Sat July 7

So, today, after waking up at 8:30 and skyping with Dada and Sangi Foi, I went out for a run in the park. Now, granted it was quite hot, but it was still an amazing run. I was, however, out of shape, and after one broken lap (each lap = 850 m) I needed water. At first, I looked near the toilets, and there were no water fountains (BTW, the men's urinals are not inside a legit building, while the women's bathroom is.). Then I remembered there had been one in the playground about half way home, so I decided to look in the playground in the park. None. I was wondering how on earth they could have a park with no water fountains; granted, there were vending machines everywhere, but still...Anyway, I was very thirsty so I went to the one half way home. Then, on the way back to the park, I happened to stumble upon a nice little shaded seating area with a water fountain. As I walked back to the park, I realized such sitting area were everywhere (2 pix attached.). It's not that there were not water fountains, I was just looking in the wrong places (I was looking where American water fountains would be...)

Anyway the running was great. And one of the characteristic things about Naha in the morning is the cicadas -- see attached pix of their shed skin :)

Anyway, after that I came home, bathed and had lunch (Hakka noodles again and I have figured out the recipe, very simple), and then worked with Otousan to complete his Morse Code device (soldering the wires.). He also explained to me the theory of Morse Code and how you communicate with people around the world and Morse Code's own version of "Text Talk". It was very interesting!

Anyway, since we had until 5 to go to the concert, I went to the mall (that is the huge benefit of city life -- everything is SOOO close -- I honestly walked to Naha Main Place! Anyway I was just planning to look around and buy cool stuff that caught my eye, but it was hugely overwhelming. First of all, the pathway between shops was very narrow, but more importantly, unlike American Malls where there are shops along the perimeter and a lot of space in the middle, this literally had shops everywhere! Much more like some sort of market or bazaar! It was pretty hard to figure out where one shop started and another ended! Anyway, in my wanderings, I found a toy store and bookstore, which were the only places I spent money in. I looked at all the various clothing stores and honestly, even for good quality, the clothes were rip offs! $50 for a half sleeve collared shirt with a floral design! $200 (minimum) for a blazer! And even the few sales barely helped! So yeah I didn't end up getting any clothes, but I did just wander and look around for quite a while. There were Tanabata-Bamboo-Trees all over the mall where kids could write their wishes and hang them from the trees! There was a theatre there also showing Spiderman!

Anyway, after that we came home and went to the concert, in which, contrary to my beliefs, Otousan did not sing. Anyway, it was an Opera concert. I had never heard legitimate Opera before in my life, and boy, are their voices amazing! Not only can they manage very high and low pitches, without mikes they were able to project through the whole gigantic concert hall! It was really really incredible, and the singers were very talented. I really enjoyed myself :)

However, I am more enthralled by how huge of a cultural melting pot Japan is -- there is ancient Japanese culture, Italian culture, Ballet (which I am not sure where it originated from but I am pretty sure the specific dances I watched had some Middle Eastern influence), Indian (Curry and Rice), etc. it is amazing, especially for a nation that stayed isolated for so long! I would definitely say it is much more of a cultural melting pot (not ethnic because there are not many foreigners here) than US. US is much more of a salad bowl -- there are many many micro cultures but they do not coalesce into one. Or maybe thats just the Bay Area, "Little Asia", point of view :)

For dinner we went to the same udon and tenpura place as last time -- it was delicious. I would have offered to cook but it was really Kate and I would have taken a lot of time. Anyway though I am supposed to cook tomorrow do that's fine. Meanwhile tomorrow Otousan and I are going to the Prefectural Art Museum in the morning, and then off to celebrate Tanabata! Goodnight!