Final Days on Okinawa

Now that we've moved back to Oklahoma and are no longer the "Okinawa Smiths" I've decided to update the ol' blog with some scenes from our last days on the island. I like to stay on top of things like that.  As soon as we found out we'd be leaving this beautiful place earlier than we'd planned, I told my beloved to get his wallet ready and buckle up 'cause we were gonna spend our last weeks seeing, buying, doing, and eating everything we possibly could. And so we did. There are so many things we never got to see and do, but we gave it our best shot. We truly loved the time we spent here, and we'll miss this place and the people we've met. Here are just a few (trust me) glimpses of our final days...

Cape Manzamo. No visitor should ever go to Okinawa and leave without seeing this.

Sunset over Kadena Marina... one of our favorite spots. We loved eating at Seaside Ristorante... the food was mediocre, but with a view like this... ahhhhh... That, and the kids got to feed the fish.

A winter's day spent on Torii Beach.

Fukushu-en Chinese Gardens

Cherry blossom viewing at Nakijin Castle

Sakura season... my favorite!

Nakijin Castle ruins

They served hot cherry blossom tea on this cold and windy day... isn't it pretty? But I'm sorry to say it tasted like warm salt water.

This one was taken at the Nago Cherry Blossom Festival after eating the absolute worst lunch of all time. :)

Climbing the stairs at the Nago festival

A day on Hamahiga Island

Katsuren Castle

Painting our own shisa at Murasaki Mura

Sculpting our own shisa at Gala

Noah's creation

My shisa

Maeda Flats... this was an unbelievably beautiful day! The tide had gone out before we arrived and we could walk out and see sea life in the tide pools... tons of Blue Damsels... so cool!

Himawari (Sunflower) Festival

Did I mention the sunflowers?

Sayonara, Okinawa. It's been a wild ride... one I wouldn't have missed for the world!