Sunday June17

After Saturday's adventures, my exploration partner Dewitt bailed....(I think my driving might have scared him just a bit, LOL!)  I was left own my own to travel in any direction..........so I headed south (at least I think that's the direction I was headed??)

First stop, well actually the first drive-by, was Camp Kinser, the Marine base I was looking for yesterday weh I ended up in a completely different place!  I actually looked at a map before I headed out this time so I had a general idea of where I was going....

First discovery - lots of casinos!  Japanese people apparently have a bit of a gambling problem particularly with slot machines and pachinko - something I always thought was more of a kid's game!

The casinos are on just about every corner - some of them look quite similar to Las Vegas casinos too.

Next stop - Pineapple House! 

Don't know if I mentioned this but fruits and vegetables are quite expensive in the grocery store.  Most of the military people buy produce at the commissary, and the local folks have gardens where they grow their own vegetables! There are quite a few community gardens where neighbors come together and each claim a plot in the garden for growing their veggies. I'm not sure if it's the fact that Okinawa is an island or what, but a single apple costs 200 yen - about $3 US dollars - APIECE!  Pineapples are not any cheaper - in the local stores they run around 1300-1500 yen ($18-$20 US).  This is interesting because Okinawa has it's own pineapple plantation on the north end - and even better, there is a "branch store" closer to my end of town.  I had heard stories of the pineapple wine and was quite curious to check things out.

This is a view of one side of the store - this was the wine section.  There was another section that looked suspiciously like pineapple tequila or some other liquor......There may be a tasting party at some point in my future!  I did buy (and eat) a very expensive (1050 yen) pineapple that was DELICIOUS!!

The Pineapple House is most famous for its Pineapple parfait sundaes....it was too early in the day for me to try one but it looks YUMMY!

NEXT STOP - Flea Market at Camp Kinser!

 Park and Swaps ( or Flea Markets, depending on your terms) are pretty much the same world-wide.  You collect up all the miscellaneous "junk" you have laying around, especially the clothes and toys your kids have outgrown and haul them to a pseudo-yard sale where people but your stuff for pennies!  I was hoping for a patio chair but it was mostly clothing up for grabs.  The flea market rotates among the military bases each week so my hunt may continue.....

 This picture is for my sisters.....and yes, those bowls are EXACTLY like the ones mom and dad received as a wedding gift.  I had to force myself NOT to buy one or two!

My final adventure for the day was lunch...well it was more like lunner since it was quite late in the afternoon by the time I got around to finding food.  This place is about a 3 block walk from my home and I had heard it was good.  Japanese restaurants do not generally provide "table service" - orders are placed and payment made at the front counter when entering the restaurant and a server brings the food out once it's ready.

I am familiar with Hawaiian food - thanks to a job that allowed me to spend a few months in Honolulu...and my friends Jason and Julie Vastine who eat "Hawaiian" on a regular basis thanks to Julie's heritage.

Jason and Julie - if you ever come to Okinawa, Eat here!!

Kahlua pork, garlic chicken, macaroni salad and rice...YUM!