The Daily for Sunday Mar 21, 2021

[StLouisCruisers]

Good afternoon everyone.  We arrived home from our Atlanta event around noon today.  We enjoyed getting out a little and spending the night in a hotel.  Too bad rooms weren't ready at check in time and many people had to stand around the hotel waiting for them to be called to check in.  It was total chaos, and that seemed to extend to the crazy freeways in and out of town.  We have never seen such a mess on the roadways, and that's saying a lot for Atlanta!  It took forever to get there with all the logjams.  Anyway, we're back home again and it feels good to relax and enjoy reading the Daily.  The Folds of Honor Race at Atlanta Motor Speedway starts in a few short minutes (unless they have a lot of hoopla on TV first), so I'll stick my head out the back door and listen for the roar of the engines.

 

At first when I read the Port of the Day I thought, no I haven't been there yet.  Then as I looked further into it, we were there in 2010 on Diamond Princess on our Asia cruise.  That is where our ship docked and we got off to look around a bit.  I'm happy to see some photos posted here of the many attractions others have enjoyed.  

 

These same dancers greet all the ships it seems.

 

Costumes up close.

 

Everyone's favorite shopping street.

 

 

I can't imagine picking this jar of snakes to take home as a souvenir.  Look at those fangs!

 

The covered pedestrian street.

 

 

 

Heading back to the ship.

 

 

[Vict0riann]

6 minutes ago, TiogaCruiser said:

I hope we don’t continue on with masks for flu! 
I’m totally fine wearing them now for Covid. And I’m glad it’s a requirement here in the stores, etc. I think the huge decline in flu is particularly due to how much more contagious Covid is. And there is likely “artifact” in that, as likely someone symptomatic is probably only getting tested for Covid and not flu. Around here, testing is usually at specific Covid test sites, where only Covid tests are done.

Here, I think people are tested for flu at the same time.

[StLouisCruisers]

21 minutes ago, sailingdutchy said:

Naha , Japan is located on the island of Okinawa and is the largest city and capital city of that Japanese Prefecture .

Okinawa  was part of the Ryukyu Kingdom from 1429 and officially annexed by the Empire of Japan in 1879 .

 

Naha suffered extensive damage during the battle of Okinawa during WWII  and the entire city centre had to be rebuild . Civil administration was returned to Japan in 1972 but a large portion of the US forces  ( 26.000 ) are assigned to this prefecture.

On Okinawa the Ryukyuan people make up the majority of the population and the traditional culture and language are still alive and well.

 

We were in Naha on the Volendam and due to a storm they switched the date and we were very lucky that we arrived there on Nov 3rd , 2017 . Lucky because when the four of us walked to the monorail station to go to the Shurijo Castle we found out that a once a year special cultural event was to take place , the “ King of Ryukyu " was visiting the Shuri castle and going to pray at the different temples an amazing festival that only takes place once every year .

 

 

 

 

Great pictures!

[Seahorse99]

Other posters have done a great job in describing Okinawa and Naha, including pictures. I lived just north of Naha for 2 years, way prior to the digital age. And before the monorail was constructed. I enjoyed seeing the photos for a trip down memory lane. 

[sailingdutchy]

49 minutes ago, Vict0riann said:

Amazing pictures, Tony!  Thanks for sharing.  Do you have those Ryukyu stamps?  Maybe post a picture?   I did have some at one time, but can't find them now.  

 

I found some Ann @VictOriann They will be in my next shipment for your specialty collection  !

Not a problem 😀

Edited March 21, 2021 by sailingdutchy

[sailingdutchy]

Here a few more pictures of Shurijo Castle 

 

The original castle was built in the 1400’s destroyed in 1945 rebuilt in 2000 and during a huge fire destroyed again in 2019 as of last February rebuilding efforts are under way after crowd funding campaign .

At the end of our visit we walked back along this 500 year old stone path , Kinjo-cho Stone path good thing we did it from the top down instead of climbing it it is quite steep and could be slippery . 

 

Tony 😀

[NextOne]

@sailingdutchy Terrific pictures! Thank you for sharing them!

[NextOne]

Okay -- it's officially Spring! The ice cream truck is making the rounds of the neighborhood, playing "Deck the Halls..", also "the Mexican Hat Dance." Very eclectic!!

Edited March 21, 2021 by NextOne

[bobpatj]

It’s so nice to view all the pictures.  We were supposed to visit there last year, but  were unable to, as all of Japan was closed down to our Westerdam cruise. Sigh.

[AncientWanderer]

Good afternoon/evening everyone.  Today's collection of days really may be the most charming ever...out of a lot of charming collections.  🌺  🌹  🌻  🌼  🌺

 

Fragrance is interesting.  In younger days, I really loved perfume, but my understanding is most all of it -- even the expensive stuff -- is made with synthetic fragrance now, and it all gives me migraine.  

 

@Cruising-along , your astilbes look lovely.  They are one of my favorites to grow.  When we spent the summers in Idaho, I used to take cuttings at the end of the season, stick them in a terrarium with some sterile grow mix, a little water, and just leave them there when we left town.  

They root so beautifully that I would have new plants for the next spring with virtually no care.

I put in bare-root ones here in San Diego this year, and they are coming up nicely.  I'm going to see if I can keep them going now in perpetuity.  Hopefully they will do better than my lame effort with seeds this year.  @kazu, yours look wonderful.  Experience tells.

 

To those on the care list and anyone else needing a prayer here, it's coming your way right now.

Wishing all a fine start to Spring 2021.  🌤️  💚

[lazey1]

Love the flowers, not so much the fragrances as they trigger my COPD coughing spells.

Thank you to everyone who posted pix of the blue hulled beauty and those who posted pix of the port.

Jane

[daisybertie]

Monday morning here, and we are in the middle of an extremely heavy downpour, that has caused severe flooding further north. 
Along with many others I can no longer wear perfume, or use highly scented hand creams. Even using bleach for cleaning causes chest tightening and facial puffiness. This seems to get worse as you get older. Here are a few pictures of the lovely flowers in our garden last summer.

Wishes to you all.

[daisybertie]

That should say ‘Best wishes to you all.’ Not sure what happened there!

[sailingdutchy]

1 hour ago, bobpatj said:

It’s so nice to view all the pictures.  We were supposed to visit there last year, but  were unable to, as all of Japan was closed down to our Westerdam cruise. Sigh.

 

I feel and share the pain Pat and Bob , we were having so much fun on the first leg of the cruise with you ! 

[HAL4NOW]

6 hours ago, Horizon chaser 1957 said:

To me, a fragrance is light and natural.

Like bacon frying over an open fire, or brisket and ribs on the BBQ?

[Horizon chaser 1957]

6 minutes ago, HAL4NOW said:

Like bacon frying over an open fire, or brisket and ribs on the BBQ?

Yup. My nose says those all qualify.😄

[erewhon]

Thanks everyone for all the informaton and photos, so good to see photos of a blue hulled beauty in Fort Lauderdale.

Dinner will be Sirloin steak cooked on the BBQ,( and vegetables.)

Stay safe and well everyone.

[oakridger]

8 hours ago, Horizon chaser 1957 said:

.....Although my jab is still far in the future, I’m enjoying hearing of those of us who have theirs and are starting to see friends and family and freedom again. It’s like knowing spring is coming because your friends farther south have blossoms in their gardens.

 

@Horizon chaser 1957 I really like the way you expressed yourself on the vaccine rollout emotions!  You are a poet too!  Wishing you a Happy Spring!

 

~Nancy

[Darjeeling]

8 hours ago, sailingdutchy said:

Naha , Japan is located on the island of Okinawa and is the largest city and capital city of that Japanese Prefecture .

Okinawa  was part of the Ryukyu Kingdom from 1429 and officially annexed by the Empire of Japan in 1879 .

 

Naha suffered extensive damage during the battle of Okinawa during WWII  and the entire city centre had to be rebuild . Civil administration was returned to Japan in 1972 but a large portion of the US forces  ( 26.000 ) are assigned to this prefecture.

On Okinawa the Ryukyuan people make up the majority of the population and the traditional culture and language are still alive and well.

 

We were in Naha on the Volendam and due to a storm they switched the date and we were very lucky that we arrived there on Nov 3rd , 2017 . Lucky because when the four of us walked to the monorail station to go to the Shurijo Castle we found out that a once a year special cultural event was to take place , the “ King of Ryukyu " was visiting the Shuri castle and going to pray at the different temples an amazing festival that only takes place once every year .

 

 

 

 

What incredible pictures, Tony! Thank you for sharing them! I have former ESL students who returned to Japan when their husbands were transferred back to their homeland. I’d love to visit someday!