Okinawa: The Final Frontier (Day 3)

The three days in Okinawa really flew by. Today we were more sane, and slept in, ate a leisurely breakfast and then checked out of the hotel. Then we piled into the car for one last, long drive to a place that was called "Okinawa World". Go figure. It was a park complex that had a cave, some traditional culture and crafts, and a snake museum for Okinawaian snakes.

First we watched an Eisa dance demonstration. Eisa is a dance form practiced in the Ryukyu islands, and is usually performed at the end of the Japanese Obon Festival in Summer. It's a very energetic dance, with drums and jumping. (What I mean is, the people with the drums are jumping while beating them and yelling...it looks exhausting.) We weren't allowed to take photos during the dance, so credit to whoever took this. (Actually, from what I can tell...it's from the same place I was at, so someone was cheating at some point...)

Then we walked around the crafts area. The Ryukyu islands are known for their glasswork, so we stopped by the local...kiln? Workshop? Whatever you call a place you make glass...

Lots of what you could buy was touristy, but they do have a professional who can make awesome stuff like this:

I drooled over the teapot and cup set for a long time but the price...*wince*

Then we went to the snake museum, where there was a demonstration with harmless snakes, a cobra, and the local poisonous snake, the Habu.

The second photo, with the ballons, was proving that the habu snake uses heat to sense its prey; and sure enough, when the two balloons were place inside the cage, it lunged for the blue one and popped it.

Then we got to take a photo with a snake:

Actually, I think snakes are rather awesome. They're not slimy and they feel really smooth and nice. As long as they don't want to bite or eat me, I'm all good.

Just a snake on display. (I rather like this photo, actually.)

Finally we went into the cave, which was the entire length of the park and took about half an hour to go through. But it was really neat. Caves in general are just neat.

 The last photo is from a section where the stalagmites (whoot, I actually do know the difference between them: stalagmites rise MIGHTILY from the ground, while stalagtites cling TIGHTLY to the ceiling. I love mnemonic devicces...) are supposed to look like rising dragons. I kinda see it...

After that, it was time to drive to the airport, return the car, and head home. Travel time, which includes the three-hour flight and the three trains, meant we didn't get home until about midnight. Yay for sleeping in the next day!

And that was my little adventure in Okinawa. Next up: New Year's! The year of the Dragon.