Have a look at photos of wildlife, festivals and travel sites here. Sharing tips for travelers with a twist of humor is part the life I enjoy in Okinawa, Japan. Photos and text Copyright © Michael Lynch. All photos contain traced digital watermarks. You may contact:http://www.ryukyulife.com/ for licensing.
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Monday, November 26, 2018
Portrait of a Grey-faced Buzzard in Okinawa
AKA Butastur indicus
Camera: Pentax K1
Lens: Sigma 50-500 + 1.4 Converter Focal Length 700 MM
Exposure: f/9.5 1/400 ISO 800
Location: Kin Town, Okinawa, Japan
Date and Time: NOV 26 2018, 9:45 AM
Saturday, November 24, 2018
November 2018 Full Moon Photo From Izena Island Okinawa
Just Home From an Exhausting Trip
It was sort of a whirlwind tour of Izenajima and cameras are downloaded, batteries charging.
The purpose of the trip, wasn't to get full moon photos but, it happened while we were there.
The moon was actually full on the night of the 23rd. Clouds covered it.
But, at 3:40 AM the Beaver Moon was shining, directly over my hotel.
So, I shot it. End of report.
Thursday, November 22, 2018
November 2018 Full Moon Over Okinawa
Beaver Moon
That's what it's called in the USA. We'll just stick with Full Moon on Okinawa.
That way, not so many people may get offended!
Wednesday, November 21, 2018
Bird Image of the Week: The Grey-faced Buzzard Stare
Until Saturday Night
It's been a busy week and there are several hundred photos of this bird in the pending files.
About to make another excursion at sea, I'm packing the bags tonight.
Traveling light, I won't take a computer but, may have some iPhone access.
Enjoy the weekend and, we'll see if I have anything exciting to post Monday.
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
Lot of Walking for One Lousy Bird Picture
They Say Walk 10,000 Steps a Day
So, I let Apple have access to my location on the iPhone contraption.
Wherever I walk, as long as the phone is with me, I'm supposed to get a step count.
The technology must not be perfected yet. I walked to the coffee machine to buy iced coffee.
It's about a city block away. Got my coffee and started drinking while checking my steps.
The thing said I walked a grand total of eight steps, first thing this morning.
Maybe it takes a few hours for the satellite information to get there, inside my phone.
So, I finished my coffee and went back to bed.
About the Bird
This character hangs out in a tree a few minutes walk from my house, sometimes.
Several times a day (before noon) I walked down the road looking for my feathered friend.
Bird photos look better when they're out in nature not, on telephone poles.
The sun was in a position to light the bird's eye up nicely so, I took some photos.
It was around 8:30 AM and, I'm glad I got some images early in the morning.
Five or six trips outdoors, looking for the bird in the trees were disappointing.
My last hike around the neighborhood ended as the sun was setting behind the mountains.
There are more lousy photos of the bird in this electrical environment.
Let me know if anyone needs to study the length of bird toenails. OK?
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
Wednesday, November 7, 2018
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Sashiba (サシバ) the Grey-faced Buzzard Shot Today
Camera: Pentax K1
Lens: Sigma 50-500 with 1.4 converter - Focal Length 700 MM
Exposure: f/9.5 1/125 ISO 100
Location: Kin Town, Okinawa, Japan
Date and Time: November 6, 2018, 9:01 AM
More about the Grey-faced Buzzard (Butastur indicus)
Saturday, November 3, 2018
What the Heck Is a Horohoro Forest?
12 Photos from a Nature Hike
There were three of us, long-term Okinawa residents, on this excursion.
With a grand total of almost a century on the island, we've never been here before.
One of the things I love about the Ryukyu Island Chain is the discoveries to be made.
Just when you think you've seen it all, something else will pop up.
Fooling Around in the Travel Industry
Over the years we learned to make use of the travel information offices.
It pays, to make contacts, gather tourism brochures, and swipe maps.
People become great friends when they see a couple of foreigners promoting travel and tourism.
Dozens of times, we had traveled through this area and never noticed the Horohoro Forest.
Last year, we promised to take a girl named Yuka out for lunch.
Her 28th birthday was in October. She's always helpful. We owe her a steak dinner.
Well, a typhoon or something happened and, we missed the date!
Mothers tell your daughters to ignore old guys promising you steak dinners.
Here's what led us to Horohoro. We promised to take the gal to lunch, again.
This time it was supposed to be something a little bit different.
Have you ever heard of Flying Fish Soba? Me neither but, that was the plan.
Yuka, being in the travel and tourism business, was promoting the fish and noodles soup.
Yuck. I told everybody if the place had Hamburger Soba, I'd order that.
The girl wouldn't be free for lunch until noon so, we had some time to kill.
In a brand new travel information office, I noticed a map with Horohoro on it.
Asking a guy behind the counter, where Horohoro might be, he helped me.
He came out from behind the counter and pointed at a green-roofed building.
Up there, behind that building on the hill, Horohoro Forest could be found.
Things Like This Just Don't Happen
Bumbling around, making believe you speak Japanese and stuff, goes a long way.
The forest was up on that hill and we had a bit over an hour to kill. What could go wrong?
Three elderly gentlemen with a young date pending, should get out and exercise.
So, there we were, huffing and puffing up and down the jungle trails.
Just picture it. Man against nature. Earthy elements and stuff like that. Wilderness.
Fortunately We Traveled in a Pack
It's easy to get carried away and forget about a young gal and stinking fish soup.
The wife told me, flying fish soba would be good for my heart. Yuck.
Anyhow, up and down the hills along that trail, the steps made navigation fairly easy.
Nobody was out there except us. Toilets seemed to be everywhere behind any tree.
Um, I mean, "They don't have any." You have to use your imagination.
About halfway through the nature trail, we came across a second map signboard.
You know, where the red dot is means, "You Are Here."
Just past that sign, the trail took a big dip, going downhill. We checked the time.
There was no sense going down a steep grade if, we had to hurry back up for a date.
If, you ever get old remember, travel in packs. It's smarter than traveling alone.
For being out in the wilderness, this trail is really well maintained.
Wooden stairs and handrails aren't something you'd expect to find but, they were.
The log steps and handrails are actually made with concrete. They look like wood, huh?
Going up and down the steps along this trail can give you an appetite.
Even though my stomach started growling, I wasn't looking forward to flying fish soup.
Funny thing: We found the spot where it's sold and, I told the guy there, I'd be back for lunch.
Someday, I'll have a Part II for this trail to show you. I want to go back.
According to my calculations, after about 600 meters of hiking, it leads to the sea.
We had to hurry. No sense in standing the birthday girl up, two years in a row.
We got to her office shortly before noon and went across the street.
Not five minutes away was the Every Choice Steak House.
Smooth talkers insisted on buying Yuka a steak dinner. Soup is too cheap!
While waiting for our orders, we mentioned the Horohoro Forest experience.
On my iPhone Google Maps, didn't have the place listed.
Even in Japanese, Yuka couldn't pull it up on my phone. So, I told her I'd add it.
We learned, "Horohoro" means cinnamon in Okinawan language.
We walked halfway through a cinnamon forest and, I didn't bite one tree!
A few years ago, I had a cinnamon tree encounter and, got to bring a chunk home.
Heck, I eat cinnamon every day and spend my hard-earned money to buy the stuff.
Must Return: Forest of Horohoro
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