CANOEING, A NEW HOTEL & OKINAWAN MUSIC
16.01.2025
Today we were up and about at 6:30am. We had to pack our bags again as we are moving to a different hotel, not far from where we are currently staying. When we finished packing our bags and cases, we made our way to the dining room for breakfast, which both Mami and I thought wasn’t at the same standard as yesterdays. Nevertheless we ate well, then returned to our rooms, grabbed our luggage and took it to the lobby to be stored with the front desk staff, as we don’t check in to our new hotel until 3.00pm.
We are all a little excited about this morning’s planned activity. Mami has booked us in to do canoeing, on a river which runs through dense mangrove forests and other lush tropical plants. Mami and I have both done canoeing on a previous visit. We went with a different company last time, who took us along the Fukidori River. This time we have three newbies in Youko, Yoshi and Nana and we are using a different company who will take us along the Miyara river.
On arriving at our destination, our guide introduced herself and asked where I was from. I said I was Australian and she let me know in broken English she had been to Australia and had done a surf lifesaving course in Queensland but had also been to Melbourne.
We were fitted out with neoprene slip ons and a paddle then taken down by the banks, where the water flows, down by the banks of the Miyara! (apologies to Olivia Newton John)
The canoeing was a big success and everyone thought it was a lot of fun. Nana and Youko were paired as were Mami and I and Yoshi asked if he could go solo. Everyone did really well and we saw fish, lush mangroves and a large cave which looked like volcanic rock carved into the bank of the river. I was wearing shorts and got totally soaked by the end of the trip but it didn’t bother me as I had a change of clothes. We all had a really good time.
We had a quick lunch at a small café before heading to Nagura Amparu, a tidal flat surrounded by mangrove forests where the Nagura River meets Nagura Bay. The low tide was at 2:30 pm, but we arrived around 1 pm, so it was too early to cross the river. Instead, we explored the wetlands exposed by the receding tide.We had fun finding shells and different rocks.
We are now checked in at our new hotel, VIVOVIVA Ishigaki. We are staying here for 3 nights. We are going out to a restaurant that Nana has checked out and it sounds pretty good. Like so many restaurants it is an Izakaya or what we would call a small pub.
What Nana hadn’t told me was that an Okinawan musician would be singing and playing a shamisen (traditional ryukyu 3 stringed instrument). He was absolutely brilliant on his instrument and his voice was fantastic. We stayed and watched him for nearly an hour with Nana clapping and singing along with him. He really had the small pub audience eating out of his hand. It was another one of those magical music moments I keep having when I travel.
Well we’ve had a big day and Youko is not feeling 100%, so as soon as the singer had finished we left and Nana drove us back to the hotel VIVOVIVA, but not before Yoshi told Nana we had to stop at Family Mart to get ice-cream for Rob. What a wonderful father in law!!
Okay that’s it for today. I’ve finished my ice-cream, Mami’s had a bath and just made me a lovely coffee so all is wonderful and I’m hoping my sleep is just as good. Good night, or more likely, good morning as that is when most of you are reading this blog.
