Next Up: Grandma Jean!

The day after the Dolbows left, Typhoon Vongfong arrived and kept us apartment-bound for nearly three days of soaking rain. We all went a bit stir-crazy, but were grateful that the storm weakened considerably and that we had a subscription to Amazon Prime. After the long weekend inside, we were ready to get out and enjoy the sun and welcome Grandma Jean!

My mom arrived after a week with my sister and her family in Seattle. She had one good night's sleep and was ready to go. If you know my mom, this is not surprising. She stayed at another resort in Onna, with a top- floor room and private balcony.

After relaxing at OIST for a bit, we headed to Cafe Do Ka Do Ka, a restaurant and pottery studio just a few kilometers down the road (btw, can the US please go metric?). The setting and view are perfect and a good place for a filling lunch and a pick-me-up coffee. And there are high stools, always a reason to go to a restaurant according to my kids.

The presentation of food here at cafés is almost always as good as the food itself. Doesn't this make you want to up your game for your morning java? 

The following day, Maddox, my mom, and I headed to some cultural sights. We started the day at another World Heritage site, Nakagusuku Castle. At the beginning of the steep uphill climb, I found these two shisas. I am not sure if either of them is scaring any evil spirits though!

Nakagusuku is a fortress that was built in the mid-15th century by Lord Gosamaru. He and Lord Amawari were having a tiff, and he wanted to protect his power. Gosamaru ended up falling to Amawari, but the fortress remained in use. 

Matthew Perry (the Navy guy, not the actor from "Friends") visited Okinawa when it was the seat of the Ryukyu Kingdom in the mid-19th century. He visited Nakagusuku Castle and commented on its solid construction in his travel memoirs. There also exist several lithographs of Perry's visits to the castle, an important set of records for Okinawan history.

Next we went to Nakamura House which is a well-preserved home from the mid-18th century. You can see Nakagusuku from the Nakamura house. We had a conversation through hand gestures with one of the employees there that told us (I think) that samurai used to stay at Nakamura since it was conveniently located near the center of the island. Following our tour of the house, the woman at the gift shop made us sit down for tea and brown sugar jello. The sense of hospitality here is pervasive.

These pottery figures are outside Nakamura house. I have no idea the story behind them,  but I love them. 

Inside every traditional home is an altar room like the one below. The most prominent religion then, and I think now, is Shinto. Shinto is not a religion in any Western understanding of the word, but is a way of spiritual life and practice that recognizes the natural forces in all things.

Although Shinto recognizes the spirit in all things, it also finds sacred spaces where the common and the spiritual come together. This is where shrines are typically placed. Our final stop on this day of cultural exploration was to the Futenma shrine. The shrine is right off a busy street, and is hard to miss, but we found it! 

I didn't take photos of the shrine itself, but did of the washing area outside the shrine. Before entering the shrine, one takes a ladle of water from the clean basin, and follows a series of steps to wash both hands and mouth before proceeding to the shrine to make your offering. We were able to witness other people presenting offerings and praying. Offerings of course could be money,  but some of the rituals involved trays with various elements, including fresh fruits.

After this whirlwind morning of exploring, we went back to Cafe Milkhall Iramina where I had taken the Dolbows. This time, we were ready for lunch. Again with the lovely presentation! I do enjoy the lunch sets that come with many little side dishes to try. This main dish was larger than usual. I feel like the portion sizes here are usually more in line with what a normal human should eat. 

The solitary vegetable on the right-hand side is goya, also called bitter melon. It seems to be an important part of the Okinawan diet, but I have not acquired a taste for it. I have tried it a few times, but it is far too bitter for my taste. Better than pig's ear though!

I am so glad to be able to adventure with my mom. She has been lucky to see many places in this amazing world, and she is always eager to learn from new places and new people. I am grateful that my parents passed on the value of lifelong learning to my siblings and me. It sure makes for an interesting life!