We are very happy to be on the west coast at One Hundred Days Hotel. It certainly lives up to the reviews we have read. Getting here has given us a taste of what it is like further north…beautiful, rugged, undeveloped and challenging. I have been unwell for the past few weeks with a respiratory bug and cough and it just won’t go away. Barry has kindly offered to go for a ride and get us some food from a grocery store giving me some time to rest. 👍. But first, breakfast. The hotel offers a set menu….a traditional steamed meal with 2 choices.
Barry’s choice includes fish, rice balls, steamed egg, veggies, salad and miso soup.
I had the option with bagels, egg, veggies, spam and wieners, etc. Both meals were excellent and so tasty. Who knew that steamed spam could be a breakfast item?
Having a room on the end gives us 2 views. The view from this window is facing south where we will be heading in a few days. A cemetery with family plots is next door. When we leave here the road goes inland which means big climbs.
With our dilemma of needing to buy food and having limited cash available, Barry had 3 options. He could go back to the Conbini on the west coast, get cash from the ATM and buy groceries. But that seemed like too much riding as we will get to a Conbini when we head south tomorrow in about 20 km. He could go north to Higashi as there is a supermarket there and he might be able to use a credit card or we go to the Variety Store near our hotel and get what we can. Barry chose Higashi. I get the luxury of staying behind and resting and perhaps a walk with a visit to the beach.
The pure yellow colour of the Yellow Trumpet is stunning, also known as Tecoma Stans. It has become invasive in Asia and can become a weed.
This is a pineapple growing region.The pineapple is processed at this large facility. Tours are available where you can see the canning production line. Unfortunately the factory is closed due to the New Year break. This factory is Japan’s only pineapple cannery. It also processes local citrus fruits like tankan and shiikwaasaa for juice and canned fruit. We have been drinking a lot of shiikaasaa juice and it is delicious.
About three kilometres from our hotel was an amazing mangrove display. In Japan, the largest number of mangroves can be seen in Okinawa. Five families and seven species of mangrove are represented here.
Mangroves grow in the inter-tidal zones where the sea and rivers meet. Their tentacle like aerial roots breathe and support the trees in unstable tidal flats while their high resistance to salt allows them to survive in sea water.
A gem amongst the mangroves. It is called the Orange Mangrove Tree or the Oriental Mangrove. The spindle shaped fruit drops and becomes embedded in the mud in an upright position where it rapidly develops roots. It belongs to the family Rhizophoraceae.
Organic coffee and various fruits like mango papaya and banana are grown at Matayoshi farm. You can sign up for activities like harvesting and roasting the coffee. Being a holiday, it was packed with visitors.
A lovely surprise..Barry met 2 fellows cycling the north part of Okinawa. They are from Nepal and this fellow has been living and working in Naha for,the past few years. His friend had flown in from Nepal and had arrived just a few days ago. They were struggling a bit as the ride is pretty challenging with heavy winds and monster hills, plus they were carrying all of their gear on their backs. Looks like he is using a motorcycle helmet for cycling. Oh boy. Admire their spirit.
We think this may be the Ti plant, a member of the asparagus family. This is spectacular when the light comes through the foliage…a brilliant deep pink emerges.
Barry had a challenging, physical ride in search of food. But, alas due to the holiday, all of the stores were closed. He ended up finding some food at a tiny shop across from the Mangrove park. Barry had stopped here on his way north to the supermarket in Higashi, but the older fellow working in the store was sound asleep, so he carried on. Thankfully it worked out when he returned. Cup noodle soups for dinner! On the upside, he had an incredible adventure today and saw amazing things.
A typical burial family plot in the cemetery by the hotel.
