Ok so I have a lot of stuff to write about so I’ll dive right in. First of all, I actually really like the Japanese system of taking off shoes, which is you take them off backwards so that they are facing outward. I don’t know why, but it just seems much easier and natural to back out of places than go out straight. I think this is a habit I’ll keep when taking off shoes outside people’s houses.

Secondly, you know how in America having a video in the front seat of a car is banned, right? Well in Japan, there is a screen which is your radio when you are in gear, and when you are in park or neutral, it shows a video that goes along with the radio. I though that was pretty cool. Also I am pretty sure we have these in America also but they have quite sophisticated rear view cameras and reversing-aid in cars. Also the cars are mostly cubes.

Also I really like the way Okaasan makes food (for some reason I did not think of this.). She makes some common thing with vegetables, then takes out some for me and either adds fake meat or leaves it, and then adds real meat to everyone else’s.

So, anyway, today we went to the Okinawa Churami (I am 99% sure that is the correct name) Aquarium, and it was really really fun. So, my whole old-host-family’s clan went, and me and my host father (though he left after lunch.). So we had rented a bus and we took off. The bus had more than enough seats, but it was the smallest size. During the ride (since we had to go all the way from South Okinawa to North) we played card games, talked, messed around, etc. at around 12:00 (we left at about 10:30) we stopped at a beautiful place for a picnic lunch. It was right next to the sea (with a blue almost matching Rio Celeste) and under a really nice gazebo -type rest place. There was a stone table and chairs for the elders, and everyone else sat on the tarp. It was a really very yummy lunch. Okaasan had packed a separate delicious vegetarian obentou for me, and everyone else ate out of a huge yummy-looking assorted meat platter. It was a wonderful lunch. Then, after taking pix, we all piled back into the bus and headed to the aquarium.). BTW, Sangi Foi, I taught the grandkids your Costa Rica game where you put cars on your head, but kind of forgot the exact rules so made them up.

Anyway, then we arrived at the aquarium and went in. First of all, it was less of an aquarium but more of a complex of many fish related things (even all the plants had been sheared to look like marine animals!). The aquarium itself (the main building) was very amazing, with starfish and stuff we could touch, unique fish and crabs and such I had never seen before phosphorescent fish, etc. BTW it was very very hot and sunny outside, so they had really nice water fountains and mist-spewers to cool us down. Of course, it was fine inside though.

And then, we came to the biggest fish tank in the world (honestly, it is currently the largest.). It was amazing — soo many fish, HUGE sharks and rays, and many other things. We could see it from either underneath or above, which was nice. We also happened to be there for the feeding of the gigantic whale-sharks, which was amazing. The glass of that tank was 0.6 meters thick btw.

Oh, and also, first of all the water fountains in the aquarium had a foot button (like many trash cans) which made it easy to get water, and right next to the water fountains was a gargling place. I didn’t try it them because I thought it would just be normal water, but afterwards I realized it was probably slightly salted water (there was a sign that said it was not for drinking) so I should have probably tried it…

After we finished the aquarium we went outside and watched the most amazing dolphin show I have seen — the most amazing part was the song and dance the dolphins performed, which was pretty perfectly coordinated, and a comedy routine performed between a dolphin and human where it refused to eat. It was really amazing. There were also huge leaps and balancing acts and such, but I would say the song and comedy were the best.

After that we all piled into the bus to head back. Most people took at least one short nap on the way home, and we arrived back at like 7:30.

BTW I played Go for the first time today with Otousan and it is actually very interesting and mind-twisting! I am hoping to keep playing and get better do I can own Dadda and Nellie back home. This seems like a reasonable substitute for 29 (though if/when we have 4 people, I will try to teach my host family.)

Okay, I am very tired, so Goodnight!