aw, they make such cute shisa! too bad I couldn't get them at the same time...
roar!
there's a little animal display on the way to the snake show, its a mongoose! I think...
snake show... they showcased this python or boa for photo ops, Coryn said no...
but Carter was up for it, those things sure are strong! I think Carter was thinking "what are you and why are you hugging me so hard?"
Many of the formations are marked for various reasons, for prayer sites or whatnot (ie, fertility, safety). Don't ask, I don't know what any of them are designated as prayer sites for.
We went with this nice single lady Michelle... here she's holding Coryn over the water to drop him in for a bath. :)
Here she's holding Carter up so he can touch the stalactites.
You can see in some areas where the dripping has started forming new stalagmites on the floor... I wonder if they clean it occasionally.
Do you see the fish? There are a few kinds of cave dwellers here.
Coryn's talking to Jackson for an earlyFather's Day.
Off to a bath...
Post bath drawer rivalry
Carter loves Coryn's bed... I think he wants his own;
he also likes to get in baskets.
Monakids... giant indoor playground, akin to McD's play area but so much better.
Coryn's so happy to be here, he ran around the whole time on his own, only coming to me for refreshments.
Carter absolutely adores the ball pits... and who would have guessed? after all, it was his first word, and thats the whole point, throw the balls, jump in the balls, lay in the balls.
Coryn was even so brave as to try the tight rope! a never before attempted piece, Carter also enjoyed it... in a different sense.
That was followed by a lesson in Japanese calligraphy. very informative, and the kids had some fun too! Carter wandered around with a black mouth for a bit.
Durn hippie needed a hair cut,
Carter waited somewhat patiently.
Went to Krishna's with a friend for Indian curry, good stuff! Carter loved it.
Coryn got to play a girly video game which you watch barbie-esque teens sing and dance while you push buttons to the tune. It was the only working game in the area.
ooo, what can I play with up here?
Where'd they all go?
petting the Shisa... it is a dog after all, and those are his favorite.
random photo op at the dream center, complete with chairs.
Then there's this stand alone greenhouse, when you first go in its an aquarium of I want to say Amazonian fish? A few huge fish, one a catfish.
Then you go upstairs to find the greenhouse, lots of cute pitcher-type plants...
Other non-Okinawan plants...
giant water lilies... all in a greenhouse that is actually hotter than the others, certainly hotter than it was outside that day, it was a gorgeous day!
At the end of the greenhouse is a random banyon, I'm assuming was cultivated to hang in the middle of the path as a single twined hanging for photo ops. The Japanese are as big on photo ops as Disney!
I was in luck and happened to go to the center while they had a panel exhibit about the wild orchids of Okinawa - finding them in the wild... which was less about how to find them and more about pictures of them in the wild. Which makes sense, wouldn't want every Tom Dick and Harry running up to these places and pulling them out to take home. It was nice though, there were explanations for the Japanese names.
Being a panel exhibit, it didn't photograph too well, which is sad because by this point Coryn was bored to tears, though Carter was asleep for most half of the center.
Here's the other half decent pic.
Then we found ourself in the observatory, the spiral looking building that any who haven't been yet assume is the center itself. Its not much though, the interior is a tribute to the people who study and film nature along with a display about growing orchids from seeds.
the view at the top is lovely of course. 
Not sure who Karasawa is, at least in relation to the center, but he's obviously a botanist of some kind. There is an entire room full of orchids that I'm sure are related to him somehow, though if its ones he's named, bred, drawn, grown, I don't know. 
He must publish or at least add to books that have been published, some with pictures, some drawn, and one that looks like it might have been written for children with fairies on the orchids!
Most of the ones in this 'library' are unusual looking.
This might be my favorite...
But they are all quite beautiful.
They also have Cacao trees...
Wax apple... and durian to name a few more.
Japanese like to make stamp hunts for the kids in the historical/educational sites to keep them entertained, and it works! Coryn was always hunting for the next stamp on his giant sheet of paper. 15 stamps in all.
Water being an important aspect to life in general, and tropical plants in particular, there are a few areas of water in the center, one of which has koi you can feed with edibly boxed feed (looks like some of their icecream sandwiches)
Lily ponds of course...
Cucumber Tree
Flowers from the Box Fruit Tree hanging over the path.
Box Fruit
Jack Fruit
Mmm... Mango... You Wanta Da Mango... yes, they bag their mangos before they fall off the tree, no need for constant vigil to catch them at peak ripeness :)
Posts
All Comments
