2SM5eqAkOW9uYn5pWGWIhyphenhyphenIA5QjHseOgNaGg5GJF8BtmOMRpvFRjBQusFbeBwW4LDjlvzzUj_PP5lyj1dtgr-81WPodGEt1uWo-ikFmJCqIavvHKt8C62o/s200/Korea+May+09+463.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdgTUQJ7W0n_QhZc-xwOuFoESChzgbn3n-UXB0o5rp9sZnXqqEzH64iakUqj9XUdLzvIpOHDtfVVlE-I_Xyfa_x_tIjD5kyPcg0kbH5kSW_f3G5eoDByQ0SkR_xXNEMlAFtJj4tmHRC9k/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+462.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360290543512617058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdgTUQJ7W0n_QhZc-xwOuFoESChzgbn3n-UXB0o5rp9sZnXqqEzH64iakUqj9XUdLzvIpOHDtfVVlE-I_Xyfa_x_tIjD5kyPcg0kbH5kSW_f3G5eoDByQ0SkR_xXNEMlAFtJj4tmHRC9k/s200/Korea+May+09+462.jpg" /></a></div>R/Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09470492039723704885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676824880987432556.post-40254215560764911442009-05-20T01:26:00.000-07:002009-07-11T17:25:34.790-07:00Korea - week 1<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbi2x7S32SML7_X33NEYpUUtG2LA6EnBHIcSAqCUWenrdSloMA4ISWWJfcLsl4BaatxHilWJFiXkzV597E_NpN8A2ioXGJJaTpCXStsVhf2N63FRzTX8Qa2WaN2nOsrfBBPbLKNgNUN7Q/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+179.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357358703720555282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbi2x7S32SML7_X33NEYpUUtG2LA6EnBHIcSAqCUWenrdSloMA4ISWWJfcLsl4BaatxHilWJFiXkzV597E_NpN8A2ioXGJJaTpCXStsVhf2N63FRzTX8Qa2WaN2nOsrfBBPbLKNgNUN7Q/s200/Korea+May+09+179.jpg" /></a><br /><div>As a tourist in southern South Korea, you are a stranger in a strange land. This area does not receive many foreign visitors. You will make no end of faux pas. People may comment on the size of your nose, the redness of your sunburned skin. Children stare. When you go into a restaurant, you may have the distinct feeling the staff wish you would turn around and leave, because they know you won't be able to read the menu or eat the food correctly. But you will also enjoy that sense of adventure and accomplishment when you stumble on a busy restaurant, manage to order, and then eat one of the finest meals of your life. And if you like to drink late into the evening, you will inevitably encounter a drunk professor or engineer who speaks some English and has a daughter studying in Australia, who will buy you beers despite your protestations. You will feel privileged to hike lovely hills and take in seaside views that few other foreigners have seen. You will lament that your own country fails to organize a transportation system even half as inexpensive and efficient as that in South Korea. And you will fervently wish that every country had 35$ motel rooms replete with high-speed internet, plasma screen TV, minifridge, free drinks, and private bath.</div><div> </div><div>Fukuoka to Busan - Fly to Fukuoka on Skymark, and jump on the subway (the airport is the metro line terminus) for the brief ride to Hakata Station. If you arrive in the evening, stay in one of the business hotels within 5 minutes walk of the station. We went to Toyoko Inn (8600Y a double) this time, which boasts a nicer colour scheme than most business hotels, and a tasty Japanese all-you-can-eat breakfast of onigiri, miso, and burdock salad. The Green Hotel is cheaper, but no breakfast. In the morning, take the bus from the bus stop right across the street from Hakata station to the International Ferry Terminal (correct line for the bus clearly signmarked in English). The bus stops right in front of the terminal. Carry small change for the bus. </div><div>The JR Beetle is a high-speed hydrofoil to Busan - a fantastic idea. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQADDE8Hc4PtLsN78n7Lj6ap16h5Y2yOK-ChoO1FqpokPXVEP3SS1Fv1iRfe-WNP8pnkDWFTLyD-7KdnkrncQE0zXQjCNU20MQaoZlDMQAaYxmdbftaIVTJwzHH7G9f41rPISOc8hvGlw/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+001.jpg"></a><a href="http://www.jrbeetle.co.jp/english/">http://www.jrbeetle.co.jp/english/</a> We made advance reservations online (you have to create a login and password to do this) but you can buy tickets at the counter too. The ticket is 130,000Y each way normal price, but if you go on weekdays less than 7 days apart it is 100,000Y each way. On a weekday, the ferry was half empty. You also have to buy a terminal useage ticket for 500Y. There is a bit of paperwork for the Japanese and Korean immigration/customs, and you definitely must have your leave paperwork and ID card. The ferry of course leaves on time, arrives on time, and is a beautifully smooth ride. You keep your luggage with you on a rack above your head. You cannot leave the cabin during the ride. You can buy beer, beverages, and snacks in the terminal and on board. Asahi Super Dry is just 150Y a can, so almost everyone had one. </div><div>On arrival in Korea, you clear immigration (where everyone gets their temperature checked) and customs, get some Won at the global ATM, and make your way our of the terminal compound onto the street. From there it is just two blocks west (ie away from the water) to Jung-angno street and the subway station. From there, you can get almost anywhere in Busan, but we were headed for the express bus terminal. The ATM gives you 10,000W notes (about 8$) but you need 1000W notes to buy a subway ticket. So, head to the center of the subway station to the change machine and get some small bills. The, right next to it is the ticket machine. You have to know your line number (Line 1 goes to the bus terminal) and then select your destination (for us, the North end of the line Nopodong). The fare was about 1500W. The train takes about 30min, and the subway station is contiguous with the bus terminal. There are various food shops, including international chains and family-owned Korean joints, in the station/terminal. The destinations are written in English over the appropriate ticket booth, and when the bus is about to leave a sales clerk appears at the window and the price appears. It was 4000W to Gyeong-ju, a 1 hour ride. The bus was tidy, left on time, and trundled along at a remarkable speed. </div><div>GYEONG-JU is a town that grows on you as you explore it. The ancient capital of the Shilla empire, it is billed as the museum without walls. The bus pulls in at the western end of downtown. There is a tourist info kiosk right there, with helpful ladies who speak English, provide a city map, and can write a note for you that says "May we stay another night?" and/or "May we see the room?" or some other useful phrase. Seriously, these are the most professional tourist desk ladies we have ever enc<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBu6qeEYurUun8V4tx1C8wYprcV130hSSaCOXqCk5QK5IlfZTdaJkLO5Sjo984hBLteUqIT1ee1yVr_mHpL8ZrU1g8vI4yI1427liIxU3Usmunjc_n0Uu0XK35Rsqi5dObM9m7AWryGCg/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+001.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349185586204181602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBu6qeEYurUun8V4tx1C8wYprcV130hSSaCOXqCk5QK5IlfZTdaJkLO5Sjo984hBLteUqIT1ee1yVr_mHpL8ZrU1g8vI4yI1427liIxU3Usmunjc_n0Uu0XK35Rsqi5dObM9m7AWryGCg/s200/Korea+May+09+001.jpg" /></a>ountered. While there, pick up the handy Yangdong Folk Village handbook. </div><div>ACCOMMODATIONS Just north of the express bus station (on the way to the intercity bus terminal) there are a couple of newish-looking love motels, including one with the slogan "Love&Joy&Fun." We decided to go a bit further east, into town, and stumbled on the delightful NMotel(N for Noblesse), which sits on the upper-west corner of the Noseo-dong Tumuli Park area. For 40,000W weeknights/50,000W weekends, you get a large room, double bed, flat screen TV, computer with Internet access, air-con, water machine, minifridge, jacuzzi bath and shower, electric toilet, toiletries, and tea/coffee/drinks. Very comfortable, and very quiet, with a lovely view of the Tumuli. The Korean love motel has to be one of the best accommodation values ever. You pay <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAuu1nyn1eibpXTEjnq5bW2Coseal_9CSp-96EYJWNuaGh7padYF3W2DJ-oqDaTc8aDTGmC6cnK5JZRM4_3l1kSlm1guNde8dM6ofttCamc0o8AooariA7LJbDIsXWs9D3tVjErt76jTc/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+014.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357354652686530866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAuu1nyn1eibpXTEjnq5bW2Coseal_9CSp-96EYJWNuaGh7padYF3W2DJ-oqDaTc8aDTGmC6cnK5JZRM4_3l1kSlm1guNde8dM6ofttCamc0o8AooariA7LJbDIsXWs9D3tVjErt76jTc/s200/Korea+May+09+014.jpg" /></a>in advance at the window - no names, no forms, no ID required at all. Each evening we showed our note paper (Can we stay another night?) and handed over the money. In the morning, we turned in our key so they would know we were out and clean the room. Otherwise, we kept the key with us. The man in the box downstairs is sometimes not there in the morning, so you can just leave your key in the basket out front if you are checking out. There is no laundry service in these hotels, and no laundromats in Korea, so we just did our dirty clothes each night in the tub/sink and hung them up on a line (which we brought with us) overnight. Between the aircon and the warm spring <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekP6xSFWVXKFglpKFB-8R0mENY3pA8PituSJ21_n7Pys81BLCi1fQJXusCAKlP5KAvibLpJcEy89HRjp4sEAONOlAwkSCsmPVOwVyPjx5cMbcw1doe_IVHL8IK1DJTPLZYlKBwp0ZW_g/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+035.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357354760070985666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekP6xSFWVXKFglpKFB-8R0mENY3pA8PituSJ21_n7Pys81BLCi1fQJXusCAKlP5KAvibLpJcEy89HRjp4sEAONOlAwkSCsmPVOwVyPjx5cMbcw1doe_IVHL8IK1DJTPLZYlKBwp0ZW_g/s200/Korea+May+09+035.jpg" /></a>temperatures, they were dry by morning. There are hostels and tourist hotels in town as well, but why would you spend the same or more money for a room not nearly as nice? </div><div>FOOD Many Korean restaurants specialize in one particular item, which is fantastic for the adventurous eater. We had duk (porridge) at a shop on the west side of Boseongno street, between Wonhyoro and Dongseongno streets. The beef and mushroom was quite tasty, similar to risotto, and came with three different side dishes (7000W). We recommend against <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyk8CGfwYnwfxMkunyLgbN23MA90r8FeYaHGemYNpqm4Gyu-Y2kex4h_szBYA3H8Xx9jH_0uf4CJyosrSe6qW_KNpIHiPBDh-HfwKdDSefs3Cm0tetijfQSz51yc6SMbcUpaHJyululE/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+099.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357352678040731346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyk8CGfwYnwfxMkunyLgbN23MA90r8FeYaHGemYNpqm4Gyu-Y2kex4h_szBYA3H8Xx9jH_0uf4CJyosrSe6qW_KNpIHiPBDh-HfwKdDSefs3Cm0tetijfQSz51yc6SMbcUpaHJyululE/s200/Korea+May+09+099.jpg" /></a>the walnut duk unless you are looking for a gruel-like bland breakfast. We had a two delightful noodle dishes (4000Y each) at a place on an alleyway off of the main shopping drag that extends off of Gyerimno street as it travels north of Tumuli park. Turning left at the Benneton, you head down the alley and the shop is on the south side of the street. One was a chilled noodle with lots of veggies and spicy bean paste, which you mix all together and enjoy. The other was noodle soup with fish cakes, with a good-to-the-last-drop broth. The alleyway just south of there has a mandoo (dumpling) shop where you can <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGh-zspdvKaOXqriPEdFEJ6iTRw2Okyl-0SVtQ09Do7IcCKMN1xL1WXrbaj6rVcW-O5U3b1ZaSIJg52iU3koHxO3fu7ZGYk5US9VA6TulM6qo97a0eC5fIA0kD-cT6Z_YaPa5-NOoGEQU/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+100.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357352971520822866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGh-zspdvKaOXqriPEdFEJ6iTRw2Okyl-0SVtQ09Do7IcCKMN1xL1WXrbaj6rVcW-O5U3b1ZaSIJg52iU3koHxO3fu7ZGYk5US9VA6TulM6qo97a0eC5fIA0kD-cT6Z_YaPa5-NOoGEQU/s200/Korea+May+09+100.jpg" /></a>get amazing steamed, fried, or watery dumplings for 3000-3500W a plate, and various mandoo and/or rice cake soups for 4000-5000W. We enjoyed Jjim duk at a little place on the south side of Wonhyoro street, just east of Noseodong park. For 15000W, you get a huge serving of Andong-style spicy soy-based stew filled with chicken bits (boned costs more, so<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kIPGva_iHTV8K0pHjjSefGhoV0vIBvfXYdRGY69sqE2RToaFU0r8u6NCoSSwEdkUUee3RJRZAhJw67rVM6DaiO0kXQLaugPNAdYIAKSCKtIImpkBF5boxIoOtpAHFdSWAuU-K_B5dJI/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+102.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357353670587993842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kIPGva_iHTV8K0pHjjSefGhoV0vIBvfXYdRGY69sqE2RToaFU0r8u6NCoSSwEdkUUee3RJRZAhJw67rVM6DaiO0kXQLaugPNAdYIAKSCKtIImpkBF5boxIoOtpAHFdSWAuU-K_B5dJI/s200/Korea+May+09+102.jpg" /></a> for 12000W you can get unboned chicken), glass noodles, and veggies. You can order rice to mop up the juices, but we didn't have any room left in our bellies. You get a small blue dish for the refuse ie bones and skin. We tried a bit of street food across the street from Gyeong-ju station, including yummy barley dumplings stuffed with bean paste (1000W for 3) from a lady on the north corner, and fishcake on a stick and mandoo (4000W total) from a lady on the south side. We cannot recommend the westernish cuisine at Cookand Bistro, which is on one of the alleyways in the downtown shopping district. We had two rather unfortunate oversweetened dishes (9000W each) and were a bit suprised at the popularity of the place. We also <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgap_M4cdpCq0biprsnjWYQ7vo_n1h3c40Qe7te3uAX-ZrEqQ_txTNGfoQSJVLvmvlic9sUjMOnLAjEd3aXgrWNAsmYU8c9b2BR1JR1qWs-cWmEM3F5i80WMvN9G3F8QfqBCNsB8SEn0lY/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+123.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357354231525776578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgap_M4cdpCq0biprsnjWYQ7vo_n1h3c40Qe7te3uAX-ZrEqQ_txTNGfoQSJVLvmvlic9sUjMOnLAjEd3aXgrWNAsmYU8c9b2BR1JR1qWs-cWmEM3F5i80WMvN9G3F8QfqBCNsB8SEn0lY/s200/Korea+May+09+123.jpg" /></a>must advise against ssambap, or at least the ssambap place at the southwestern corner of Tumuli park with a picture of a friendly-looking older Korean couple on the sign. Ssambap is supposed to be numerous side dishes which can be wrapped in lettuce leaves. We eat almost anything, but there were multiple dishes we could not stomach, including raw fermented/pickled fish, rehydrated dried&salted fish, fermented fish and tofu soup, pickled eggs, jellied brown stuff, kimchi'd large leaves, and super-spicy chewy raw fish. We made a small meal out of the rest of it, but were sad to part with our 9000W and disappointed that the LP and Moon guides so highly recommended the experience. It should also be noted the marking on the LP and city maps of Ssambap restaurants does not seem to be in the right place. </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRr9vn-RnsTWvSjWiqh0TYRdssQLP6etKviX3H9geAgRehRQO3ofBlU7RdPA4zniESpSSDPc3U-JQzku9xv_EBaf6hXkvERTwBiuj6u96Cf_DIvr6vTzHMYAizuR60VYN2vD4ZpUOoYbE/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+116.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357355107235891762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRr9vn-RnsTWvSjWiqh0TYRdssQLP6etKviX3H9geAgRehRQO3ofBlU7RdPA4zniESpSSDPc3U-JQzku9xv_EBaf6hXkvERTwBiuj6u96Cf_DIvr6vTzHMYAizuR60VYN2vD4ZpUOoYbE/s200/Korea+May+09+116.jpg" /></a>WHAT TO DO Walking around town is quite rewarding - Noseodong's Tumuli park (free) and the larger walled Tumuli park compound (1000W) are both lovely. The Jungang market is alive, interesting, and has a plethora of inexpensive food options. One morning, we took the 10 bus for 1000W (caught on Seoseongno street heading south) to Bunhwangsa temple (boasting a pagoda from the 600s AD), and visited there, Hwangyongsa (foundation of a Silla palace), Anapji pond (Silla pleasure lake area), Wolsung forest, Gyerim forest, and the Cheomseongdae observatory in succession. Admissions<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfQ2cJDbkP4xFjhze6rmGDnl-hobQgzIF5kfagWsUIwtJhyYsWgxL5q4u0ERSOckcyJasVY_pW3JxCAZDImCdM6bfgHYkbfyh3NpDxKqVV4KgfLuUuytDHkqyKaprzu7rcG86jfkH0z4/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+133.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357354958365926370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfQ2cJDbkP4xFjhze6rmGDnl-hobQgzIF5kfagWsUIwtJhyYsWgxL5q4u0ERSOckcyJasVY_pW3JxCAZDImCdM6bfgHYkbfyh3NpDxKqVV4KgfLuUuytDHkqyKaprzu7rcG86jfkH0z4/s200/Korea+May+09+133.jpg" /></a> are either free, 500W, or 1000W. Another morning we took the 11 bus for 1500W to the museum (admission 1000W), which holds all the Silla artifacts excavated from temples, palaces, and tombs locally. We took the 11 bus down to Bulguksa Temple (4000W), which was ridiculously crowded with middle school children on school trips, but still worthwhile. At 20 past the hour, a bus leaves across the street from the temple parking lot and heads to the Seokguram grotto, 20 minutes up the hill. There is a 20min walk from the parking lot to the grotto (admission 4000W), which houses a beautiful stone Buddha sculpture and is considered a high <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA9zUkliVUArxWDMrWl4VbP1KHtFu4jtcSdugmNXwjLxypuE7yScucwnVPjTR-d_cvGWXxjZbwzBe0nXaHX8gMaDdecejVbpj1bkVsIL-YZc6Z5MBidbIkwja0fcpG7wAB3Y2J50Ed92g/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+003.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349185787328973042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA9zUkliVUArxWDMrWl4VbP1KHtFu4jtcSdugmNXwjLxypuE7yScucwnVPjTR-d_cvGWXxjZbwzBe0nXaHX8gMaDdecejVbpj1bkVsIL-YZc6Z5MBidbIkwja0fcpG7wAB3Y2J50Ed92g/s200/Korea+May+09+003.jpg" /></a>point in Sill artistry. The bus returns down the hill on the hour (ie, about an hour after you arrive at the grotto.) A 2.2km wooded trail connects the two sites as well. Koreans seem to enjoy the steep uphill hike, but we did it downhill and were plenty tired as a result. </div><div>We spent another rewarding day exploring Yangdong village. You take a 200 series bus (200-208, 212, 217) from across the street from the bus station or from Seoseongno street about 40min north and get off at the sign for the village turnoff - remember to <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlI1bwSvQbNNroE8vkrwdrXlowmF2MdRT216Hmc62M5DXvELTlyb4A3fQL8l8YVaAA9PLeskgR_kotSM7QPVeNESLTAwo6VjEqJmEQCt6xgFqCSQJqnREP5jJKNUrRltvPpRQt0gL30fQ/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+006.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349186144512118594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlI1bwSvQbNNroE8vkrwdrXlowmF2MdRT216Hmc62M5DXvELTlyb4A3fQL8l8YVaAA9PLeskgR_kotSM7QPVeNESLTAwo6VjEqJmEQCt6xgFqCSQJqnREP5jJKNUrRltvPpRQt0gL30fQ/s200/Korea+May+09+006.jpg" /></a>mention to the bus driver where you are headed so he will stop appropriately. Then walk about 2km by the railroad tracks (there is a track beside and below them), go under the bridge, then veer left heading towards the elementary school. Walk a bit further and you have arrived. Use the handbook to guide your walk around the village - it is large and hilly, and there is a lot to see. We are usually suspicious of "folk villages" but this is an extraordinary place. Regular Korean people live here as they would in any other farming village, except that they live in beautiful traditional homes. There are trappings of modern life like air condi<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-OtIU7LapaNJIecOYixTJi9vexS6euKIc-NC4zc07FagGmiHfW5rmmmgZQqLE5fN4HZwEdXars8f1sImNcaHWzlZ2vek5qTSXsB1jvnE246HJZ1OfnWrEMHOWSbpIgqirhUFSjVM1sk/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+049.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357351354954388066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-OtIU7LapaNJIecOYixTJi9vexS6euKIc-NC4zc07FagGmiHfW5rmmmgZQqLE5fN4HZwEdXars8f1sImNcaHWzlZ2vek5qTSXsB1jvnE246HJZ1OfnWrEMHOWSbpIgqirhUFSjVM1sk/s200/Korea+May+09+049.jpg" /></a>tioners, satellite TV dishes, and mechanized farming equipment, which is exactly as it should be for a functional community. There are two spots in town for refreshment, as far as we could tell - both visible from the main road. We had a persimmon-cinnamon-ginger tea at the place with two outside umbrella tables (2000W each). There was also a ssambap-type restaurant which was crowded with the camera crew that had been on site filming a bunch of singing and dancing children. </div><div>JINJU - We hopped on a bus to 1.5 <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9hQ5p0NF7Lz_mua-nikTI-2U6KFC8RBE-LB5FegCk8xMhuhspDWhb6ycDTT7PdRyh0Uh4xqS7VnTdskYsDVAYIWN_F0EeMd57eHoFJZif80tW_Sahz8uglCzgsKU0mRy7yrnOY4_XA4/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+067.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357351780058628690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9hQ5p0NF7Lz_mua-nikTI-2U6KFC8RBE-LB5FegCk8xMhuhspDWhb6ycDTT7PdRyh0Uh4xqS7VnTdskYsDVAYIWN_F0EeMd57eHoFJZif80tW_Sahz8uglCzgsKU0mRy7yrnOY4_XA4/s200/Korea+May+09+067.jpg" /></a>hr bus ride to Jinju, with a plan to stay overnight there and then take the bus to Tongyeong. Jinju is a pleasant work-a-day city that straddles a river. Unfortunately the bus station is distant from the downtown centre - best to hop a cab, but one can walk along the river (keep heading west on the south bank of the river until the main bridge, approx 1.5km, then cross the river and the love hotels will be immediately on the right). The LP suggests the Versace, but we ended up at You motel, which was totally acceptable. No computer, but a balcony and view over the river, and a la<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQpdhRi6ERXHjaglLejyrDxjU3SI5TD9O8uB5IolvtmFYrm-1QP78FnX3RWZXAMa4ygX8FsVyx9fGK9Qf_z_gVuQ46Z8eYXk7usRMNqSIMpmAyAUkURgKZ-E34zUWjMStxgD-kIQ0TVPM/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+138.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357356396035150818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQpdhRi6ERXHjaglLejyrDxjU3SI5TD9O8uB5IolvtmFYrm-1QP78FnX3RWZXAMa4ygX8FsVyx9fGK9Qf_z_gVuQ46Z8eYXk7usRMNqSIMpmAyAUkURgKZ-E34zUWjMStxgD-kIQ0TVPM/s200/Korea+May+09+138.jpg" /></a>rge tub (4000W). The love hotel zone is just west of the bus station, and just east of the main drag shopping area. It is a pleasant walk past the riverside eel restaurants to the Jinju fortress, a worthwhile attraction (1000W). We spent hours checking out the fortress wall, temples, and views. But the cafe in the park is a rip off. One of out best meals of the trip was dinner in Jinju - we wandered the streets heading north from the hotel until we were at the foot of a huge Lotte residential tower complex (within stone's throw of a large church) and stumbled on a small restaurant with a picture of rice in a dolshot (stone bowl). Turned out, this was ssambap, but a delightful version. For 700W, we got a ridiculous amount of food that included 3 different kinds of fish, a crab t<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV2MP8Hp-VRqEtXD10_mBVund2CauNvNuII3rzGfGflC8ZdLlxhyL1iNdQTZi9TJ91mWRoLKkJ1wRuVUd0DgrTWBqhyrKBie046-8dUqwA4Pc9GAsRA7f3mjbkloVchZt-Ua_jsUa7fmk/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+144.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357356861583122418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV2MP8Hp-VRqEtXD10_mBVund2CauNvNuII3rzGfGflC8ZdLlxhyL1iNdQTZi9TJ91mWRoLKkJ1wRuVUd0DgrTWBqhyrKBie046-8dUqwA4Pc9GAsRA7f3mjbkloVchZt-Ua_jsUa7fmk/s200/Korea+May+09+144.jpg" /></a>ofu stew, and countless <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSqRppmEV9KB9KQj2z_zexzyEI94KjH9WA6yxt3gLXTWorbS5gftqaW5kw0OTP-aarzoaQ7P7YLrhp9dX0FCAEISgjCC57xcU-vw_pNp6CUxII48CkLNJtKPSGSWXw_-PyfLNxQpaA3c/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+168.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357357031272071410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSqRppmEV9KB9KQj2z_zexzyEI94KjH9WA6yxt3gLXTWorbS5gftqaW5kw0OTP-aarzoaQ7P7YLrhp9dX0FCAEISgjCC57xcU-vw_pNp6CUxII48CkLNJtKPSGSWXw_-PyfLNxQpaA3c/s200/Korea+May+09+168.jpg" /></a>veggie dishes.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54wKedETJ-Xuw8TxHQ2KFS1uNmyU9c3BzRDZs753Geg-eij-2tBHVbgt3sVao4A1H4tvF1wY6_AoPzLW63x5i-bLXN3mebfWi5cclkWnqiCAfB02XkszLvpRaEwvZK_VmWWmlTwMz8rY/s1600-h/Korea+May+09+141.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357356508320458866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54wKedETJ-Xuw8TxHQ2KFS1uNmyU9c3BzRDZs753Geg-eij-2tBHVbgt3sVao4A1H4tvF1wY6_AoPzLW63x5i-bLXN3mebfWi5cclkWnqiCAfB02XkszLvpRaEwvZK_VmWWmlTwMz8rY/s200/Korea+May+09+141.jpg" /></a>R/Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09470492039723704885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676824880987432556.post-92231200909511554912009-05-09T15:04:00.000-07:002009-05-10T01:14:03.411-07:00Onna at lower low tide<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4tuJj7MMQs1gzCWODF16f0HrI5UxsuvK9AXBfvlMUzZ_UK6X-3II1qadD4MBPrq40jm36dEu9X99zq38ZynbLO1Cq0OGMSlV-Vfpt8wQkcOZBAHyDvE7Wv_QmLLCanLseY5AuE2km9c0/s1600-h/onna+023.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334102543340001202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4tuJj7MMQs1gzCWODF16f0HrI5UxsuvK9AXBfvlMUzZ_UK6X-3II1qadD4MBPrq40jm36dEu9X99zq38ZynbLO1Cq0OGMSlV-Vfpt8wQkcOZBAHyDvE7Wv_QmLLCanLseY5AuE2km9c0/s200/onna+023.jpg" /></a>Onna is accessible via the 58 or the expressway, exiting at Yaka and crossing the island.<br />From the 58, there are various places to turn to approach the water and find a spot to park. If you turn at the elementary school, you go down a small road and then go right into a dirt opening, follow that around, get as close to the water as possible, and park. There is a cute beach here. We prefer to turn at Manzamo, take a left before entering the tourist trap, then take a right to get to the straight road parallelling the coast. You can park here and find a trail that heads down to the water. This puts you on the beac<img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334102677255106530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkPe4ItjQfXQHvi48aCiiF_kAZKnEcmxSFq60-xJSVEBvcUbAh0XCcX3NsR6V3npiDyJZQO4H2Cdb8fKoeIz3Ml97SdL550oKNB0trpFbQqVCA8DQaUkl2H3zfxHQP-t-Ge29Ndrn0Yc/s200/onna+027.jpg" />h near the cave pools. You can also drive further into Manzamo and turn down a tiny unmarked street and follow this downhill. This takes you to a grassy area with a picnic table and the toilet bowl dive site entry.<br />Onna is a sweet spot to spend a sunny spring day, especially at lowest low tide. Check beforehand at the Tide Toya website: <a href="http://www.mobilegeographics.com:81/locations/6543.html">http://www.mobilegeographics.com:81/locations/6543.html</a><br />At super low tide, you can walk almost the whole length of this coastline over the exposed shelf. Some live coral is exposed, <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEVAxzIEc3sODRo6wwQPKSv8vnemXxfRJx_cxa_RVOz2b0k87N5LBEX2Mvt0ymWLhfCDTTFLtsrqTCVIMLabVqC77NLAarqDQZ3nP1oWeOcKKTqoDzjtdEvD9WHR8-XSEx3orr-m0i3f4/s1600-h/onna+020.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334103484517323554" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEVAxzIEc3sODRo6wwQPKSv8vnemXxfRJx_cxa_RVOz2b0k87N5LBEX2Mvt0ymWLhfCDTTFLtsrqTCVIMLabVqC77NLAarqDQZ3nP1oWeOcKKTqoDzjtdEvD9WHR8-XSEx3orr-m0i3f4/s200/onna+020.jpg" /></a>so you have to be careful to avoid it. There are also plenty of sea urchins, making correct foot placement even more essential. This is not a walk for children. But the tidepools are great along here. There are lots of Japanese people out quite far collecting shellfish or whatever.<br />This little adventure should be combined with sustenance at a local cafe. Our favourite is Cafe Masaho, which is just south of the Manzamo turnoff on the 58 (west side), and by a restaurant with a pig sign. We have reviewed them elsewhere on this site (open at noon). They do plate lunch for 1000-1200Y - they speak minimal English so just point and shoot. All the food is delicious and healthful. One of the sets is a pasta dish.<br />Afterwards, head to the Onna Resort public beach, which is just north of the Onna fishing port. There are a couple places to enter from the 58 - <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimEAjxZ3bt2C-ucjyX9XtqZJalAqRCr-lY_2G56hwhzPIfVC-aeZFf0kWHrQ2dvN0G6cVITEoatQGJqq_7ZrP8u4R_7DPaaFWcovxXaeK0cj5cql-H4JjWHN0kb39J7pOdxAS-9KyLA_k/s1600-h/onna+031.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334103192580927138" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimEAjxZ3bt2C-ucjyX9XtqZJalAqRCr-lY_2G56hwhzPIfVC-aeZFf0kWHrQ2dvN0G6cVITEoatQGJqq_7ZrP8u4R_7DPaaFWcovxXaeK0cj5cql-H4JjWHN0kb39J7pOdxAS-9KyLA_k/s200/onna+031.jpg" /></a>one at the fishing port, then you turn right and get to the parking lot, and one a little further north that heads more directly into the parking lot. The beach is behind a sporting field and school. There are public toilets, free picnic areas, vending machines, a snack bar, and a lifeguard. During our visit they were not charging admission or parking. To the south is a great view of the cliffs at Manzamo, and to the north is the ANA Intercontinental resort. They have various boats doing touristy things. There is a swimming area perfect for kiddos. We got some drinks at the local Coco (there is also a Family Mart) and spent a leisurely couple hours at a covered picnic table reading our books. Bliss. The beach does have a loudspeaker system playing J-pop, sol you do have to tune this out, but otherwise it is a great spot. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhje61Hp4mZQcNOgBfmziz2S_qThODnEcCAI5NDP5FQvovWc4Slexr5k3DQzc1L1TFhxphl9cXdOac2olBBaaBcI2mBmpehWinQV4EhDZoB9rqeIg88Dpg7bF5H1BMFwM2UUMbeRD5_EFk/s1600-h/onna+007.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334100523756830738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhje61Hp4mZQcNOgBfmziz2S_qThODnEcCAI5NDP5FQvovWc4Slexr5k3DQzc1L1TFhxphl9cXdOac2olBBaaBcI2mBmpehWinQV4EhDZoB9rqeIg88Dpg7bF5H1BMFwM2UUMbeRD5_EFk/s200/onna+007.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4c83j33ELm72MR-JwEAhjEe1PvrUhdMw49QAlrrX9ozFko54O8WnI5D0mQWL2kiSuyOod1aCBuVghnPZt8rQilnhDdH7d5oHnoUTGdTs3tC6xGv2C6KBaukyC-36YPaxdwlXYSWSyL7s/s1600-h/onna+013.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334102201241613570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4c83j33ELm72MR-JwEAhjEe1PvrUhdMw49QAlrrX9ozFko54O8WnI5D0mQWL2kiSuyOod1aCBuVghnPZt8rQilnhDdH7d5oHnoUTGdTs3tC6xGv2C6KBaukyC-36YPaxdwlXYSWSyL7s/s200/onna+013.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5No2UV3F-RXRrwpKVvMp8ehxPyH8z2-Nn_4XD9MpQZiGVNbhwclyJ90OG01be-SuZAfq1Vo6FUsyWmQFJ0-xnWsuL2Gxajyd6NtoJhw6iWyMroylZCaCRt-bgGDOzKBq4y3pE5C2pEE/s1600-h/onna+010.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334103043517834818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5No2UV3F-RXRrwpKVvMp8ehxPyH8z2-Nn_4XD9MpQZiGVNbhwclyJ90OG01be-SuZAfq1Vo6FUsyWmQFJ0-xnWsuL2Gxajyd6NtoJhw6iWyMroylZCaCRt-bgGDOzKBq4y3pE5C2pEE/s200/onna+010.jpg" /></a>R/Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09470492039723704885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676824880987432556.post-18778422302875478522009-05-08T17:50:00.001-07:002009-05-09T15:02:54.635-07:00North of Kadena stepsLocation: north of Kadena marina, take one of the small roads off the 58 out to the sea. P<img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333947699186557730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXrU4QSUda1QZY5iZJaO8B8NE7RpgYpNtFxF44TIdqLehrEL_oLroF7ismFSj2JT1AouYJXMT2bvGabfC03sNhMXXgyXZNAB4bVuexnd56ZmFfXGS1rlw2kAcuQf3bZKU6angSMPrsCgY/s200/yomitan+21.jpg" />ark along the seawall in Mizugama.<br />Golden week has passed, so the carp flags over the river may have been taken down. Regardless, this is a nice walk. The seawall here is nearly deserted, a<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLXrojT3NMdZnfLgHCu4lUgN4TCq0A259HqhG-QZyoyB8F6zk78Lp8ugEE-PEetlmeS7yn_raAtaNAT_L9hDDJ9oQrzxaem_BFa2ranH6HiXhlDVeLPeZRbKItlNaleiQf7KnkkKCTui4/s1600-h/yomitan+016.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333947546861972562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLXrojT3NMdZnfLgHCu4lUgN4TCq0A259HqhG-QZyoyB8F6zk78Lp8ugEE-PEetlmeS7yn_raAtaNAT_L9hDDJ9oQrzxaem_BFa2ranH6HiXhlDVeLPeZRbKItlNaleiQf7KnkkKCTui4/s200/yomitan+016.jpg" /></a>nd lined with residences instead of shops. The graffiti on the wall consists of elementary school childrens' murals. You walk to the mouth of the river, and then turn and follow the south bank of the river. The multimedia center marked on the phone book map is an interesting modernist structure. There is a small jetty and on the day we went boat rides up and down the river were 500Y. The river is prettiest on an incoming tide.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBoEnnA3l9wXGk6HlzV6VmDMUlzvtzYVVtUGAP5N0aSAHKuVJtftUu87rGuZm2g3gEbYBr6aRT9uv1nVaByCu3QFZr8lSa1YIIBf1FZxdpI7Cysa0uc1IaxraWZE3lMxLUFNaaP3Yrp74/s1600-h/yomitan+23.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333947840089014146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBoEnnA3l9wXGk6HlzV6VmDMUlzvtzYVVtUGAP5N0aSAHKuVJtftUu87rGuZm2g3gEbYBr6aRT9uv1nVaByCu3QFZr8lSa1YIIBf1FZxdpI7Cysa0uc1IaxraWZE3lMxLUFNaaP3Yrp74/s200/yomitan+23.jpg" /></a>R/Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09470492039723704885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676824880987432556.post-83876556280677677822009-05-03T02:07:00.000-07:002009-05-10T01:47:34.492-07:00Best of cafes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj63cAuyQ5HK1mOFjW9xgjSAZIgvKx5BtyswT0FhxeDLn4V4DEi5ciym_VRkebdCSvZO8klmtxbmbWai16yVpMY2HtXbUcfK6D7dmqZKCuwKDqDsudOoNQ-74Dvy4FesI6XJyN9xnJIb8k/s1600-h/Orange+berry.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334109600550849682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj63cAuyQ5HK1mOFjW9xgjSAZIgvKx5BtyswT0FhxeDLn4V4DEi5ciym_VRkebdCSvZO8klmtxbmbWai16yVpMY2HtXbUcfK6D7dmqZKCuwKDqDsudOoNQ-74Dvy4FesI6XJyN9xnJIb8k/s200/Orange+berry.jpg" /></a> Best buffet - Cafe 4th (Naha downtown)<br />Best value for money by far on the island - delicious fresh made pastas and pizzas<br /><div>Best coffee - Azzuro (Hamby)</div><div>Coffee on Okinawa leaves a lot to be desired. This is passable, and a mile ahead of any other cafe.</div><div>Best fancy lunch - Gueleton (Kitanakagusuku)</div><div>Changing menu, inventive food, nice atmosphere</div><div>Best salad - Tida (Urasoe)</div><div>The salad bar here is lunch unto itself, each dish seasonal and delicious</div><div>Best desserts - Tida (Urasoe)</div><div>They generally taste as good as they look, especially the fruit cream puff and the berry mousse cake</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Best weekend lunch - Nirai (Hamagawa)<br />A different meal each week, a lovely view, and convenient for a seaside stroll afterwards </div><div>Best cheap meal - Genki (Hamby)</div><div>You can't beat 680Y for their daily special - main, rice, macaroni salad, cabbage, sashimi, veggie side, drink, and prepackaged dessert</div><div>Best veggie option - Sora (Chatan)</div><div>Get there on a weekday right when it opens, or you won't get a seat. If you do, then feast on the amazing array of Okinawan veggies prepared in a traditional manner. And give your fish main to your lunch companion.</div><div>Best burger - Gordies (Chatan)</div><div>Tastiest bread and pattie by far, although the fries and soup could use an extra oomph</div><div>Best non-Japanese Asian or South Asian - Shimauma curry shokudo (Yomitan)</div><div>Yummy, asthetically pleasing curries and tandori chicken</div><div>Honorable mention for same category - Som Chai</div><div>Discovered and noisy, but they do a great job producing real Thai flavours at very reasonable prices</div><div></div><div></div><div>Best Hawaiian - Hanahou (Yomitan)</div><div>The curry, pizza, and tuna-avocado-rice dishes are all so fantastic it is hard to choose between them</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Best inexpensive dinner - Orange diner (Hamagawa)<br />A tasty continental/fusion tapas style dinner for about 1000Y pp, plus drinks</div><div>Cheapest beer within a bicycle ride of Lester/Kadena/Foster - Izakaya Jijiman (drinking cat)</div><div>Between 6-8pm, draft beer is 50% off, which makes it about 225Y. Good times when combined with salt-flavoured grilled squid and edamame.</div><div></div><div></div><div>Best pasta lunch - Cafe Pao or Pana</div><div>Homemade noodles and savory sauces, served with bread, salad, mini appetizer, coffee, and sorbet</div><div>Best in Northern Okinawa (north of Motobu) - House of Taste</div><div>Unfortunately lacking in an English menu, but the food is so tasty you can point and shoot with confidence. </div><div>Best of the mid-island beaches - Cafe Masoho (Onna)</div><div>Charming ambience, lovely proprietors, and a reliably light, delicious, and healthy lunch</div><div>Best in Okinawa City - Fertile<br />You can taste the attention to detail in the lovely soups and mains here, dessert isn't bad either</div><div></div><div>Honorable mention:</div><div></div><div>Cafe Jiji (Kitanakagusuku) - we periodically crave the soymilk green curry and big salad plate; the fish dish is nice too</div>R/Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09470492039723704885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676824880987432556.post-24690467576539574162009-04-25T23:30:00.001-07:002009-05-03T02:03:41.981-07:00San Diego and Las Vegas<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPudRqL48e4T-JMAZ9KojU9S66c7MyEfnkfSh0JEln9NmT5G9zRWeMnu_e250-xvGay7PPfQnInYQ2zS49E5KRx86Hs-w5Yz-CLsZiSsf001IxvLdU5iK8hXB2XJL5RMq88MxK4QAPs38/s1600-h/San+Diego+LJ.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331367876314974002" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPudRqL48e4T-JMAZ9KojU9S66c7MyEfnkfSh0JEln9NmT5G9zRWeMnu_e250-xvGay7PPfQnInYQ2zS49E5KRx86Hs-w5Yz-CLsZiSsf001IxvLdU5iK8hXB2XJL5RMq88MxK4QAPs38/s200/San+Diego+LJ.jpg" border="0" /></a> Many gaijin take a trip to the United States during their stay here, and these two cities are popular destinations. A few comments about each:<br />San Diego:<br />A car is highly advisable. If you plan ahead and book online, you can find some great deals. Among the big chains, we've had the most luck with Avis and Budget. The San Diego Reader (<a href="http://www.sandiegoreader.com/home/">http://www.sandiegoreader.com/home/</a>) is invaluable in planning your itinerary and offers real reviews (not advertisements) of restaurants, movies, theatre, and music. Search their food & drink section by neighborhood and find the local gems. Downtown, we enjoyed several hours at Neighborhood (777 G street, at 8th Ave) - great atmosphere, fantastic music at an appropriate volume, a huge beer menu including Hitochino white ale and a slew of local brews (4-8$), quite good beef tacos (10$), and satisfying gourmet burgers (approx 10$). In Pacific Beach on Tuesday nights Turquoise hosts a flamenco troupe from 7 - 9:30pm. Cover is 5$ a head, wine and beer start at 5$, and tapas are 6-12$ approx. Much of the crowd seemed to know the dancers or take lessons together. It is always fun to stumble on a little community of people with an unusual shared interest. We also enjoyed a spicy Thai lunch at an unmarked hole-in-the-wall supposedly called Sab-E-Lee (2405 Ulric street). The tom yum soup is the real deal with loads of kaffir lime leaf, lemon grass, and fresh herbs. Convoy street continues to offer an amazing variety of Asian restaurants and shops. We went to ChinaMax Seafood restaurant for some shrimp dumplings, stir fried Chinese <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdb5gcB7pIU0tJ44lEwme3k0pPeyuFnAKh74BMPp7zWJ35xdu_5h-NN3galvWWmXBq17pA71PYvmHb0AtfLS6UzcLYQ1JQveQ9KBZ3jqwSz-JkUDwI9Q_YL8yVT_qTOTvrL1SJde5cd3A/s1600-h/SD+LV+April+09+013.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331364296113936194" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdb5gcB7pIU0tJ44lEwme3k0pPeyuFnAKh74BMPp7zWJ35xdu_5h-NN3galvWWmXBq17pA71PYvmHb0AtfLS6UzcLYQ1JQveQ9KBZ3jqwSz-JkUDwI9Q_YL8yVT_qTOTvrL1SJde5cd3A/s200/SD+LV+April+09+013.jpg" border="0" /></a>broccoli, and yummy string bean and meat sauté. There are also some great Vietnamese places on Convoy.<br />We tend to return to a few favored zones when we visit San Diego. We love a stroll through downtown La Jolla, although most restaurants there should be avoided. A walk through the Torrey Pines State preserve offers a glimpse into California’s beauty prior to the development/population boom. For more reasonably priced food and some secondhand store shopping we like Pacific Beach. Balboa Park merits a leisurely stroll and a visit to a museum or two. Across the street from the zoo and Natural History museum is a large rose garden, which abuts a cactus garden, all of which overlooks the Naval Hospital. MCAS Miramar hosts the Flying Leatherneck museum, a fascinating and large collection of helos and planes piloted by Marines over the past 70 years. Afterwards, officers may wish to stop by the Miramar O club, relive a few Top Gun memories, and have a couple beers by the sunny window.<br />Las Vegas:<br />We would never normally have traveled to Vegas. We don’t gamble, we don’t wait in line at buffets or pay cover charges at nightclubs, and we like to drink sitting down over dinner. However, we had to be there for a family event and thus tried to make the most of it. We drove out from San Dieg<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMylaEnA3JT9ZAkPsxifhZkPl0kRJvY0AD-7sy9reIszuu6lxsZBJ9xxzznDaMhfyOxFh3SwNVbjUk78LGGfrl2LT6B-ucZBOwZuJzGt4D-9SiYSSs7ZKr9XiEap6uC9qLKjN2R-CddJI/s1600-h/SD+LV+April+09+071.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331364964072818370" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMylaEnA3JT9ZAkPsxifhZkPl0kRJvY0AD-7sy9reIszuu6lxsZBJ9xxzznDaMhfyOxFh3SwNVbjUk78LGGfrl2LT6B-ucZBOwZuJzGt4D-9SiYSSs7ZKr9XiEap6uC9qLKjN2R-CddJI/s200/SD+LV+April+09+071.jpg" border="0" /></a>o, breaking up the trip with a stay on MC Logistics Base Barstow. They offer clean suites with kitchenette for about 50$. We were glad for the safety of on base accommodations – Barstow is rather sketchy and depressed. Food offerings are sparse in Barstow, so we ended up suffering through a meal at Chilis. The food wasn’t terrible, but we despise the chain restaurant sales strategy of continually offering you way more food than any human being should ever eat at a sitting (how ‘bout we start you with some appetizers?...want to add on some double fries?...can I interest you in a chocolate fudge explosion lava cake with 5 scoops of <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ99ZZyzGu4UAtR76-rAF6cUeB3aQRrqyLdcD9WaTptpRjq3WNh4V0Nq2kbHlOFSC72EaU3FTG1Wom88mZs71EpYD84NDksDsh1hU_aqizdMYNjbX_xTAQB5oMOGg6JQSqeYG7yiRJCck/s1600-h/SD+LV+April+09+070.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331364763635920578" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ99ZZyzGu4UAtR76-rAF6cUeB3aQRrqyLdcD9WaTptpRjq3WNh4V0Nq2kbHlOFSC72EaU3FTG1Wom88mZs71EpYD84NDksDsh1hU_aqizdMYNjbX_xTAQB5oMOGg6JQSqeYG7yiRJCck/s200/SD+LV+April+09+070.jpg" border="0" /></a>ice cream).<br />We bid on Hotwire for a 5-star strip hotel and got the Wynn for under 120$/night. Try betterbidding.com to figure out which hotel you are being offered prior to paying. Having read Trip Advisor, we knew that most hotels in Vegas delight in giving customers trouble during check-in/check-out. Wynn did not fail to deliver on this. Multiple phone calls and chats to different desk staff we<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqDWYF9QlwzxvW8emZQGQZyB6EYCMimVg3e04fYoWolL6zUnVqrZD4KSAjfJqP4YdNRDjCt23XviC6NN7v6RKCysy9iVGCj8n3r0HJ1VAWJlTTMoVzA7Cyk85Tvh9LnwdjQub6j3yiwMI/s1600-h/SD+LV+April+09+062.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331364570706939762" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqDWYF9QlwzxvW8emZQGQZyB6EYCMimVg3e04fYoWolL6zUnVqrZD4KSAjfJqP4YdNRDjCt23XviC6NN7v6RKCysy9iVGCj8n3r0HJ1VAWJlTTMoVzA7Cyk85Tvh9LnwdjQub6j3yiwMI/s200/SD+LV+April+09+062.jpg" border="0" /></a>re required to get our requested non-smoking Queen room in the back side of the hotel away from the nightclub. And they were not pleased with our demand that they seek our specific authorization prior to placing any additional charges on our room bill. But in the end, persistence paid off and we got a lovely corner room with a magnificent view. The bathroom and bath amenities – lemongrass scented shampoo/conditioner/soap/conditioner were fantastic. The bed was cozy with plush linens and pillows. The Wynn parking lot is quite navigable, not too far from the rooms, and lets you know how many spots remain on each level.<br />We highly recommend having a car in Vegas. We went out each day to <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331364436776620210" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgagy4STCO0RqJJ54tdKqDJw8tN8QzfYMlrxyr9KiR0C6gE2ArJOqfzVPDEavAGG2i1f4559yEukWz2hUGdT8XZxkvyd38zV5rYtlgFhY6rkPleqNn_ypAvmQNAsy2xXQ2i8jVH3BB3xhA/s200/SD+LV+April+09+049.jpg" border="0" />lunch on West Spring Mountain Road - the Las Vegas Asian shopping zone. We found an amazing Vietnamese place - Pho Saigon 8 (5650 W SMR suite B) - and delighted in their heaping trays of fresh herbs and sparerib lunch set (essentially all dishes <10$).<br />There is some appeal to watching such a broad cross-section of Americans, and global tourists, do whatever they come to do in Vegas. Truly, there is no dress code there - from grannies in nylon track suites to teenagers in hot shorts to high rollers in designer <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331365667146872290" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUXtXPi9D25YZe6XuM3Yu6LN0np_Zd4_PRg7j9KgXICfzSlQfmtZRA2p8l8lIV7i_x10cJWk-Qvmu9WWrsL5VZ4h7oSG9YPrb1sHYSzxqpIXnd2zC1YtEH3_gxowFgDipRxPyRu4hf0I/s200/SD+LV+April+09+149.jpg" border="0" />suits and brides in their white gowns, anything goes.<br />Our final day we drove out to the Valley of Fire State Park. On a clear day, the contrast between blue sky, red rock, brown desert, and green scrub is a sight to behold. In early April, wildflowers were everywhere and improved the asthetic impact further. There is a driving track around the park and some places to stop and walk the trails. We could have spent several more hours there if we had the time. We returned via the North Shore Road (ie of Lake Mead) and were slightly disappointed at the lack of water <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgujZrX4tGmEauC8vSFwez3Mlt0V3awa7-he67s6c9SV9pdXI3ednsR62FWhdZ8SaeKvjpAiHoL5hfTsDU4KAvZcp-q9LG5UByc9u8Bhq7pYfzSuYPXJtFBnszD_wTFWEAlIWOuXnTsyU/s1600-h/SD+LV+April+09+152.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331367287499172114" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgujZrX4tGmEauC8vSFwez3Mlt0V3awa7-he67s6c9SV9pdXI3ednsR62FWhdZ8SaeKvjpAiHoL5hfTsDU4KAvZcp-q9LG5UByc9u8Bhq7pYfzSuYPXJtFBnszD_wTFWEAlIWOuXnTsyU/s200/SD+LV+April+09+152.jpg" border="0" /></a>views. When leaving Las Vegas with a rental car, be forewarned that the rental car drop-off point is about 10 miles from the airport and requires an extra 20 minutes of your time. Never fear, if you get to the airport too early there are ubiquitous slot machines to help yo<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbBBaJOemr6-Mm2h3-50uGBWxeAQnxuXMsNzc_veXpaayOI_kfUe3W2zVW3IjnwXaTUlPPjoU2DC0Se7UytIsKPEzvFdDnxy_qRzWW2immXfl7ZhJNli-fZzjJZKx7R5cDVY7fVZskIW0/s1600-h/SD+LV+April+09+144.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331366683905499938" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbBBaJOemr6-Mm2h3-50uGBWxeAQnxuXMsNzc_veXpaayOI_kfUe3W2zVW3IjnwXaTUlPPjoU2DC0Se7UytIsKPEzvFdDnxy_qRzWW2immXfl7ZhJNli-fZzjJZKx7R5cDVY7fVZskIW0/s200/SD+LV+April+09+144.jpg" border="0" /></a>u p<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinM6ZGUeHUd2tFtphCJjr70U_o_uLMU_qx8vvSmCUX2AmFjRhARyRHLCaiG_hPlam1k4sJ9Qys8w_JIlOz8gVRnz4P-apjyPbZjY1mEQJhmsmXGw7xb7FeULUVgEBp4KaChffQqbcHwu8/s1600-h/SD+LV+April+09+160.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331366857801765282" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinM6ZGUeHUd2tFtphCJjr70U_o_uLMU_qx8vvSmCUX2AmFjRhARyRHLCaiG_hPlam1k4sJ9Qys8w_JIlOz8gVRnz4P-apjyPbZjY1mEQJhmsmXGw7xb7FeULUVgEBp4KaChffQqbcHwu8/s200/SD+LV+April+09+160.jpg" border="0" /></a>ass the time.R/Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09470492039723704885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676824880987432556.post-41325807281367502712009-04-18T02:13:00.000-07:002009-04-18T02:30:09.539-07:00Lily viewing<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjGKUCoEnAnBsY4pmZFu4MlwbQCBhaoZ-BePaGz9KaUtxeV0oAeuQJ8NbeA5E7v7bUCB3AonbIXvXt8KfLxtWLn-iB17x1Mmh2Ky5Q2-QbHYGXPkMW3fEWOc0-AA3WGdIBrgINoSYjFGQ/s1600-h/SD+LV+April+09+185.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325959872398866050" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjGKUCoEnAnBsY4pmZFu4MlwbQCBhaoZ-BePaGz9KaUtxeV0oAeuQJ8NbeA5E7v7bUCB3AonbIXvXt8KfLxtWLn-iB17x1Mmh2Ky5Q2-QbHYGXPkMW3fEWOc0-AA3WGdIBrgINoSYjFGQ/s200/SD+LV+April+09+185.jpg" border="0" /></a>Location - Zanpa point (take the 6 off the 58) Zanpa point is a lovely place to walk around, especially on a sunny April day. The colours are supersaturated, water views abound, and the cliffs are spectacular. There are lots of lilies and gladiolas planted in this area and they bloom with vigour in April. For those who can't make it to Ie-jima, this is your own personal lily festival, and is remarkable un-touristed. The paths at Zanpa may also be bicycled. The trip can be combined with a lunch at Hanahou for their delicious ahi poke don, spicy Hawaiian-style curry, or pizzas, <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHycWl9lshzvJbPrEOi1bGB1nz7pThMc-pHkzjfhjOMm1mLVChzD2WKTdPv19Ir8pPLK51p63toQ2PFjD3DegPZcSpti_aX6t4XeaBvgP1H8LEnOn4RxNzNGZi6DL6e4TEoTB7S3eksd0/s1600-h/SD+LV+April+09+176.jpg"></a>or to Shimauma curry shokudo for their tandoori chicken and Indian-style curries. Also, the nearby <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1VDcQtPZJmG7XdMxGglSVX7Eumeyi-K0FWITxN1Gu6zF366D6yrCZUp1NeDFt0PRC5c9-PKZGXk_Okx8xxYd5uY8nZhjyQIIKREK0beiebVbYDWshjeIYeQo9vfW7jx-p5Af1ESuqulA/s1600-h/SD+LV+April+09+178.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325960307260084338" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1VDcQtPZJmG7XdMxGglSVX7Eumeyi-K0FWITxN1Gu6zF366D6yrCZUp1NeDFt0PRC5c9-PKZGXk_Okx8xxYd5uY8nZhjyQIIKREK0beiebVbYDWshjeIYeQo9vfW7jx-p5Af1ESuqulA/s200/SD+LV+April+09+178.jpg" border="0" /></a>beaches at Zanpa (in front of the Zanpa resort) or Nirai (in front of Nikko Alivia) are inviting and spared from the wind and wave at Zanpa point.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4LK2v3SSDWVgZHDTcDp95v2FUZp71jquHqtuPUmgRImwBLONNEBnOP4NoMXOfhTgf8nhyU1IWXJJGOXJBHh5azvcbyJFfQRDZt17r_ppzjmaltTbDpyDVleiFySEzpcEKHbT94Ca6kfM/s1600-h/SD+LV+April+09+177.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325959617465554082" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4LK2v3SSDWVgZHDTcDp95v2FUZp71jquHqtuPUmgRImwBLONNEBnOP4NoMXOfhTgf8nhyU1IWXJJGOXJBHh5azvcbyJFfQRDZt17r_ppzjmaltTbDpyDVleiFySEzpcEKHbT94Ca6kfM/s200/SD+LV+April+09+177.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbB4Vaeh0qb0JqNtlBGI3T8KdzRsJ-GJ82VL2mg_QHHxZZjDy_okblnJeOE2maB5m_zJ8QXUyRjBxLHEdLzFra_4PrTt-Fp8zHQSWXORT4aCgdw9C7j4jHb9Myes7ZB5u_GE6eT1kpNAc/s1600-h/SD+LV+April+09+179.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325960446525880146" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbB4Vaeh0qb0JqNtlBGI3T8KdzRsJ-GJ82VL2mg_QHHxZZjDy_okblnJeOE2maB5m_zJ8QXUyRjBxLHEdLzFra_4PrTt-Fp8zHQSWXORT4aCgdw9C7j4jHb9Myes7ZB5u_GE6eT1kpNAc/s200/SD+LV+April+09+179.jpg" border="0" /></a>R/Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09470492039723704885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676824880987432556.post-62115373880490359002009-04-17T00:14:00.000-07:002009-05-03T02:07:27.113-07:00Annoyances on Okinawa<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyAaxK0k6LJ6zkjRuL-eDo5TGk9HWhpn-Jip5-KPYguLOzy3RYHW_sqsNWKfcjRx3c-lsr7hC7ms-9Ym-WklSr7EKpmc2Z-75P9hISfuy6VEzhLDm3gZUzyf6uXU6VVu2jlIqUZRM2nnU/s1600-h/SD+LV+April+09+174.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325962394207375138" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyAaxK0k6LJ6zkjRuL-eDo5TGk9HWhpn-Jip5-KPYguLOzy3RYHW_sqsNWKfcjRx3c-lsr7hC7ms-9Ym-WklSr7EKpmc2Z-75P9hISfuy6VEzhLDm3gZUzyf6uXU6VVu2jlIqUZRM2nnU/s200/SD+LV+April+09+174.jpg" border="0" /></a> Okinawa is a lovely place to live for a couple of years, or even longer. But like any place in the world, it has a few peculiarities and annoyances.<br />On base annoyances:<br />1. Other people's dogs<br />Everyone thinks their own dog is great, but oftentimes their neighbours would not agree. Military families have a predilection for buying dogs they don't have time for, and leaving them tied up in their yards (against base housing rules) or alone in a tiny fenced area. While most pet owners are pretty good about picking up dog feces, a minority simply let the feces lie where they fall - grassland where the kids play, sidewalk, your flowerbed, wherever. Disgusting. And, this same minority of dog owners seem deaf to the irritating barking of their treasured pet. Remember, many military members are shift workers, and incessant barking is simply not cool.<br />2. Other people's windchimes<br />Okinawa can be quite windy. No one wants to be kept awake by your windchimes after they have worked all night. In a quadriplex living situation, windchimes should be illegal.<br />3. Unneccessary stop signs - the more stop signs put up in stupid places, the more people disobey them. Yield signs are much more appropriate in intersections where you can easily see in all directions and everyone is going less than 30 mph.<br />4. Extremely poor parallel parking skills<br />This is an issue on and off base. Nowhere else in the world is there so much room left between cars when parallel parked. Strangely, the offending drivers never leave enough space to actually fit another car. The most flagrant example of this is by the Naval Hospital. Offenders include gaijin and Japanese alike. Please, if you can see the headlights/taillights of the cars in front/behind you, you are too far away. And motorcycles should take up much less than space than cars.<br /><br />Off base annoyances:<br />1. Illegal trash dumping<br />The quantity of illegal dumping on Okinawa is quite sad, and points to a real problem with local disposal and pickup regulations. The worst part is, many of the favored dumping areas are right along the beach, where people park to walk down to less developed seaside locations. There are entire rotting cars, old TVs, sofas and other upholstered goods, and large plastic items littering every slightly-concealed vehicle-accessible nook and cranny in Okinawa.<br />2. Fisherman trash, feral animals and their feces, and public urination by the seaside<br />Walk along any area frequented by fishermen, and you'll find a pathetic array of discarded drink cans, plastic bento boxes, cigarette detritus, wrappers, and other trash lying about. These same areas are infested with feral cats, horrible mangy animals that hide in the tetrapods and scrub. One has to constantly look down to avoid stepping in their mess (just like in New York City, but there the waste is mostly from pets and not ferals). And do avoid stairwells and dead-ends if possible, as these are favored spots for a piss, which might occur in broad daylight (despite the huge number of public toilet facilities in Japan)<br />3. Curbside stopping<br />Drivers on Okinawa love to stop on the side of a busy road, and don't pay toomuch mind to pulling over as far as possible to the curb. Sometimes hazard lights are turned on, sometimes not. Sometimes the driver is just sitting in the car, sometimes the whole family gets out to take a photo or pick up something at the store. It hardly matters that this behaviour may cause a massive traffic pile-up or imminent danger to other cars - it is so commonplace it may as well be written into the traffic laws that a driver may stop anywhere he or she may please.<br />4. Summer Sundays and Golden Week<br />Beware the 58 traffic on these days...especially in the afternoon/early evening. And if you want to be seated at your favourite restaurants, arrive early or late. Riding your bicycle down to Mihama or Ginowan may be faster than driving to a summer festival/fireworks show.R/Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09470492039723704885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676824880987432556.post-28375555843355270952009-04-16T23:28:00.000-07:002009-05-10T01:51:43.369-07:00Himeyuri monument and odokomesu beach<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzJX_ftc9IypbhfHEOsRcOZTmZ-f4pIb61bkY9MNVVsZ0TuLvDqbLfhNHJrjsuml2DjQUCY151FyTH1DLPAiuqyCzA1FFkWlEXmLjeVJ0c4nl3Jd7PeKsWaQcsj2uTeRCYSMclbtyd6E/s1600-h/SD+LV+April+09+167.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325552030436989714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzJX_ftc9IypbhfHEOsRcOZTmZ-f4pIb61bkY9MNVVsZ0TuLvDqbLfhNHJrjsuml2DjQUCY151FyTH1DLPAiuqyCzA1FFkWlEXmLjeVJ0c4nl3Jd7PeKsWaQcsj2uTeRCYSMclbtyd6E/s200/SD+LV+April+09+167.jpg" /></a> Location: far south of the island; the Himeyuri monument is on the 331 at the Ihara intersection on the north side of the road, west of the Okinawa peace prayer park. Free parking is on the south side of the road. Snack and souvenir shops line both sides of the street. Odokomesu beach (ie Channel Crevice) can be reached by driving towards the water from Odo or Komesu intersections. Off season parking is free, in the summer it appears there is a 300Y charge.<br /><div><div>Hours: Himeyuri peace museum 9a-5p admission 300Y, free on memorial day 6/23</div><div><a href="http://www.japanupdate.com/?id=110">http://www.japanupdate.com/?id=110</a></div><div><a href="http://www.himeyuri.or.jp/top.html">http://www.himeyuri.or.jp/top.html</a></div><div>This part of the island was the last holdout of Japanese forces during the Battle for Okinawa, so there are multiple sites of remembrance for the fallen. The Himeyuri moument is particularly moving and the museum is a worthwhile overview of the final stages of the battle. Himeyuri refers to girls from two prestigious nearby schools who were pressed by the Japanese military into service as nurse assistants in cave hospitals in the final weeks of the war. They nearly all perished, most after they were told to leave the hospital caves and fend for themselves. There is lots of English text to read, and the translations appropriately peg the blame for the tragedy on the Japanese military's strategy to sacrifice Okinawa and its people in order to slow an advance on the mainland. The surrounding grounds include a cave used as a hospital and are dotted with various memorial statues and attractive landscaping. </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdMKFs47TauMAqTmuxBEMzRS5NWm648dGrda9kmAcLtAfJZrqOAIRPXhijJcIZEtIjAQfm0x8z-iDcoAOMSyGmz-cvfCuqgrHrOvCJacLbdqBZo_K_yKaOnSV-ESlVyHjv-Zu1o5TAbs/s1600-h/SD+LV+April+09+170.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325552249959860834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdMKFs47TauMAqTmuxBEMzRS5NWm648dGrda9kmAcLtAfJZrqOAIRPXhijJcIZEtIjAQfm0x8z-iDcoAOMSyGmz-cvfCuqgrHrOvCJacLbdqBZo_K_yKaOnSV-ESlVyHjv-Zu1o5TAbs/s200/SD+LV+April+09+170.jpg" /></a>From there it is an easy drive to Odokomesu beach (video of the beach: <a href="http://www.okinawa-information.com/odocoast-johnman-itoman-beach">http://www.okinawa-information.com/odocoast-johnman-itoman-beach</a>). The sand is rough and coral-strewn, but the beach is long and nice for a walk. At the east end, there is a path to a memorial at the base of tall cliffs, presumably the site of suicides at the end of the Battle of Okinawa. There are vast dead coral tidepools to explore, and off the shelf apparently decent snorkeling and diving. For those who plan to dive here, be warned that timing your dive with the tides is key in this location. Ideally, the water is low enough the easily find and swim out the channel cut through the dead coral shelf, and when you return it is best to swim back with an incoming tide through the channel. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcA8adCJyss8FPK-CAag7WQ_PNtHfB8mlbSDAvTgHOjIBQ51qKLFRUjmJDKM1cyd7BwxpH7hPtjMPws13LVnOvS0vIgiMAZmUXaiBHcebcXkwgl1xLGxdHaSDl6soFe3eijTxCC5tZ1M0/s1600-h/SD+LV+April+09+173.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325552588735819602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcA8adCJyss8FPK-CAag7WQ_PNtHfB8mlbSDAvTgHOjIBQ51qKLFRUjmJDKM1cyd7BwxpH7hPtjMPws13LVnOvS0vIgiMAZmUXaiBHcebcXkwgl1xLGxdHaSDl6soFe3eijTxCC5tZ1M0/s200/SD+LV+April+09+173.jpg" /></a></div><div>If making a day of it, the nearby Gushikawa castle ruins are worth a stroll (discussed in another post). We did not visit the Itomansatsuki castle ruins on this visit.</div></div>R/Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09470492039723704885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676824880987432556.post-2108575075242782912009-03-27T01:20:00.000-07:002009-05-08T17:49:59.720-07:00Unsolicited advice - travel in JapanWe will leave Japan this summer. Here is a bit of our accumulated knowledge:<br />General<br />In Japan, you get what you pay for. We have experienced only one exception to this rule, at a restaurant in Miyazaki. The pricier hotel room is bigger, the pricier meal has more expensive ingredients, the pricier fruit is sweet and ripe. Often it is worth it to pay a bit more, when you know the product is worthwhile.<br /><br />Buy a couple medium sized cheap towels at the 100Y shop and take them when you travel. They are useful for onsen (to avoid towel rental charges) and cheaper minshukus that don't provide towels. And they dry quickly.<br /><br />Air travel<br />Always check to see if Skymark flies to your destination. They are the low-priced carrier in Japan and the service is identical (ie, excellent) to JAL and ANA. At present they go to Fukuoka and Tokyo.<br /><br />Use hyperedia to help you book a domestic trip. Sometimes it is easier to travel to a nearby city and take the train into your destination than it is to fly directly there. <a href="http://www.japanrail.com/JR_hyperdia.html">http://www.japanrail.com/JR_hyperdia.html</a><br /><br />Accommodations<br />The business hotel is a great option in cities - they cluster at train stations, you can walk one to the next until you find a decent room and price, the price is reasonable, and you get a Western-style bed and a place to put your stuff. And they almost always have vending machines with cheap beer and other beverages. Downsides are the soullessness and the small rooms.<br /><br />Ryokan are dressed up minshuku. Although an interesting experience, better value is often found by paying for a nice dinner out on the town and staying at a business hotel or minshuku (whichever is available).<br /><br />Surviving tatami rooms - if there are multiple futons in the linen cabinet, pile 2 on top of each other, or pile up the comforter on top of the futon. This is probably not community-spirited, but makes a huge difference for your hips and shoulders. Consider carrying a sheet sack if you like sheets. Bean-filled pillows are also less than ideal if you are used to a fluffy pillow. Instead, fold over the end of the futon or wrap the pillow with something soft, or roll up a comforter to use as a pillow.<br /><br />Food -<br />Breakfast - major cities have lots of bakeries, some of which discount pastries/bread in the afternoon. Buy a couple on your way back to the hotel after a long day out, and have them for breakfast. Combined with some canned coffee, this is the cheapest and most satisfying breakfast you will find in Japan. If in a minshuku that includes breakfast, be prepared for rice with miso soup and fish - tasty, but hard to stomach for more than 3 days straight.<br /><br />Eat lunch at cafes, and order the set lunch. Always fun and often quite good, and it removes the language barrier. You typically get tea or coffee included, which typically comes after the meal. In areas with high gaijin traffic, you will often be asked if you want your drink before or after.<br /><br />Do not eat in "Chinese" diner/restaurants in Japan, no matter how alluringly inexpensive the food is. Just not worth it. Do not order "Chinese" food in izakayas, unless it is gyoza or fried rice which is hard to screw up.<br /><br />Spanish and French food can be amazing in Japan. Italian is a bit oriented towards pizza and pasta, but the Japanese take on these can be quite tasty. Mexican should be avoided - the ingredients are just not available. We have found some decent south asian food - Indian, Thai - but also some poor interpretations of these complex cuisines.<br /><br />Dinner in nice restaurants tends to be fairly expensive in Japan. You can often get the same food for half price at lunch. So we tended to avoid going out to dinner in Okinawa, where the izakayas all seem to serve the same food that is not terribly appealing to us. On mainland, we tried to find a small izakaya or bistro for a light meal and a couple drinks.<br /><br />Desserts in Japan often suffer from the worldwide problem of looking better than they taste. However, in general portion sizes and sugar levels are more reasonable than in the west. And some places have amazing desserts, so is can be worth it to take the splurge.<br /><br />Beer is the national beverage. An average-sized beer should cost less than 500Y. Shochu mixed with green or jasmine tea is a nice low-cal beverage. Many gaijin do not love awamori but it is decent mixed, ie with Calpis and pink grapefruit juice.<br /><br />Transportation -<br />Mainland city to city should be done by train, city to village by train or bus. Some rural areas require a car to maximize the experience. Driving in these areas is generally civilised, although slow-going on local roads if you get behind a truck or old person. We rented a car in Kyushu to visit the mountains and found it quite helpful.<br /><br />Renting a car in Japan is hassle-free. No one tries to scam you to upgrade, or to buy gas from them, or add on some crazy insurance policy. But it is more expensive than the USA, typically 40-60$ a day. Book ahead with an international rental company like Hertz and they will accept your SOFA licence. Otherwise, you must have a current international drivers license (buy before you leave your home nation).<br /><br />Renting a moped is hugely advantageous on islands like Iriomote or Zamami. You can get a single person 50cc moped with a car license. A SOFA license is OK in some places, but having an international drivers license is required some places and preferred in many. A two-person moped requires a motorcycle international drivers license so, if you have a motorcycle license then buy the international drivers license from from AAA before you leave.R/Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09470492039723704885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676824880987432556.post-15366761873074552012009-03-27T01:02:00.000-07:002009-03-27T01:19:37.782-07:00South Island KitchenLocation - on the 23, south side of the street, coming from the 58 it is before CocoK's nail salon. Parking in front<br />Hours: 1800-0100 open 365 days a year. There is an English menu. <br /><a href="http://www.japanupdate.com/?id=8061">http://www.japanupdate.com/?id=8061</a><br /><a href="http://66.249.89.132/translate_c?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://izakayatoraji.com/&prev=/search%3Fq%3D%2522south%2Bisland%2Bkitchen%2522%2Bokinawa%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff&usg=ALkJrhj7FcRtWLB3c7rHhQ8g2iN7kBL1Og">http://66.249.89.132/translate_c?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://izakayatoraji.com/&prev=/search%3Fq%3D%2522south%2Bisland%2Bkitchen%2522%2Bokinawa%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff&usg=ALkJrhj7FcRtWLB3c7rHhQ8g2iN7kBL1Og</a><br />This is a typical izakaya - woodenesque interior, choice of booth or tatami seating, low light. We were worried there was a cover charge because they brought out a mini-plate of chicken on salad, but it actually was complimentary. Beers are 250Y for a small Orion draft, 380Y for Asahi Super Dry. The food menu is Okinawan izakaya standards - sashimi, sushi, fried things, champaru, sauteed things, salads, pizzas. We ordered a variety of dishes:<br />Edamame - can't go wrong<br />Okinawan specialty noodle dish - very bland, and the noodles were sticking together<br />Tuna and avocado carpaccio - two delightful ingredients which unfortunately were drowned in salad dressing<br />Squid legs and asparagus in butter - the squid legs were tender and tasty, the asparagus a bit overcooked, not bad<br />Clams in butter - small but tasty morsels<br />Assorted fried bits - only tried the eggplant, which was quite good<br />French fries - thin McDonald's style<br />Didn't try the tekka-maki and yakitori, but they looked pretty standard<br />Prices were 380-700Y, which most dishes in the 500-700 range. So, like the Drinking Cat place, the food was not memorable but the beers are inexpensive (for Okinawa).R/Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09470492039723704885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676824880987432556.post-31101002221544574382009-02-21T00:05:00.001-08:002009-02-21T00:47:33.234-08:00Cafe clover<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrx-siUNNSfCISrc88EH8-FL-mmSJfuSOjoyY8mkWQUdLNhjCMGDfQSfnmKN6bj3a1M_ovByn4iJ2IcgrUW3sMko37P6YzI68WHQv2zwdQ16mGcurCuXtE7ltiqD9Xak_eUorQetkF7GA/s1600-h/feb+08+001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305159039320846034" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrx-siUNNSfCISrc88EH8-FL-mmSJfuSOjoyY8mkWQUdLNhjCMGDfQSfnmKN6bj3a1M_ovByn4iJ2IcgrUW3sMko37P6YzI68WHQv2zwdQ16mGcurCuXtE7ltiqD9Xak_eUorQetkF7GA/s200/feb+08+001.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Location: Chatan, in the Junkyard area, behind the rows of orange track homes and just south of the baseball pitch. It is up on a little hill, manicured with herbs and flowers. Park in front. <div><div>Hours: 11:30 to 1600, closed on a Sunday once when we tried to stop by</div><div><a href="http://r.tabelog.com/okinawa/A4703/A470304/47002409/">http://r.tabelog.com/okinawa/A4703/A470304/47002409/</a></div><div>Cafe clover is a pleasant, IKEA inspired space. Lots of natural light and light wood. Out the back there is a small veggie garden, in the front is fresh mint and basil. We went for the lunch set, which is 1260Y. You start with a cheese and rice ball as an appetizer, which is brought out sitting on top of the sawed-off mouth of a wine bottle. Then, you get the main<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtN2BKaPd_1NmrXQ-AABre6iqtM3vazaDwjCRdp8UZn-tIKphyphenhypheng3LuMsYYlYwBD50K3Y7O3w6CKKNFMdSIMNhBqim_Y19sSQUJVzD4KIc2ypG0MMxK0t-XC8wVoXU7dRXY55clImc-k-c/s1600-h/feb+08+002.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305159219574449266" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtN2BKaPd_1NmrXQ-AABre6iqtM3vazaDwjCRdp8UZn-tIKphyphenhypheng3LuMsYYlYwBD50K3Y7O3w6CKKNFMdSIMNhBqim_Y19sSQUJVzD4KIc2ypG0MMxK0t-XC8wVoXU7dRXY55clImc-k-c/s200/feb+08+002.jpg" border="0" /></a> plate, pictured to the side. There is a hearty miso soup with chunks of tofu and potato. There is a small green salad with a beautiful light dressing. There is brown rice topped in thinly sliced seaweed, dressed with a delicate sesame flavour. The two smaller dishes we cannot adequately describe as we are not sure exactly what they were, but both were interesting and beautifully presented, if slightly bland. The middle dish was stewed daikon topped in vinegared sliced veggies, with a few breaded bits of pork. The meat and daikon were yummy, though we are not partial to vinegared <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXvAf1NFAHHvAsIccJO60kr-DnnqU6vi25PghMvYdm-uq_JcqPvyR6YXGt-2Vm0H3QqDH3cnKuTdVATL0rgieRQmbruQoagEnb1gz0G7OZdLzWNV0fW4Y5VHCGM6RIaQVsF_quemlrpA/s1600-h/feb+08+003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305159335525327602" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXvAf1NFAHHvAsIccJO60kr-DnnqU6vi25PghMvYdm-uq_JcqPvyR6YXGt-2Vm0H3QqDH3cnKuTdVATL0rgieRQmbruQoagEnb1gz0G7OZdLzWNV0fW4Y5VHCGM6RIaQVsF_quemlrpA/s200/feb+08+003.jpg" border="0" /></a>veggies. A healthful and lovely meal in the organic Japanese style, with impeccable presentation. Also included in the meal is a palate-cleaning sorbet, ours was lemon-ginger and really fantastic. </div><div>The dessert was the best part of the meal. We don't even know what to call it. Served in a wine glass, it was a mousse-like concoction with little chunks of banana and something crunchy like small rice crispies, with toasted granola on top. Absolutely divine and original. This is served with choice of coffee or tea. The coffee is drip, but not as bitter as the drip coffee served at many other cafes on island, and comes with a small pitcher of cream and brown sugarcubes. This is a classy meal and a worthwhile experience, but mostly suited for those who enjoy the fairly subtle flavours of organic Japanese cooking. </div></div></div>R/Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09470492039723704885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676824880987432556.post-18327584115166030432009-02-14T16:25:00.000-08:002009-02-14T16:38:04.110-08:00Kebab'sLocation: <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Chatan</span> on the 58, 2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">nd</span> floor of Obbligato building<br />Hours: open for lunch on Fri-Sun, otherwise dinner only, unsure what day closed<br />Kebab's has decent ocean view, at least until yet another apartment building or hotel goes up between it and the water. We went for lunch, hoping for a set meal. The lunch set offers only one type of curry (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">masala</span>, choose the meat/veg for approx 1000Y) with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">naan</span>. Salad and drink cost extra. However, all the other dishes are available a la <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">carte</span>, with most curries in the 800-1200Y range. Rice and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">naan</span> are extra, around 200Y for a small serve of rice or a decent sized <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">naan</span>. We ordered two different curries, one was chana masala and the other we can't quite remember but also tomato based. We ordered them hot, and to our surprise they actually were spicy. The curries were less creamy than at Krishna, although there was plenty of oil. They were also using the right types of spices, like real cardamom. So the curries were decent, but not that memorable. And they both tasted quite similar. Given the lack of a real discount at lunch, it probably makes more sense to go at dinner. And to get two dramatically different curries (like a masala and spinach paneer).R/Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09470492039723704885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676824880987432556.post-26443202015352822212009-02-05T00:26:00.000-08:002009-02-06T15:53:20.806-08:00ObbligatoLocation: Chatan, on the 58 north of Mihama village<br />Hours: not sure 9261888, <a href="http://www.obbligato.co.jp/index.html">http://www.obbligato.co.jp/index.html</a><br />There are three branches of Obbligato in Okinawa, each selling TexMex food. We ended up here after a couple other nearby places were closed. I had very very low expectations of this place. There was a mixed crowd on gaijin on their lunch break and Japanese people. Almost all the tables were full. We ordered the beef soft tacos (approx 600), the carnitas wrap (approx 700), and guacamole (300Y). This came with one of the blandest tomato salsas we have ever had, and bottomless ice tea. The soft tacos were made with flour tortilla, oily ground beef, lettuce, and cheese. The carnitas wrap was a larger flour tortilla with a few chewy chunks of carnitas, lettuce, and cheese. It was all edible, and not terribly different from other TexMex available on island. In this way, Obbligato exceeded my expectation. But it was not great by any stretch of the imagination. And we don't get the name - obligado means thank you in Portuguese, but in Spanish it means obligatory or compulsory. Hmmm.R/Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09470492039723704885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676824880987432556.post-16728275543208439142009-01-31T03:40:00.000-08:002009-01-31T03:58:51.883-08:00Flower festival and Okinawan village, Ocean Expo Park<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN3wNiszL9-rWvlh-TONKE7ixn6XuUZlF4SURkapAjAhr-oP_5oCl8U6r6Ja21JquGMcYPoRGOCWu0yPxQCJL81ykG97rayyyEZprOti-On2qpIP0jQfpfiMM30eIR1nexEjLeAV8Orus/s1600-h/Jan+end+09+037.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297423531232068066" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN3wNiszL9-rWvlh-TONKE7ixn6XuUZlF4SURkapAjAhr-oP_5oCl8U6r6Ja21JquGMcYPoRGOCWu0yPxQCJL81ykG97rayyyEZprOti-On2qpIP0jQfpfiMM30eIR1nexEjLeAV8Orus/s200/Jan+end+09+037.jpg" border="0" /></a> Location: park in P3 at Ocean Expo Park; most of the action is around the staircase which leads down to a viewing area of Ie, with the Aquarium on the right and the traditional Okinawa village Time: Jan 24-Feb 22, 8am - 6pm. On weekends there are street performers and larger crowds The Japanese are great at colour, gardens, and ridiculous cuteness, and this festival has all three. There are also tons of cheesy photo opportunities. For flower lovers, there is also a flower festival at Shuri castle during this same timespan. And the Okinawa International Orchid Show is <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0v3bgwbuyTXPbefJPuj4ZCp4ltIAgRvjXYgHqfN71ibxc5c37LE_HDr8zpGcyrQrrNOhUmcwDVlIAatfcCl5YMZm9Nv3IUIDdnVb6dMryO1ESQswCdduCppQocMWK6bx951AuVBVjgk/s1600-h/Jan+end+09+029.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297423395431112002" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 210px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 155px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0v3bgwbuyTXPbefJPuj4ZCp4ltIAgRvjXYgHqfN71ibxc5c37LE_HDr8zpGcyrQrrNOhUmcwDVlIAatfcCl5YMZm9Nv3IUIDdnVb6dMryO1ESQswCdduCppQocMWK6bx951AuVBVjgk/s200/Jan+end+09+029.jpg" border="0" /></a>going on at the lovely Tropical Dream Center (admission 670Y).<br /><div><div><div><div>When we had enough of the colour, we wandered around the Okinawa<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNaUimCC2rP35kA-JIgfuAM2tajmdX6kUbrY0PZ08T_J8EtJA8mJWKytKS4YtKWV7klp5y3ES1nymLvcZOy02ioeP2B4VoQhPQx3roJNERuFoQSJutzY4I8qum5MtH_NbCAn4lV7PoBHE/s1600-h/Jan+end+09+028.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297423232156967234" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 170px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 207px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNaUimCC2rP35kA-JIgfuAM2tajmdX6kUbrY0PZ08T_J8EtJA8mJWKytKS4YtKWV7klp5y3ES1nymLvcZOy02ioeP2B4VoQhPQx3roJNERuFoQSJutzY4I8qum5MtH_NbCAn4lV7PoBHE/s200/Jan+end+09+028.jpg" border="0" /></a>n village. Not sure how we missed this area on prior visits to Ocean Expo park, but it is quite worthwhile. There are life-size models of lots of different traditional buildings - farmer's homes, a priestess home, granaries, stables, pigpens, and a botanical garden of typical Ryukuan plants. </div></div></div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSEDBjddxRrIzKJ3LWMruvS_sDzNqchK4N8OT0rIaeYuY1eQiaNmrhvjtfxOE2nmuQ0YvJy5xpmejnVDsXmCnBbD_6s6kx0qN6q3kjHBBAcVS0gzngArM0d4aaGDyD7iedMotjU8Ez9JI/s1600-h/Jan+end+09+025.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297424510915618498" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSEDBjddxRrIzKJ3LWMruvS_sDzNqchK4N8OT0rIaeYuY1eQiaNmrhvjtfxOE2nmuQ0YvJy5xpmejnVDsXmCnBbD_6s6kx0qN6q3kjHBBAcVS0gzngArM0d4aaGDyD7iedMotjU8Ez9JI/s200/Jan+end+09+025.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebV1E6fjje57oVPy58Wp-PLLZj3oXlQaKgZo8kjeI1dq0_1r3gK_h1eINUjIznumya_1QLV8B-kel1rpl75Q2YnvWpNSwvBu6eFbdHlN6wNORuuYTI67a4qLXB8iUj95WQKrYn5_GIZo/s1600-h/Jan+end+09+018.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297423876281731954" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebV1E6fjje57oVPy58Wp-PLLZj3oXlQaKgZo8kjeI1dq0_1r3gK_h1eINUjIznumya_1QLV8B-kel1rpl75Q2YnvWpNSwvBu6eFbdHlN6wNORuuYTI67a4qLXB8iUj95WQKrYn5_GIZo/s200/Jan+end+09+018.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBcCeo2RUgu9n5JsxuQVv7QEKu1JqXOgL4JKFlNN7gMqnW-u0ELa91v1MM0sQbDNbe-RBp5uCohC5GRiRx6cEOPWmJJ5K6rMxk473FZsJTFZtx_dZZi1dFNo4QfopHcvRs3kuxOUcHZHI/s1600-h/Jan+end+09+023.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297424400817750722" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBcCeo2RUgu9n5JsxuQVv7QEKu1JqXOgL4JKFlNN7gMqnW-u0ELa91v1MM0sQbDNbe-RBp5uCohC5GRiRx6cEOPWmJJ5K6rMxk473FZsJTFZtx_dZZi1dFNo4QfopHcvRs3kuxOUcHZHI/s200/Jan+end+09+023.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSok-WsXilJVuJZfeOgK5bdiiaaT98nU0SdqTNjtmHuVPx9iLZoFfSu91mVd2v6anViLlOp3faUi431Ga6Eb74AtOWtx-TYLdCNAOboLm4L0GDqoI3gn2T4eOx-2v66Xd5z-nTyxaJtAc/s1600-h/Jan+end+09+022.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297424019246205058" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSok-WsXilJVuJZfeOgK5bdiiaaT98nU0SdqTNjtmHuVPx9iLZoFfSu91mVd2v6anViLlOp3faUi431Ga6Eb74AtOWtx-TYLdCNAOboLm4L0GDqoI3gn2T4eOx-2v66Xd5z-nTyxaJtAc/s200/Jan+end+09+022.jpg" border="0" /></a>R/Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09470492039723704885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676824880987432556.post-86400383050694227972009-01-30T18:42:00.000-08:002009-01-30T18:53:42.559-08:00Drinking Cat IzakayaLocation - next to the Sushi-go-round just outside of Lester gate 1, behind the Urtore building, park in the large lot in front. This is a chain, the mascot is a cat with a headband drinking an alcoholic beverage.<br />Hours: 1800-<br />We ended up here on a Monday night, after stopping by several other places in the area, all of which were closed. We were delighted to find that beers were 1/2 off between 1800-2000, bringing them down to very reasonable prices (350-->175 for a lady's size Orion, 450-->225 for a large Orion). You can sit at a table or on tatami. Standard izakaya food was also reasonable priced, with most dishes 350-700Y each. Things we tried:<br />Tuna-avocado spring rolls - quite a tasty fusion snack<br />Tekka-maki - fine, nothing flash<br />Yakisoba - a decent amount of cabbage, but nothing to remember particularly<br />Fried cheese with strawberry jam - like something you would by frozen in a bag at the supermarket and heat up in a toaster oven<br />"Chinese" fish and mushroom in sauce - it is probably best to avoid "chinese" food in Japan<br />Grilled squid - nice portion size, tender, but just not as delicious as the grilled squid we've had in other countries<br />Gyoza - a little bland, but large<br />8 drinks and lots of food came to 5400Y, so even if all the food wasn't fantastic you had to leave happy.R/Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09470492039723704885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676824880987432556.post-40352057449935727682009-01-30T16:45:00.000-08:002009-01-30T16:59:22.039-08:00Tejas MCLocation: north of Nago, in Iramina. Take the 58 north from Kyoda, get through Nago, and keep travelling north past the entire Motobu peninsula. The road that goes to Yagagi island is the Makiya intersection. Keep going, the next light is the Iramina intersection. Turn right, and take the small road on the left instead of a sharper turn right. There is a sign there for Tejas. At the next decent-sized street, turn right (a sign indicates this turn as well). There is a white 2 storey house on your left decorated with christmas lights and the Tejas sign. This is it. Park in front or on the street, let yourself in the gate, and enter.<br />Hours: 12-3, 6-10, closed Tues and Wed <a href="http://tejasmc.blogspot.com/">http://tejasmc.blogspot.com/</a><br />Cesar and his wife run this side business from their home. He is a Texan of Mexican descent and cooks up Tex-Mex food using whatever he can source locally. He grows his own chiles and cilantro in season, and goes to some trouble to import Negra Modela and Dos Equis beers (600-800Y each). We had the enchilada and soft taco sets, both 1200Y. The enchiladas were pretty good, with a flavourful sauce and not too much cheese. The beans were reminiscent of a mild vegetarian american-style chili, heavy on the tomato paste. The salsa was decent, although lacked any kick likely due to the jalapenos being out of season. The soft tacos were made with flour tortilla, seasoned ground beef, lettuce, and shredded Monterrey jack cheese, so very typically american tex-mex. Our preference is for mexican tacos, which are made of grilled corn tortilla, more heavily flavoured meats (or rajas), onion and cilantro, and several different varieties of salsa. Still though, you have to commend him for trying to produce food containing ingredients that are simply not available on Okinawa. House wine was 550Y a glass, Orion 600Y. His blog also discusses specialty cocktails and seasonal desserts. Best part was he lit us a candle and played Vincente Fernandez as we dined. Que romantico!R/Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09470492039723704885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676824880987432556.post-84991561284420622722009-01-30T16:18:00.000-08:002009-01-30T16:45:29.043-08:00Sakura viewing on YaedakeLocati<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9G151EgCYVj276Bml2tmXF6a-H-Gl1XEU6PSr2l-wuoMKzGZ6qG0dHNC4Ad9bXcJkQJDnc-_P3_R_MiZ9YVxJNtaRMoCug-VBM8kmEZXa51-f2xYk1KF4MF3k36CUXOPdikgRD5Qnfhk/s1600-h/Jan+09+013.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297251907993668386" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9G151EgCYVj276Bml2tmXF6a-H-Gl1XEU6PSr2l-wuoMKzGZ6qG0dHNC4Ad9bXcJkQJDnc-_P3_R_MiZ9YVxJNtaRMoCug-VBM8kmEZXa51-f2xYk1KF4MF3k36CUXOPdikgRD5Qnfhk/s200/Jan+09+013.jpg" border="0" /></a>on: Motobu peninsula off of the 84. The main sakura-viewing road starts just outside of Motobu town and has a dirt parking area and tent stall selling veggies and cotton candy/fairy floss. There are Orion lanterns strung up along the road. There are multiple streets that connect the 84 with this road.<br />Hours: less traffic on weekdays, but more excitement with the carnival games and food stalls on weekends. Feb 1-2 is a big festival weekend. On our visit yesterday, the sakura was at 70%.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnTr81sdHQTI_LghT5lmzO1OHxBq19cmVlBlVP0D6ygS2ES3u8KH-Ryar7Iv_2DICJ2-Xaiuuqcm9jTeWUx8ckbR5Bfq7M5rXcQ1L5Nbu1IP0ORPWgs2Y3Ht4zIGKBcImuQ_bXCUsMLdU/s1600-h/Jan+09+015.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297252066131887746" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnTr81sdHQTI_LghT5lmzO1OHxBq19cmVlBlVP0D6ygS2ES3u8KH-Ryar7Iv_2DICJ2-Xaiuuqcm9jTeWUx8ckbR5Bfq7M5rXcQ1L5Nbu1IP0ORPWgs2Y3Ht4zIGKBcImuQ_bXCUsMLdU/s200/Jan+09+015.jpg" border="0" /></a>We love the Japanese custom of viewing sakura in the spring. The color is beautiful, the symbolism is heady, and one has to appreciate the foresight in planting all these cherry trees decades ago. Yaedake is a great place to see the sakura. It is an interesting and leisurely drive, with sakura lining almost the entire route along 84, and then the mountain road provides glimpses of the pink-bordered road winding away from you. There are fantastic views of Ie-jima from the top. Be in the lookout for people stopping randomly to capture the perfect photo of themselves with a sprig of sakura, or a wildlife shot of one of the tiny green birds that flit from blossom to blossom. And be aware many of these people are in rental cars, and will take the middle of the road to avoid scratching their car with low-lying sakura branches.<br /><div>Yaedake was also the site of a major WW2 battle, and if you take some of the sidestreets you might see hide-out caves, steel jungly trails, memorials to the dead, and signs indicating movement of forces. Like so many other areas on Okinawa, you can envision here what a horrible experience it would have been to be a soldier on either side of the conflict, trudging up these unforgiving hills with a 50lb bag under heavy grenade and machine gun attack. </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Ymuh8Ge1XDEp7QaH3SI53fqSXSsE5LXaaQdIToMhGY2-10QMce9e130T9Whh2ppF5UoEXkjEmRXdnuP-G2GVN8CHrUSb9aeONcstAvkAZQt1NOsUY5OBELoq6p3t2W_rfXZR0gW0YAg/s1600-h/Jan+09+016.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297252179445849058" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Ymuh8Ge1XDEp7QaH3SI53fqSXSsE5LXaaQdIToMhGY2-10QMce9e130T9Whh2ppF5UoEXkjEmRXdnuP-G2GVN8CHrUSb9aeONcstAvkAZQt1NOsUY5OBELoq6p3t2W_rfXZR0gW0YAg/s200/Jan+09+016.jpg" border="0" /></a>All along the road there are stalls selling the local citrus varieties. Charmingly, many of these are honour-system stands where you put your coins in a box and take your bag of produce. Small bags are approx 250Y, larger ones 500Y. The ground is littered with citrus peels at many of the veiwing spots along the road.<br /><div>There are a variety of eating options around Yaedake. Okinawahai has posts on Ufuya, a local bakery, and a cafe. <a href="http://www.okinawahai.com/my_weblog/2007/03/ufuya-big-house.html">http://www.okinawahai.com/my_weblog/2007/03/ufuya-big-house.html</a>, <a href="http://www.okinawahai.com/my_weblog/japanese_culture/">http://www.okinawahai.com/my_weblog/japanese_culture/</a> (scroll down to middle of loaded page), <a href="http://www.okinawahai.com/my_weblog/2009/01/adventure-to-the-british-wine-and-tea-shop.html">http://www.okinawahai.com/my_weblog/2009/01/adventure-to-the-british-wine-and-tea-shop.html</a>. We have not visited any of these establishments yet.</div><div>During prior visits to Motobu, we have eaten at Kishimoto (the famous soba shop in Motobu town) and a cafe around the corner from there specializing in taco rice. Most recently, we dined at Tejas MC (see next post). </div></div>R/Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09470492039723704885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676824880987432556.post-72484354713828235322009-01-11T21:39:00.000-08:002009-01-11T22:19:55.071-08:00Tonneau<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREA2ffpP8tXySXUoT2XulNXavpWVu9p8ZiSJaaYrm3O4IAscbr-yYEZTPrVOQY7wIGgNKZxn9gNA-3uGYhC2cg1Z2jUW697e8GSP1Yb-Zoet9shL73WT1qvs7NwES2vm5M13rmP2O9qI/s1600-h/Jan+09+004.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290287585349244034" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREA2ffpP8tXySXUoT2XulNXavpWVu9p8ZiSJaaYrm3O4IAscbr-yYEZTPrVOQY7wIGgNKZxn9gNA-3uGYhC2cg1Z2jUW697e8GSP1Yb-Zoet9shL73WT1qvs7NwES2vm5M13rmP2O9qI/s200/Jan+09+004.jpg" border="0" /></a> Location: Okinawa City, off the 75; if heading north on the 330/75, turn right at A+W and Daikon-no-hana just after passing the 224. The restaurant is on the right after a short distance (see Okinawahai for more explicit directions)<br />Hours: 1700- daily English menu, waitstaff with rudimentary English<br /><a href="http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=140&article=41806">http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=140&article=41806</a><br /><a href="http://www.okinawahai.com/my_weblog/2008/12/tonneau---the-barrel-restaurant.html">http://www.okinawahai.com/my_weblog/2008/12/tonneau---the-barrel-restaurant.html</a> <a href="http://www.okinawakuukan.com/index/shop/food/okinawac/tonneau/index.html">http://www.okinawakuukan.com/index/shop/food/okinawac/tonneau/index.html</a> (phone number on this site)<br />This is a popular gaijin hang out, on a Saturday night to place was 80% non-Japanese. Reservations are advisable on weekend nights, especially for big groups. The draw for most <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-CjJg72fD_KB88bsHF4qo7-Iv5bNpkJc-P8aTpm-PbfFHp9E4PsGXernkH-E8JXRemA5t7LASE5H2oQWuBLo67WuhAUPxR15_koNg_5qNQpiacqz2Ms7lC_rundIIfUHzpBK5O0k6FAM/s1600-h/Jan+09+001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290287264984370274" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-CjJg72fD_KB88bsHF4qo7-Iv5bNpkJc-P8aTpm-PbfFHp9E4PsGXernkH-E8JXRemA5t7LASE5H2oQWuBLo67WuhAUPxR15_koNg_5qNQpiacqz2Ms7lC_rundIIfUHzpBK5O0k6FAM/s200/Jan+09+001.jpg" border="0" /></a>seems to be the craziness of the building. They have maintained the barrel shape and feeling inside the restaurant as well. Shoes come off at the entrance and seating is on two levels including bar areas and large sunken tables. Many tables are designed for groups of 8, with tons of room in the center of the table for the food and drink (which means you are far away from your friends sitting across from you). Kids can hang out around these large tables without any difficulty. You summon your waitstaff with a phone, and otherwise they leave you alone.<br />We went in a big group for a birthday. There is a cover charge (reportedly 700Y), for which they <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlo462iz4WO-lzfGchamLe8wVZYQBPe9VaydzjHble0AIwRqLbzXOOz0poHqSvw6y64wvo8dX9QuS3YCYxIZBO6ZnVtF07inMCJS_v76IN1hNdWx3TapbNoWzlYDtXY1HWmbtfVkwXmcM/s1600-h/Jan+09+003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290287459651013250" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlo462iz4WO-lzfGchamLe8wVZYQBPe9VaydzjHble0AIwRqLbzXOOz0poHqSvw6y64wvo8dX9QuS3YCYxIZBO6ZnVtF07inMCJS_v76IN1hNdWx3TapbNoWzlYDtXY1HWmbtfVkwXmcM/s200/Jan+09+003.jpg" border="0" /></a>bring you an appetizer. We dislike cover charges in restaurants. The beers are cheap, but not as much as one might expect given the cover charge - 420Y for a large Kirin, 500Y+ for Yebisu and Sapporo brands. They have Yebisu black, for those who like dark beer. The group ordered a huge amount of food - too much really. The portion sizes here are larger than the average izakaya, so be conservative in ordering. Prices are 400-900Y per item generally. Things we tried:<br />Spicy garlic potatoes - these were neither spicy nor garlicky. They were home-style french fries, and not particularly nice ones<br />Tuna rolls - Quite unpleasant - the outside was covered in bonito flakes, which overwhelmed the flavor of the salmon and tuna inside the roll. Would have benefited instead from a bit of avocado or roe to tie the flavors together<br />Fried whole white fish (guruken) - a bit overcooked, not a fantastic batter, but presented attractively<br />Yakitori - the beef was tasty, as was the mushroom and bacon (cured ham, really), but the eggplant yakitori was disgusting and inedible. We have no idea how one might destroy a perfectly good eggplant, but they managed it<br />Salad of the season - this looked nice, but was a disappointment. Too much cabbage, mealy tomatoes, only a couple chunks of cucumber, a minimal amount of shredded daikon, and a mayonnaisey dressing which was not very good<br />Charcoal roasted squid - this was pretty good, not overcooked, and came with mayonnaise. The tentacle to body ratio was a little low, ie not enough tasty tentacles.<br />Korean beef - this was OK, but not spicy and the thinly sliced beef felt coated with something<br />Yakisoba - lots of noodle, not very much vegetable, and too oily<br />So, the food was hit or miss, mostly miss. Other people seem to love this restaurant, so maybe there are some stand-out items on the menu that we didn't order. But we left with the feeling we should have had dinner beforehand and just had the mandatory appetizer, edamame, and beer.<br />On an up note, the place is so cavernous no one noticed or cared that we brought a little birthday cake from a local patisserie, lit a candle, and sang happy birthday.R/Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09470492039723704885noreply@blogger.com0