Scuba Diving

When we moved to Okinawa our intention was to travel during the winter break.  However, having just moved here we did not plan a trip soon enough to avoid extreme expenses.  So,  we decided to use this time to become PADI Open Water Divers.

It was a lot more exhausting than I imagined due to all the weight we had to carry (tank, weights).     But, it was exciting and we all loved our instructor, who was enthusiastic and made even the tediousness of practicing skills over and over an enjoyable event.

Okinawa is the perfect location to become a scuba diver.  There is so much to see!  While we had to practice our skills during our open water sessions, I really enjoyed seeing all the fish and a few sea snakes (Okay, not really happy to see them).  We cannot wait to get into the water and enjoy all the natural wonders.  Once I get used to dealing with the compass and gauges I hope to get a camera so that I can take pics and share the interesting sea creatures with you.

John John is the first in the video, with the blue tipped snorkel.  Pauly is behind him, with the yellow snorkel.  As the camera moves you will see, in the background, Pauly and John John doing their brother handshake.  John and I are doing the "Okay" sign.

 John and Pauly gear-up!

While the hood is warm the water temp was 72 degrees so I opted out of the medieval knight look for the next dive.  The hood was very tight... can you tell by my squished cheeks!

Taipei

As many of you have seen on my facebook page, John John and I took a trip to Taipei, Taiwan for a swim meet.  We had a fantastic time!   While we didn't have a lot of time to see the sights, which will be remedied with a future trip, we did get out a bit.  

The swim meet was sponsored by the Taipei American School (TAS).  But, don't let the name of the school fool you.  The school, as did all the others who participated, had an international student body.  We spend the weekend with families from across the globe and it was unlike any swim meet that we've ever attended.  

First, TAS ran a tight ship.  I've never been to a more efficiently run event that dealt with swimmers from the age of 8-18 years.  And, secondly, I've never been to a meet where the parents of swimmers from other teams cheer for your child.  It was meet that embodied sportsmanship on every level.

TAS was located one block away from our lovely hotel and the very long street on which the hotel and school lay was full of shops and eateries.  We had a great time window shopping and were able to enjoy the amazing culinary experience for which Taipei is renowned.  

On one evening we had time to wander through on of the famous night markets of Taipei.  Sensory overload doesn’t quite describe the experience:  There was the assault of smells coming from the many food stands...both good and not so good smells.  The crowd, the cacophony from the many competing merchants and the rain created a throbbing beat known as the Shilin Night Market.

Please enjoy some photos from our trip:

 The older swimmers playing cards at the airport as we await our flight to Taipei.

 I loved the style of Hotel Dandy!  This was the area in which we ate breakfast.  The hotel accommodated our swimmers' early morning schedule by providing breakfast an hour earlier.  Now that is customer service!

 This is the view from our 8th floor room at the hotel.  This district of Taipei is known for being the home to ex-pats and those from around the world that work in Taipei.  

 The Cafe Market restaurant at which we had the most amazingly fresh, cook to order meal.

John is enjoying his own noodle creation. 

Choose your noodles, broth, meat, veggies and it was cooked to order at the noodle bar.

 At a lovely 9 floor mall we enjoyed the elevator operator who was dressed for the holidays and bowed each time a door closed as the elevator departed.

 Not the best photo, but lucky that we were able to get the picture taken without anyone walking in front of the camera.  We are about to enter the maze of the Shilin Market.

 A little gaming at the Shilin Market. 

 As my dear friend said, "Wow... No!"  I couldn't agree more!

 How my head felt by the end of the evening!

This was located nearby our departure gate at the Taipei airport.  What are they trying to say?!  

This will be a bit of a long post, however I think you will enjoy the little history lesson about Okinawa and the photos that follow.

 A Little History

Approximately 32,000 years ago it is believed that the first humans lived in the Ryukyu Archipelago.  It is widely believed that the people of Okinawa are descendants of those who traveled from China to the islands during the prehistoric era.  And, there is archaelogical and current cultural evidence of a strong southern pacific influence on the island of Okinawa, the largest of the Ryukyu islands.

Let's leap forward to the Gusuku ("goo-skoo") period.  Gusuku is the word used for castle.   It is around the 12th century that strong political forces began to dominate the Okinawan political climate.  Warlords known as aji ("ah-gee") fought fiercely.  And, in order to protect their "kingdoms" they built castles.  

Fast forward again.  In the early 1300's the Three-Kingdom period began.  As a result of submission to stronger warlords and treaties three dominant kingdoms emerged: the southern, middle and northern kingdoms.   The Three-Kingdom period lasted until 1429 when Sho Hashi defeated the ajis thereby unifying Okinawa (known as Ryukyu at the time) and marking the birth of the Sho Dynasty.

Due to the stability brought through unification Okinawa created strong diplomatic and economic (through trade) ties with China, Japan, Korea and many regions of Southeast Asia.  And, because of its ideal location, Okinawa became a hub of trade.

Shurijo or Shuri Castle (Shurigusuku), located in the southern portion of the island  became the political, economical and cultural seat of Okinawa.  It is from this Castle that the Sho Dynasty ruled.  The first Sho Dynasty lasted 40 years until a farmer took the throne in a coup.  

The Okinawans had strong ties with China and out of respect for those ties the farmer took the title Sho En, keeping the Dynasty in name.  This began the second Sho Dynasty and it lasted for the next 400 years.  

Recognizing the value of controlling a hub of trade the Satsuma Clan from mainland Japan invaded, seizing Shuri Castle thus ending the second Sho dynasty.

Okinawa was then ruled by the Satsuma Clan followed by the Tokugawa Shogunate.  Still, Okinawa did not become a Japanese prefecture until 1879 when the Japanese government forcibly ousted the king from Shuri Castle therefore ending the "Kingdom of the Ryukyu".

Now for some pictures..... There are five gates that lead to Shuri Castle, two pictured here.  What gate you entered depended upon your social standing.   In accordance with feng shui as well as for strategical purposes, the castle was set on high ground nearby the pond and stream with a view of the ocean.  About the grounds you can see the caves in which the Japanese Army burrowed.  The castle, even during WWII, proved to be formidable.  However, in the end, it was destroyed.  I will write more, in the future, about Okinawa during WWII. This is the site of the castle's well.  You can see, in the background, there are remnants of the original wall. After WWII the grounds served as the campus for the University of the Ryukyus. When the university was relocated, the Castle was restored to its present condition. The present Shurijo Castle is modeled after the 18th Century structure and as you can see, the influence of Chinese culture is quite strong.   Above: The King's Throne.   We visited Shuri Castle during the yearly festival.  A parade that lasts 3 hours (yes, 3 hours!) begins at the port and marches up to the castle.  The photo below is the beginning of the parade.   The parade route runs along Kokusaidori (International Road) or as we call it "The Miracle Mile"  There are many stores and eateries.  We watched the parade as we browsed through stores and from the restaurant at which we had lunch.   And, of course, as an important part of Okinawa's modern history, the US Marines end the parade with their impeccable performance. A bit of fun on Kodusaidori.  There is a benimo tart store where you can watch the tarts being made.  Yes, that is me posing as the, ahem..., little tartlet! =D Some things just don't translate well.