Monday, October 11, 2010
Happy Taiku no hi
As we Americans were celebrating our politically-incorrect holiday today, the Japanese appeared to be celebrating an equally banal holiday - taiku no hi, or Sports Day. I was completely unaware that the Japanese had a holiday today until I took the kids and Stevie (on his first outing in four days) to a Japanese park. It was crazy busy! The kids all playing at the playground, families paddling in paddle boats, playing basketball, riding bikes, etc. So I asked the Japanese guard on the gate as we returned home, what holiday is it? In his limited English he tells me what sounded like "walk-out day". Walk out day? Does everyone walk off their jobs??? Nooo, he was trying to say "work-out day"! So I promptly came home to Google it and discovered it is actually "Sports Day". No wonder the Japanese are so thin, they actually have national holidays that promote physical fitness!
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Naha Tug-of-War
One of the biggest events and festivals here in Okinawa is the legendary Naha tug-of-war and today was the auspicious occasion. We went to this event last year with the whole family (and Grammie!), but this year Stevie was still feeling poorly and the kids were only too happy to have a reprieve from going so instead my neighbor, Kelly, and I went down by ourselves.
The contest is supposed to be a battle between residents of the east and west sides of Naha for bragging rights and a chance at good luck. The tug-of-war actually dates back to the early 1600s under the Sho dynasty when Okinawa was in the Ryukyu Kingdom. The rope is made of rice straw, is about 600 feet long, has a diameter of about 4 1/2 feet, and weighs 43 tons. Thousands of people take part in the event - it's really quite something to behold!
The idea is that the rope is laid out on the central road of Okinawa - route 58 - in two halves.
One half has the "female" end, and the other half has the "male" end with a distance of about 60 feet in between. The crowd has to move each half 30 feet to the middle by pulling on smaller side ropes as the leaders standing on the rope call out "pull" (in Japanese, of course). After getting the ropes close together, they are then thread together and a giant wooden pin is inserted to keep them together.
Once that is accomplished, there is a theatrical reenactment of the kings of the east and the west meeting, followed by a staged "fight" between the kings and then the tug-of-war begins!
Thousands of people all pulling like they're going to make the difference and eventually the rope either moves or they call time.
At that point you can get up on the rope and cut off sections to take home as a souvenir!
Since we were kid-less, we were able to get in really close to the rope and stood just a few feet from the central knot. It was awesome!
The contest is supposed to be a battle between residents of the east and west sides of Naha for bragging rights and a chance at good luck. The tug-of-war actually dates back to the early 1600s under the Sho dynasty when Okinawa was in the Ryukyu Kingdom. The rope is made of rice straw, is about 600 feet long, has a diameter of about 4 1/2 feet, and weighs 43 tons. Thousands of people take part in the event - it's really quite something to behold!
The idea is that the rope is laid out on the central road of Okinawa - route 58 - in two halves.
One half has the "female" end, and the other half has the "male" end with a distance of about 60 feet in between. The crowd has to move each half 30 feet to the middle by pulling on smaller side ropes as the leaders standing on the rope call out "pull" (in Japanese, of course). After getting the ropes close together, they are then thread together and a giant wooden pin is inserted to keep them together.
Once that is accomplished, there is a theatrical reenactment of the kings of the east and the west meeting, followed by a staged "fight" between the kings and then the tug-of-war begins!
Thousands of people all pulling like they're going to make the difference and eventually the rope either moves or they call time.
At that point you can get up on the rope and cut off sections to take home as a souvenir!
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| Kelly, always taking pictures! |
Since we were kid-less, we were able to get in really close to the rope and stood just a few feet from the central knot. It was awesome!
Friday, October 8, 2010
London's Birthday!
Happy 7th Birthday to London! He's been waiting for his big day for 2 months now since we started our family run of birthdays. He was very excited to be the birthday boy for the day and let everyone know it was his special day.
He started by his favorite breakfast of cinnamon rolls and a few presents before heading off to school for the day. I made some cookies for his classmates and took him those and lunch (Popeye's - his choice!) at school. After school he opened a few more presents before his birthday party that night.
His choice this year was a Nerf gun theme so we had the neighborhood boys over to play Nerf-based games and have pizza and cake.
The best game was Cannon's obstacle course which he and Kelly constructed in the yard. The kids were supposed to run the course without getting shot by one of the boy's dad (thanks Joe!) Stevie was supposed to be the shooter, but was so sick that he never got out of bed all day. Poor Stevie missed all the fun!
Thanks for all the cards and presents - I think the boy had a pretty good day!
He started by his favorite breakfast of cinnamon rolls and a few presents before heading off to school for the day. I made some cookies for his classmates and took him those and lunch (Popeye's - his choice!) at school. After school he opened a few more presents before his birthday party that night.
His choice this year was a Nerf gun theme so we had the neighborhood boys over to play Nerf-based games and have pizza and cake.
The best game was Cannon's obstacle course which he and Kelly constructed in the yard. The kids were supposed to run the course without getting shot by one of the boy's dad (thanks Joe!) Stevie was supposed to be the shooter, but was so sick that he never got out of bed all day. Poor Stevie missed all the fun!
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| Cannon ready for action! |
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| Cannon running the obstacle course. |
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| Emmy running the course! |
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| What would a party be without a pinata? |
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
China Day 12
The final day of our trip! It’s been exciting, enlightening and fun, but I think a part of all of us wants to get back to our own home. Before we headed out to the airport in the afternoon, however, we made one last tourist stop to the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial.
This massive park is home to the Memorial Hall, which reminded me of the Lincoln Memorial inside, the National Concert Hall and National Theater.
The Memorial Hall has a giant statue of Chiang Kai Shek inside a hollow rotunda and is guarded by two statuesque Taiwanese soldiers. We were fortunate enough to be there at the right time to see the “changing of the guard” ceremony. It was only after this ceremony that the kids were convinced the soldiers were real!
After witnessing the ceremony, we descended into the Hall to the third floor where they had some wonderful art exhibits. Stevie and I were both moved by one painters work so we bought her book. Boy, would I have liked to have one of her paintings! The first floor of the Hall housed a museum about Chiang Kai Shek and had lots of his personal belongings including his car, Bible and a signed print of the US moon-landing.
The gardens around the park were really pretty and we had one last photo op before heading back to the hotel to check out.
What a wonderful, wonderful trip we’ve had!
This massive park is home to the Memorial Hall, which reminded me of the Lincoln Memorial inside, the National Concert Hall and National Theater.
The Memorial Hall has a giant statue of Chiang Kai Shek inside a hollow rotunda and is guarded by two statuesque Taiwanese soldiers. We were fortunate enough to be there at the right time to see the “changing of the guard” ceremony. It was only after this ceremony that the kids were convinced the soldiers were real!
After witnessing the ceremony, we descended into the Hall to the third floor where they had some wonderful art exhibits. Stevie and I were both moved by one painters work so we bought her book. Boy, would I have liked to have one of her paintings! The first floor of the Hall housed a museum about Chiang Kai Shek and had lots of his personal belongings including his car, Bible and a signed print of the US moon-landing.
The gardens around the park were really pretty and we had one last photo op before heading back to the hotel to check out.
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| See Taipai 101 in the distance? |
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| View from our hotel's roof top garden. Again, Taipai 101! |
What a wonderful, wonderful trip we’ve had!
Monday, October 4, 2010
China Day 11
The main reason we came to Taipei is because my dad highly recommended seeing the National Palace Museum here. For him to highly recommend it, I thought it would be worth the stop over between China and Okinawa. So today we headed over to the museum to check it out. The consensus: very impressive!
Here’s the history: Originally established in 1925 in the Forbidden City after the fall of the last Chinese emperor, the Palace Museum was the collection of the artifacts and personal property of the imperial family. Then in 1931, when the Japanese Imperial Army was advancing, Chiang Kai-Shek ordered the quick evacuation of the most valuable pieces to the South of China to three different cities. Almost 13,500 boxes were sent by train to the South. After World War II, China’s Civil War continued and around 1948 Chiang Kai-Shek and the museum director decided to evacuate some of the collection to Taiwan for safe keeping. Almost 3,000 crates of valuables were shipped over to Taiwan and by the time these 3,000 crates arrived, the Communist Army had already seized control of the Forbidden City. Only 25% of the original collection sent to the South was evacuated. Still, that collection represented some of the most valuable and rare pieces. A mere 677,687 pieces! These artifacts date back to Neolithic times – 8,000 years ago! Yes, today we saw a ceramic vase that was 5,000 years old. Incredible.
You were not allowed to take photos in the museum so I can’t share with you any of the impressive works, but I can describe my favorites with stolen photos from the internet. My all time favorite were probably the ivory carvings. Artists have meticulously carved ivory into intricate scenes that really escape my paltry descriptions. The piece de la resistance would be the four tiered (about 2-3 foot tall) food carrier which was carved in the most beautiful designs with texture so fine you would think it was done in thread, not ivory.
This most talented artistic skill was not just performed on ivory, but also rhinoceros horn (yes, there used to be rhinos in China)
...and various fruit stones (like olive pits). I was fascinated with the unbelievable patience and skill it must take to make these designs.
There were also some fascinating bronze water and wine carriers made in the shapes of oxes and other animals that were from 2,500 years ago. Can you imagine that people were making such crafts that long ago? It has really given me a new perspective on history and a new appreciation for Chinese culture. Thank goodness these relics were saved because who knows if they would have survived the Cultural Revolution. The museum also housed an impressive array of paintings, calligraphy, jade, ceramics.
For our last night in Taiwan, Stevie really wanted to visit the famous “Snake Alley”, but after hearing my dad’s descriptions and reading a few reviews of the area, we decided it might not be wholly appropriate for the kids. I’m all for exposing them to culture, just not that kind of culture! So instead we opted for another night market that promised great street food and lots of interesting shops.
Now we’ve done night markets in Thailand and China, but this one was a little different in that it was mainly permanent stores that were pushing all kinds of cheap wares. I think most of the stuff was actually authentic, not knock-off, but at pretty good prices. Stevie and I were both sucked in by the shoe stores since shoe shopping on Okinawa is very limited. I was enticed by the Italian shoes and Stevie by the Birkenstocks, but alas we kept our senses and didn’t buy any!
The food selection was another story. We had read about all the tasty (and non-tasty) treats available at the night market which Stevie and I were game to try, but by this point in the trip the kids had had enough of our experimentation and their little systems shut down. Sprite for them for dinner! But Stevie had an oyster omelet (a specialty), and I had roasted mushrooms and a corn on the cob that had been roasted earlier in the day and then re-roasted while being basted with some kind of sauce. It was yummy! Stevie and I would have stayed for more, but the noise, hustle and bustle of the street was getting to Cannon so we bugged out and headed for home.
Here’s the history: Originally established in 1925 in the Forbidden City after the fall of the last Chinese emperor, the Palace Museum was the collection of the artifacts and personal property of the imperial family. Then in 1931, when the Japanese Imperial Army was advancing, Chiang Kai-Shek ordered the quick evacuation of the most valuable pieces to the South of China to three different cities. Almost 13,500 boxes were sent by train to the South. After World War II, China’s Civil War continued and around 1948 Chiang Kai-Shek and the museum director decided to evacuate some of the collection to Taiwan for safe keeping. Almost 3,000 crates of valuables were shipped over to Taiwan and by the time these 3,000 crates arrived, the Communist Army had already seized control of the Forbidden City. Only 25% of the original collection sent to the South was evacuated. Still, that collection represented some of the most valuable and rare pieces. A mere 677,687 pieces! These artifacts date back to Neolithic times – 8,000 years ago! Yes, today we saw a ceramic vase that was 5,000 years old. Incredible.
You were not allowed to take photos in the museum so I can’t share with you any of the impressive works, but I can describe my favorites with stolen photos from the internet. My all time favorite were probably the ivory carvings. Artists have meticulously carved ivory into intricate scenes that really escape my paltry descriptions. The piece de la resistance would be the four tiered (about 2-3 foot tall) food carrier which was carved in the most beautiful designs with texture so fine you would think it was done in thread, not ivory.
This most talented artistic skill was not just performed on ivory, but also rhinoceros horn (yes, there used to be rhinos in China)
...and various fruit stones (like olive pits). I was fascinated with the unbelievable patience and skill it must take to make these designs.
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| This little gem is 1.6 cm high, 1.4 cm long and 3.4 cm wide! |
There were also some fascinating bronze water and wine carriers made in the shapes of oxes and other animals that were from 2,500 years ago. Can you imagine that people were making such crafts that long ago? It has really given me a new perspective on history and a new appreciation for Chinese culture. Thank goodness these relics were saved because who knows if they would have survived the Cultural Revolution. The museum also housed an impressive array of paintings, calligraphy, jade, ceramics.
For our last night in Taiwan, Stevie really wanted to visit the famous “Snake Alley”, but after hearing my dad’s descriptions and reading a few reviews of the area, we decided it might not be wholly appropriate for the kids. I’m all for exposing them to culture, just not that kind of culture! So instead we opted for another night market that promised great street food and lots of interesting shops.
Now we’ve done night markets in Thailand and China, but this one was a little different in that it was mainly permanent stores that were pushing all kinds of cheap wares. I think most of the stuff was actually authentic, not knock-off, but at pretty good prices. Stevie and I were both sucked in by the shoe stores since shoe shopping on Okinawa is very limited. I was enticed by the Italian shoes and Stevie by the Birkenstocks, but alas we kept our senses and didn’t buy any!
The food selection was another story. We had read about all the tasty (and non-tasty) treats available at the night market which Stevie and I were game to try, but by this point in the trip the kids had had enough of our experimentation and their little systems shut down. Sprite for them for dinner! But Stevie had an oyster omelet (a specialty), and I had roasted mushrooms and a corn on the cob that had been roasted earlier in the day and then re-roasted while being basted with some kind of sauce. It was yummy! Stevie and I would have stayed for more, but the noise, hustle and bustle of the street was getting to Cannon so we bugged out and headed for home.
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| Cooking Stevie's oyster omelet. Notice the safe electrical plug hanging from the roof! |
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| Enjoying his omelet on the steps of a Buddhist temple! |
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| Roasting corn |
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| Yummy in her tummy (which she's showing you...) |
Sunday, October 3, 2010
China Day 10
A sad wake up this morning as we had to say good-bye to Grammie and Grandpa. They’re starting their long trip back to the States. Since our flight wasn’t until 1:30, we had time for a leisurely swim in this huge hotel at the airport (world’s nicest airport hotel, or so the awards say). Then we left the People’s Republic of China for the Republic of China (otherwise known as Taiwan). Did you know that Taiwan is not recognized by most countries as an independent nation? It’s not exactly considered part of mainland China, but it’s not exactly independent. Curious.
The reason why is that back in 1949 China had a civil war – the Nationalists of Chiang Kai Shek versus the Communists of Mao Zedong. Chiang Kai Shek lost (hence the reason China was communist) and left mainland China with his followers to set up shop on the island of Taiwan (formerly Formosa). Before he left, he raided the national treasures of the Forbidden City – thousands and thousands of priceless historical artifacts that detail China’s history – and brought them to Taiwan. But this was probably a good thing because he set them up in an awesome museum that we will visit tomorrow.
History lesson over. After checking into our hotel and a little rest, we headed out into the early evening to find landmark number one in Taipei – the Taipei 101, which was the tallest building in the world until earlier this year when the Burj Dubai opened. It has 162 floors versus the 101 of Taipei! Still, in my opinion 101 floors is pretty impressive!
The kids and I bought tickets to go to the top and after 37 seconds in the world’s fastest elevators, we arrived on the 89th floor. As London said, it’s like being in an airplane! We toured all around the building and although the visibility was limited because of the weather, it was still amazing.
After touring the 89th floor, we walked up two more flights of stairs to the 91st floor, open-air observation floor. Cool! And not a bit scary, for me at least.
So after the 45 second elevator ride back down to the ground, we had dinner in the coolest food court area. Sure they had Subway and Cold Stone Creamery (which is strange enough considering we’re in the middle of Taiwan), but they also had Vietnamese pho, and Shanghai dumplings, and roasted chickens with their heads still on! It was awesome.
We then ventured back to the hotel via the very clean, very efficient, very civilized, and very busy subway system of Taipei.
The reason why is that back in 1949 China had a civil war – the Nationalists of Chiang Kai Shek versus the Communists of Mao Zedong. Chiang Kai Shek lost (hence the reason China was communist) and left mainland China with his followers to set up shop on the island of Taiwan (formerly Formosa). Before he left, he raided the national treasures of the Forbidden City – thousands and thousands of priceless historical artifacts that detail China’s history – and brought them to Taiwan. But this was probably a good thing because he set them up in an awesome museum that we will visit tomorrow.
History lesson over. After checking into our hotel and a little rest, we headed out into the early evening to find landmark number one in Taipei – the Taipei 101, which was the tallest building in the world until earlier this year when the Burj Dubai opened. It has 162 floors versus the 101 of Taipei! Still, in my opinion 101 floors is pretty impressive!
The kids and I bought tickets to go to the top and after 37 seconds in the world’s fastest elevators, we arrived on the 89th floor. As London said, it’s like being in an airplane! We toured all around the building and although the visibility was limited because of the weather, it was still amazing.
After touring the 89th floor, we walked up two more flights of stairs to the 91st floor, open-air observation floor. Cool! And not a bit scary, for me at least.
So after the 45 second elevator ride back down to the ground, we had dinner in the coolest food court area. Sure they had Subway and Cold Stone Creamery (which is strange enough considering we’re in the middle of Taiwan), but they also had Vietnamese pho, and Shanghai dumplings, and roasted chickens with their heads still on! It was awesome.
We then ventured back to the hotel via the very clean, very efficient, very civilized, and very busy subway system of Taipei.
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