Okinawa, there I went :)

Well, I am back. Actually I was back a day ago but I was too lazy to upload my pictures and get to the keyboard -^^-.
So briefly, the business trip was fine.
We had to visit some Tsunami areas and then last day was sight seeing meerly.
The things I recall are the following:

kokusai-dori: it is the International Street in Naha ( Naha is the Capital of Okinawa-city), its _heartbeat_ as some like to call it :)
Here some links I found while googling: link1, link2
Himeyuri Monument: dedicated to the students and the teachers of the Okinawa Women’s Normal School and the First Prefectural Girls High School who were killed during the Battle of Okinawa in War World II. 219 died ( highschool girls and teachers, all female). See this Link for me info.
We have also visited the Navy Underground Headquarters...Tought provoking!: Several hundred meters of underground corridors and rooms, which served as the Japanese navy's headqarters during the war. Many sailors committed suicide in these tunnels, after their situation had grown hopeless towards the end of the battle.












Here is a map about these war memorials, if you might want to visit someday :)













We have also been to the Shuri Castle (Shuri-Jo)


































and to the Ryukyu Glass village: (More info on Glass in Okinawa, here)















It was very nice watching the people working and making Glass :). This is the second time I witness glass making. It gives me the desire to learn to experience it myself too :). Why not!!















I have to mention Shi-Sa, the famous lions, they come in pairs. We see them everywhere...Here is their myth story and this is how they look like ( one is enough just making a different grimace.




















We have noticed that the main convenience stores were mostly the Family Mart(s), and some Lawson(s) or Hot Spar were despirately trying to share the business lol.










And of course, the tropical fruits!!!: Here, have a look:










Eventually, I am a fan of firemen. Wherever I go, I like to take pictures of them, here how it looks in Okinawa :
















Did you think I was to close without a sight over the beach :p. It was fine on our first day, then it got rainy and windy on the following days, though not cold. So I guess, FINE :).

I cannot either close without noting that Okinawa has very amazing flora. Very nice flowers: hibiscus, orchides etc etc. Look:












































































Things I will not forget, the "sea grapes" (umi budou):
see :
It's the first time I see and eat such a thing. not bad. However bare in mind that I got used to eating their seaweeds...my sister said she wouldn't trust my tast anymore >_<. I think you still can trust my taste ^^/. Also the "guro-kun" (Mr. Guru ) is very delicious :). It is a kind of fish, apperently very famous in Okinawa. Most of my main dishes were based on "Sir Guru". ^^/.














They also had lots of things made out of this vegetable: _Goya_ or bitter melon. It seems to be a very favored vegetable by Okinawan people. We even had an ice cream out of that.

Well don't ask me for the taste, I just had to eat it not to diappoint the kind waitress....>__<, but never again though lol. This is the vegetable in case you wonder how it looks like:











Voila, I hope I set down the main "points". If something new comes to my mind I will be updating my thread, hence.

I look Forward to flying you to somewhere else in our next trip ^^/.