Alien in Japan - Part II

OK part two.....

Flew to Okinawa on a plane covered with the pictures of Pokemon - with a huge profile of Pikachu on its tail. Okinawa was a strange place. It was Aysun's first time there as well so now both of us were tourists for the first time. We found it strange because it didn't feel like a part of Japan. OK it's an island off the coast of Japan so it's not a part of the country in a literal sense but the way of life, we thought, was different as well. We were going to stay in a hostel in Naha for the first night so again left the luggage in our room and went out to explore the place. Although it's the capital of Okinawa, it's a rather small touristic town. Little note about Okinawa; it used to be a separate kingdom before becoming a part of Japan so this could be one of the reasons why we found it different. Naha basically has one main street - Kokusai Dori or International str. - with shops and restaurants lining both sides. After going the length of this road we decided to go to the public beach to enjoy the sun and the sea. However, we found out that this wasn't going to be as easy as we thought. It took as more than an hour, asking several people directions and quite a lot of walking to get to the public beach. And it was extraordinary. I think that beach is unique in the world. There cannot be another beach in the world with a view of a highway overpass. When you are lying on the beach, you are watching trucks and cars go by over the sea. Spent quite a bit of time to raise Aysun's diminished spirits due to disappointment and exhaustion as she was expecting a prettier picture. Still, managed to swim and lie in the sun for a bit. The next day got onto the bus to go to the rather luxurious hotel we were going to stay for 2 nights. It was going to be a change after hostels. One other important information about Okinawa; there is a rather large American presence on the island as they have a couple of military bases. Hence, the reason for the steak houses. However, from what Aysun told me I understand that the local people is not too fond of the Americans. The hotel was rather good; standard facilities, swimming pools, a nice beach, a rather big chapel for weddings etc. However, when we went down to the beach to swim we realised something peculiar. The water was extremely shallow; after walking 500 m it was still at my knees. Very disappointing. So spent the day sunbathing. But in the afternoon, Aysun went to swim and found out to great surprise that now the water is up to her waist after a couple of steps. Aha - tide. All in all a relaxing day. The first holi-day; just sea-sand and sun. No sightseeing, no walking, no rushing around. Which all come back the next day as we decided to go to a nearby island connected to Okinawa. This again required a bit of effort to organize; which bus to take, where to get off etc. But in the end, it paid off because the beach we found was beautiful. Much better than the one back at the hotel. Clear water, white sand, less people. And sunburnt. The trip back was interesting - never thought I would have my first hitchhike experience in Japan. Ended the day with a Korean barbecue. Next day we had a plane to Fukuoka. We stayed just one day in Fukuoka but the place left a lasting impression on me. Fukuoka had a different vibe to it. The riverside, for example, was very colourful and entertaining with bars and street stalls. Ah, the street stalls. Hundreds of them. Salary men sitting on stools eating noodles, drinking sake. Drunk salary men playing catch-the-fish. This is a really strange game; in a big bowl of water there are live fish swimming around and you try to catch them without a bait. If you succeed, the stall owner cooks the fish for you to eat. Also have to mention the hostel we stayed in Fukuoka. It was a Ryokan; an old Japanese house - the kind you expect men and women to dress in kimonos. It was beautiful. It definitely was one of the reasons why I liked Fukuoka that much. Oh, one other reason was the Fukuoka airport. It's 10 minutes away from the city centre by metro. Probably, the most convenient airport in the world. It was really difficult to leave Aysun and Japan the next morning. She is a very dear friend of mine and it was a joy spending 2 crazy weeks with her, travelling through Japan. I also have grown fond of Japan; it's strange ways and charming people. However, London was calling me like the sound of an alarm clock waking you up from a lovely dream. It was time to go back to reality.