The Greatest Adventure Yet

4-15-16

Former Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters-

You can spend an entire day here learning about the war. There is a very informative museum at the ground level before you head down into the bunkers. It was a little eerie walking down the steps knowing what had taken place here. I wasn’t expecting it to be so large, yet small at the same time. The amount of people that is said to be down there at one time, they would have to be sitting on top of each other.

 
You can see the marks from where they chipped away the walls

To lighten the mood and get some energy out we checked out a new park nearby. This park was awesome! I think my parents were in aww of how different the parks are here as well. The kiddos seemed to make a few new friends. There was a school there on a field trip and a group of them really wanted to take their picture. Although I didn’t find out that is what they wanted until a teacher finally came over to tell them to go play on the playground.  

After working up an appetite we set off for lunch. We were going to Thai in the Sky!

Thai is the sky is a beautiful restaurant on top of a mountain top overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The view is amazing.

You have to walk the ground a bit before you get to the restaurant. You first pass a tiny dinosaur museum with some cool fossils. You also walk by a collection of crystals.

The food was DELICIOUS and the portions were large. I guess I do like Thai food.

My new favorite Hibiscus Tea

Preston's feast, always finds the biggest thing to order

I wish I could have a bottle of this spring roll sauce- loved the heat

After we ate we walked the rest of the grounds. There is a rock garden, a pond and a friendly dinosaur-all great for some picture taking. We will definitely be coming back to this place.

Careful, the dinosaurs may bite! hahaha

With full tummies we needed to walk it off a bit so we headed over to Shuri Castle.

Shuri Castle was originally built in the late 1300’s. Wars and fires destroyed the castle multiple times over the centuries, most recently in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. The current buildings are beautiful reconstructions dating from 1992. The castle sit upon a hill and allows you to see over the city of Naha.

When you purchase your tickets you are given a map. The map is also a stamp scavenger hunt. There are stamps all around to grounds and you set off to collect them all. This was the kids favorite part. We were very successful and only after back tracking a couple of times, we found all the stamps! After you collect all the stamps you show the information desk and receive a special stamp on your map and little prize.

I wish I knew that upon entering the main castle building you are required to remove your shoes. They give you plastic bag to carry them, but you are still having to carry your shoes around. Additionally, I would have brought socks with me too. There were only a few spots you are allowed to take photographs as well, but it turns out those are the best parts anyways.

We are definitely getting our work out today. It is a little warm, but we are going to use the car ride over to Kokusai Street to cool off before walking the mile long street full of shopping.

We found a few goodies on Kokusai street and my dad had some pretty cool shirts made up. We finished up in perfect time to head over to the garlic house for dinner!

This was a busy and fun filled day. I am going to have to start planning all our weekends like this. Lol