Shikinaen Royal Garden
The Shikinaen Royal Garden is the most beautiful and peaceful little historical heaven in the middle of a great big modern city!! Built at the end of the 18th century it was the second house of the Ryukyu royal families!
To get to this little oasis on the island we drove some very twisted, hilly, teeny crazy streets through buildings and past a great valley of tombs! (I wish we had had more time to wander through the tombs…but my friend assured me there were a lot of snakes in amidst them…so that kind of detoured me….and since there wasnt enough time for everything….).
You walk through the gates into these gardens and feel as though you have walked through time….into the past…into the 18th century!!
Okinawa has the longest life expectancy in the world…and these gardens seemed to be taken care of by very beautiful elders!! They were all lean and working hard…but very quietly as we passed by each of them! I love that everyone bows in greetings! Such an honorable practice…and so easy to follow suit as I smiled and greeted each okinawan!
Between the two of us we took so many pictures of this little heaven! These are all the pics my friend took…mine just arrived yesterday in a box I sent!! So I’m taking them to be developed today!! YAY!! I shoot with a 35mm camera with film..so I have to get them on disc before I can share my work.
One of the funniest moments I had at this little place was turning to walk up a path that had ‘beware of snakes’ signs! Now if you have been paying attention to my long winded stories…i’m COMPLETELY freaked by snakes! Almost to the point of paralysis when I see them! (but apparently not when i’m in the water! lol)
So…with some hesitation, and a few pictures snapped of this little path…we were about to head up it when a little Okinawan elder told us…in very hard to understand gestures…to watch out for the snakes! My friend asked him if someone had reported seeing one recently….this little elder looked at me and said, ‘many snakes’…..OH GOD…i’m sure the look on my face must have been priceless at that point! I was ready to turn around and go back the way we had come!
THEN….with a big smile…this elder says JOKE! Just like that!! I laughed SO hard! He was soooo cute and adorable!! We smiled and laughed and then continued up the path! BUT…I was still weary…and I swear all the viney looking roots of the trees ALL looked like snakes hiding!
We ventured into an area that was closed to the public to see a beautiful water fountain! Friend looked around and made sure no one was looking first…then we snuck through the gate!
The whole day was just perfect!! The weather amazing!! We were exhausted by the end of the long day as we had been at the Royal Palace earlier!
I’m picking up the pics of the snorkeling adventure today!! So hopefully I will be able to share those too!! I will go back to blogging workouts at some point! My workout yesterday was intense! And today will be a ‘rest day’….NO NINJA…not a lazy day….i’m still belly dancing!
In the Eye of the Storm!
p.s…does anyone know how you go about becoming an airline attendant??? I think that might be a good travel job! lol
May 15, 2008 at 8:24 am
Nice bomb site!! ROTFLMAO!!!
May 15, 2008 at 8:53 am
I know right!! OMG…when I walked into the first bathroom that looked like this…I walked back out and found my friend and had to ask if that was ‘normal’ potties for Okinawa! I was very much in shock! But I got used to them! Thank god for growing up on a ranch! lol
May 15, 2008 at 10:28 am
Most of the bathrooms are like that and unless you are in a big city you may be hard pressed to find a normal toilet. I have been to Japan four times and must say I have loved every trip. Thanks for posting these great pictures. If you ever get up north try to visit Aizuwakamatsu City (Fukushima Prefecture). Very old city with a lot of history. They actually have tour buses that travel there from Tokyo on a regular basis.
You really do have to watch out for the snakes, most of them are very poisonous. We have run into them and found that they move very quickly.
May 15, 2008 at 10:45 am
I was wondering what the heck that first picture was. I thought it was a bathtub at first.
May 15, 2008 at 6:57 pm
LMAO, the old guy saying "joke!" was classic!! Gotta love a great sense of humor
Those gardens are SO lush and beautiful!!! What a breath-taking view and description… you truly have the gift, my friend!!
Absolutely can’t wait for your pictures!! The workout blogs are definitely missed, but these travel blogs were incredible to read!!
Oh, and I think you can just go to an airline website and check out their employment opportunities? I think for most of them you have to take a course (that you may have to pay for), but hey, I guess it’s like personal training! And you definitely have the personality for it, so I hope you go for it!!
May 15, 2008 at 9:32 pm
That is a hilarious story! I can just picture the elder looking wise and serious then saying JOKE!!! Haha! Oh, those toilets… I’ve visited Taiwan a couple times (mom is from there) and I just couldn’t get used to it, LOL!
May 16, 2008 at 10:31 am
HAHAHAHAAH!! That picture of the ladies room is so FUNNY!!
I love seeing restrooms around the world! Was it easy to get used to? Once I got over the initial shock, I found them convenient and sanitary! Heheheh! Do you think you’ll be back to visit Okinawa in the future? Are you serious about wanting to be a flight attendant? I echo Pixi’s sentiment in thinking you’d be fabulous at it, but the world would miss you as a trainer! 
May 17, 2008 at 11:30 am
The Royal Garden looks like a slice of heaven! I am SO there (in my dreams)